Open University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
This is one of several specialist routes available in our BA (Honours) Social Sciences. Alongside studying the interdisciplinary social sciences, you’ll have the opportunity to explore how sociologists make sense of social worlds, investigating topical issues such as immigration, social networking, precarious work, and urban cultures. On completion of your degree, you’ll be able to apply social theories and analytical techniques to a variety of topics that affect individuals and society. You’ll also acquire transferable skills highly valued by employers, opening employment opportunities in private, public and voluntary sector organisations. Key features of the course
- Specialise in sociology within a broad interdisciplinary social science degree.
- Learn how to apply cutting-edge sociological ideas to a broad range of real world situations.
- Enhance your employability with valued skills that includes evaluating evidence, and communicating specialist ideas and information to different audiences.
- Develop skills in independent working and apply these in an extended essay based on a literature-based research project.
- Relevant to careers where critical analysis is at a premium or involves understanding the workings of society.
- Offers the option to complete a dissertation in the final stage.
Modules
This degree has three stages. At Stage 1, you’ll begin with a broad introductory module exploring key concepts, evidence and sources of knowledge in the social sciences, examining topics from criminology, development, economics, geography, politics, philosophy, religious studies, and sociology. For your second module, you'll choose between exploring important global challenges or an introduction to the study of crime, social harm and criminal justice. At Stage 2, you’ll explore how the social world is being transformed by the internet and digital technology. You'll then choose between two routes. The standard route offers the choice between exploring the place of religion in the modern world, exploring criminological analyses of crime, criminal justice and experiences of victimisation, or discovering what social research is, how it’s conducted, and its importance. This study of the social research process is compulsory in the dissertation route. At Stage 3, you’ll choose from a range of social science modules. Depending on whether you are following the standard or dissertation route will determine which sociology module you'll complete your degree with.
How to apply
To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
There are no qualification requirements for this course.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
2026/2027 academic year fees are not yet available.
Provider information
Open University
Student Recruitment Team
PO Box 197
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BJ