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Sociology Taster Day
29 July 2025

Book your place

About the day

Sign up to our taster day to discover what it would be like to study your chosen subject at degree level, meet current staff and students, as well as explore campus and the benefits of studying at Reading.

As an attendee you will participate in two interactive sessions providing you with an understanding of the course content and what it's like to actually study these topics at university-level.

Take part in interactive taster sessions

These sessions will be led by our expert academics and delivered in Foxhill House, our dedicated Law building.

Why and how do families matter for society? How have families changed over time? And what areas of continuity can be identified?

In this interactive lecture we will examine the sociological significance of families, drawing on functionalism, Marxism, feminism and more. As well as traditional sociological approaches, we will explore the concept of family practices – the notion that families are made by doing – and the social significance of displaying our families to others. Prof Harman will provide a dynamic overview of the field and share some of her extensive research on family life including parenting, grandparenting and food practices in families.

How would we like families to be in the future?

In this interactive workshop students will work in groups to discuss future directions for families, social policy and social change. We will then represent these ideas using ‘zines’– these are collaboratively made small art-books created using collage, text and drawing. As well as being a great way to convey a message, zine-making is a lot of fun and no art skills are required. All necessary material will be provided for this session, however, you are invited to bring some materials that can be incorporated to enhance and personalise your zine (things like newspapers, magazines, flyers, and shopping lists are perfect).

This taster day will be held at our Whiteknights campus and will run from approximately 10:00 – 16:00 (or 17:00 with an optional campus tour), allowing you time to really immerse yourself in the subject and relevant department.

Make the most of your taster day

  • Let us know any accessibility requirements 
  • Check if you’re eligible for a travel bursary  
  • Make sure to arrive with plenty of time! You will be sent a schedule for the day about a week before the event 
  • Think about what you want to get out of the day, prepare any questions for staff and students. 
     

FAQs

Can I park on site?

You can park on site for the taster day, but you will need to collect a parking permit and have this displayed in your vehicle for the duration of the event. Parking permits can be collected at the registration point, for more information please email outreach@reading.ac.uk.

Is lunch available for purchase?

We will be providing a free lunch, please make sure you communicate any dietary requirements when you register for the event. 

 Travel bursaries 

At the University of Reading we want our outreach programme to be accessible to everybody. You can apply for a travel bursary to cover the entire cost of your travel to on-campus taster events. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply on the event booking form.

To be eligible for the bursary, you must meet at least one of the criteria.

  • None of your parents went to university.
  • You live in a postcode area with low progression into Higher Education (we use the participation of local areas (POLAR) classification to see if your address qualifies).
  • You live in a postcode area of social deprivation (we use the Indices of Multiple Deprivation to see if your address qualifies).
  • You have a disability.
  • You are care-experienced or estranged (read our Care experienced and estranged students support page to see if this applies to you).
  • Either of your parents is in the military (check if you are a service child).
Eligibility criteria for the travel bursary

Get in touch

If you have any queries about the taster day, please email outreach@reading.ac.uk.

Book your place


mask
CHOOSE A SUBJECT
2025/26
2026/27
Undergraduates
Postgraduates
Undergraduates
Postgraduates

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Classics
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Dietetics
  • Digital Business
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.

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