**Aston University is The Guardian's 'University of the Year' 2020.****Course outline**Sociology at Aston is about real-life experiences and how they relate to bigger social problems. We explore the social constraints we encounter in our everyday lives and how they are reinforced by class, race, religion and gender. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyse what impact official politics has on such processes, how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations. We assess public policy responses and where they are problematic.Our teaching is informed by our research. When learning about contemporary topics such as inequality, racism, health, migration, sexuality, identity, education, the media, crime and climate change, you will be taught by experts in these fields. Our teaching is constantly updated in the light of our research findings.Our programmes will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently. This includes how to design a research project, collect empirical data, handle complex datasets (e.g., through applying coding techniques) and, most importantly, develop an advanced analytical mindset. This training will be essential for your final-year dissertation during which you will carry out your own individual research project. This experience will provide you with a skillset that is highly desired in a wide range of industries and areas of work.**Key benefits**- Sociology at Aston was ranked 17th in the UK for research quality (Complete University Guide, 2021).- 100 per cent of students studying sociology courses at Aston said that staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2020).- 94 per cent of students studying the ‘BSc (Hons) Sociology’ course said that the IT resources and facilities provided have supported their learning well (National Student Survey, 2020).- Employed Aston sociology graduates earn £4,000 (23 per cent) more than the UK average, one year after graduation (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2020).

School of Social Sciences and Humanities