Sociology

This BA Sociology degree explores and analyses the most powerful aspects of our lives as social beings. Sociology is the study of social life and the social relations that give shape to the contemporary world. On this sociology degree we equip you with the ideas and concepts to analyse contemporary society and to confront and understand the most challenging and important social and ethical questions of our time, including inequalities, race, migration, human rights, violence, trauma and mental health. You will learn about:

• different ways of examining social life, social relations and social change
• theories about the relationship between social worlds, politics and power
• social processes and their relationship to institutions, civil society and public life
• sociological ways of understanding identity, experience and belonging.

This course encourages rigorous, critical thought and provides you with a wealth of analytical skills that can be easily transferred to other settings after your degree, particularly to enhance your career prospects. You can also follow your interests with option modules from a range of disciplines including politics, psychosocial studies, geography, history, philosophy and criminology, allowing you to take a rich, varied and interdisciplinary approach.

Studying BA Sociology at Birkbeck gives you access to leading academics at the same time as training your independent thinking to confront the social realities of the contemporary period. Housed within the Department of Psychosocial Studies, this course also benefits from the expertise of a wider academic community exploring the connections between the psyche and the social world.

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

• Birkbeck's innovative, creative and interdisciplinary courses will help you become a competent, critical and responsible student of the social world and the psychological and social forces that shape individuals.
• Follow your interests and choose to specialise in communication, geography, history, politics, psychosocial studies, social anthropology or social policy.
• Ours is a vibrant research culture, powered by a shared passion for learning and intellectual engagement among our academics and students.

Applicants from Jordan who have taken the Tawjihi (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) will normally require a Foundation course for entry onto undergraduate programmes at Birkbeck. These offer the opportunity for guaranteed progression onto Birkbeck’s Bachelor programmes.

Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to our undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 30, depending on the course.

Students who have studied for one or two years at a recognised higher education institution in Iraq may be considered for Year 1 entry.

Careers and employability

• You will be asked to provide your personal details, home address and to confirm your residency status. As part of confirming your identity, you must provide an accepted form of photographic identification - usually a valid passport. If you are not a UK, EU/EEA national you must also provide visa documentation to confirm you have valid leave to remain in the UK.
• We ask you to upload a scan of your photographic identification. If you would prefer, you can instead bring hard copies to the Student Advice Centre. 
• Please note: Section 14 of the Terms and Conditions of Study at Birkbeck, University of London requires your registered name(s) (as listed on your identity documentation), to be used on your student record. This includes middle names, and will be the name that appears on your final award certificate. If your name has changed since you were awarded previous qualifications needed for entry, you will be asked to provide evidence of their name change. e.g. a marriage certificate, deed poll documentation or statutory declaration.

• You will be asked about your current studies, if any, and your previous qualifications. You will also be asked to upload certificates or transcripts of your previous qualifications, where relevant.
• If English is not your first language, you will be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency. If you have not yet taken an English test, please continue with your application and you will be asked to upload the English test results prior to being invited to enrol.

• Please have your employment history to hand, with a brief overview of your responsibilities in each job or role. You may take these from your CV. Birkbeck values all your skills and experiences, not only your academic qualifications, so this information is important for your application. We also ask you to list relevant professional qualifications or training courses.

• You will be asked to write a personal statement that describes your academic abilities and your commitment to succeeding on the course you are applying for. You should aim to write an engaging, concise and well-structured statement:
  • The purpose of the personal statement is to demonstrate that you have the intellectual ability and the commitment to be a successful student on the course that you're applying for. You should give examples of where you can demonstrate success, whether that's academic or in the workplace. Keep the examples factual, and try to relate them to the course and the skills required to be a successful student.
  • Some students are afraid of coming across as boasting when they talk about their achievements. Others have concerns that their achievements are not impressive enough. Don’t let either worry to put you off applying. Show your achievements in the best possible light. We want to see your potential in your application, we don’t expect you to be a complete student at this stage. 
  • If you have an active interest in the subject you are applying for then mention them here. For example, perhaps you have attended free lectures and events; you regularly make visits to places or read certain publications. Maybe you have had a long-standing interest in the subject and you want to take it to the next level. This is your opportunity to show how you have been engaging in the subject you wish to study. 
  • If you are applying for a 4-year part-time undergraduate degree, your application will be direct to Birkbeck. As our classes take place in the evening, Birkbeck is different to other universities. Our Admission Tutors will be looking for indications that you have considered how you will be able to study successfully. You could, therefore, state why you are choosing to study in the evening. For example, you may be working or have other commitments during the day and the evening model allows you to continue with your work. 
  • If you wish to study a postgraduate course in a different subject area to that you studied as an undergraduate, first look at the entry requirements for the course that you're interested in, as some courses have more specific requirements than others. Our admission tutors will be looking at your whole application, and your professional experience will be considered alongside your previous studies. Use your personal statement to highlight how your professional experience or your personal interests may relate to the new subject area that you wish to study.