2024/25 entry
BA (Hons) Sociology with Foundation Year
Clearing
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Minimum UCAS points required: TBC
Why study Sociology with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University?
- 95% of our students agreed they were satisfied with their degree in the 2020 National Student Survey
- Hands-on research methods training with field work activities
- Excellent learning experiences - read a blog written by Jan Andre Lee Ludvigsen
- Teaching from leading scholars who have published books and articles on many topics, including the sociology of global football, the life and work of Max Weber, the shifting politics of race and racism, and gender divisions in Nepali society
- Study unique pathways that reflect the diversity of the discipline and student interest, including the sociology of culture, social inequalities, social policy and global issues
- Training in core methods and sociological theory
- An international perspective
- Work placement opportunities in teaching, charities, tourism, the media, creative and heritage industries
About your course
BA (Hons) Sociology at LJMU is a varied degree, which offers a unique opportunity to undertake a contemporary, critical and sector-leading programme of study. The degree will develop your research skills and help you explore alternate ideas and respect points of view that may be contrary to your own, including providin
The Sociology degree provides a balance of core and optional modules, delivering a thorough grounding in theory and method, alongside cutting-edge and emerging theoretical and methodological approaches. The programme endeavours to recognise the history and legacy of sociology while also developing its insights to contemporary and emerging problems.
You can choose to follow your own pathway by selecting modules that contribute to a theme or themes including social divisions and inequality, social policy, culture, and globalisation. At the same time, individual modules contribute to more than one pathway given the intersection of various themes (e.g. the globalisation of culture), and because social variables such as class, age, disability, gender, beliefs and ideologies operate in society at all times with different impacts.
The opportunities to consider societies other than the UK, and to do so in some depth in a variety of modules means that the curriculum is international in focus. It also provides unique opportunities to study in South Asian societies, to participate in study exchanges in other countries in Europe and beyond, or to undertake supervised field visits. Previous field visits have taken place in Brussels and Nepal, for example.
The teaching of well-established and emerging theory is combined with core training in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and balances 'action research' with other forms of social enquiry. In the final year, research method teaching embraces more recent methodological innovations including visual and sensory approaches.
The modules offered on the degree reflect the sociological work undertaken by members of staff, and are inspired by their research and contributions to national and international debates. This ensures that the curriculum is up-to-date, peer reviewed and engaged with contemporary issues and approaches. In the final year, all optional modules are designed to encourage you to make your own enquiries into relevant questions and issues. For example, you could choose to study contemporary issues and work closely with staff in areas such as the sociology of religion, of music or sport, disability, radical social policy, gender studies, emotions and aesthetics, and benefit from the departmental expertise in South East Asian societies. You will also have the opportunity to study a topic of your own choice in depth by choosing to write a dissertation.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the interest and ability to study for a degree, but do not have the qualifications to enter directly onto the Sociology honours degree programme yet.
Once you pass the Foundation Year (level 3) you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).
"Studying Sociology at LJMU presented interesting and engaging challenges across the three years. The diversity of both the core and option modules provided opportunities to pursue my personal interest areas further, whilst also discovering new ones. Staff offered first class support and were always happy to help. The highlight of the course was the unique opportunity to carry out research in real life and international settings."
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you'll find all of the information you need on our specialist funding pages.
Employability
Each year, Sociology graduates enter a variety of professions and careers.
Our graduates find career opportunities in:
- social services
- local and national Government and the civil service
- youth work
- lecturing and teaching
- career guidance
- research
- journalism
- third sector advocacy
- think tanks
- policy development
Some go on to careers in police and probation services; human resource management; legal services; marketing and advertising; ICT development; business and finance; publishing; health services; health promotion and public health; ecology and environmental campaigning; and international development.
Sharing the outputs from Dignity Without Danger in Nepal
Dr Sara Parker, Sociology LJMU Co-presented two papers at the Annual Kathmandu Nepal and Himalaya Conference in July this summer. One paper reflected on the impact of the positionally of the research team on the research process whilst the other focused on the creative engagement and outputs developed as part of this research project exploring the complex menstrual stigmas and taboos in Nepal. Whilst in Nepal Sara was awarded the President International Education award for her contributions to education over her career. It was presented to her by Right Honourable Pampha Bhusal Member of the House of Representatives Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation who is very supportive of the menstruation network in Nepal.
This month Sara is co-presenting a paper and a poster at the International Visual Sociology Conference with Dr Sara Baumann, University of Pittsburgh, on the impact of the collaborative films produced as part of the DWD project - available on the DWD YouTube site along with 5 songs written by the women from Kanchanpur, Far West Nepal.
