Introduction to Accounting

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the terminology, techniques and procedures of financial and management accounting currently in use in business entities. The module will equip you with the necessary skills, knowledge and insights to understand how and why financial accounts are created and how they have developed in the past and will likely develop in the future.

Central to the unit is the introduction of applied analytical skills that will give you the capability of analysing decision-making within business entities giving you greater insight into business behaviour. The module will also create a firm base for specialisation in appropriate accountancy courses in subsequent years. This module will involve the you in group, quantitative and communication exercises that will develop and enhance essential employment related skills and professional skill development.

Introduction to Business and Management

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

The module provides an introduction to management and organisation. It will introduce you to concepts related to the practice and theory of management and organisation that will be explored and discussed further in other modules on the management and business studies course. 

The module includes discussion and analysis of the relationship between people, the organisation and training, and introduces concepts of ethics, innovation, enterprise and globalisation.

Introduction to Business Law

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module equips those on business programmes with a structural and methodological appreciation of the basis elements of contract and tort law.

The module is divided into three parts:

1. the English legal system
2. contractual obligations; and
3. tortious liability.

Introduction to Economics

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of economics. The first half of the course deals with microeconomic issues including the behaviour of individuals and firms, their interaction in markets and the role of government. The second half of the course is devoted to macroeconomics and examines the determinants of aggregate economic variables, such as national income, inflation, and the balance of payments, and the relationships between them. This course also provides students with a basic introduction to mathematical economics, covering solving linear equations, differential calculus, and discounting.

 

Introduction to Marketing

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module explores various aspects of the marketing process, including environmental scanning, marketing mix, customer relationship management, and sales and supplier management. Through case study analysis and practical application, you will explore how to use marketing to gain and sustain competitive advantage.

Principles of Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The broad aim of this module is to introduce you to the study of behaviour in organisational contexts, with a focus on individual and group processes and actions. The module will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills to function more effectively in organisations, and draws upon a broad and extensive theoretical and practical knowledge base to advance understanding of the complexities of human behaviour in organisations and to inform management thinking and activity.

Critical thinking skills are enhanced through the application of theory to current managerial issues and is supported through the exercise of teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills. You will also be given the opportunity to reflect upon your own capabilities and contribution to team performance.

Professional Skills and Development for Stage 1

0 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 1

This module is one of four (one per year) which together aim to equip you with the knowledge, skills and attributes to operate as flexible and independent lifelong learners with the capabilities to meet the changing needs of employers in a global knowledge economy.

The focus across the four levels is on equipping you with the competences required to develop their potential whilst on their programmes and also to provide them with the tools to explore career and professional pathways beyond their studies. Underpinning this there will be a process of fostering and facilitation of a reflective and selfdevelopmental approach in you.

The four modules combine to 'escalate' your skills and developing professional awareness as they progress, and to leverage and integrate in-house resources (CEC) to do so. Consultation has been undertaken with CEC.

The module is non-credit bearing and activities are non-contributory. It is designed to be delivered across the five undergraduate courses but at various times that can be 'flexed' to incorporate professional and career development issues specific to each - for example invitations to speakers from professional bodies appropriate to courses.

The module runs parallel to the 'professional placement programme'(with synergies to be explored in roll-out) in years two and three, but in year four (when you 'return') there is provision of opportunities for debrief and reflective activities - and cascading to the cohorts in the placement preparaton phase.

The 1st year iteration commences in the induction period and is built upon through periodic interventions across both teaching blocks, with events (conference style plus 'breakouts') planned in weeks 3 and 7of TB1, and weeks 2 and 7of TB2.

The 1st year course addresses issues of meeting the challlenges faced by our students arising from the transition into Higher Education (and specifically Sussex) learning, introducing the protocols, support and tools (Sussex Plus: Skillclouds, e-portfolio, Pebblepad) available, and to foster the process of self development and career awareness and professional identity

Information Systems

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The module introduces you to the application and management of information systems in an organisational environment. It adopts a management perspective to appreciate the identification, analysis, development, organisation and impact of appropriate information systems. Foundations of intra- and inter-organisational systems are examined along with their economic, social and organisational impacts.

