FHEQ level

This course is set at Level 6 in the national Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

Course Aims

The overall aim is to produce competent sociologists - with a range of empirical knowledge which they can evaluate and relate to theories, and with a grasp of how to carry out library and field research - whose sociological knowledge is informed by and applied in the context of an understanding of culture in a global and historical and/or a social and political context.
They will also be familiar with theories of culture and their application to both `high' and `popular' culture; will have engaged with concepts such as identity, representation, location and hybridity, consumption, production and performance, will have acquired the specific skills relevant to dealing with such cultural material, and will have a critical perspective on both the components of the programme and their interrelations.

Course Learning Outcomes

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:

A. Knowledge and Understanding

A1. Familiarity with major sociological concepts and theories, and their applicability.
A2. Knowledge of two different societies, and understanding of what may be learned by comparing them.
A3. Awareness of key philosophical issues arising in the development of sociological explanations.
A4. Awareness of the ways in which sociological explanations differ from commonsense ones.
A5. Familiarity with major methods of data collection in sociology, and their appropriate uses.
A6. Basic knowledge of some standard computer software for the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
A7. Knowledge of four areas of specialised study within sociology, two of them core topics and two more specialised topics treated in greater depth.
A8. Knowledge of a range of cultures in their geographical, historical and/or social and political contexts. awareness of human behaviour and social relations.
A9. Familiarity with text based, visual and musical creativity, cultural objects and products; and the relations between these themes.

Assessment

There will be a range of assessment modes over the 3 years: unseen examination, course work essays and exercises on different research methods, course report, oral presentation, extended essays, dissertation.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used to Enable Outcomes to Be Achieved and Demonstrated

Lectures, seminars, discussion group, essays on appropriate topics, workshops and class exercises on methods of data collection and analysis, field trip.

B. Intellectual Skills

Students will acquire skills in analysing and critically evaluating a variety of modes of cultural production, and the adequacy of data to theories and theories to data on these and general sociological topics. They should acquire the capacity to formulate a research question and plan how to answer it, to collate a range of appropriate existing sources and structure material from them to answer a question, and the ability to form sound independent judgements on those bases.

Assessment

1. Coursework essays and project proposal,
2. Unseen examination,
3. Dissertation in year 3,
4. Learning log/self-evaluation.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

1. Lectures,
2. Seminars,
3. Presentations,
4. Workshops,
5. Short written exercises of different kinds,
6. Individual project supervision,
7. Independent study.

C. Practical Skills

C1. Presentation oral and written.
C2. IT.
C3. Language.
C4. Conducting a literature search, and producing a correctly formatted bibliography.
C5. Carrying out interviews, observation and content analysis, and making simple analyses of quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate computer programs.
C6. Time management in planning long-term work programmes.

Assessment

Students will be assessed in relation to the above skills by a range of methods including:
1. Tutor and group evaluation.
2. Monitored tests.
3. Unseen/oral.
4. Course reports.
5. Dissertation.
6. Coursework exercises on methods.
7. Project proposal and report.
8. Library skills coursework exercise.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

1. Presentation to group,
2. Dedicated seminars and workshops,
3. Class and field practical exercises,
4. Library skills training,
5. Feedback given on essay form as well as content,
6. Individual and group input and supervisions,
7. Submission of assessed work with deadlines.

D. Transferable Skills

Students will be able to :
D1. Assimilate and comprehend textual, visual and media material.
D2. Critically evaluate, theorise and contextualise material.
D3. Construct and present coherent relevant argument, oral and written.
D4. Work independently and in collaboration with others as required.
D5. Use their understanding of cultures in context to inform their personal, aesthetic, social and political attitudes and relations.
D6. Use word processing and e mail.
D7. Use electronic modes of information retrieval.
D8. Give effective oral presentations.
D9. Work with groups for a shared goal.
D10. Deploy people skills in gaining research access and cooperation.

Assessment

1. Learning log / self-evaluation/portfolio;
2. Individual and group presentations,
3. Coursework skills exercise.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

1. Oral presentation and lectures/seminars on how to do them,
2. Computing Centre courses,
3. Written exercises,
4. Visits and field trips,
5. Seminars and group tasks;
6. Project work and practical exercises in research methods.

Full-time course composition