Sociology and Politics

Sociology and politics are disciplines that illuminate each other at almost every turn. Sociology provides the analytical tools to understand how societies are organised, how inequalities are produced and sustained, how institutions shape behaviour, and how collective action can challenge or reinforce existing arrangements. Politics examines how power is structured and contested, how governments make decisions, and how public policy interacts with social life.

Studying them together gives you a richer picture of the social world than either discipline offers alone.

At the University of the Highlands and Islands, this part-time programme allows you to study sociology and politics at your own pace, taking fewer course units per week than a full-time student and spreading the programme over a longer period. This makes it accessible to those who are working, caring, or otherwise unable to commit to full-time study, while still providing a full degree-level education in both subjects. You will explore sociological theories and research methods, the sociology of inequality, identity, and social change, and the political institutions, ideologies, and processes that shape public life.

No typical tariff is listed, making the programme accessible to applicants from a wider range of educational backgrounds.

Graduates from sociology and politics programmes work in the civil service, local government, social research, charities and voluntary organisations, community development, journalism, education, and policy roles across the public and third sectors. The analytical and research skills both disciplines develop are valued across many professional contexts. Postgraduate study in sociology, politics, social policy, and related fields is available for those who wish to deepen their expertise or pursue research careers.