Sociology

Description

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

Sociology students at Queen’s are taught in a dynamic academic environment in a School rated as one of the leading departments in the discipline in the United Kingdom. The School is located in a recently renovated building, with state of the art learning facilities, together with a dedicated School student common room.

The BA (Honours) in Sociology provides a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

• Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).

• Seminars/tutorials: Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide significant opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.

• Self-directed study: This is an important part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

• E-Learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example, online discussion forums, research methods modules involving statistics, additional learning resources, online readings, and opportunities to use IT programmes in project- based work.
• Supervised projects: In final year, you will be expected to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic or practical methodology that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on a one-to-one basis and via email throughout the two semesters.

• Personal Tutor: Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor from their first day at the university. The Personal Tutor is available to meet with them and to give advice throughout their time at Queen’s, in support of their academic development and to act as an important point of contact with the School.

• Peer Mentoring:We offer a peer mentoring scheme for our BA students, which sees specially- trained second and third year students, under the guidance of staff and the Centre for Educational Development, help first year students settle into life at Queen’s through social events, small group or one-to-one informal support and learning skills workshops.

• Work-Related learning/Field Trips/Study Tours: Study visits and field trips are integrated into several of our option modules. The purpose of these tours are to help students apply their learning to the real-work context and to exercise critical thinking and interpretation. Back in the classroom, students undertake a number of group-based tasks in workshops focused on the field trip and present their findings to classmates.

• Study abroad opportunities: Students have the opportunity to spend some time studying in one of our linked universities. For example, this can take the form of a semester’s study in Sweden (Lünd) (for which credits are transferred back to your degree here in Queen’s) or an intensive two week international study school in Spain (Barcelona).

• Prizes: The highest achieving students in Sociology are awarded the annual Lockheed Prize. We also support our students entering essays to the annual Undergraduate Awards, for which one of our students received a prize in the Social Science category in 2011.

Careers

Sociology graduates work in a wide range of occupations, including the media, civil service, research, teaching, business, commerce, marketing and management. Some graduates build on the degree by undertaking postgraduate training in fields such as social work, law, social science research and teaching. Tailored careers advice and study guidance is available to all students throughout their time at Queen’s.

Studying for a Sociology degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international) and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, including Sociology.

The diversity of interests and topics covered in the discipline, plus the wide range of skills it equips you with, means that our students enter a wide range of careers on graduation. These include the public sector (e.g. social services, education, criminal justice, social work), private sector (e.g. market research, policy analysis, human resources), and third sector (e.g. policy analyst, researcher, youth support worker, charity fundraiser). A number of our students also go on to postgraduate study, on a full or part-time basis.

Detailed Course Facts

• EUR 4160 Year (EEA)
• EUR 13380 Year (Non-EEA)

England, Scotland and Wales £9,000; EU £3,575; International: £11,500

• English

Course Content

At Queen's, Sociology students can take a range of core and optional modules that equip them with a range of useful cognitive and transferable skills.

In first year, students are introduced to important sociological debates, theories and issues. Classes for core modules are usually run with a mixture of lectures and small group tutorials. In second year, students develop skills in various research methods, as well as furthering their knowledge of sociology and its application to the contemporary world through a selection of core and optional modules. In final year, Single Honours Sociology students design and perform their own research project, which they write as a dissertation under the guidance of a dedicated supervisor. They also complete modules, both core and optional, which enable them to utilise their sociological skills.

Lecturers

Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6.5

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-level: BBB or equivalent in an Access Course. There are no specific subject requirements at A-level.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: B2B2B2B2CC/B2B2B2B2B2

BA Joint Requirements

For BA Joint Honours the requirements are stated separately under each programme.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Queen's University Belfast.