International Business Environment

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module examines the nature of the operating environment for international business today.  You will review the scale, scope and trends in international business activity and evaluate the various methods that firms can use to assess, enter and develop non-domestic markets. You will  consider the relevance of factors such as culture, psychic distance, host and home country perspectives and 'green' issues on the organisation and management of international business.

Throughout the module emphasis is placed on the business environment in key regions of the world, notably the European Union, North America, East and SE Asia and the transition economies of East and Central Europe. Finally, you will examine the impact of the evolving world economy, regional integration and globalisation on today's international firm.

International Business Strategy

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

International business is concerned with how firms engage in transactions and value-adding activities outside of their national boundaries. The module examines the various elements of international business strategy (e.g. entry mode, partner selection in joint ventures, location) and how the organisational structure of the firm is best configured to its strategy. Consideration will also be given to the impact of foreign direct investment on host and home economies.

International Marketing

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

Few companies these days could claim to be purely domestic. While the firm may confine its activities to the domestic market, the market itself is unlikely to be so restricted and may be served by firms headquartered in or operating from a number of other countries or regions. Knowledge of international issues is therefore of importance to all firms whether they are actively involved in marketing in foreign markets or have foreign competitors at home. This module represents an introduction to international marketing and aims to develop knowledge of the international environment and international marketing. The increased scope, risk and complexity faced by the international marketer is due to the increased level of uncertainty from operating in diverse and less understood environments. Emphasis is placed on the identification of challenges presented by international marketing to equip students to deal with differences, opportunities and threats emerging from diverse economic, demographic, political/legal, cultural, technical and competitive environments. The impact of international issues is related during the module to the marketing decision-making task at three levels; the macro level at which country selection decisions are made; national level at which market entry decisions are made; and market level where marketing mix decisions are made.

Operations Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module will provide you with an understanding of how the fundamental principles of operations management can support the improvement of management performance in both public and private organisations. During the module you will apply these principles to both manufacturing and service operations.

You will also examine the systemic and interactive nature of operations management problems and their relationship to the external environment. You will develop quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, through guided problem-based activities and case study analysis.

Research Methods for Managers

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module introduces you to the nature of business and management research and the tools often used managers. The module prepares you for applying their respective dissertations in an organisational or industry context; and for undertaking management interventions in the workplace.

Outline of topic areas:

1. Nature of business and management research what is it and who cares?
2. Formulating research aim(s) and objectives to solve business and managerial problems
3. Overview of the philosophy of thinking and claims which can be made;
4. Research designs and methodologies (case study, survey, etc.): paying particular attention to the interplay between research questions, analytical approaches and methods of data collection;
5. Sampling strategies and their implications for design choices contextualised for students studying business and management;
6. Data collection and analysis: sources of information; questionnaires, interviews, literature reviews, policy documents, observations, measurement, statistical techniques; qualitative data analysis; sources of bias and error; reporting research, etc., contextualised for business and management problem solving
7. Research ethics and project planning for business professionals

Professional Skills and Development for Stage 2

0 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 2

This course is the second of the four (one per year) which together aim to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to operate as flexible and independent lifelong learners with the capabilities to meet the changing needs of employers in a global knowledge economy. The focus across the four levels is on equipping students with the competences required to develop their potential whilst on their programmes and also to provide them with the tools to explore career and professional pathways beyond their studies. Underpinning this, there will be a process of fostering and facilitation of a reflective and selfdevelopmental approach by students. The four courses combine to 'escalate' the students' skills and developing profesional awareness as they progress, and to leverage and integrate in -house resources (CEC) to do so. Consultation has been undertaken with CEC. The course is non-credit bearing and activities are non-contributory. It is designed to be delivered across the five undergraduate programmes but at various times that can be 'flexed' to incorporate professional and career development issues specific to each - for example invitations to speakers from professional bodies appropriate to programmes. The course runs parallel to the 'professional placement programme'(with synergies to be explored in roll-out). This iteration follows a similar model to the year 1 version: it is non credit-bearing and the developmental activities that the students will undertake will be non-contributory. This course attempts to consolidate and build upon the progress made in the first year. The emphasis shifts towards professional and career pathways: awareness, identity, development and employability issues. As with the 1st year course, interventions are stuctured across the two teaching blocks and again in-house career and skill development planning tools are utilised. Students will be encouraged to take an active and reflective role in throughtout - for example in labour market research and analysis.

