Understanding the building blocks for an informed society
Year of entry: 2025/26
L3X3
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
Times Higher Education’s ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024
Explore the ideas underpinning the education system and the environment it operates in.
Education is increasingly seen as essential to an informed society and as the driver for economic growth, social harmony and personal wellbeing.
By combining two distinctive but intertwined subjects, you’ll gain a deep understanding of education and learn to evaluate evidence, think critically and craft arguments - attributes valued by potential employers. You'll also get to tailor your degree to your interests and use your skills to carry out research in an area you’re passionate about.
The course progresses from broad to specialist topics. As you progress you'll focus your studies, choosing option modules to develop your expertise. In your final year you'll undertake independent research leading to a 8,000-word dissertation.
Our teaching is led by our research, covering real-world issues on a wide range of topics including equality, gender and sexuality, race, health, the body, education and society, psychological aspects of education, special educational needs and children’s fiction.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You will also study two option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course. For further information please get in touch.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
The focus of your final year will be your dissertation. You'll work with an academic supervisor to identify and interrogate an original research question, on a topic related to Sociology or Education. You'll write up your results in a 8,000-word extended essay.
You will also study three option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course. For further information please get in touch.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £25,800 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
You may choose to buy textbooks, but this is not required. You may also incur some minor costs through occasional printing or photocopying, and the production of your final year dissertation.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-ones.
We offer a personal approach to learning with much of our teaching conducted in small groups (typically under 15 students in a seminar group). Our staff are very approachable and our doors are always open. Your personal supervisor provides support and guidance throughout your studies, offering weekly feedback and guidance hours.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Department of Sociology, Campus East and the Department of Education, Campus West. Much of your teaching will take place in Law and Management Building and Derwent College, with additional contact hours elsewhere on Campus.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
Your first year work doesn't contribute towards your final degree classification. We recognise that students are only beginning to develop during the first year of their degree.
From Year Two onward, formal assessments will contribute toward your degree. In Year Three your 8,000-word dissertation focuses on a specific topic of your choice.
You'll develop skills valued by a broad range of careers including teaching, publishing, charity work, construction of learning environments, design of learning resources and more.
A significant proportion of our graduates go on to teacher training at primary and secondary levels at prestigious institutions in the UK. A number of students have also secured alternative pathways into teaching and education, including Teach First.
The course includes employability skills development, giving you the practical skills that employers are looking for in graduate recruits.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, M2, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | An overall average of 75% |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall |
| T levels | We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Scottish Highers - ABBBB Advanced Highers - not required for entry We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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