Program Overview

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Sociology with Foundation BA Honours

Course Overview

Our degree courses with foundation year offer the opportunity to prepare you for advanced study before you progress onto a full honours degree at the University of Westminster. Whether you do not feel ready for degree-level study, don’t have the right qualifications, want to change your subject specialism or return to study after an absence from education, we aim to encourage a broad range of students to undertake our Foundation year in order to progress onto their full honours degree with us.

The foundation year is designed to give you the opportunity to explore new ideas, opening up new perspectives on the key debates within your chosen field. Core modules accelerate your academic and professional development and you will also take modules from areas closely related to your chosen field, giving you the chance to develop a cross-disciplinary perspective on your course.

On successful completion of the foundation year, you'll be able to move on to study for the Sociology BA Honours degree.

Choose Sociology at the University of Westminster and you'll never think about society in the same way again. Studying with us means engaging with a dynamic 21st-century subject and exploring current social issues and debates, using the latest research methods.

Investigating the nature of societal structures and their impact on people's everyday lives and interactions is central to the course. You'll consider questions of how power is exercised and normalised at all levels of society, from the state to individual emotions, through explorations of social class, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and other factors. You'll gain a sensitive understanding of diversity as well as a keen self-awareness and ability to make sense of your own social location in terms of identities, cultures, beliefs and values.

You'll be taught by active researchers, whose innovative books and articles are helping to set the global sociological agenda. The course makes full use of the amazing resources our central London location provides, from the museums on our doorstep to street-art field trips and the diverse cultures and subcultures that will inform and inspire your own research.

Drawing on cutting-edge research, this is a course that will put you at the forefront of contemporary sociological thinking and practice. Our students graduate with the knowledge and expertise that gives them a competitive advantage in a range of people-centred careers, including the charitable and NGO sector, education, government, journalism and media, management, social work, and academic research.

Top reasons to study with us

• Consistently high levels of student satisfaction – our award-winning teaching team provide fantastic levels of student support, evidenced by our 100% student satisfaction rate on the Sociology BA
• Inspiring learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom – our central London location provides unique opportunities to explore contemporary social and cultural life, including creative classroom activities, film screenings, external speakers, street-based explorations and visits to museums and galleries
• An inclusive and diverse curriculum engaged with issues of social justice – students of diverse faith backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures and genders come to work together to challenge inequality and explore some of the most important social and cultural questions in the world today

Course structure

You can choose from a wide number of specialist option modules with a range of assessment formats to suit different learning styles, from essays and exams to portfolios, research reports, projects and reviews. Our supportive and dedicated teaching team will train you in critical analysis, thinking and debate, and enable you to develop strong presentational, interpersonal and communication skills.

The first year of the BA provides an accessible introduction to contemporary sociological debates, and you'll receive specialist training in researching London as a global city, and in the key study skills you need to excel in the subject, along with optional modules in race and gender. In Years 2 and 3 you'll explore modern and contemporary social theory, youth culture, extend your research skills and, in your final year, work closely with a member of the Sociology team to conduct an independent project in an area of your own choosing.

You can select from a range of options, which includes modules on consumption and race, education, families, gender studies and the body, London's pleasures and perils, sexuality, food, politics and protest, and the media.

Our Work Experience module in the second year gives you the opportunity to put into practice the personal and professional skills you will develop while studying.

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.

• Foundation
• Year 1
• Year 2
• Placement Year
• Year 3

Subjects of study include:

• Imagining Global Society and Politics
• Introduction to Academic Practice
• Crime and Society
• Critical Thinking for Academic and Professional Development
• Rights and the Law
• Society, Risk and Crime: Sociological Perspectives

There are no optional or elective modules offered at Level 3, as the focus is on the development of key academic skills through a broad understanding of social sciences and humanities.

Credit Level 3

Subjects of study include:

• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Identity and Society
• London Explored
• Researching Society
• Social Media, Culture and Society
• Thinking Sociologically
• Understanding Race

Credit Level 4

Subjects of study include:

• Childhood Youth and Society
• Education Now
• Emotional Life
• Food, Taste and Consumption
• Globalisation and the Media
• Leisure, Pleasure and the Sociology of Fun
• Modern Social Theory
• Research Methods in Sociology and Criminology
• The City, Community, and Belonging
• Work-based Learning

Credit Level 5

Professional experience or study abroad year

Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Sociology with Professional Experience.

Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Sociology with International Experience.

Course Team

• Dr Ben Pitcher - Reader in Sociology
• Dr Naomi Rudoe - Senior Lecturer in Sociology
• Dr Umit Cetin - Senior Lecturer
• Dr Adam Eldridge - Senior Lecturer
• Professor Val Gillies - Professor
• Dr Hilde Stephansen - Senior Lecturer
• Dr Emily Falconer - Senior Lecturer
• Dr Celia Jenkins - Principal Lecturer in Sociology
• Dr David Khabaz - Lecturer in Sociology
• Dr Francis Ray White - Reader

Why study this course?

• 100% student satisfaction - 100% of our Sociology BA students agreed that they were satisfied with the course.
• Central London location - Study sociology in the heart of a multi-cultural, global city, and benefit from street-based explorations and visits to museums and galleries and everything else this vibrant city offers.
• An expert teaching staff - You'll be taught by active researchers, whose innovative books and articles are helping to set the global sociological agenda.

Entry Requirements

• UK
  • A levels – DEE (56 UCAS Tariff points)
  • T levels – 56 UCAS Tariff points
  • International Baccalaureate – 56 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • BTEC Extended Diploma – MPP
  • BTEC Diploma – MM
  • Access – 56 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course

In addition to one of the above, you should have:

• GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher level,GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.

• International
  • International Baccalaureate – 56 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You can refer to the UCAS calculator to determine your point score
  • We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications. Please see information on Country-specific entry requirements
  • We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London who provide International Foundation Certificate courses for students who don’t meet our entry requirements. Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Westminster.

English language requirements

• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with a score of 5.5 in each component. Please note we accept a wide range of English language qualifications and assessments.
• If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, then we offer online and on campus pre-sessional English programmes to help develop your English language skills to the required level before you start your course.

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: £5,760 (Price for Foundation year only)
• International tuition fee: £17,000 (Price for Foundation year only)

Teaching and Assessment

Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course.

• How you'll be taught
  • Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application.
  • Learning typically falls into three broad categories:
    • Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
    • Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
    • Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
• How you'll be assessed
  • Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.
  • Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:
    • Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
    • Written exams: end of semester exams
    • Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation

Supporting you

Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.

• Study support – workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
• Personal tutors – support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
• Student advice team – provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
• Extra-curricular activities – volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more

Course location

Our Regent Campus is comprised of two sites, situated on and around Regent Street – one of the most famous and vibrant streets in London.

Subjects including Criminology and Sociology, English and Creative Writing, History, Languages, Politics and International Relations and Visual Culture are based at 309 Regent Street, which includes recently refurbished social spaces, gym facilities and our Regent Street Cinema.