Literature and Sociology BA (Hons)

UCAS code Q32S

What is special about this course?

Most of our humanities subjects can be studied as joint honours as well as single honours. Joint honours programmes give you the opportunity to combine two subjects, which complement your interests or career goals. You will usually concentrate on both subjects equally. It can be possible to transfer between single and joint honours options, usually during your first or second year, and advice will be available from your personal academic tutor.

This joint degree covers:

  • Literature: using a wide range of authors and texts, from classic to contemporary, explores literature in a global context, looking in depth at language and literary history.
  • Sociology: the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society

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Special features

  • You will study literature in an international context
  • You will be part of a vibrant research culture from your first semester
  • Opportunities to take part in field-trips every semester as well as involvement in academic conferences and an active Literature Society
  • You can study full time or part time to suit your personal circumstances
  • You can study individual modules for personal or professional development

Accommodation

We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.

Entry requirements

Entry to year one:

  • 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above, or
  • 2 A levels at grade BC or above
  • At least two should be from the list of relevant subjects
  • Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis

Advanced entry to year two:

  • HNC Social  Science (12 SCQF credits) with 3 additional SCQF credits at level 7 which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two.

Access routes

Students eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP) will be able to apply for entry to BA (Hons) Literature and Sociology with a grade profile of BBC in one of the below courses and 8 units passed at SCQF level 6:

  • Access to: Arts and Humanities (Newbattle Abbey College)
  • Access to: Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Teaching (Edinburgh College)
  • Access to: Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Teaching (North East Scotland College)
  • Access to: Celtic Studies incorporating Primary Education with Gaelic (Newbattle Abbey College)
  • Access to: Community, Education and Humanities (Dundee & Angus College)
  • Access to: Degree Studies (Forth Valley College)
  • Access to: Humanities (Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Education) (Fife College)
  • Access to: Humanities (Fife College)
  • Access to: Humanities (Perth College UHI)
  • Access to: Languages with Business (Edinburgh College)
  • Access to: Languages, Arts and Social Sciences (Edinburgh College)
  • Access to: University Study (Dundee & Angus College)
  • NQ Access to: Social Sciences (West Lothian College)
  • NQ Access to: Teaching (West Lothian College)

Year 1 - CertHE

You will study the following core modules:

Literature

  • Travellers in the wilderness: literature and exile
  • Literary theory: history and practice

Sociology

  • Understanding the social world
  • Making social lives

You will also choose two further option modules from our range of humanities subjects

Year 2 - DipHE

You will study two literature modules, which may include:

  • Introduction to Gaelic poetry
  • Heroic Literature: Epic from Classical to Contemporary
  • Male Ideals and Female Desires in Medieval Poetry
  • Theatrical Powerplay: Classical and Modern Tragedy

Plus two core sociology modules:

  • Sociology Theory Or Belief, Culture and Community
  • Qualitative Research

You will also choose two option modules from across our humanities subjects.

Year 3 - BA

You will choose three literature modules, which may include:

  • Gaoir nam ban: Gaelic women's poetry 1644–1746
  • Imagining new worlds: Renaissance literature and thought
  • Psychogeography and the city
  • Romantic genius: Scottish and European literature, 1750–1830
  • Children's literature
  • Modern times: popular culture and modernism

You will also study three core sociology modules:

  • Advanced social research methods
  • Work and society
  • Sociology: contemporary Scottish issues

Year 4 - BA (Hons)

You will complete a dissertation in literature or sociology. You will also study one option module from your chosen dissertation subject plus three option modules from the other subject.

Literature modules may include:

  • Pushing boundaries
  • Postmoderism
  • Avant-garde literature
  • Past and present: historiography

Sociology modules may include:

  • Insiders and outsiders in society
  • Visual research
  • Understanding crime
  • Network society: mass media and the information age
  • Restorative justice

How will I study my course?

  • Full-time
  • Part-time (structured)
  • Part-time (unstructured)
  • You will learn through a combination of video conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors. There is a weekly two-hour timetabled video conference lecture for each module which students should attend at their home campus.

