BA Social Change

Overview

If you’re looking to change the world, our BA Social Change is designed for you. With increasing awareness of global issues, there has never been a more vital time to contribute meaningfully to social change. In this course, you’ll tackle issues from ethics to sustainability and gain a historical perspective on the forces that have shaped our multicultural and interconnected world.

On this flexible degree, you’ll broaden your knowledge whilst acquiring the tools required to address today’s pressing social problems, transform society and make a positive change in an increasingly globalised world. Through social action projects and by participating in group community projects, you’ll gain practical experiences and develop the high-level transferrable skills required to make a real-world difference. Along the way, you’ll build the skills needed to take on global challenges as an effective social change leader.

BA Social Change will equip you with the theoretical and practical skills required of a future change-maker. Throughout the course you’ll cover key areas including but not limited to:

Community engagement
Sustainability
Human rights
Social justice
Individualism

Based within our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre (ISC), this course enables you to explore social change across multiple disciplinary perspectives. The flexible structure of this course allows you to choose a range of optional modules across sociology, philosophy, history, politics, human rights, literature and more.

Study abroad

Your education extends beyond our University campus. We support you in this by providing the option of an additional year. The five-year version of our degree allows you to spend the fourth year studying abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the four-year course.

Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised.

If you spend a full year abroad you’ll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won’t pay any tuition fees to your host university

Placement year

Alternatively, you can spend your third year on a placement year with an external organisation, where you learn about a particular sector, company or job role, apply your academic knowledge in a practical working environment, and receive inspiration for future career pathways. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and our Student Development Team.

Our expert staff

Our courses are taught by world-class academics and over three quarters of our research is rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014), which puts us fifth in the UK for research outputs.

Specialist facilities

Take advantage of our extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies:

A comprehensive student support system which will direct you to the best source of advice and support in the case of personal or academic difficulties
Access a variety of textbooks and journals in the Albert Sloman Library
Attend an exciting programme of events

Your future

Through BA Social Change you’ll gain an all-round education, acquiring a diverse set of skills and a wide range of knowledge. As a flexible and creative thinker and doer, you will be able to adapt to a rapidly evolving world of work.

Our course provides you with an excellent basis for going onto a career in charity, fundraising, PR and the media, law, government and more.

We also work with the university’s Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Why we’re great

You can tailor your degree to suit your unique interests and goals by choosing from a range of modules.
Our courses can also be taken as a four-year option including a year of study abroad or a work placement.
You are taught by a team of international experts in a range of subjects.

Structure

Course structure

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.

Teaching and learning disclaimer

Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.

The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently approved for 2022 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.

Placement

On a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external business or organisation, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.

Year abroad

On your year abroad, you have the opportunity to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.

Teaching

Taught mostly through lectures plus seminars of fewer than twenty students
You take a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar for most of your modules every week
Other teaching methods will depend on your individual combination of subjects