Public Sociology BSc (Hons)

This course encourages rigorous critical thinking on complex and challenging social issues, opening the door to a wide range of careers. This was the first undergraduate public sociology degree in Scotland and it ranked 100% for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2019.What is the nature of society and how can we change it for the better? This is the kind of sceptical question that you’ll learn how to ask – and answer – on this course. You’ll learn how to critique preconceptions about social equality and justice. You’ll embrace new ideas and schools of thought on this intellectually stimulating and personally empowering course. You’ll graduate ready to make a real difference to people’s lives.What are the root causes of social injustice and inequality? How could we change society’s perception of them, and make the actual changes themselves? On this course you’ll reflect upon the ways in which sociological knowledge can affect real change in people’s everyday lives.If you have an enquiring, questioning mind and you want to understand more about human societies, social problems, interactions and experiences, you will thrive here. You’ll engage with a diversity of communities and develop a sense of the ways in which a public sociological imagination can meaningfully intervene in real-world political and social events. Many of our staff are actively involved in social justice, and so you’ll see first-hand how we can bring what we study to life.This was Scotland’s first public sociology course and we continue to be pioneering in the way we think. Our students have chosen fascinating and original topics to research for their dissertations — from women’s body image on social media to a community campaign on gentrification.This course is being revalidated for 2020 and therefore there may be some changes to the programme.