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On this course you will:

• learn about the historical and theoretical origins of the discipline of sociology, how it interacts with other social sciences, and understand the distinctiveness of sociological knowledge;
• ask, and be able to answer, critical questions such as: What is the nature of society and how can we change it for the better? What are the root causes of social injustice? How can we challenge and overcome social inequalities? How can we work with individuals, groups and communities to create strategies for social change?; and
• identify and advocate for ways in which sociological research and knowledge can result in positive change in people’s everyday lives.

Structure

All students enrol onto the honours degree, but you can choose to exit with an ordinary degree after three years.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be taught in lectures, seminars and practical workshops, as well as having opportunities for work-based learning and community engagement opportunities. Outside timetabled sessions you will be required to continue learning through self-study. You will be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, written reports, podcasts, presentations, research papers, reflective diaries and groupwork.

Placement

Although there is no formal requirement to participate in a placement as part of this degree, we do provide students with opportunities to experience work-based learning and participate in community-engagement projects as part of their studies. We have strong links with a wide range of voluntary sector organisations with whom we collaborate in providing students with work-based learning experiences.

Exchange opportunities

In Year Two you have the opportunity (subject to availability) to study for one semester at a university overseas. Please visit the Exchanges and Study Abroad��pages for more information.

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

Year One

You will:

• establish a basic grounding in academic studies of humanity and society via a focus on sociology, with psychology and education, highlighting the value of an interdisciplinary approach to social science; 
• develop an appreciation of the sociological imagination and introduce core aspects of sociological theory, research and social relevance via an appreciation of social, cultural and political contexts; and
• focus on enhancing a wide range of transferable skills, paying particular attention to improving your interpersonal and presentation skills, effective reading and writing, analytical thinking and critical reflection, as well as a sustained focus on the development of your research skills.

You will study the following modules:

• Humans in the World: Humans in the World introduces students to ‘knowing’ humans the lenses of key social sciences – Psychology, Sociology and Education Studies. Students will explore will some of the ways that humans seek to understand their place in the world, such as learning, research, art, religion, philosophy and science.
• Introduction to Sociology: Introduction to Sociology is the start of sociology students’ systematic study of society and social life. In the module, students will engage with works by key classical sociologists to explore a range of topics and concepts such as the body, urban life, emotions, gender, sexuality and race.��
• Developing your Academic Voice: Developing your Academic Voice focuses on enhancing students’ academic skills. This includes developing tools for effective learning; an introduction to ethical learning including the use of artificial intelligence; how to interpret tasks and questions; styles of writing; engaging with feedback and accurate and appropriate academic referencing.
• Being Human: Being Human further explores key social scientific understandings of the human condition and engage in long-running debates on topics related to social, religious, cultural, political, economic and technological developments and concerns.
• Classical & Contemporary Sociology: Classic & Contemporary Sociology engages students in a variety of both classical and contemporary ideas and thinkers in sociology to further develop their knowledge and critical thinking across different themes and contexts in society; including identity, culture and social inequalities.
• Methods of Social Enquiry: Methods of Social Enquiry equips students with a foundational knowledge of the aims and purposes of research and an understanding of key concepts relating to research efficacy, power, ethics and methods of data generation and analysis.��

Year Two

You will:��

• continue to develop your in-depth understanding of a broad range of substantive debates within the discipline of sociology with a particular focus on engaging with live issues and affected groups;
• gain an understanding of the relevance of sociology to public discourse and contemporary social issues, and appreciate the roles of sociologists in engaging with key communities; and
• broaden your understanding of, and foundational skills in, social research design and the ethical generation of knowledge. Critical thinking and group discussion will become more embedded as an ongoing learning practice. You will be encouraged to engage with a public group and/or organisation as part of a self-reflective community-based learning experience. You may have the opportunity (subject to availability) to study for one semester at an overseas university.��

You will study the following modules:

• Responding to the World: Responding to the World asks students to explore and reflect on how “wicked issues” are framed by the media, politicians and policymakers. The module invites students to explore alternative social scientific of these issues and the many ways in which students’ lives are entangled with the lives of others.
• Engaged Sociology: Engaged Sociology encourages students to revel in the historical and theoretical roots, and substantive applications, of an engaged, Public Sociology, whilst recognising the different ‘communities’ and ‘publics’ for whom Public Sociologists can, and perhaps ought, to represent.��
• Exploring Research: Engaged Sociology encourages students to revel in the historical and theoretical roots, and substantive applications, of an engaged, Public Sociology, whilst recognising the different ‘communities’ and ‘publics’ for whom Public Sociologists can, and perhaps ought, to represent.��
• Race, Colonialism and Decolonisation: Race, Colonialism and Decolonisation develops students understanding of some the ways in “race” and coloniality continue to structure current systems and structures, such as in education, media, criminal justice system and immigration and asylum policies.
• Culture and Society: Culture and Society focuses on how culture enters into and mediates everyday social relations and practices. Students will consider a range of aspects of both material and immaterial culture from a sociological perspective, including the built environment, food and drink, subcultures, museums, art and childhood.��
• Professional Challenge: Professional Challenge provides students with real-life, collaborative learning experiences through employer-briefs. Students learn to recognise and reflect on their skills and to forge links between the content of the curriculum and real-life application, thus providing a useful first step towards the development of their graduate identity.

