Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sociology

at Birmingham City University - City Centre Campus United Kingdom

The BA (Hons) English degree course combines the creative and the critical, the personal and the social, the historical and the contemporary.

In the School of English, you will be taught by respected academics and practitioners offering a diverse range of modules in literary studies, linguistics, creative writing and drama. Your degree will allow you to tailor your studies to your individual interests and career aspirations with both a local and global outlook.

What's covered in this course?

English as a discipline continues to be relevant to the lives we lead and is central to a wide range of contemporary and social contexts. It is this fact on which the School has built its philosophy and approach to English as a subject, which has interdisciplinary reach beyond its own boundaries.

Identifying how language works in practice, engaging with multiple forms of communication, examining how language and literature engage with societies and cultures past and present, and the place of English in a global context, are all vital aspects in understanding how the discipline connects with the wider world, enabling you to focus on the production, interpretation and negotiation of meaning and to understand the world from a variety of perspectives.

You will benefit from student-focused and research-informed teaching in a friendly and supportive learning environment where you will be taught by respected academics and expert practitioners who foster a community of experimentation, innovation and inclusivity.

Our graduates are characterized by their extensive subject knowledge, critical thinking and intellectual curiosity, reflected in the skills and abilities that enables them to adapt to a wide range of career paths and employment opportunities.

The School is committed to contributing to the cultural life of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. We do this through working closely with partner colleges and schools, by maintaining close links with cultural institutions such as the Birmingham and Midland Institute (BMI) and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), and by working with agencies such as Writing West Midlands. In all of this we seek to widen participation and provide opportunities for the community to engage with the discipline and the University.

Realise your potential as a creative practitioner and train to be a professional voice coach at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. You will gain highly specialised knowledge in a range of professional contexts and develop advanced expertise as a voice coach, teacher or performer.

Through reading, discussion, reflective writing and practising as a coach or teacher, you will relate theory and practice and learn the ways of thinking and working of a professional voice practitioner. Through full engagement with the opportunities the course provides, you will be prepared for work as a voice practitioner in private practice, in Further or Higher Education, in business, in theatre, performing arts and media.

Study our Automotive Engineering MEng degree course and join one of the select UK Universities to take part in Formula Student events at Silverstone.

Now is a fascinating time to study automotive engineering as you’ll have the chance to be at the forefront of developments within the industry. You’ll get to work in advanced automotive workshops and laboratories equipped with industry-standard equipment, as well as take advantage of more traditional office-based facilities.

You’ll gain practical experience so that you are equipped to apply engineering science to real life situations. Plus, you’ll also have the opportunity to join our BCU Formula Student racing team.

What's covered in this course?

You’ll develop as an engineer able to make a significant contribution to this industry as it goes through an important period of transition in the UK and globally.

Our engineering courses focus on project-based activities, giving you lots of opportunity to work in teams on projects from design to implementation. This will give you practical experience of applying engineering science to real-world problems, working in multidisciplinary teams to develop your interpersonal skills, and prepare you for a key aspect of modern engineering practice.

You will develop key technical skills, enhance your creative thinking and learn from industry experts. As well as gaining knowledge and application skills in stress analysis, powertrain systems, suspension, body engineering, design and management.

You’ll be learning in a stimulating environment with lots of opportunity to collaborate with your colleagues, enhance your creativity and develop the attributes you need to stand out from the crowd.

Our automotive engineering degree is structured so that its themes have a direct relevance to the industry’s current and expected future needs, and upon graduating you will have the intellectual, technical and personal qualities necessary to successfully implement new technologies.

Throughout your course you will benefit from our strong industry links with companies such as the Morgan Motor Company, Westfield Sportscars, Siemens, and GKN.

You will also have the opportunity to join our BCU Formula Student racing team, which designs and builds a single-seater racing car each year to race in July at the IMechE-sponsored event at Silverstone.

The MSc in Real Estate Management course is an interdisciplinary Master’s program that fuses economic, social and environmental perspectives within a framework for identifying, assessing, designing, delivering and evaluating effective real estate interventions and responses.

What's covered in this course?

Our program reflects synergies with the Master’s courses in Planning Built Environments and Environmental Surveying in order to create a program that works across the whole built environment profession and disciplines.

The program focuses on the interaction between business and legal processes on property ownership and management. It integrates technological, financial, legal and management issues as they relate to property matters.

The theoretical underpinning of the course is rooted in real estate which stresses the need for interdisciplinary approaches and solutions.

This course will help you to connect the theory and practice of real estate to a range of real-life case study challenges. It will give you a framework of knowledge, skills and tools to start understanding the complex world of property, whilst supporting you to become an independent learner and reflective practitioner.

Our program builds on applied academic research and contemporary real estate practice. The course design and delivery utilises our expertise across real estate, sustainability and planning and also brings in external experts and practitioners to address key challenges and opportunities within practice.

Our real estate degree courses are designed and developed with support from relevant professional bodies (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and local professional individuals and practices. Owing to the need to meet these professionally-set learning outcomes, there is little choice in modules within these programs, although it is possible to begin to specialise with dissertation and project topics.

The LLM International Law analyses how international law operates within the key areas of international human rights and international business law.

The end of the Second World War has witnessed not only the creation of numerous international organisations, but also an increased level of global interconnection and the creation of common standards in many areas. International Law has become an important area of study because of the role it plays in regulating the relationships between states and how different states shapes their laws and legal systems.

Therefore, the knowledge and understanding of the legal aspects of international law and how international law operates in the areas of international business and international human rights law is an important attribute that is highly regarded by prospective employers such as academic institutions, non-governmental organisations and charities, policy and research organisations, and international organisations.

