About the School

The School of Humanities, Languages & Social Sciences is home to 1,700 students from over 60 countries and offers a uniquely diverse range of learning options for those interested in the areas of English, modern languages, politics and contemporary history, and sociology and criminology.

We offer a creative and supportive learning environment that encourages all students to reach their full potential. With a commitment to research-informed teaching, students have the opportunity to choose from a range of innovative modules reflecting the latest developments in our disciplines. The enthusiasm of our teaching staff and intellectually stimulating curricula have both been recognised in NSS 2011 where a number of our programmes achieved an overall satisfaction rate of more than 90%.

Courses that lead to rewarding careers

All our courses are inspired by a research-led curriculum and encourage vocational learning as a means to put theory into practice. This gives students the opportunity to experience their chosen profession and make the industry connections that are a crucial part of forging a successful career.

To this end, we have formed an extensive range of national and international partnerships that all our students are encouraged to use during their time with us either as a student exchange or a work placement. Whether you are a sociology student interested in working in your local community or a politics student with aspirations of working in Westminster, we have the industry connections that can help you to achieve your career goals.

Research that changes lives

In research, we have a thriving doctoral studies community that benefits from excellent facilities to place you on the front line of research in your chosen field.

The School is the only institution outside London that has a Centre for Prison Studies, linking front-line professionals from a multitude of disciplines with academics to develop knowledge and best practice.

The School runs a number of community initiatives that benefit local people while providing fascinating opportunities to conduct sociological research.

Our academics are also highly respected for their research, with work that is characterised by its interdisciplinary nature. In the most recenct Research Assessment Exercise (2008) 75% of our work was rated as internationally significant.