Sociology and Early Childhood Studies

Explore how society is developed, changed and empowered while exploring the context of early childhood in relation to advocacy, sustainability, and agency. 

You will have the opportunity to take critical insight and apply it to life as it is lived today. You’ll learn to identify and propose solutions to issues of equality, opportunity and understanding against a range of social settings.  

You will develop a broad knowledge base of theory and practice within the field of early childhood education and care, focussing on conception to the age of eight. This degree aims to develop your academic, critical and practical skills in a range of professional services related to early childhood in the disciplines of health, education and social care. 

Put theory into practice

Real-world experience is embedded into your degree, so you’ll graduate with valuable experience in your field to add to your CV before you graduate. You could take a Sociology placement year between the second and third year of your degree, and our Early Childhood Studies modules have the option of completing assessed placement experiences within a diverse range of provisions. 

Make a difference to society 

At Derby, our Sociology modules cover theory, ways of finding evidence, and how we can use these to promote social justice in business, politics and the public sector in addition to our daily lives. You will develop the skills, insights and ambition to not just understand the complexity of modern societies but to intervene in them and make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

Our Early Childhood Studies modules seek to meet the demand for the provision of integrated services for young children and their families. We aim to empower our graduates to act as agents for change, advocating for equality, diversity, and social justice through their professional roles across a range of sectors.

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact jhs@derby.ac.uk.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

For your Sociology modules you’ll be taught through:

• lectures
• seminars
• multimedia presentations
• online collaboration
• guest lectures
• class debates 

For your Early Childhood Studies modules you’ll be taught through: 

• lectures 
• seminar activities 
• tutorials to support you through your assessments and group work 

How you are assessed 

For your Sociology modules you will be assessed through a broad range of methods which allows you to demonstrate your individual strengths and abilities. These include:

• essays 
• case studies 
• project work 
• group work presentations 
• online discussions 

For your Early Childhood Studies modules you’ll be assessed using:

• case studies
• essays
• independent research
• online tests
• posters, presentations and reports.

There are no exams. 

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Due to the broad nature of Sociology, you’ll be well prepared for a range of roles within different sectors that value critical thinking, analytical skills and research abilities. Our graduates have used their degree to become teachers, lecturers, social workers, probation officers, civil servants, social researchers, business owners, marketers, counsellors, charity workers, and community officers – to name but a few roles. They have also found work in retail management, public relations, banking, welfare advice, accountancy and systems analysis. 

Our Early Childhood Studies graduates enter a diverse range of roles within the early childhood sector. Well-qualified and dedicated early childhood professionals are in demand across health, education and social care settings. Our graduates are now enjoying successful careers as early years practitioners and managers.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Other courses you might like

• Sociology BA (Hons)
• Early Childhood Studies BA (Hons)
• Criminology and Education Studies BA/BSc (Hons)
• Education Studies with Foundation Year BA (Hons)
• Early Childhood Studies and Entrepreneurship BA (Hons)