Interesting projects
Studying Sociology at Durham has really heightened my interest in the subject and honed lots of important skills – like researching! In the second year, you will get chucked into the world of research by doing a group project. My group researched how class and fee status (being a home or international student) interacted and shaped experiences within Durham University. This was really interesting and a great way to work with my friends on the course. It has set me up well for my dissertation as well, which you can pick to be anything you want – I have friends doing it on topics from sport documentaries to incels.
Great modules
This lends itself to another great aspect of the Sociology department – the breadth of modules! Sociology at Durham is very research-led, and your choice of modules will be reflective of who is working there and what their interests are. In the first year, you get a solid foundation of theory (for example, Durkheim, Weber and Marx) and social change. In the second year, you get more modern theory and then lots of choice in modules across the research focuses of the department.
Following my interests
This freedom by the third year is something that I have really enjoyed, as I have been able to pick modules that really fit my interests as an individual. For instance, this term I have taken a module called Inside Out – Issues in Criminal Justice. It has involved discussing issues in criminal justice with people who have been incarcerated and even involved a workshop in HMP Durham! This was a great opportunity and deepened my understanding of how theory and what we learn in classrooms can influence real people and their lives. It’s important to note that classes do vary year-on-year due to availability, but there’s always such an interesting range of topics to choose from.
Day-to-day life
Whilst a trip to prison is not an everyday occurrence, day-to-day life studying Sociology in Durham is still exciting. In my experience, I have always had about two or three contact hours a day. These include a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, and statistics computer classes, offering various ways to learn. During this time, I read extensively in preparation for seminars or assignments, and I also visit my professors during their office hours. For a few hours each week, lecturers will set aside some time where you can visit them to discuss their module or any queries you may have. I have always found these super helpful, and they have always been so keen to discuss my ideas with them! Our new department building has a nice new café as well, so this is usually frequented by my friends studying and, of course, chatting.
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