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Department of Sociology

Understanding society, challenging injustice, shaping futures.

Student and academic staff working together in one to one

Study with us

Explore how the social world is shaped, from everyday social interaction to global structures of power and inequality.

Our range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses explore all aspects of sociology and criminology, allowing you to tailor your studies to your interests.

Discover our courses

Find scholarships and funding

PGR Student presenting on smartboard with Class engaged

Our research

Innovative research addressing contemporary challenges in society.

Our research brings about instrumental changes locally, nationally and globally. We work closely with policymakers, service providers and practitioners to ensure that our research has real-world impact.

Explore our research

At York, we'll enable you to gain all the skills you need to understand and analyse some of the most pressing social problems of our time. You'll be trained in a broad range of sociological, social-psychological, sociolegal and criminological perspectives and research. The work of academic staff and fellow students creates an intellectually and personally supportive learning environment that will form the basis of your future success.

Professor Nik Brown, Head of Department 

and 4th in the UK for research overall in Sociology according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021).
8th in the UK
for Criminology and 12th in the UK for Sociology in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026.
World Top 100
for Sociology in the QS World Ranking by subject 2026.

News

News

25 June 2026

The Department hosted the XIII biannual Medical Anthropology at Home (MAAH) symposium, between the 3rd and 5th June, supported by the departmental RIF fund.

News

4 June 2026

York is ranked 11th in the UK for Sociology in the latest release of the Complete University Guide league tables (2027).

News

1 April 2026

We have been placed in the UK top 20 and 95th in the world for the study of Sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026.

Events

Event

Wednesday 4 November 2026 12pm

Colleagues are invited to submit their proposals for the 'Science - Fictions, Faiths and Futures' Conference which will be held at the University of York, 4-6 November 2026.

Information for...

Athena Swan Bronze Award