Program Overview

The Foundation year prepares students for university level study. Successful completion of our Foundation course permits access to any of our Humanities or Media BA (Hons) degree courses, which include English, English Language, Creative Writing, Linguistics, Media, Philosophy and Religious Studies — many of which can be taken singly as specialist degrees or together as ‘joint’ degree routes. The Foundation year begins with modules aimed at providing transferable study skills and then, in the second semester, gives students the opportunity to study more specialist modules, with a focus on various aspects of Humanities and Media.

A degree in Sociology and Religious Studies offers you the chance to analyse and understand the complexities of the social world in which we live. During your studies, you will learn about those concepts, theories and methods essential to what we call a ‘sociological Imagination’, and apply your ideas to the study of religions in the local community, where you explore the issues that concern religious leaders and their communities.

Religious Studies provides the opportunity to study the major world religions and explore themes relating to the full range of religious belonging in the UK. As well as subject-specific knowledge, graduates will develop a wide range of key transferable skills including enhanced communication, analytical and technological proficiency. The degree encourages individuals to become digitally literate and intellectually curious, with the capacity to work both independently and cooperatively. These skills will equip graduates to use their knowledge in enterprising and profitable ways in their chosen careers and develop their roles within the wider community.

What happens on the course?
First year modules introduce you to concepts, themes and debates within Sociology and Religious Studies. Key issues, theories and methodological approaches for the study of religion and sociology are addressed. This is accompanied by an opportunity to develop a chronological and conceptual overview of the major religious traditions and to apply your sociological imagination to the study of popular culture, women’s campaigning and to the institutions of education, work and health.

In Year 2, you study specific religious traditions and explore a range of social and philosophical issues. You deepen your understanding of sociological research methods and consider key classical and contemporary social theories and apply these to issues of human security and ‘race’ and cultural identity.

In the final year of your studies you continue your study of specific world religions. You are also able to specialise in subjects such as ‘Gender and Development in Non-Western Societies’, ‘Work and Society’, ‘Global Educational Issues’, ‘Sociology of Health and Illness’.

You will undertake a supervised, individually designed project in Religious Studies or Sociology. As part of your project, you may undertake fieldwork into a current religious issue, or select a topic of particular interest to you. Alternatively you may engage in a community-based research project.

At each level of study you have the opportunity to undertake an accredited voluntary placement in a community-based organisation.