Sociology

Change and uncertainty are making it more important than ever to have the skills and knowledge to address new and urgent challenges. Sociology is uniquely positioned to provide important contributions to understanding challenges as diverse as the impact of social media; cancel culture; sustainable development; climate change; inequalities, and social justice. Our Sociology degree at the University of South Wales reflects the teaching terms’ interest in, and commitment to, an applied Sociology which directly engages with these real world issues. Key areas of study include:

• Conflict, Change and Social Divisions - Sociology students will develop an understanding of the interrelationship between the social, economic and political dimensions of modern societies, and the impact of these.

• Local, Global, National - Social changes are blurring the boundaries between domestic and foreign affairs, and so we examine the forces affecting lives locally, as well as across the globe.

• Contemporary Issues and Theory - Our Sociology degree considers how theoretical sociological understandings provides insights which enable a nuanced and multi-faceted understanding of everyday contemporary issues.

• Responses, Choices and Solutions - whether through the development of government social policy, the actions of NGOs or grassroots activism our degree considers how we might respond to the challenges faced by contemporary societies.

Our modules have been carefully designed to provide a blend of theoretical and applied Sociology with complementary international, economic, and political dimensions. In doing so, our aim is to equip you with an understanding of the blurred boundaries which exist between personal troubles and public issues, and of how our lives are influenced and informed by underlying structures and geographically distant forces. Whilst providing a shared foundation in Sociological thinking, our modules have also been designed to enable students to pursue and develop their own particular areas of interest. We have sought to do this through our module content and innovative assessment models, which allows you to analyse and respond to issues of your choice. This process builds to a final year dissertation which, with one-to-one tutor support, provides you with the opportunity to conduct your own research project on an area of your choice.

Year 1:
Classical Sociological Theories
Poverty, Inequality and Social Welfare
Social Justice and Social Exclusion
Past, Present & Future Sociologies
Research, Evaluation & Policy
Equity, Equality and Diversity

Year 2:
Contemporary Sociological Theory
Society and the Environment
Design Thinking, Research Methods & Project Management
Work Experience in Sociology
Global Perspectives on Violence and Conflict
Youth Studies, Young People and Social Policy

Year 3:
Dissertation – Social Policy
Global Studies
Self and Society
Civil Society and Community Activism