Corporate Social Responsibility

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module is delivered as a core to final year undergraduates on the BAMS module and is available to students as an option on the other modules within the department. The focus is on contemporary perspectives and practices within the broadly defined area of Corporate Social Responsibility. The module starts from the premise that CSR is a contested, problematic and developing area of study. There is an acceptance that an understanding of ethical frameworks is required to inform debate on this subject and that research generated evidence and insights are necessary to substantiate assertion. The focus is also practical, with students undertaking research of a selected (by them) case of an organisation's orientation and practice towards its stakeholders. A critical and questioning approach to this will be encouraged and required to 'see beyond' the often platitudinous veneer that characterises this relationship. Throughout the module the emphasis will be on students' developing their own coherent and informed view of matters such as corporate and governance, together with issues of professional ethics within a globalised context. The modulework requires students to work in groups to produce a case study analysis of contemporary stakeholder issues and to thereby further their understanding and exercise research skills and judgement. Supporting and underpinning this is a week by week seminar module requiring students to ascertain and appreciate their own and others' 'ethical profiles', locate and interpret research based insights and undertake case study analysis of organisational practices and professional ethical dilemmas. An examination will test the student's grasp of relevant concepts, theory and ability to apply insights.insights.

Developing Leadership

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Organisations have traditionally conceived of leadership as a heroic attribute, appointing the few 'real' leaders to high-level senior positions in order to get them through the hard times. Many observers within organisations are questioning this approach and are beginning to think about the need to recognise and utilise a wider range of leadership practices. Leadership, they argue, needs to be conceived of as something that happens across functions and levels, and that is closely connected with social, cognitive and communicative skills such as those employed in negotiation and decision-making. New concepts and frameworks are needed in order to embrace this more inclusive understanding. This module adopts a systems approach, which focuses on method, people, context, and need. As such, the module offers a perspective that links the two dimensions of people and situation with two additional dimensions of process and content (methods and outcomes).

International Human Resource Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to an analytical and critical approach to international aspects of HRM. Therefore, the module will examine inter alia: how power and politics are implicated in the internal dynamics of multinational corporations, how the "ideal worker" as construed by strategic IHRM practices informs the expectations from workers, and if corporate social responsibility can possibly suffice to ensure a fair employment relationship in the absence of a transnational regulator.

Public and Nonprofit Management and Organization

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module provides an introduction to organization and management in the public and nonprofit sectors. It combines perspectives from organization studies, management, economics, sociology, political science, and public policy. The first part of the module aims to develop insights into why public action is needed and how it is implemented including the governance of courses and projects, their budgeting and management, and the demonstration of their effectiveness. The second part of the module will examine the nonprofit sector. In addition to comparing the scope of activity, means of delivery and approaches to evaluation in this sector with the public sector, the second part of the module will examine the problems of mobilising support for nonprofit activities including fundraising, the enrolment of volunteers, and the role of professional staff. Seminars will develop more deeply the topics treated during the lectures by considering specific experience in both Anglo-American and more international contexts.

Strategy

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This is a final-year integrative module in strategy, which develops your understanding and skills as a prospective future manager, specifically for formulating an organisation's overall strategic direction.

The module will help you to develop an understanding of the different approaches to strategy: how choices are made between different possible approaches; the content in which choices are made; and how strategies and structures are designed and implemented.

This module will complement and build on the various management skills already developed through earlier business and management modules.

Business Strategy Report

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module provides the opportunity for you to prepare a report on the strategic position of a business or organisation (governmental or not-for-profit) of your choice. You will have the opportunity to integrate the skills they have developed in their previous courses into one extended research project. The project requires students to research the strategic position (including market environment and resources and cababilities) of an organisation. Based on this analysis the students will propose a strategy for the organisation over the next five years. The final report should reflect the students' research skills and understanding of previous course material. Duyring the first two weeks of the course students will receive research methods training, supplementing the Research Methods course in their second year.

