Understanding the building blocks for an informed society
Year of entry: 2020
LX33
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
£9,250 per year (2020/21)
£17,890 per year (2020/21)
Join us on campus or online and find out what studying at York is really like.
Find out moreExplore the ideas underpinning the education system and the environment it operates in, and challenge your views about topics debated in society.
Education is increasingly seen as essential to an informed society and as the driver for economic growth, social harmony and personal well-being.
By combining two distinctive but intertwined subjects, you’ll gain a deep understanding of education and learn to evaluate evidence, think critically and craft arguments - attributes valued by potential employers. You'll also get to tailor your degree to your interests and use your skills to carry out research in an area you’re passionate about.
The Department of Sociology is first in the UK for research quality (Times Higher Education's ranking of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework)
The course progresses from broad to specialist topics and comprises an equal number of Sociology and Education modules. As you progress you'll focus your studies, choosing optional modules to develop your expertise. In your final year you'll undertake independent research leading to a 10,000-word dissertation.
Our teaching is led by our research, covering real-world issues on a wide range of topics including equality, gender and sexuality, race, health, the body, education and society, psychological aspects of education, special educational needs and children’s fiction.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
In the first year you'll study four core modules which introduce key aspects of sociology and education.
In the Autumn term you will work in a group to develop a response to a real-life educational challenge through our innovative STEP 1 project. You will be presented with a challenge from a community partner and you will work as a team to research the issue and put forward solutions. This will prepare you for group work, research and presentation throughout your programme, and develop your employability skills through communication, problem solving, creativity and employer engagement.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In year two you'll take two core modules, exploring current and historical issues relating to education and society and developing your research skills. You'll choose two optional modules, each of which focuses on a specific topic in sociology or education.
Choose one of the following Sociology modules:
Choose one of the following Education modules:
The focus of your final year will be your Dissertation. You'll work with an academic supervisor to identify and interrogate an original research question, on a topic related to Sociology or Education. You'll write up your results in a 10,000-word extended essay.
Choose one of the following:
You’ll also choose four option modules: two in Education and two in Sociology.
Choose two of the following Sociology modules:
Choose two of the following Education modules:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,890 |
You may choose to buy textbooks, but this is not required. You may also incur some minor costs through occasional printing or photocopying, and the production of your final year dissertation.
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK, EU or international student.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2020/21 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-ones.
We offer a personal approach to learning with much of our teaching conducted in small groups (typically under 15 students in a seminar group). Our staff are very approachable and our doors are always open. Your personal supervisor provides support and guidance throughout your studies, offering weekly feedback and guidance hours.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 7-8 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 4 hours per week |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Department of Sociology and the Department of Education, both on Campus West. Much of your teaching will take place in Wentworth College and Derwent College, with additional contact hours elsewhere on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Your first year work doesn't contribute towards your final degree classification. We recognise that students are only beginning to develop during the first year of their degree.
From Year Two onward, formal assessments will contribute toward your degree. In Year Three your 10,000-word dissertation focuses on a specific topic of your choice.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 42% | 30% | 0% |
| Coursework | 58% | 70% | 100% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
You'll develop skills valued by a broad range of careers including teaching, publishing, charity work, construction of learning environments, design of learning resources and more.
A significant proportion of our graduates go on to teacher training at primary and secondary levels at prestigious institutions in the UK. A number of students have also secured alternative pathways into teaching and education, including Teach First.
The course includes employability skills development, giving you the practical skills that employers are looking for in graduate recruits.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, M2, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | An overall average of 75% |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
We recognise the difficulties in taking English language tests due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We have taken the decision to relax the English language requirements published above by 0.5 IELTS (or equivalent).
We are closely monitoring the situation as it evolves and are considering further options to support offer-holders in meeting their English language conditions. Further information about our responses to COVID-19.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current IELTS scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
Mature students are welcomed and applications considered individually.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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