The MArch (RIBA Part 2) is the second stage of your professional training to become an architect. You'll be inspired by innovative architecture teaching from academic and industry professionals and develop your critical ability, skills and creativity.

Benefiting from our links with more than 100 architecture practices, our graduates design and create the buildings of the future. They have secured successful architecture jobs with well known practices such as Associated Architects, HawkinsBrown, Hopkins Architects and Glenn Howells Architects.

What's covered in this course?

Recognized by the Architects Registration Board and RIBA for exemption from Part II examination, the course is stage two of your professional development program to become an architect.

The program goes beyond the professional body criteria, giving you a stimulating and dynamic educational experience of architecture at postgraduate level. You’ll study in a design studio-led research environment and you will be able to create architectural designs that meet necessary technical requirements while still having aesthetic appeal.

There are fantastic international opportunities – our students have undertaken fieldwork in Reykjavik, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Barcelona. There’s also an annual New York study visit sponsored by Ibstock Brick.

Serious about working in games? Then enrol at the industry-endorsed finishing school for games developers and artists.

Gamer Camp: Pro (MA and MSc Video Games Development) has been created in partnership with the likes of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Codemasters, Rare and Exient.

We aim to help you become the perfect recruit for development studios within the game industry, uniquely combining professional, multidisciplinary game development practice with the latest industry insights and tools.

It's a winning formula. With mentoring from industry veterans and support from leading game development teams, our graduates are prepared for success. Recent graduates are employed by companies including Creative Assembly, Ubisoft and Codemasters.

What's covered in this course?

The course was founded by Oliver Williams (Deputy Head of the Birmingham Institute of Creative Arts) and Guy Wilday, former Studio Director at SEGA Racing Studio (SEGA Rally) and Head of Studio at Codemasters (Colin McRae Rally), currently Development Director at Sony's London Studio. It was developed in partnership with the industry to provide a ‘finishing school’ that produces work-ready graduates with the practical skills they need to be successful. Many companies recruit directly from the course, giving you access to jobs that you would not come across elsewhere.

You will get specialist skills training, mentoring and support from leading game developers, the chance to develop a working game that can be published, and experience every stage of the game development cycle. You will receive real game briefs, training and mentoring from industry partners such as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Exient, Mediatonic, Rare and Codemasters.

Working in teams in your own game development studio, you will be provided with all the software you need for the duration of the course. You will create a fully working game for a series of platforms, culminating in the development of a working PlayStation4 game prototype for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Prepare yourself for a successful career in Stage Management by studying at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Our BA (Hons) Stage Management degree provides in-depth, practical training; we aim to produce confident graduates who are ready for a successful career in the industry as soon as they leave us. You’ll gain authentic industry experience while developing the vital skills needed in each role of a stage management team.

What's covered in this course?

Our three-year course provides you with a thorough understanding of all aspects of stage management. You’ll also develop an understanding of the core skills in technical theatre and the design elements, widening your knowledge and ability to work in the fast-paced, demanding environment of stage management and further afield.

During your degree you’ll explore all areas of theatrical performance production. Concentrating on the technical and logistical aspects, your studies will investigate lighting and sound, wardrobe, set design, props sourcing, maintenance, and the management and organisation of touring theatre. You’ll also widen your skills base, developing an awareness of the administration and funding of events and small theatre companies as well as the context of theatre today.

At Birmingham Conservatoire we have a vibrant, energetic and stimulating environment. You’ll be taught by our team of highly skilled and experienced staff, who also continue to work with industry.

The MSc International Sport Management course will provide the academic expertise and contacts to help students develop an exciting professional future in this growing industry.

KPMG states that the entire global sports market – including infrastructure, events, training and sports goods – is estimated to be worth between $600-700 billion a year, and the industry growth outpaces most countries yearly GDP. Over the past decade there has been a huge increase of career opportunities in the global sport sector that require graduates with the skills, attributes and experience to thrive in such a dynamic industry.

According to Deloitte, sport business-related activity will significantly outpace the average rate of growth in the wider economy well into the next decade. In terms of industries, sport now ranks among the top 15 mainstream activities in the UK economy including telecommunications, legal services and utilities.

Combining theory and practical application this course will draw heavily from executive international sport leaders, such as Manchester City Football group, Edgbaston, Birmingham City FC and ESL to name a few, to cover multiple aspects such as crisis and risk management, technology and digital innovation, marketing, events, operations and analytics.

Given the aforementioned, and input from industry, this course is designed with the scientific (MSc) nature to enhance you with the necessary numeracy and analytic skills to see you excel and progress in the global sports industry.

Want to study both psychology and criminology at University? Our BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology degree combines both subjects and allows you to take a year-long industry placement.

Our innovative criminology and psychology course will give you a deep understanding of how the core and specialised areas in psychology and criminology contribute to our understanding of contemporary issues.

You will apply scientific reasoning and evaluate patterns of behaviour, gaining key transferable skills in communication, teamwork and problem-solving. Additionally, you will also learn how psychology can be applied to explain certain aspects of crime and criminal behaviour.

What's covered in this course?

This versatile course provides the opportunity for you to embark on a psychology career, or bring those skills to the domain of criminology.

Over the three years, your Psychology modules will help you gain a deep understanding of one’s mind, behavior and reasons why individuals carry out certain actions, while your Criminology modules will help you understand the relationship between the different aspects of crime and victimisation.

Our focus on contemporary and innovative learning practices will help you gain key employability skills, such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving, as well as key skills in two innovative, intriguing disciplines.