Critical Perspectives on Management and Organisations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module aims to introduce you to a number of advanced topics in the field of organisation and management studies. It draws upon contemporary research and adopts a critical and analytical perspective to study complex issues that surround the management of organisations today.
Some of the topics that will be covered are:

1. Organising in post-modernity
2. Unpacking the foundations of institutions
3. The turn to (theory and strategy of) Practice
4. Managing boundaries
5. Organisational identity & Organising Identity
6. Sense making in organisations and organisational learning
7. Power/Knowledge, Resistance and Politics in organisations
8. Management fads & fashions

Entrepreneurship and Small Firms

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The module provides you with a broad understanding of entrepreneurship and of small firms. Its central theme is that small firms are not simply scaled-down versions of larger firms. 

Please note, this module does not provide practical training in how to start or run a new firm.

Innovation Systems

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Science, technology, and innovation (STI) play fundamental roles in our societies. STI are pervasive in our lifestyles and our social organisation, and crucial for economic growth. However, until a few years ago, science and technology had been regarded as external factors that social actors used at convenience without inquiring as to how they were created. In this module we will explore both how science and technology are shaped by social forces and how science and technology shape social phenomena. The processes by which socio-economic and technological phenomena shape each other are complex and dependent on historical circumstances. In order to try to see through this complexity, we will adopt systemic approaches taking on economic and sociological perspectives. Innovation system and network approaches look into how various socio-economic actors (university, small spin-off firms, large corporations, governmental agencies, activist organisations and the wider public) interact with each other. For example, these interactions may lead to knowledge transfer, may result in the construction of new regulatory regimes, or may lead to political conflicts. This module aims to 'open up' the black box of how science, technology and innovation (STI), so as to understand their emergence, but also to expose that STI can be created, directed and managed to diverse purposes, encouraging critical views on past and current STI uses.

Knowledge, work and organisations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module looks at the pivotal role that knowledge workers play in the creation, application and diffusion of knowledge within and between firms.

You will consider new approaches to managing learning processes in the firm, including developments such as knowledge management and communities of practice, and the novel organisational structures that have emerged to coordinate knowledge-­work activity.

You will explore the diffusion of knowledge between firms through different types of knowledge-worker communities and networks, as well as the role of labour mobility. You will also consider how certain skills are emerging to play a critical role in the knowledge economy - for example, consulting services and knowledge brokering. Finally, you will consider how labour market institutions that impact careers, skills and training of knowledge workers, shape different approaches to knowledge generation. 

Law of Business Organisations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module aims to develop knowledge and skills in relation to the law of business organisations including the formation and constitution of business organisations, the financing of companies and the management, administration and regulation of companies.

Managing Change

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module gives you detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of how to manage change in a variety of contexts. You will examine the principles of managing change at a number of levels, building progressively throughout the module from individual change to team change, and from organisational change up to complex change at the meso­-macro level in complex economic systems (eg large projects of regional and national importance). 

Topics include: cognitive and psychodynamic theories of change; the constitution of teams and their dynamics; and models and approaches to organisational change (including cultural change, restructuring, and mergers/acquisitions). The application of specific tools for change will also be a key feature of the module, including tools for planning and project management (and when to use them), as well as team member and stakeholder engagement techniques.

You will engage with theoretical concepts and real life empirical case material, which will form the main focus of the interactive seminars. Seminars will employ diverse methods (role­plays, debates, presentations, and team­-based problem solving) to discuss case studies, and to gain practical skills from applying tools for managing change.

New Venture Creation and Business Planning

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module delivers a systematic understanding of the integrated component parts that constitute a start-up enterprise. It begins with an overview of the entrepreneurial attributes that underpin the development and implementation of an enterprise. Theoretical perspectives of entrepreneurship and models for assessing added value will form the basis of analysis of the process of start-ups. The module assists students in understanding strategic issues using appropriate frameworks to critically evaluate how entrepreneurs undertake the development of functional processes and to make informed strategic decisions. The theoretical underpinnings will also facilitate analysis of start-ups in a global market environment. Leading on from this, students will develop a critical understanding of the key processes involved in start-ups including web design, marketing, customer relationships, security and legal and ethical issues. The academic rigour of the module is enhanced by the linking application with the use of theory as presented in business models, and business plans.

