BA Sociology and Politics

Example structure
Studying at Essex is about discovering yourself, so your course combines compulsory and optional modules to make sure you gain key knowledge in the discipline, while having as much freedom as possible to explore your own interests. Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore to ensure your course is as relevant and up-to-date as possible your core module structure may be subject to change.
For many of our courses you’ll have a wide range of optional modules to choose from – those listed in this example structure are just a selection of those available. The opportunity to take optional modules will depend on the number of core modules within any year of the course. In many instances, the flexibility to take optional modules increases as you progress through the course.
Our Programme Specification gives more detail about the structure available to our current first-year students, including details of all optional modules.
In your final year you choose between either Research Project: Sociology and Project: Politics. You do not take both.
Year 1
Introduction to Politics
The Sociological Imagination
Researching Social Life I
Democracy: Forms and Futures
Introduction to Crime, Law and Society (optional)
Year 2
Continuity and Controversy in Sociology: Sociological Analysis II
Principles of Social Justice
Researching Social Life II (optional)
Ethics and Public Policy
International Relations: Theories and Approaches (optional)
Measuring Public Opinion (optional)
Final year
Current Disputes in Sociology: Sociological Analysis III
Mass Media and Modern Life (optional)
Human Rights and Global Justice (optional)
Research Project: Sociology (optional)
The Analysis of Conflict and Peace (optional)
Placement
On a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external business or organisation, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.
Year abroad
On your year abroad, you have the opportunity to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree. Our Programme Specification gives more detail about modules on your year abroad.
Teaching
Teaching is arranged to allow a lot of freedom in how you organise your learning experience, with a focus on discussion and problem-solving
Lab sessions allow you to improve your technical research skills
Opportunities to gain work experience on placements and internships
Assessment
Assessed through a combination of written coursework and end-of-year examinations
If you undertake a placement, you will prepare an assessed report on this experience
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