Sociology (Placement Year)

BA Hons

  • UCAS code L301
  • Entry year 2026 or 2025
  • A level requirements ABB
  • Duration Full time 4 years
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We welcome applications from the United States of America

We've put together information and resources to guide your application journey as a student from the United States of America.

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 10

    10th for Sociology

    The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2025)

  • 10

    10th for Sociology

    The Guardian University Guide (2025)

  • 14

    14th for Sociology

    The Complete University Guide (2025)

Sociology explores the big questions in today’s world. What is the true impact of migration and racism on individuals and communities? How does living in poverty affect health and wellbeing? What are the social challenges of rapid technological change? How is our daily life influenced by environmental change and how has society changed the environment? This course explores these questions and many more, equipping you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to act as a force for change in your chosen career.

Why Lancaster?

  • Choose a course that is committed to making a positive difference in society through activism and research, with real-world impact locally, nationally and internationally
  • Build on your knowledge outside of the classroom through collaborative work with local organisations and guest lectures from international experts and civil society leaders
  • Learn from world-renowned academics who contribute to important policy decisions through advisory groups, media appearances, blogs and speeches
  • Learn advanced skills in analysis, communication, teamwork, and statistical analysis from our experts
  • Take part in lively debates and carry out your own research into topics that matter to you - whether that’s climate change, inequality, gender identity, migration, social justice, race, globalisation, disability – the choice is yours!

Thinking global, acting local

The social issues that national governments and local organisations must tackle don’t come packaged in neat boxes, separated from global challenges. So, we don’t believe you should study like that either. We encourage you to see situations from different perspectives, to understand the bigger picture and build skills to respond to social challenges in meaningful, creative ways.

This course will help you develop a strong understanding of the world around you, the challenges it is facing, and the solutions needed to help tackled these issues. You will explore themes such as identity, inequality, migration, and climate change, as well as social justice, race, globalisation and gender. Through studying these topics from both global and local perspectives - with examples from each - you will gain a detailed understanding of complex situations. You’ll learn how to ask the right questions and take the bigger picture into account when developing creative solutions.

We will develop your critical thinking skills with a focus on the issues that matter to you, reflecting on your interests and life experiences. You will be encouraged to develop a range of effective communication tools and advanced research skills, so you can put your own investigations into topics of interest. You’ll learn to think ethically and sociologically about matters, whether local or global. By the end of the course, you’ll feel empowered to enact positive social change in the world around you.

A world-leading centre for Sociology

Lancaster University is at the cutting-edge of Sociology research. We take a truly global approach. You will benefit from being taught by a community of sociologists whose expertise ranges from the stigma of poverty to environmental change and degradation, from global reproductive rights to gender and sexuality, families, racism and migration. Our supportive and encouraging academics are fully accessible to our students. They share the latest findings from their research at the forefront of the field.

In your final year project, you will be able to draw on their extensive experience to inform your choice of a research topic that is personally important to you, using the advanced analytical skills you have learned through your degree. Throughout your dissertation you’ll be guided by one of our expert academics.

Examples of topics students have previously chosen include:

  • The impact of Covid-19 on working mothers
  • Online hate and activism
  • Refugees and resettlement programmes
  • Abortion and the rise of the far right
  • Homophobia and inclusion in sport
  • Decolonizing climate activism

A vibrant community

Sociology at Lancaster is designed with students at the centre; prioritising your professional, academic and personal development. You will have regular meetings with our academic staff to discuss your progress and build on your study skills and take part in social activities with fellow students.

We organise lots of activities to complement your course and extend your experience and networks. We work with major international and national bodies such as the European Parliament, UNESCO, Equality and Human Rights Commision, and Defra. We also work with major science bodies such as the Royal Society and the Natural History Museum, leading corporations such as Intel and Microsoft, and NGOs including NSPCC, Women’s Aid and Age UK.

Major international conferences, film screenings, public events, and seminars with speakers from external organisations – all of these events and opportunities are valuable for growing your professional network and provide opportunities for professional development, collaboration and discussion.

Your Placement Year

Sometimes known as a year in industry, your placement year will take place between your second and final year of study and this will extend your degree to four years.

Placements and Internships

Hear from students and employers on how Lancaster University could support you to gain real-world experience and bolster your CV with a placement or internship as part of your degree.

A student working on a piece of stained glass.

A placement year is an excellent way to...

  • try out a role that you may be interested in as a career path
  • start to build your professional network (some placement students are offered permanent roles to return to after they graduate)
  • develop skills, knowledge and experience to put you ahead of the field when you graduate

You'll spend your third year...

in a graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. A very wide range of companies and organisations offer placements across all sectors.

As a full-time employee, you’ll have a job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.

A whiteboard showing a diagram of 'how to create a CV'

Our Careers and Placements Team...

will help you to search and compete for a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews.

You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.

Students drinking coffee in a campus coffee bar

The university will...

use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.

If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.

Careers

The combination of skills, knowledge and experience that you gain on this degree will enable you to stand out from other graduates and claim a fascinating and rewarding career.

You will be able to critically analyse social issues and think creatively about possible solutions. You will have essential teamworking and collaboration skills and the ability to articulate a clear, well-evidence argument, giving you the ability to work with others towards positive action.

Lancaster’s Sociology graduates have gone on to diverse and fulfilling careers, with recent graduates successfully securing roles as:

  • Civil servants for local authorities, local government and national government
  • Members of civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, and the not-for-profit sector
  • Social and policy researchers and consultants
  • Teachers
  • Social carers
  • Police
  • Journalists

Other roles you might like to pursue include:

  • Human resource manager
  • Specialist recruitment manager
  • Graduate trainee manager

Our Sociology degree also provides a pathway into master’s study, where you may wish focus on a specialist area such as:

Whatever route you choose, you can be confident that your Sociology degree will equip you with advanced skills that can help you succeed in your future career.

Careers and employability support

Our degrees open up an extremely wide array of career pathways in businesses and organisations, large and small, in the UK and overseas.

We run a paid internship scheme specifically for our arts, humanities and social sciences students, supported by a specialist Employability Team. The team offer individual consultations and tailored application guidance, as well as careers events, development opportunities, and resources.

Whether you have a clear idea of your potential career path or need some help considering the options, our friendly team is on hand.

Lancaster is unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which recognises activities such as work experience, community engagement or volunteering and social development. A valuable addition to your CV!

Find out more about Lancaster’s careers events, extensive resources and personal support for Careers and Employability.

Careers

Find out about some of the careers our alumni have entered into after graduation.

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. You may need to have qualifications in relevant subjects. In some cases we may also ask you to attend an interview or submit a portfolio. You must also meet our English language requirements.

Find more about these qualifications and others not shown here

Learn about how we will assess your application

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Contact Admissions

If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, please complete our enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Enhancing our curriculum

We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future.

We will publish more detailed information about the structure of this degree course for 2026-entry in June 2025, ahead of our summer undergraduate open days. This will include overviews of the core modules you will take and examples of optional modules which may be available to you.

Fees and funding

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2026/27 entry fees have not yet been set.

As a guide, our fees in 2025/26 were:

Home International
£9,535 £24,700

Fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

Details of our scholarships and bursaries for students starting in 2026 are not yet available.

You can use our scholarships for 2025-entry applicants as guidance.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2026/2027 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Undergraduate open days 2025

Our summer and autumn open days will give you Lancaster University in a day. Visit campus and put yourself in the picture.

Undergraduate Open Days
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