Sociology, BSc (Hons)

The world is faced with a number of worrying issues. Climate change is leading to increasing ecological instability, resulting in natural disasters and mass migration; deep-rooted economic issues are leading to protectionism and trade wars, deindustrialisation and rapid changes to the world of work; meanwhile precarity and rapid social change has driven the rise of radical populist movements across the globe. These crises are global in nature but impact on local communities, including here in Wales, where we are faced with difficult social problems including poverty and social inequalities; homelessness, addiction, crime & incarceration; racism and intolerance; and extreme weather conditions such as flooding and forest fires.

Sociology can help us make sense of our rapidly changing world and the social problems we see around us everyday. Studying for a Sociology degree at Swansea will equip you with the essential theoretical and practical foundations for understanding our rapidly changing world, as well as the tools to try to change it. You will learn about people's behaviour as social beings as well as the wider social, cultural, political and economic factors that structure our society.

On top of developing subject specific expertise in sociological theory, you will learn how to study social problems and people as a social scientist through practical training in research methods. You will learn how to generate new knowledge and information using a variety of qualitative and quantitative social research tools, from large social surveys interpreted through statistics, to in-depth interviews with individuals and small groups, and ethnographic observations. Throughout the course, you will develop excellent research, communication and presentation skills, together with the ability to analyse and critically evaluate evidence and construct arguments around the complex societal issues that affect us all.