Outline content

The business planning process
Idea generation / development / evaluation
Market identification including exposure to market players
Researching the resources required including equipment, people, funding, seed corn, angle funds,
Segmentation / positioning & differentiation / targeting
Developing the marketing mix (7 P's),
Use of technology to enable the business
Financial planning leading to development of financial statements and realistic related assumptions
Government, Regional and professional organisations/body support systems

Professional Skills and Development for Stage 3 - 3 year programme

0 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This course is the third of the four (one per year) which together aim to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to operate as flexible and independent lifelong learners with the capabilities to meet the changing needs of employers in a global knowledge economy. The focus across the four levels is on equipping students with the competences required to develop their potential whilst on their programmes and also to provide them with the tools to explore career and professional pathways beyond their studies. Underpinning there will be a process of fostering and facilitation of a reflective and self developmental approach by students. The four courses combine to 'escalate' the students' skills and developing profesional awareness as they progress, and to leverage and integrate in -house resources (CEC) to do so. Consultation has been undertaken with CEC. The course is non-credit bearing and activities are non-contributory. It is designed to be delivered across the five undergraduate programmes but at various times that can be 'flexed' to incorporate professional and career development issues specific to each - for example invitations to speakers from professional bodies appropriate to programmes. The course will be taken by students who are not undertaking a professional placement year and are therefore on a 3 year programme. This iteration follows a similar model to the years 1 and 2 versions: it is non credit-bearing and the developmental activities that the students will undertake will be non-contributory. This course attempts to consolidate and build upon the progress made in the previous two years. The emphasis in this course shifts towards labour market entry and postgraduate education opportunities. Students will need to finalise CVs, secure referees, and complete their e-portfolios as they prepare to exit their period of undergraduate studies. The expectation is that they will be actively pursuing opportunities through applications for employment and further study and through networking and the course is configured to suport them in this way - for example by briefing and preparing them for the selection tehcniques typically used by graduate employers. As with the previous years, course interventions are structured across the two teaching blocks and again in-house career and skill development planning tools are utilised and guidance is given.

Project Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the concept of project management as a way of managing. The role of project management as a key resource in the process of managing at the strategic level and the management of change in general will be examined and developed. Project Management concepts, the roles and responsibilities of project managers, organisational structures within which project management operates, project implementation, project teams, project leadership, project communication, relationships with clients, end-users and funding bodies, client briefing and network analysis will all be scrutinised. Qualitative and quantitative aspects and approaches will also be introduced and critically examined and developed.

Research Project

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module provides the opportunity for you to undertake a significant and independent research project. This may be a dissertation in the form of a literature-based analysis of a research problem, or a dissertation in which some primary empirical data is collected and synthesised by you. In BOTH cases, the dissertation is expected to address clear research questions. The research project provides you with the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge from the degree programme, and to develop research skills. During the first four weeks of the course you will receive research methods training, supplementing the research skills acquired in their first year. Thereafter, you will meet twice a term with an assigned project supervisor.

A Sociology of 21st Century Britain

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

A Sociology of 21st Century Britain will use Britain today as an empirical base for exploring wider sociological perspectives and the insights that social science can bring into key problems and debates about contemporary life. During the module you will explore the relationship between empirical research and theory using examples from recent sociological work, drawing from studies no older than 5 years, to look at a range of issues in 21st century Britain, including work and employment, family, sport, intimacy, life online, nationalism, death and wealth. The module is designed to demonstrate the capacity of sociology to explore the social world in interesting, challenging and critical ways, but will be relevant to anyone who wishes to learn more about contemporary Britain, from the perspective of insider or outsider.

Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module is designed as an introduction to Accounting and Finance for non-major students. The module introduces Accounting and Financial Management topics gradually, examining basic principles and underlying concepts before demonstrating how accounting statements and financial information can be used to improve business decision-making. This module is also designed for entrepreneurs without a qualification in Accounting and Finance.

Business and Management students are not eligible to take this module.

