Culture, Heritage and Sociology BA (Hons)
Course code V90S
What is special about this course?
Most of our humanities subjects can be studied as joint honours as well as single honours. Joint honours programmes give you the opportunity to combine two subjects, which complement your interests or career goals. You will usually concentrate on both subjects equally. It can be possible to transfer between single and joint honours options, usually during your first or second year, and advice will be available from your personal academic tutor.
This course covers:
- Culture and heritage: cultural identity of the Highlands and Islands, its communities and issues affecting the region, within the context of Scotland, the British Isles and internationally
-
Sociology: the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society
Special features
- Gain a unique understanding of Scotland and the communities of the Highlands and Islands: the customs, traditions and values
- Choose from a range of interdisciplinary subjects to suit your own interests and career path
- Study full-time or part-time to suit your personal circumstances
- Individual modules can be studied for personal and professional development
Accommodation
We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.
Entry requirements
Entry to year one:
- 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above OR
- 2 A levels at grade BC or above
- At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects
- Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis
Advanced entry to year two:
- HNC Social Science (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA credits at level 7, which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two
Access routes
SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.
Year 1 - CertHE
You will study the following modules.
Culture and Heritage:
- Scotland the brand OR What is culture?
- Culture. Heritage. What? OR Scotland's music
Sociology:
- Understanding the social world OR Introduction to psychology
- Making social lives OR Questions in psychology
Plus two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 2 - DipHE
You will study the following modules.
Culture and Heritage
- Tradition, custom and belief
You will also study one of the following:
- Golden mead and burning hearts
- Languages on the edge
- Displaying the past: museum studies
Sociology
You will study two of the following:
- Sociological theory
- Beliefs, culture and community
- Qualitative research methods
You will also choose two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 3 - BA
You will study the following modules.
Culture and Heritage:
- Interdisciplinary project
Plus two options which may include:
- Perceptions of heritage
- Scotland in film
- Celtic and Celtic Revival Art in Scotland 600-2000
- The Scottish Enlightenment and Highland society*
- People and the natural environment*
* modules run on alternate years
Sociology modules may include:
- Advanced social research methods
- Work and society
- Gender, crime and justice
- Frontiers, landscapes and journeys
- Issues of risk
- Developmental psychology: learning in the classroom
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
You will complete a dissertation in either Culture and Heritage or Sociology.
You will also study one option module from your chosen dissertation subject, plus three option modules from the other subject.
Culture and Heritage:
- Scottish tradition in philosophy
- Faeries and fables: the story of Gaelic literature
- Visual research methods
- Highland journeys
- Vikings and Valkyries
Sociology :
- Insiders and outsiders in society
- Network society: mass media and the information age
- Restorative justice: ideas and values
- Cultural criminology
- Developmental Disorders
- The darker side of the internet
- Cognition, communication and eLearning
- Psychopathology: mental health and wellbeing
How will I study my course?
Additional information for course delivery in 2021-22
From September 2021, it is our intention that physical campuses will be open to all students for access to study facilities, support services and social activities, subject to Scottish Government guidance. Our priority is to provide a safe learning environment for all students and staff. As this course was designed using our blended learning approach it will be delivered through a combination of tutor-supported study, video-based seminars and self-directed study using the university's virtual learning environment. You can access your online and video-based classes from home however it is our intention to provide on-campus space for individual students where required as far as possible. You will have an opportunity to attend an online, face to face or blended induction at the start of the course. Further information will be provided by your home campus. International students requiring a Student Route visa to study with us must access scheduled classes on-campus.- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
- You will learn through a combination of scheduled video conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors. There is normally a weekly two-hour timetabled video conference lecture for each module.
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
- Part-time (structured): 8 years @ 20 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- Argyll College UHI
- Highland Theological College UHI
- Inverness College UHI
- Lews Castle College UHI
- Moray College UHI
- North Highland College UHI
- Orkney College UHI
- Perth College UHI
- Shetland UHI
- West Highland College UHI
Start date
- September
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
This includes
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| Degrees | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £1,820 | £1,820 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £645 | £645 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £215 | £215 |
Rest of UK students
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:
| Full-time | Level | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CertHE | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 2 | DipHE | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 3 | Degree | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 4 | Honours | free | free |
4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,500.
Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.
There are a number of funding options available to UK students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying.
EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government has confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals starting their study in Scotland from academic year 2021-22, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes. For 2021-22, students will get an automatic scholarship of £3,000 per annum and the 4th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| Year | Level | 2021-22 Full-time | With scholarship |
| Year 1 | HNC | £12,360 | £9,360 |
| Year 2 | HND | £12,360 | £9,360 |
| Year 3 | Degree | £12,360 | £9,360 |
| Year 4 | Honours | Free | Free |
Students will need Student Route visa sponsorship to study on the UK.
International students
For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
| 2020-21 | 2021-22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £12,000 | £12,360 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year** | £6,000 | £6,180 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module)** | £2,000 | £2,060 |
Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.
Further information on international course fees.
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
Funding
External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact your enrolling college for more information.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed your BA (Hons) Culture, Heritage and Sociology, you might like to consider careers in:
- Primary and secondary teaching in english, history and modern studies
- Journalism and the media
- Tourism
- Museums and archives
- Research
Can I progress into further study?
You can progress from the BA (Hons) Culture, Heritage and Sociology to the following postgraduate courses:
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
What our students, graduates and staff say
I love Shetland and couldn’t really imagine living in a city. This course allows me to study while continuing to work and live in the same place. Through my work I have a passion for Shetland and the History of the Highlands and Islands, so this course seemed to be the perfect progression in my education.
Ailish Parham, BA (Hons) Culture and Heritage student.
Apply for Culture, Heritage and Sociology BA (Hons)
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.