How long will my course last?


  • Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
  • Part-time (structured): 8 years @ 20 hours per week

Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.


Where can I study my course?

  • Argyll College UHI
  • Highland Theological College UHI
  • Inverness College UHI
  • Lews Castle College UHI
  • Moray College UHI
  • North Highland College UHI
  • Orkney College UHI
  • Perth College UHI
  • Shetland College UHI
  • West Highland College UHI

Start date

  • September

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland or the European Union/EEA (outside of the UK) and with a term time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

Degrees2018-192019-20*
Full-time (120 credit modules) per year £1,820 £1,820
Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year £645 £645
Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) £215 £215

*The Home-Scotland/EU fee rate is set by the Scottish Government and will be confirmed by March 2019.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:

  Level2018-192019-20
    Full-time Full-time
Year 1 CertHE £9,000 £9,000
Year 2 DipHE £9,000 £9,000
Year 3 Degree £9,000 £9,000
Year 4 Honours free** free**

**4th year free only for students studying full-time who have paid for the previous 3 years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,500 (2018-19 and 2019-20).

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK and EU students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living whilst studying.

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

  2018-19 2019-20
Full-time (120 credit modules) per year £11,100 £11,650
Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year** £5,550 £5,820
Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module)** £1,850 £1,940

**There is no part-time study option for Tier 4 sponsored international students.

Further information on international course fees.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time RUK and International undergraduate students for continuous and contiguous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.

Funding

External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact your enrolling college for more information.

What can I do on completion of my course?

Once you have successfully completed your BA (Hons) Literature and Sociology, you might like to consider careers in:

  • Teaching and education
  • Academia
  • Publishing
  • Museum and archives
  • Charities
  • The Media
  • Heritage sector
  • Creative arts
  • Marketing and PR
  • Government
  • Writer
  • Research

The highly developed critical, analytical and communication skills you will acquire through your studies will make you a strong candidate for a wide variety of careers.

Can I progress into further study?

You can progress from the BA (Hons) Literature and Sociology to

Is there more information available online?

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What our students, graduates and staff say

There are some amazing opportunities for students; from guest lecturers to workshops, courses and events. This year I’ve taken part in the Literature Society as President. We put on social activities and some campuses hold weekly book swapping meetings and there are larger events to attend such as the AyeWrite Festival in Glasgow. These are great ways to get to know and share your love of books with other like-minded students.

Carrie McWilliam, second year student, BA (Hons) Literature, Moray College UHI campus.

The university Literature Society allows students to develop and share their interests with other people. This can be done through trips to museums, galleries, festivals, the theatre or significant literary towns. It also allows students to get together and do something creative whether it is writing or performing short dramatic pieces. There's even the chance to just sit with a group of friends over a coffee and discuss a new and interesting text. The university Literature Society is a place where students can enhance their skills in a non-judgemental and relaxed environment. There are many roles within the society which means your opinion will always matter. It is your chance as a student to shape and develop the society and get the most out of your university experience.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter (@UHILitSociety)

University Literature Society, President Natasha Ross (full-time year 2)

Time I spend on my studies is very precious and I use it well.

From medieval poetry to modern day novels, my first year at university has been an incredible experience and I am so happy to be able to link up with like-minded people from all over the country. That's the beauty of UHI; video conferencing that works and access to lectures from home makes studying a whole lot easier. The enthusiastic and helpful faculty have also helped make study a pleasurable experience, particularly when I have been out of the educational sphere for more than twenty years!

So why study literature at UHI?

If you enjoy reading and writing and would like to gain more insight to the literary world then you'll love this degree.

Discover hidden gems in Scottish and international literature...
Expand your mind...
Cultural trips and visits...
Explore and share your thoughts...
Form your own 'literary voice'.  Who knows where it will take you?

Morag Meldrum, part-time BAH Literature.

Apply for Literature and Sociology BA (Hons)

I want to start in Aug/Sep 2019

We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). UHI operates a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.