This academic year, University of Northampton (UON) celebrates half a century increasing our understanding of how people live, love and labour at home and beyond.
Sociology – the social science that interrogates and explains how humans and social structures and phenomena interact – at UON has had a significant presence since 1975, when the University’s forbear institution (Nene College) was established.
In October last year, UON celebrated the 50th birthday of another subject area, Psychology. The news prompted a request for a deeper dig in the UON Archive about Sociology’s big milestone from a former staff member.
Sociology was also initially part of combined subjects’ qualifications in the mid-1970’s, later merging with Psychology to create a single honours degree called Behavioural Sciences. In time, this gave birth to two separate, undergraduate degrees.
Sociology’s evolution as a social science and a subject area at Nene College/the University since 1975 (to the current BA degree) includes:
- Sociology has shifted from broad ‘society-wide’ explanations towards more specialised areas of study.
- Greater attention is paid to how inequalities are patterned through class, race, gender, sexuality, disability and migration and how these dimensions overlap in real life.
- More emphasis is placed on how meaning and power are made and remade through language, institutions and everyday practice, rather than treated as ‘fixed’.
- Feminist scholarship has reshaped what counts as knowledge in Sociology, challenging exclusions in research and placing gender at the centre of analysis.
- Newer sociological agendas track the social impacts of digital technologies and platform life, from identity and community to work and politics.
- Environmental change is increasingly treated as a social issue, linking everyday life to global risks, justice and sustainability.
Enhancements to UON’s Sociology degree include:
- A 2017 curriculum ‘makeover’ reshaped the BA Sociology programme and introduced distinctive specialist modules.
- Final-year options include The Sociology of Death and The Sociology of the Future, alongside modules about Environment and Sustainability and Sexuality, Gender and Power.
- Students can take an optional placement year between Year 2 and Year 3, normally paid.
- Employability support is reinforced institutionally through the University’s Employment Promise, including extended careers support and the offer of a paid internship if still seeking work after graduation.
The most recent Discover Uni figures show that 100% of UON Sociology students value the support from their academics and 100% also feel the degree has helped them develop the knowledge and skills they need for their future. 75% of Sociology graduates go onto employment or further study within 15 months
Andrew Pilkington, Emeritus Professor, was with Sociology from the start, commencing his career in Higher Education in Northampton in 1974. Andrew, who was Head of Sociology at Nene College from 1976 – 1993) says: “Back then, the department comprised just three staff responsible for teaching Sociology, Social Studies and Family & Community Studies. I was appointed as part of the College’s plan to develop undergraduate provision – this was a period of massive expansion.
“Sociology became the most popular subject and along with the rise in student numbers the number of lecturers increased to 10. Sociology initially operated at degree level as part of the Combined Studies degree, but it also expanded to teach components of professional studies programmes on social work, education and health programmes.
“By the time I passed on leadership of the subject to Nick Sage, it had also developed a joint honours degree with Psychology and a single honours degree in Sociology. In time modules initially taught as part of its undergraduate programmes in Sociology and Social Studies gave birth to other single honours programmes, notably a BA (Hons) Criminology and a BA (Hons) Media studies.
“From quite humble origins, Sociology at UON has, over half a century of critical thinking, helped us understand how people live, love and labour at home and beyond. It has provided a massive contribution to the academic life of the University and to generations of students and graduates. I am deeply proud of the impact Sociology has had, and I am sure, will continue to have.”
Find out more about the BA in Sociology at University of Northampton.