Understanding the building blocks for an informed society
Year of entry: 2019
LX33
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
£9,250 per year (2018/19)
£17,120 per year (2019/20)
Get to know us better and find out what studying and living in York is really like.
Book nowEducation is increasingly seen as essential to an informed society and as the driver for economic growth, social harmony and personal well-being. Explore the ideas underpinning the education system and the environment it operates in, and challenge your views about topics debated in society.
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 to study abroad as part of your course. You can study at a leading European university for a semester in your third year as part of our Erasmus programme.
The University's exchange scheme also allows you to study abroad further afield in North America, South Africa, Asia and Australia.
In the first year you'll study four core modules which introduce key aspects of sociology and education.
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.
Dissertation
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.
The fees and funding figures below are based on data from 2018 entry. If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,120 |
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 offer a number of scholarships to help cover tuition fees and living costs.
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 work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. 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.
You'll be taught by academics at the forefront of research across a number of diverse sociological areas, such as science and technology, language and interaction, culture and new media, gender and sexuality, health, medicine and the body, and urban studies. Our internationally-recognised staff are leaders in their fields, and their expertise and experience feeds directly into our teaching.
As a guide, students on this course typically spend their time as follows:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures and seminars | 204 hours | 204 hours | 84 hours |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
The rest of your time on the course will be spent on independent study. This may include preparation for lectures and seminars, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours will vary from person to person. In UK higher education the expectation is that full-time students will spend 1200 hours a year learning.
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.
Some of the early career examples for our graduates include:
You’ll learn about the world around you and the challenges faced by people in society. You’ll develop skills in:
Add to this the experience you'll get working in a team and using your initiative, and you'll have a whole host of invaluable skills that can be transferred to lots of different industries.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB |
| BTEC | BTEC Extended National Diploma DDM |
| European Baccalaureate | An overall average of 75% |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall |
| Irish leaving Certificate | H2,H2,H3,H3,H3,H3 |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | AAABB at Higher Level |
If English is not your first language you may be asked to provide evidence of your ability. We accept the following qualifications:
Other accepted tests and qualifications
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.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.
Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.
Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.
