BA (Hons) Sociology and Social Policy

Choose our Sociology and Social Policy degree and you will gain expertise in understanding and researching a wide range of social issues and social policies.

Sociology and Social Policy

Key facts

  • Award BA (Hons)
  • Start date January 2025, September 2025, January 2026
  • Application notes January 2025 entry: applications close on 22 November 2024 to students who require a visa to study in the UK.
  • Duration 48 months
  • Mode of study full time
  • Delivery on campus
  • UCAS Code L431
  • Study abroad opportunities

Overview

Our Sociology and Social Policy course will help you understand the way society works, and the processes and outcomes of social welfare. 
  
Studying Sociology will help you to understand how society works. You’ll learn about the ways in which society shapes individuals and how individuals create society. And you’ll explore crucial questions about diversity, discrimination and inequality in the 21st century. 
  
Social Policy takes this to the next level, examining the ways in which states and societies try to address social problems. You’ll learn about how social policy is made and explore the debates around what works to address contemporary social issues. 
  
Taught by experts in their field, our course is informed by the latest developments in social research. 

Top reasons to study with us

Entry requirements

Year 1 entry – Four-year honours

SQA Highers
ABBB

GCE A-levels
BBB

IB Diploma
28 points

BTEC (Level 3)
DDM

Widening access students
Widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer of entry. To find out if this applies to you go to our widening access pages.

Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements.

Year 2 entry – Three-year honours

SQA Advanced Highers
ABB

GCE A-levels
ABB

IB Diploma
32 points

Essential subjects
To include Sociology 

Other Scottish qualifications

Scottish HNC/HND
Year one minimum entry - Bs in graded units.

Access courses
University of Stirling access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 50% or above.

SWAP access course - for mature students only.

Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.

Foundation Apprenticeships
Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B

Other qualifications

English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND
Merits and Distinctions

English, Welsh and Northern Irish access courses
Access to Higher Education - 60 credits, minimum 45 at QCF Level 3, pass at 60% or above.

International entry requirements

Advanced entry

Year 2 and Year 3 entry
Entry into Year 2 or Year 3 may be possible depending on your HNC/HND course. To find out more go to our articulation pages.

Other qualifications
Advanced entry may be possible depending on your qualifications. For more information, contact our Admissions Team at admissions@stir.ac.uk.

Other routes of entry

If you don't currently meet our academic requirements, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need to progress onto some of our courses. Explore INTO University of Stirling to see the Foundation and International Year 2 routes available.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

  • IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.
  • IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.

See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses

Course details

In Semesters 1-4, you’ll take the following core modules:

  • Applying a Sociological Lens - showing the power of thinking sociologically about the social order and a range of contemporary social issues.  
  • Applying a Social Policy Lens – introducing you to an understanding of social policy as a subject of study with a focus on contemporary Britain.
  • Social Science Skills and their Applications – developing your understanding of how social science knowledge is produced and how research methods relate to theory.
  • The Development of Social Theory – an introduction to classical and contemporary social theory.

You’ll also take additional modules in any subject in semesters 1-4. 
  
In Semesters 5-8, you’ll take three core modules:

  • The Research Process is split into two modules in 3rd year, which explore how to design a research project, and how to collect and analyse different types of data.
  • Dissertation – this is your chance to apply all of your learning in the final year of your degree, undertaking a research project on a topic of your own choice. 

You'll also choose seven advanced option modules across 3rd and 4th year, which could include: Sociology of Childhood; Crimes of the Powerful; Punishment and Society; Social Networks and Social Connections; Understanding Crime Trends; Drugs Crime and Society; Gender, Crime and Justice; Social Policy on the Ground; Home, Housing and Community; Policing and Society; or Disability and Society.

Modules

Course details

Teaching

You’ll be taught through lectures, workshops and small discussion groups. These may be a mix of campus based and online.

Year 1 modules aim to bridge the gap between school and university study through coursework assessments. You’ll also receive tuition in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, which is invaluable for your Year 4 dissertation.

Assessment

Assessment for each module is usually based on a combination of coursework and examinations, for example, one essay (30 percent) and an examination (70 percent). The final-year dissertation counts for three modules. Your dissertation gives you the opportunity to put research methods you’ve studied into practice, and focus on a particular interest.

Classroom hours

Typically, each module in Sociology and/or Social Policy consists of two lectures plus one workshop per week.

Fees and funding

Fees and costs

Academic year: 2024/25 2025/26
Scottish students £1,820 £1,820
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland £9,250 £9,250
International students (including EU) £17,200 £18,400

Scottish students

This fee is set by the Scottish Government and is subject to change.

Although you’re liable for annual tuition fees, if you are domiciled in Scotland you can apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government on your behalf.

You will be charged the annual tuition fee each year when you enrol.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

This tuition fee may be subject to change depending on guidance provided by the UK Government.

You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of your tuition fees, from your relevant funding body. Students from the Republic of Ireland are eligible for a tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

We also offer additional funding – such as our Honours Year Scholarship – for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. See our funding opportunities section below for more information.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

International students (including EU)

Eligible students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. See our range of generous scholarships for international undergraduate students.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Additional costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.

Funding

See what funding opportunities and loans are available to help you with tuition and living costs.

Students from Scotland

Find funding opportunities for Scottish students.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Eligible students will automatically receive our Undergraduate Welcome Scholarship, Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, and our Honours Year Scholarship, which are worth between £1,000 and £9,250.

International students

Eligible international students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. Find funding opportunities for international students.

Cost of living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling.

Payment options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay.

After you graduate

Preparing you for the world of work

Our Sociology and Social Policy graduates work in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Many students value their learning experience with us and go on to take a masters or PhD at postgraduate level, with a view to becoming a researcher or academic.

Tailored careers advice is available throughout your time at the University of Stirling.

What our students said

Lesley Dugan
Lesley Dugan
Northern Ireland
BA (Hons) Sociology and Social Policy
My degree gave me a broad skill set by combining sociological theory with research skills, which I found particularly useful when drafting cases for support in my fundraising work.
Read Lesley's story

Flexible study

Are you interested in more than one of our courses? You might not have to choose between them. Here at Stirling, we believe in choice and offer more than 170 course combinations.

Sociology and Social Policy can be combined with any of the following courses:
Course nameUCAS code
Film and Media UCAS code for this combination: LP33
History UCAS code for this combination: LV31
History and Education (Secondary) UCAS code for this combination: VXD1
Politics UCAS code for this combination: LL24
Politics UCAS code for this combination: LL23
Psychology UCAS code for this combination: CL83
Religion UCAS code for this combination: LV36
Spanish and Latin American Studies UCAS code for this combination: LR34

For a combined honours degree where the two subjects have different entry requirements, you will usually be asked to meet the higher entry requirement.

Find out more about degree flexibility and how you can take combined courses.