Advertising

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The module engages with the historical development of advertising and opens up a critical understanding of its contemporary place within the media (and its economies), culture and society. In the 21st century advertising has been transformed by the rise of branding, the maturing of the internet and the emergence of new media forms like social media. Traditional advertising forms and the funding model for media which advertising has provided are now under threat. This module will introduce students to current thinking about advertising and demonstrate various approaches to the analysis of its many forms.

Analysing Film

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module draws upon both 20th century and contemporary film texts to explore the diverse uses to which film-makers have put such key techniques of cinematic expression as narrative, cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound, and special effects. We consider not simply how such techniques are accomplished (i.e. the creative choices available to filmmakers) but also the potential they have for generating meaning and pleasure when combined together to produce filmic texts. The module also examines linkages between technological change and film aesthetics.

Applied Psychology

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module provides students with an insight into five areas of professional Applied Psychology. These are Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology, Educational Psychology, Forensic Psychology & Occupational Psychology. Students will learn some of the core psychological knowledge that underpins these applied areas, will cover some detailed examples of the issues that professional applied psychologists deal with, and will learn about some of the research and theories that support these applied areas.

Arabic Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This stage 1 module is an introduction to the foreign language for students with little or no prior knowledge of the target language (TL). The module aims to:
- enable you to understand basic information and to communicate effectively in the TL, in everyday situations at an elementary level
- provide opportunities across a variety of general topics for practice of understanding and communication in the TL using the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, at an elementary level
- introduce fundamental elements of the TL language structures, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation, and provide a solid foundation for progression in the TL
- introduce the background culture of the TL through a variety of contextualised activities and materials, in a range of media, e.g. text; audio; audio-visual; digital.

Successful completion of the module is equivalent to level A1 (Basic User) of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages.

Arabic Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This stage 2 module is a post-beginner module for students with basic prior knowledge of the target language (TL). Building on existing levels of proficiency at level A1 (Basic User) of the Common European Framework of Reference [CEFR] the course aims to:
- enable you to understand basic information and to communicate effectively in the TL in everyday situations, at a simple level
- provide opportunities across a variety of general topics for practice of understanding and communication in the TL using the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, at a basic level
- introduce fundamental elements of the TL language structures, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation, and continue to provide a solid foundation for progression in the TL
- present the background culture of the TL through a variety of contextualised activities and materials, in a range of media, e.g. text; audio; audio-visual; digital.

Successful completion of the module is at least equivalent to level A2 (Basic User) of the CEFR for languages.

Art and Artists

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Art and Artists is a twelve-week level-one module taught in the Spring term. It deals with one of the central issues of the study of the subject: how did 'great artists' gain their reputation both during their lifetime and subsequently? Some artists' reputations have not been constant whilst others have been admired for very different reasons at different times. This lecture series looks at a variety of cases presenting different 'histories' of the artist across a time-span largely from the early-modern period to the present day, and considers particular sets of issues relating to the construction of the idea of the artist: the role of biography and autobiography; the creation of a canon of 'great artists'; the relation of artists' reputations to the rise of the academy; artists' reputations as created through text, film or other media; the role of self-promotion. The module may cover painters, printmakers, sculptors as well as artists whose achievements were in the applied arts. It follows on from Communicating Art I, but may be taken as a free-standing module.

British Political History

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module provides an overview of the major developments in British political history since 1900, focusing mainly (but not exclusively) on the post-war period. Thus, it focuses on the major challenges domestic and international which have confronted political elites and masses during the period. It provides a critical understanding of some of the major debates between and within the UK's major political parties, and introduces some of the academic arguments generated by them. Politicians, and indeed political scientists, often make use of particular versions of history in order to persuade people that what they are offering is either tried and trusted or, on the other hand, new and improved. Pundits are also fond of making casual allusions to political events of the past in order to illustrate or support their arguments about the present often based on little more than second-hand knowledge and outdated received wisdom. This module provides a firm foundation of knowledge on which to build the more advanced understanding promoted by more advanced modules. And, by subjecting to critical analysis what is often taken for granted, it encourages a degree of healthy scepticism towards any references to politics in the past made in both public and academic discourse.