Year Three

You will:��

• encounter, evaluate and utilise different philosophical and political perspectives that underpin progress and constraint in society today. Policies, organisations, groups of publics, and institutions will be examined through the prism of social theory.
• develop critical sociological analytical approaches and an understanding of public sociology as a distinctive approach; and
• meet the challenges of an increased workload with a greater emphasis on self-directed learning, time-management, interpreting and presenting different forms of data, and becoming familiar with a range of qualitative research approaches. In-class discussion will be more student-led and generate a deeper level of analysis.

You will study the following modules:

• Sociology of Work and Organisation:��Sociology of Work and Organisation examines the relationship between work, organisation and wider society both in an historical and contemporary 21st century context. Students explore key concepts such as labour, industrialisation, modernity, capitalism and social class, as well as new management practices, workplace ‘culture change’ initiatives, the rise of the ‘precariat,’ flexibilization, emotional labour, technology and AI.��
• Current Debates in Sociology:��Current Debates in Sociology focuses discusses and analysees sociological theory and current academic debates through the prisms of a selection of core sociological dichotomies, such as structure/agency, sex/gender, continuity/change and public/private. These dichotomies are applied to a range of topics including, memory, social movements and disability.��
• Class, Poverty and Inequality:��Class, Poverty and Inequality explores inequality, poverty, and social exclusion as contested concepts. Students explore a range of social policy and welfare state responses to issues including unemployment, homelessness, child welfare inequalities, the lived experience of looked after children and the lived experience of informal carers.
• Interaction and Social Order:��Interaction and Social Order presents theories and concepts required for the analysis of interaction as a socially-organised, practically organised, phenomenon. This is done by means of an in-depth analysis of the works of the main representatives of the interpretative and interactionist traditions, ranging from Mead to Goffman, Schütz and Garfinkel.
• The Organic Intellectual:��The Organic Intellectual is the second distinctly Public Sociological module on the programme, and explores topics related to knowledge, learning and power, as well as asks students to deploy critical educational praxis in engaging sociologically with publics whilst further developing reflexive and reflective skills.��
• Qualitative Research Skills:��Qualitative Research Skills extends students’ knowledge of qualitative research methods and prepares them to design a feasible and ethically sound qualitative research project. By critically engage with data and knowledge as socially produced, the module problematises how data is imagined/conceived, how it is gathered/produced and how it is interpreted, analysed and presented.��

Year Four

You will:

• work closely with a member of academic staff to design and carry out your own original, independent research project in which you will be encouraged to bring together your knowledge of sociological theories and concepts, as well as refine your research skills; and
• put your specialist sociological knowledge into context and practice and reflect upon community engagement and/or social impact informed by the sociological imagination and the sociological knowledge and skills developed over the course of the programme, alongside assessments that cement your skills as a critical thinker across a range of complex, contemporary issue-based modules.

You will study the following modules:

• Dissertation: The Dissertation is a crucial element of the final, Honours year of the programme, which is specifically designed to enhance students’ disciplinary expertise. In the module, students will design and undertake – supported by a supervisor - ��an independent research project with the ultimate aim of making some meaningful contribution to the body of academic, sociological knowledge.��
• Sociology of Scotland: Sociology of Scotland shows the sociological imagination at work in understanding different aspects of contemporary Scotland. In so doing, students explore the relationships between economy, society, culture and politics and the post-devolution of Scottish society.
• Social Policy in Comparative Practice: Social Policy in Comparative Practice focuses on the comparative analysis of inequality, poverty, and social policies in European welfare states. Emphasis is placed on the explorations of cross-national data relating to employment, health and social services.��

Options may include: Sociology Now; Gender Justice: Feminist Approaches; Sociology of Education; Sociology and Environmental Justice; Queer Feminist Sociology in Action; Applied Reflective Professional Practice; Disability and Society; Radical Film.��

Our graduates leave with not only a deep and varied understanding of sociological theory, research and application, but also of the social sciences more broadly. They have an appreciation of local, national and global social issues, and are empowered and equipped to contribute to addressing such issues. As well as the benefits from the knowledge gained, our graduates discover and develop their skills in research, writing, and analysis, using different forms of data, groupwork, online and in-person presentation, project design and implementation, critical thought, public engagement, and more. These skills are transferable across disciplines and sectors.

������ý alumni who studied sociology with us have gone on to work in academia, activism, advocacy, charities and third sector organisations, community work, creative writing, education, journalism, local government, marketing, NHS management, research, policy development, social enterprise and social work.

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard – BBBB, Minimum – BCCC 

A Level: BCC

Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H3 H3

International Baccalaureate: 28 points

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Required subjects: A literary subject such as English, Psychology, RMPS or History is required at Higher. English is required and Maths is preferred at Nat 5/GCSE level at grade C/4 or above.

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with relevant qualifications and /or experience. Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Direct Entry:

Year Two:

• HNC in a related subject with B in the graded unit

Year Three:

• HND in a related subject with CB in the graded units. 

Other requirements

A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme may be required if you chose to engage in work experience/community engagement opportunities.

Fee information

Fees: Please follow the link in the 'Course Overview' box for information on fees for 2027 entry.

Other costs: 

• Depending on module selection, you may require a PVG. The cost of the PVG check is your responsibility. 

For more information on this, visit the UG 2027 fees page.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at ������ý. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Application information

How to apply: Application for this course should be made through . More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

You can study this course as an associate student, completing the first year at Newbattle Abbey College.

Read more about the Associate Student Scheme. 

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Email Admissions

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2027/28 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
• The course information on this page is correct at the time of posting (Feb 2026), but is subject to change. Please check back here for any updates.