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website. There are opportunities for flexible, paid and part-time work through Unitemps, LJMU's in-house recruitment service, and we also offer fully funded Discovery Internships.
One-to-one careers and employability advice is available via our campus-based Careers Zones and we offer a year-round programme of events, including themed careers and employability workshops, employer events and recruitment fairs. Our Start-Up Hub can help you to grow your enterprise skills and to research, plan and start your own business or become a freelancer.
A suite of learning experiences, services and opportunities is available to final year students to help ensure you leave with a great onward plan. You can access LJMU's Careers, Employability and Start-up Services after you graduate and return for one-to-one support for life.
Go abroad
LJMU aims to make international opportunities available to every student. You may be able to study abroad as part of your degree at one of our 100+ partner universities across the world. You could also complete a work placement or apply for one of our prestigious worldwide internship programmes. If you wanted to go abroad for a shorter amount of time, you could attend one of our 1-4 week long summer schools.
Our Go Citizen Scheme can help with costs towards volunteering, individual projects or unpaid placements anywhere in the world. With all of these opportunities at your feet, why wouldn’t you take up the chance to go abroad?
Find out more about the opportunities we have available via our Instagram @ljmuglobalopps or email us at: goabroad@ljmu.ac.uk.
A life-changing experience
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What you will study on this degree
Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
This course is currently undergoing its scheduled programme review, which may impact the advertised modules. Programme review is a standard part of the university’s approach to quality assurance and enhancement, enabling us to ensure that our courses remain up to date and maintain their high standard and relevancy.
Once the review is completed, this course website page will be updated to reflect any approved changes to the advertised course.
These approved changes will also be communicated to those who apply for the course to ensure they wish to proceed with their application. Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated, as appropriate.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Level 4
Core modules
Sociological Imaginations
20 credits
Through a history of sociology, explored through its major thinkers and their texts and activities, from the origins of the discipline to modern times, this module enables you to investigate the nature of the sociological vocation and the range of sociological imaginations developed by individual sociological thinkers and institutional schools of sociology. You will explore how sociology both reflects and critically engages with its social and cultural context and major historical events and processes, which it seeks to understand and often seeks to change. The ways in which sociology draws on, but also distances itself from, other forms of knowing, including theological, literary, biological, historical, psychological and visual imaginations, is kept in mind throughout and encountered in the selected texts on the module.
Introduction to Sociology
20 credits
This module introduces students to the discipline of sociology, covering both classic and contemporary research as applied to issues of contemporary debate.
After completing the module the student should be able to:
- Reach informed judgements about the value of classic and contemporary approaches to sociology.
- Use their sociological imaginations to consider contemporary issues.
- Draw on the basic skills required for effective study and learning.
Level 5
Optional Modules
The Medicalised Body: the Sociology of Health and Illness
20 credits
The first section of this module introduces you to the key areas in the sociology of health and illness, bringing together the contribution of different perspectives and methodological approaches which characterise sociological research in this area. It will allow you to understand the dominance of the biomedical model and how it has come to attempt to define experiences of health and illness. A sociological orientation will allow you to understand the importance of the social context in shaping the health of the nation. The second section will introduce you to the concept of medicalisation and we will use this lens to interrogate the ways in which bodies are 'othered', compartmentalised and differently treated. The related field of 'healthism' will further be explored and you will be challenged to consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of such processes in relation to the perceptions and treatment of certain bodies.We will use case studies of particular embodied experiences which will uncover the relationship some bodies have with nature, technology, society and structures that expose regimes of discipline, regulation, normalisation and surveillance. Students will have the opportunity to build on some of these themes at level 6 in modules Body Politics.
Politics and Popular Culture
20 credits
This module enables you to explore politics and popular culture as a sub-field that articulates the ways in which politics is understood through popular culture. It demonstrates how theory as a means of making sense of the world impacts upon the everyday. It provides you with an opportunity to take ownership over your learning process through student-led seminars, guided by preceding interactive lectures.
Tech-Topia: Social Media, Power and Activism
20 credits
Module Overview: This module offers students a chance to examine the social significance of digital media in contemporary society. Beginning with an overview of the relationship between media and social change, the first part focuses on capitalism in its communicative form and develops a broad critique of digital power and inequality. The second part looks at the challenges encountered by social movements in contesting inequality by way of digital activism. A sample of research case studies will be considered as a means of evaluating the impact of online activism on participative democracy (eg. BLM). The third part of the module will be dedicated to combining theory, practice and social critique, offering the students a chance to develop a ‘guerrilla’ documentary praxis in producing a short activist documentary of their own.