Chinese Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a module for complete or near beginners, introducing you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Elements of the culture and society of China will be introduced within the framework of the language module.

Chinese Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module builds on the basic grammatical structures taught in Foundation Chinese 1A to improve grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis, and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of China appropriate to the framework of your language studies and, wherever possible, through authentic materials.

 

Communicating Art I

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Communicating Art I is a twelve-week level-one course taught in the Autumn term. It deals with one of the central issues of the study of the subject: how did 'great artists' gain their reputation both during their lifetime and subsequently? Some artists' reputations have not been constant whilst others have been admired for very different reasons at different times. This lecture series looks at a variety of cases presenting different 'histories' of the artist across a time-span from the ancient world to the Renaissance, and focussing on a particular set of issues surrounding the conceptualization of the artist and artistic creativity in the classical, Byzantine and/or mediaeval periods; the issue of anonymity; the artist versus the craftsman; and related issues of historiography. The course may cover painters, printmakers, sculptors as well as artists whose achievements were in the applied arts. It complements, but is not a pre-requisite for, Communicating Art II.

English for Academic Purposes (Intermediate)

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The English for Academic Purposes (Intermediate) course offers training in the four skills and in study skills which are needed for academic purposes at intermediate level (CEF B2). The skills of reading and writing cover extended reading and writing skills required in academic essays, reports and assignments, in conjunction with suitable study skills and academic conventions. These skills include:
Accuracy: grammar, spelling, punctuation and style
Planning and organisation of assignments: sections and sub-sections, paragraphs
Academic conventions: citing, quoting, bibliography
Writing functions: description, definition, exemplification, classification, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, generalisation and qualification, argument
Reading and note-taking strategies: skimming, scanning, dealing with reading lists, intensive reading, note-taking, summarising and paraphrasing
Plagiarism & critical thinking
Academic resources for research and the critical evaluation of sources

The skills of speaking and listening cover training in the listening and speaking skills required to understand lectures and to contribute to seminars and tutorials at intermediate level. The module covers:
The transactional exchange of information
Clarity of expression
Planning, structuring and delivering a presentation
The interactional nature of seminar communication
Functional language, such as expressing opinions, turn-taking, agreeing and disagreeing
How lectures are structured and accompanying signpost language/discourse markers
Note-taking practice
Prediction, summarising and filtering of spoken information
Supporting claims made in seminars/presentations with valid academic evidence.

English For Academic Purposes (Post Intermediate)

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The English for Academic Purposes (post-Intermediate) module offers training in the four skills and in study skills which are needed for academic purposes at post-intermediate level (CEF C1). The skills of reading and writing cover extended reading and writing skills required in academic essays, reports and assignments, in conjunction with suitable study skills and academic conventions. These skills include:
Accuracy: grammar, spelling, punctuation and style
Planning and organisation of assignments: sections and sub-sections, paragraphs
Academic conventions: citing, quoting, bibliography
Writing functions: description, definition, exemplification, classification, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, generalisation and qualification, argument
Reading and note-taking strategies: skimming, scanning, dealing with reading lists, intensive reading, note-taking, summarising and paraphrasing
Plagiarism & critical thinking
Academic resources for research and the critical evaluation of sources

The skills of speaking and listening cover training in the listening and speaking skills required to understand lectures and to contribute to seminars and tutorials at post intermediate level. The module covers:
The transactional exchange of information
Clarity of expression
Planning, structuring and delivering a presentation
The interactional nature of seminar communication
Functional language, such as expressing opinions, turn-taking, agreeing and disagreeing
How lectures are structured and accompanying signpost language/discourse markers
Note-taking practice
Prediction, summarising and filtering of spoken information
Supporting claims made in seminars/presentations with valid academic evidence.

English Language Teaching 1A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module will provide students with an introduction to the social, political, linguistic and pedagogic issues involved in the teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages and the principles and practice of a range of methods and approaches.

English Language Teaching 1B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module will focus primarily on supervised lesson planning and teaching practice. A small number of plenary sessions will further address the evaluation and selection of teaching materials and the principles of lesson planning as well as generally exploring issues arising out of the teaching practice classes. You will be invited to reflect on and evaluate their own classroom practice and that of their peers.

