Religious Studies and Sociology (Placement Year) : BA Hons : VL64

Lancaster’s Religious Studies and Sociology degree is taught by some of the leading international scholars in both fields. The Complete University Guide 2016 ranks Lancaster ninth for Religious Studies and 11th for Sociology in the UK.

Your degree will help you understand the interface between religion and society and addresses a wide range of issues affecting people’s lives today and the societies in which they live. You’ll also develop sensitivity to the historical contexts that have shaped the contemporary world.

You’ll divide your time equally between courses in Sociology and Religious Studies, starting with the modules Religions of the Modern World and Introduction to Sociology. You’ll be able to specialise and develop your own interests with second-year subjects such as Understanding Social Thought; Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges; Buddhism and Society in Sri Lanka, South-East and East Asia; and Religion and Society. In your final year you can choose from modules which include: Media, Politics and Religion; The Moral Life of Society; New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities; and Religion in Contemporary Indian Life.

You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 on placement with a public, private or voluntary organisation in the UK or overseas. This experience will boost your employment prospects and will help you to decide on your career direction and the kind of organisation in which you want to work once you graduate. You will be doing a real, responsible job – with all the satisfaction that brings. Our Placements Team will support you in finding and applying for a suitable placement that will support your professional development. Applying for a placement is a competitive process and the preparatory modules you will complete in years one and two are designed to give you the best chance of success in your placement applications. You will also be provided with dedicated workshops, 1:1 appointments with careers professionals as well as opportunities to speak with employers here on campus.

During the placement year you will remain a Lancaster University student which means that you will still be eligible for a student loan, have access to facilities such as the library and receive discounts on transport and council tax. Your tuition fee will be reduced to 20% during the placement year.

The placement will enhance your understanding of the connections between theory and practice and this will benefit your final year of study. This is an exciting opportunity to build up experience and transferable skills, as well as to make contacts with potential employers which will place you a step ahead in the graduate recruitment market.