Â鶹AV

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Top reasons to choose this course

• Fascinating subjects – the course covers include deviance and control, youth and delinquency, the relationship between gender and crime and race and crime and cross-cultural issues in crime and justice.

• Learning is a varied mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, group work, and independent learning activities and research.

• Expert teaching team with varied expertise and who are published and esteemed in their research areas.

• Opportunity to take a placement to give you hands-on experience and help you stand out to potential employers.

• Guest speakers will add to your learning and provide networking opportunities. Speakers have come from organisations including: Eastbourne Foodbank, St Mungo’s, Troubled Families Programme, Boing Boing and the Trust for Developing Communities.

• Join a vibrant community – the programme area sits within the School of Humanities and Social Science, all based in one building.

• Option modules enable you to tailor your degree to suit your personal career goals.

• The chance to specialise in both criminology and sociology, two vital fields in social science.

• In the first year, assessment is split between essays and exams – the second and final year consist mainly of coursework.

• Opportunity to apply for an international exchange in Spain or Sweden.

• The Sociology of Â鶹AV lecture series brings in speakers who deliver lectures in different locations around Â鶹AV such as the Palace Pier.

• We work with local LGBT mental health project MindOut to bring a Living Library to the campus. The library is designed to challenge prejudice and stigma and trained volunteers act as ‘books’ to help you explore social issues. 

Year 1

In your first year, you will study modules that introduce you to both sociology and criminology. You will also begin to develop the research skills which you will use throughout your degree.

Modules

• Introduction to Researching Social and Cultural Life

  The module introduces you to the range of research methods used in the social sciences and will enable you to develop the skills necessary to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data.

• Sociological Imaginations

  This module will introduce you to contemporary ‘sociological imaginations’ of the social world and will give you the opportunity to apply sociological theories and concepts to contemporary topics. You'll develop your ability to think sociologically, by first understanding key sociological concepts and then exploring how these are applied in contemporary sociological research examples.

• Criminal Justice Matters

  This module will introduce you to the criminal justice system in England and Wales by exploring its main institutions and agencies: eg. police, courts, prison and probation. You'll explore some of the key debates and policies in relation to sentencing, victims and crime prevention. You will gain an understanding of the politics and controversies in criminal justice and develop your skills in identifying, analysing information and presenting coherent arguments.

• Foundations of Sociology

  This module will equip you with an understanding of traditional sociological theory and its applications today. You'll be introduced to the foundations of sociology including key thinkers, key debates, and main theoretical perspectives.

  The module will examine the development of classical ideas and the continued relevance for different sociological perspectives throughout the twentieth century. Recent challenges to traditional sociological theory will also be examined and assessed.

• Theories of Crime

  On this module you will examine criminological theories from an historical perspective, and gain an understanding of the political, social and cultural contexts in which different theories were developed, how they translated to policy, and their strengths, weaknesses and biases in explaining crime and deviance.

• Contemporary Social Inequalities

  This module will provide you with the theoretical and conceptual tools to confront normative/normalising explanations of difference and inequality. You'll understand the ways that ‘differences’ and inequalities are formed and their consequences for everyday lived realities.

Year 2

In your second year, you will build your knowledge and skills and learn about the different ways in which societies try to control crime. 

The community engagement module is an opportunity to undertake a voluntary work placement with a local organisation.

Modules

• Theorising the Social World
• Sociology and the Life Course
• Social and Cultural Research Practice

Options*

• Sociology Skills
• Community Engagement: Theory into Practice 
• Punishment, Power and the State
• Policing and Society

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Final year

In your final year, you will write a dissertation on a topic in criminology, sociology or both. The dissertation is an opportunity to develop an idea independently, with the support of an academic supervisor throughout. 

Modules

• Dissertation

Options*

• Violence and Society
• Society and Outer Space
• Class and Power
• Sociology of Globalisation
• Race and Ethnicity
• Sociology Topic 1
• Contemporary Studies in Crime and Justice
• Utopian Theory and Practice
• Human Rights
• Education and Society
• Race and Immigration
• Sociology of Parenting
• Class and Conflict in Contemporary Britain
• Sociology and the Climate Emergency
• Sociology Topic 2
• Critical Addiction Studies for Criminology
• Criminology of Borders
• Global Issues: Crime, Power, Harm

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Lab facilities

Mithras House is home to all our School of Humanities and Social Science courses. It has a series of ‘labs’, which may be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A comfortable space with lounge furniture intended for qualitative research with larger groups. Due to its relaxed layout and naturalistic environment, the space is suited to research using focus groups, research using observation-based methods and child research.

The space is also used for teaching on some social science courses, as well as for dissertation research for projects.
 
City lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning. It is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme, our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackling the pressing issues facing our world.

Design lab
A space housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses. It has the space and equipment to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses.

It is also available to students studying courses involving video and audio recording and editing, such as politics degrees and our creative writing programmes. The stats lab contains eight soundproof booths for recording or transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research.

VR and eye tracking lab
This lab is used for psychological research, specifically eye-tracking research and virtual reality research. Equipment includes an electroencephalography (EEG) headset and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) equipment.

Placement

In your second year, the Community Engagement module offers the chance to gain hands-on experience by volunteering with a local not-for-profit organisation.

You'll spend around 50 hours contributing to the community while developing valuable vocational skills. Supported by organisational training, tutor guidance, and classroom learning, you’ll explore theories of community engagement and organisational culture. The module also includes guest lectures, CV building, and interview preparation.

This experience not only enhances your employability but also allows you to make a meaningful impact. Past placements have included roles with organisations such as:

• Age UK
• MindOut
• The Alzheimer's Society

Meet the team 

Canglong Wang, course leader

Canglong's areas of expertise involve the intersection of sociology and Chinese studies, specialising in race and ethnicity. He is interested in Chinese ethnic identity and the intricate patterns of transnational migration. His research uses qualitative and quantitative research strategies to provide a comprehensive and robust analysis of sociocultural phenomena.

"Central to my scholarly endeavours is the critical examination of Chinese citizenship. This inquiry critically intersects with issues of education and social justice, where I focus on the role of critical pedagogy and civic activism in the revival of Confucian education in China. This line of inquiry naturally extends to an examination of grassroots educational movements, which I scrutinise for their capacity to influence and reform Chinese civil society."

Other members of the teaching team:

Sociology

Criminology

• Dr Roxana Cavalcanti

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Â鶹AV Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and (pdf) for more on Â鶹AV tuition fees.

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at Â鶹AV