Program Overview

This course is for you for you if you're interested in understanding the history of people, culture and societies, and their evolution in the modern era. The two complementary subjects both involve understanding people - their interests, motivations and culture - and why societies and social groups act the way they do.

You'll be taught by staff from both departments, and will draw information from sources including film, visual images, literature and television as well as written texts. The flexible course structure enables you to choose modules from a wide range of options in both History and Sociology. Core modules in your first year introduce you to research and quantitative methods, and to the study of modern history set in a global context. Sociology core modules cover the history of sociological thought, and class and capitalism. In your second and third years you can choose from optional modules, with current options examining areas such as British imperialism, slavery, the significance of gender, crime, religious conflict or health in history, and political sociology. In your final year you can either maintain a balance between the two subjects or specialise in either History or Sociology.

Study abroad

History and Sociology students have the opportunity to join History students in Venice for a term at the start of year three and can also apply for an intercalated year at one of the partner universities offered by either the History Department or the Sociology Department.

The Student Mobility Team based in the Office for Student Opportunity offers support for these activities, and either Department's dedicated Study Abroad Co-ordinator can provide more specific information and assistance.