Students preparing for their graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral

Sociology and Economics - BA (Hons)

UCAS code LL13

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2017

Kent consistently appears in the top ten economics departments in the National Student Survey.

Overview

Sociology provides ways of making sense of a world undergoing unprecedented social change and uncertainty. Combining an understanding of the role that economics and economic policy have in bringing about and dealing with such change, with knowledge of how the structures that underpin society work is fascinating and opens up many rewarding career options.

You develop an understanding of core traditions and contemporary developments in sociological thinking and research. The programme also features a range of specialist areas such as race and ethnic identity, sociological approaches to violence, terrorism and society, new media technologies, the sociology of health, sex and gender and the sociology of science and technology.

Within the Economics element of your degree, you examine some of the profound issues in our life and times, including: economic growth and sustainable development, emerging market economies, financial and monetary crises, international trade and aid to poor countries. At Kent, you learn about these issues from economists who are highly regarded within the profession for emphasising the practical application of economics in all of these arenas.

Many staff advise government bodies in the UK and the European Commission. Staff also advise international organisations including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Bank of England, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Think Kent video series

In this talk, Dr Chris Shilling from the University of Kent highlights how 'body matters' are key to contemporary social trends and problems, explores the potential of classical sociology to aid our understanding of embodiment, and identifies some of the multiple reasons why the body has become a source of conflict in the contemporary era.

Independent rankings

Sociology at Kent was ranked 7th in The Times Good University Guide 2017

For graduate prospects, Sociology at Kent was ranked 8th in The Times Good University Guide 2017 and 11th in The Complete University Guide 2017

Economics at Kent was ranked 8th overall and 2nd for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2017.

Of those who graduated from Kent in 2015, 90% of Sociology students and 92% of Economics students were in work or further study within six months (DLHE). 

Course structure

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  

On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

Teaching and assessment

Sociology

We use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, case study analysis, group projects and presentations, and individual and group tutorials. Many module convenors also offer additional ‘clinic’ hours to help with the preparation of coursework and for exams.

Economics

Our modules are taught by a combination of lectures, seminars, computing practicals, problem sets, debates and role-play games. Our students have praised the organisation and running of our programmes and our efficient assessment arrangements.

Assessment is by a mixture of coursework and examinations; to view details for individual modules click the 'read more' link within each module listed in the course structure.

Programme aims

For programme aims and learning outcomes please see the programme specification for each subject below. Please note that outcomes depend on your specific module selection:

Careers

Graduate destinations

Sociology

Our sociology graduates are highly sought after and have gone on to enjoy careers in diverse areas such as: 

  • banking and financial services 
  • teaching and research
  • advertising
  • corporate relations
  • human resources.

Other graduates choose to go on to further study at Master’s and doctoral level.

The School has excellent links with local outside agencies, such as the probation and youth justice services, the police and social services.

Economics

Economics graduates have a high success rate in the graduate employment market. Recent graduates have gone on to work in:

  • the Government Economic Service
  • Bank of England
  • the Financial Services Authority
  • PwC and several other financial institutions including the ‘Big Five’ banks.

In addition, several modules prepare you for life as a professional economist. The School’s Employability Officers offer advice for both year in industry and post-graduation employment issues.

Help finding a job

Both the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research and the School of Economics provide support as you start to think about possible career options.

The School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research has its own employability team who work with businesses to maximise opportunities for our students. We also hold an Employability Month every February and run networking events throughout the year to help you develop your skills and contacts. 

The School of Economics supports and advises you in deciding what to do after your Economics degree. We offer: one-to-one advice from a member of our employability team; employability workshops; and talks from alumni and outside employers.

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service which can give you advice on how to: 

  • apply for jobs 
  • write a good CV 
  • perform well in interviews.

Career-enhancing skills

In addition to your subject-specific skills, you also develop the key transferable skills
that graduate employers look for. These include the ability to: 

  • think critically
  • communicate your ideas and opinions succintly
  • work independently
  • use your initiative and be proactive
  • work as part of a team and independently
  • manage your time and plan effectively
  • problem solve.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.

Independent rankings

For graduate prospects, Sociology at Kent was ranked 8th in The Times Good University Guide 2017 and 11th in The Complete University Guide 2017

Economics at Kent was ranked 8th overall and 2nd for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2017.

Of those who graduated from Kent in 2015, 90% of Sociology students and 92% of Economics students were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).

According to Which? University (2017), the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £24,000.

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice. 

It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

New GCSE grades

If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

BBB including B in Mathematics unless AS Mathematics at C or GCSE Mathematics grade A has already been obtained

GCSE

See above

Access to HE Diploma

The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

Distinction, Distinction, Merit.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall or 15 points at HL including IB Mathematics 4 at HL or SL (Mathematics Studies not accepted)

International students

The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.

If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.

Meet our staff in your country

For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events. 

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme. 

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time
Part-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

UK/EU fee paying students

The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.

In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.

Full-time

Part-time

The Key Information Set (KIS) data is compiled by UNISTATS and draws from a variety of sources which includes the National Student Survey and the Higher Education Statistical Agency. The data for assessment and contact hours is compiled from the most populous modules (to the total of 120 credits for an academic session) for this particular degree programme. Depending on module selection, there may be some variation between the KIS data and an individual's experience. For further information on how the KIS data is compiled please see the UNISTATS website.

If you have any queries about a particular programme, please contact information@kent.ac.uk.