BA (Hons) Education Studies - Sociology Bachelor's degree at Durham University
BA (Hons) Education Studies - Sociology at Durham University. Education Studies with Sociology at Durham is built for people who like to ask why systems work the way they do rather than simply how to operate within them.
About this course
Education Studies - Sociology XL33 - Durham University Skip to main content BA (Hons) Education Studies - Sociology Education Studies is a broad multidisciplinary degree, designed for intellectually and practically curious individuals. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Education Studies - Sociology is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Durham University, based in Durham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Sociology graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 65% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £31,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sociology & Social Sciences, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 100% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 4 modules
- Historical and Philosophical Ideas of EducationCompulsory
Module details
introduces you to some of the major educational theorists and the foundational ideas informing education practice today. This will help you to develop a personal perspective on the longstanding debate about the purpose and value of education.
- Contemporary Issues and Evidence in EducationCompulsory
Module details
examines a range of contemporary issues in education and the nature and scope of the supporting evidence. With a range of guest speakers from across the School, you will gain a grounding in a variety of issues at stake.
- Societies in TransitionCompulsory
Module details
is the study of contemporary societies and aspects of social life and change, focusing on local communities, families, relationships, economies and consumerism, as well as patterns relating to health, social class, gender, race/ethnicity and religion.
- Classical Sociological TheoryCompulsory
Module details
introduces sociological concepts and theorising, using individual thinkers and particular topics to illustrate changing understandings of the relationship between structure and agency in sociological thinking, both across time and in relation to current debates.
Year 2 2 modules
- Educational Research MethodsCompulsory
Module details
helps you to understand the purposes and implications of educational research. You will develop a critical appreciation of the different ways in which research can be carried out in education, and how to assess the quality of educational research.
- Modern and Contemporary Sociological TheoryCompulsory
Module details
explores the key theoretical perspectives within sociological inquiry. You will develop the skills to assess and compare different theoretical perspectives in terms of consistency, logic and explanatory power.
Year 3 1 modules
- DissertationCompulsory
Module details
For your dissertation, you will undertake an extended, independent piece of research with an appropriate educational focus. You will critically engage with relevant research relating to your chosen topic.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The degree is structured to move you from foundations to independent enquiry. You'll start with core theory, building a grounding in sociological and educational thought, the concepts and debates that let you make sense of how education systems are shaped by wider social forces. Alongside this sits research & methods, where you learn how sociologists and education researchers actually gather and interpret evidence, a skill set that underpins almost everything else on the course. Applied practice gives you the chance to connect theory to real educational settings and questions, while specialist options let you follow particular interests as they develop, this might include areas such as inequality, policy, childhood, or the sociology of learning, depending on what's on offer as you progress. In your final year, an independent project lets you design and carry out a piece of research on a topic of your own choosing, drawing together everything you've learned. Professional skills threads through the degree too, helping you build the kind of transferable abilities, communication, analysis, project management, that matter whichever direction you take afterwards.
Who it's for
This course tends to suit people who notice patterns in the world around them and want to interrogate them properly, the sort of person who, watching how a classroom or a school system operates, starts asking questions about power, fairness, culture and structure rather than taking it at face value. You don't need to arrive with your career mapped out, but you should be genuinely curious about people, institutions and how societies organise learning. Because the degree is multidisciplinary, it works well for students who like connecting ideas across subjects rather than staying narrowly focused, and who are comfortable with reading, discussion and written argument as core parts of how they learn. Studying this will feel less like following a fixed syllabus and more like building your own understanding through theory, evidence and eventually your own research project. Most students accepted onto the course arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, and the most common tariff band among recent entrants was less than 48 points, though this describes what past entrants typically held rather than a fixed requirement. If you enjoy debate, don't mind uncertainty in your reading, and want a degree that keeps its options open rather than funnelling you towards one narrow job, this is worth serious consideration.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Sociology & Social Sciences courses, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after finishing, and 55% of those working graduates are in highly skilled roles or further study, figures worth bearing in mind as general context for the field rather than a promise tied to this specific course. National earnings data (Graduate Outcomes/LEO) for the field show starting salaries 15 months after graduation typically ranging from £23,000 to £30,000, settling to between £20,400 and £28,800 after three years, before rising again to a range of £24,650 to £34,800 after five years. These are national figures across the subject area, not guaranteed outcomes, and individual earnings vary considerably depending on role, sector and location. On the academic side, 89% of students nationally in this field continue past their first year, which gives some sense of how manageable the transition into this kind of degree tends to be.
University & format
Durham University is a public, research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group, founded in 1832 and home to around 19,520 students in total. This BA (Hons) Education Studies - Sociology degree (UCAS code XL33) is studied full-time over three years on Durham's campus, taught in English, and leads to a Bachelor's degree with the BA (Hons) mark. The university was and holds a Silver award in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code XL33). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Durham University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Sociology & Social Sciences graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £31,000 | £25,000 – £37,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £26,500 | £21,500 – £30,500 | 95 |
| 5 years after | £30,500 | £26,500 – £39,000 | 100 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sociology & social sciences · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sociology & Social Sciences nationally
National figures for Sociology & Social Sciences graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sociology & Social Sciences courses at the same study level.
Compared with 751 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Protective service occupationsDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 70; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Sociology & Social Sciences graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Sociology & Social Sciences graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Local authorities
- Charities & NGOs
- Research organisations
- Government & universities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sociology & Social Sciences graduates.
Sociology AdjunctCommonwealth Of VirginiaSociology ECT - High-Achieving Secondary School in BrightonMarchant RecruitmentHead of Psychology and SociologyTeacherActiveIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £31,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.1 out of 10: NSS 82.9% · in work or study 90% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Durham
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Durham Campus
698 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Sociology & Social Sciences right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Durham University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £31,033 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Durham University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Durham University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Durham University
Sociology & Social Sciences at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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