Level 6
Optional Modules
Challenging Western-centrism in International Relations
20 credits
This module is designed with the understanding that our extant historical knowledge (which is implicitly Eurocentric) needs to be globalised. It means the non-western world should be better weighted and given due attention rather than seen as a passive receiver of western impacts. It emphasises a lot on the historically situated forces in the making of non-western world of ideas and, more importantly, their connections and complex relationships.
Cities
20 credits
This module will equip students to discuss cities, urban processes and urban futures from a critical and sociological perspective. It will enhance their understanding of the nature, origins and consequences of urban issues. This module studies cities from a sociological perspective and is structured according to 3 main parts. Firstly, students will gain insights into the origins of urban sociology, especially its significance for the emergence of sociology as an academic discipline. We will read and discuss foundational texts and theories in early urban sociology. The second part of the module, will study the nature of urban politics focusing on questions of power and capital in the urban environment. The last part of the module, interrogates several urban issues and their relationship to sociological categories such as class, gender, race and more. The emphasis of the module is not just that student engage with complex theories and texts but also that student are able to develop alternative approaches and solutions to conflicts and issues that play out in the urban environment. Students are also encouraged to apply these theories to Liverpool and seek out examples and sites in our immediate urban environment that illustrate these points.
Imagined Communities: The Sociology of Nationalism
20 credits
Module Overview: This module will give students the opportunity to engage with the dominant political ideology of our time, and draw a critical awareness to it and how it operates. The module begins by introducing students to the notion of everyday nationalism, helping to see the way nationalism is embedded in daily life, and then follows this with a discussion of the main theoretical approaches to nationalism. The second block will then consider some major approaches to nationalism, giving students the opportunity to consider how nationalism interacts with other major social categories and aspects of contemporary life. Finally, we will look at some case-studies that engage with historical and contemporary issues that provide an overview of how nationalism can be critically examined to understand the contemporary world, and how it came to be.
Teaching and work-related learning
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
Teaching is delivered via lectures, seminars, workshops, online activities, audio-visual presentations and field work trips. Online discussion boards allow you to debate, with your tutors and peers, ideas that arise in the classroom. Outside the classroom you will have 24 hour access to extensive electronic resources via the LJMU network and print resources available in the nearby Aldham Robarts Library.
Work-related Learning
Opportunities for work-based and work-related learning are integrated into the programme. This will offer you the chance to put what you have learnt into practice as well as providing new skills and experiences. It will also add real value to your CV, giving you a professional edge when you come to negotiate your way through the graduate job market.
Careers events and information on volunteering opportunities are incorporated into core modules and you will have the option to undertake placements at Level 6.
Support and guidance
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
If you study Sociology at LJMU, you will join a friendly and stimulating environment in which you will be encouraged to achieve your full potential in your academic work, personal and intellectual development, and your future career. We pride ourselves on the informal and supportive relationships we have with our students.
You will be assigned a personal tutor who will be responsible for your academic and personal progress throughout the course. Along with this scheduled one-to-one support, you will receive regular feedback and guidance from your module tutors on your research, writing and study skills.
Assessment
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
We understand that all students perform differently depending on the way they are assessed, and so we use a range of traditional and innovative assessment methods. These include essays, exams, reports, individual and group presentations, policy analyses, online tests, wikis and critical reviews.
Constructive feedback on your assessed work is designed to help you achieve your full potential and get the most out of your studies. Your tutors will provide this in writing, by email or in face-to-face meetings where they will help you identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work. They can also direct you to further support if you feel you need it.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Dr David Tyrer
Programme Leader
My research interests include Art and Social Studies. I am serving as an editorial member and reviewer of several international reputed journals and the member of many international affiliations.
I have always been interested in promoting international perspectives in my work and pursuing comparative work, often working with colleagues from overseas.
Facilities
What you can expect from your School
The School of Humanities and Social Science offers an ideal environment in which to expand your knowledge and horizons. Situated on Mount Pleasant in the new ‘Knowledge Quarter ' of Liverpool, the School is home to five subject areas: English, History, International Relations, Sociology, and Media, Culture & Communication. It has a lively programme of cross-disciplinary research seminars, conferences, visits from international scholars and public events. Research from the School is recognised nationally and worldwide.
The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the university. Where this does happen, the university operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.
Further information on the terms and conditions of any offer made, our admissions policy and the complaints and appeals process.