History, Politics, Criminology & Sociology

These courses offer you the chance to study traditional subjects with a modern, contemporary focus.

Why choose us?

These diverse, connected subjects will give you the chance to expand your understanding of human identity and behaviour, while considering social interaction and institutions across different contexts – sociological, criminological, historical and political.

Our history and politics courses are delivered by research-active academics offering you exceptional insight into the process and production of history and politics and how these subjects shape our understanding of our contemporary world. The unique setting of these courses in a Faculty of Media & Communication provides a media-driven environment giving you a fresh perspective.

Our sociology, social anthropology and criminology courses are delivered by the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, where you will engage with research-active social scientists to develop an understanding of contemporary and global issues. These courses are designed to challenge you to explore concepts in fields that range from terrorism to families; from healthy environments to human trafficking; and from gangs to government. Experts from each of these areas will bring a 21st century focus to illuminate these subjects.

You will have the option to build a work placement into your studies, which can be a terrific way to put what you’ve learned in your lectures into practice, and to see how your chosen specialism could translate into a career.

Studying in these areas will give you various options when it comes to a career after university, with opportunities including media, publishing, education, surveying, public relations, tourism, corporate business, local government, policing, criminal justice, youth justice, and research.

Degrees of difference www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ug-hpss

Byron Quayle, Councillor for Blandford, BA (Hons) Politics graduate

After a decade in the military, I wasn’t actually too sure what my next move was going to be, but I found that the Politics degree at BU would give me plenty of different options as it was such a broad course. However, in my second year, life made my mind up for me when it came to my career direction!

Council elections were taking place in my constituency and even though my party was considered as having no chance of taking a seat, I asked if I could stand and put what I was learning about on my course into practice. With a lot of hard work and perhaps a little luck, I won a seat on the Dorset County Council and was suddenly faced with the challenge of completing a degree while working as a councillor. It was a challenge but I was determined to do my role as councillor justice rather than putting in the bare minimum effort. It was hard work and looking back I’m not even sure how I managed it, but I passed my degree

My degree of difference

Making a difference to the community through a career in politics

To find out more about how our Fusion approach can benefit your BU education, visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/fusion and am still a councillor today. I also work as a campaign manager, which is fantastic as it uses the skills I found most fascinating when I learned them at BU.

Life as a councillor is certainly busy, because I try to treat everyone I meet the way I was treated at BU – as a person, not a number. In politics, you always need to remember that what may seem like a small problem to the person who has come to you for help can be having a significant impact on their life. I never lose sight of the fact that I was elected to serve people, and that they are my bosses, to all intents and purposes. I listen, and I try to help –it’s what we do.

Politics is a fascinating sphere to work in because it impacts everything – from the huge issues in Westminster like Brexit or funding the NHS, to the small things at local level like broken paving slabs or antisocial behaviour. The key thing is that as a politician, you can have a big impact on people’s lives – and that’s a responsibility that my time at BU has taught me to give all the respect it deserves.