Why Study Sociology at Manchester?
At a glance
- Study at a UK top five University for Sociology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).
- Learn in a research environment ranked third in the UK for Sociology (REF 2021).
- Explore innovative social research methods, from qualitative and quantitative approaches to social network analysis and big data.
- Discover research addressing major societal challenges, from inequality and ethnicity to social change, across our specialist Sociology research centres.
Video: Why Study a Humanities Degree at The University of Manchester?
Frequently asked study questions
Sociology will help you make sense of how society works, why it changes and how wider social forces shape our everyday lives.
You’ll get to explore some of the major issues facing society today, including:
- social inequality and stratification;
- race, ethnicity and migration;
- relationships and everyday life;
- culture and consumption;
- and social movements and protest.
You’ll have a chance to look beyond familiar explanations and consider how individual experiences connect with wider patterns in society.
Studying Sociology involves asking critical questions about the world around you, such as:
- How do identities and relationships change?
- What drives social movements?
- Why do patterns in everyday life differ across society?
You’ll use sociological ideas, research and evidence to challenge assumptions and consider different explanations for what you see in society.
Our research is central to Sociology at Manchester. You’ll learn and see how sociologists turn questions about society into research and use evidence to investigate people’s experiences and social change.
With Sociology you will have the opportunity to become an independent thinker who can investigate complex questions and build arguments based on evidence.
You’ll develop your ability to:
- use qualitative and quantitative research methods;
- analyse and interpret data;
- think critically about different viewpoints;
- build evidence-based arguments;
- carry out independent research;
- and communicate complex ideas clearly.
As your studies progress, you’ll strengthen your ability to question information, make connections between ideas, and communicate your own conclusions with confidence.
Discover where the skills you develop though Sociology could take you.
Society never stands still, with this degree you will be given the tools you need to investigate what is changing, why it is happening and what those changes mean for people’s lives.
From inequality and migration to identity, consumption and social movements, you’ll examine the issues that are affecting people and communities around the world.
You’ll ask why inequalities persist, how societies respond to change and why people can experience the same society in very different ways.
Manchester’s rich history of sociological research and radical thinking makes it an ideal place to study society and social change. The University is home to specialist research centres including the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) and the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives, where researchers are developing new ways to understand society and social change.