Sociology preparation
Welcome to the Department of Sociology! We look forward to meeting you in September.
We look forward to meeting you!
The Department of Sociology looks after the undergraduate degrees of Sociology, Media and Communication, Criminology, Criminology and Sociology, and Criminology with Forensic Investigation. If you are about to start one of these courses, welcome. This is a big new stage in your life, and you are probably excited and a bit nervous about what’s to come. Don’t worry, this is totally normal! You will be getting a lot of information in the first few weeks, and it might all seem rather overwhelming at the moment. Just take it step by step, and we will do everything we can to make your transition to university life as smooth as possible.
Who we are and what we do
Sociology is in the School of Social Sciences which is in the Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences. If you’re wondering who you might be taught by in your first semester, you can take a look at our modules, and then read about your lecturers.
We’re all researchers, in lots of different areas, and we’re really dedicated to the highest-quality teaching, bringing our research specialisms to the classroom as much as we can. All of our courses are globally-focused, and have been designed to develop your study skills, professional skills, digital skills and boost your employability.
Top tips
You might already be wondering what you can do to prepare before teaching starts. We really want to urge you not to worry too much! Get to as many events in welcome week as you can, where you will be given lots of information. There will be times on the course where you feel like you have a lot of work to do, so make the most of this time to settle in, get your bearings, meet people and find your way around. One useful thing can be to take a look at the campus map, have a look where welcome week events and lectures tend to take place, and perhaps have a look on Google Maps as well. All the main university buildings are on Google Maps, which can be really helpful!
Recommended reading
For all our degrees, we recommend staying up to date with the news! Read the news/news websites including:
Media and Communication students in particular should consume a broad range of media content from film/TV to radio/podcasts to books to influencer YouTube videos and do so with an open mind and critical eye!
- The Media Show podcast
- 21st Century Mythologies podcast
- Henry Jenkins' website and blog
- Box of Broadcasts (you will get access to this once you have your Surrey login details)
- Paul Hodkinson, Media, Culture and Society: An Introduction.
Sociology students may enjoy the following podcasts:
- Thinking Allowed BBC
- Social Sciences Bites
- New Books in Sociology
- Sage Sociology – featuring some of our Sociology lecturers!
The following podcasts and blogs are especially relevant to Criminology students:
Stay in touch!
Do try to come to the events in Welcome Week. We’re a really friendly department and we will do whatever we can to make you feel at home. During your time here, you will have a personal tutor, approachable module leaders, programme leads, and a director of studies. We’re all here to make sure you get the most out of your time at university, and we really want you to talk to us, if you have any questions, comments or issues.
We look forward to welcoming you!