Ethnographic Film

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This course introduces students to key themes in anthropology through ethnographic film. Central concerns of social and cultural anthropology are covered, including concepts of culture and society, sameness and difference, representation, fieldwork and ethnography. A selection of films is used to introduce students to different regional concerns as well as to central theoretical debates in the discipline. Issues of representation are addressed by comparing ethnographic writing with visual material.

Existentialism

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Is (human) existence necessarily finite? What does it mean to claim that existence precedes essence? Is there a tenable and irreducible conception of freedom? Is existentialism best thought of as a version of humanism? Although most philosophers commonly associated with "existentialism" would have neither acccepted nor recognised the term, it remains a useful way of gathering together a group of influential thinkers and themes. The module will critically engage with thinkers such as Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Sarte, de Beauvoir, Camus, Arendt and Murdoch. It will examine themes such as human freedom, the relation between faith and reason and the absurd. It will trace the development of existential ideas in philosophical, religious, poetic and fictinal works, asking why this movement in particular seems to have led to such a rich intermingling of philosophy and literature. It will conclude by considering some of the political and ethical consequences of existentialism.

French Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a module for complete or near beginners, introducing you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Elements of the culture and society of the France will be introduced within the framework of the language module.

French Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module builds on the basic grammatical structures taught in Foundation French 1A  to improve grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis, and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of France within the framework of your language studies and, wherever possible, through authentic materials.

 

French Intermediate A Year 1

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This stage 3 module is for students with some basic knowledge and experience of the target language (TL). Building on existing levels of proficiency at level A2 (Basic User) of the Common European Framework of Reference [CEFR] the module aims to:
- enable you to understand key information and to communicate effectively in the TL, sometimes spontaneously, in less routine situations, at a standard level
- provide opportunities, across a variety of topics, for practice of understanding and communication in the TL using the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, at a standard level
- consolidate and develop the range of key elements of TL language structures, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation, to allow progression in the TL
- present the background culture and society of the TL through a variety of contextualised activities and materials, in a range of media, e.g. text; audio; audio-visual; digital.

Successful completion of the module is equivalent to level A2-B1 (Basic-Independent User) of the CEFR for languages.

French Intermediate B Year 1

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

From Quarks to the Cosmos

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This elective provides an overview of state-of-the-art research in fundamental physics for non-physicists, covering: 1. physics of the quantum world, 2. particle physics and the search for the fundamental constituents of matter, 3. cosmology and the large-scale structure of our world, 4. the quest for the fundamental forces of nature. The elective is non-mathematical and suitable for non-scientists as well as scientists from other disciplines.

Gender Across Cultures

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module focuses on the centrality of gender as a factor structuring, ultimately, all social relations.

The module will therefore explore:

1. Relationships between men and women, men and men, women and women, as personal and sexual relations, within the household, the labour market, the state
2. How gender relations and practices are performed in different cultures
3. The role of gender in processes of social transformation
4. The impact of industrialisation and migration on gender relations

Gender and the Life Course

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Students taking this elective will learn to think critically about inequalities in our societies as they emerge across the life course, especially those relating to gender. Through engaging with key moments in the life course (including birth and the ascription of gender identity; childhood and education; sexual reproduction, parenting and families; paid and unpaid work; illness and health; old age) students will build on their own experiences and observations to develop new perspectives and insights on this key issue in contemporary society. Throughout the module, we will explore key theoretical frameworks as well as a series of concrete cases and problems in which researchers apply such theories to gender issues in social policy, health, education and psychology. By the end of the module you should have gained an understanding of gender and the concept of inequality and be able to provide critical accounts of the links between gendered social relations, cultural settings and individual behaviour and experiences.

German Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a module for complete or near beginners, introduce you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Elements of the culture and society of Germany will be introduced within the framework of the language module.

German Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

You build on the basic grammatical structures taught in part one to improve grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of Germany within the framework of your language studies and, wherever possible, through authentic materials.

Global Cinemas

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The module will introduce you to a range of film studies skills and methods, including ways of conducting and presenting historically based film research afforded by multimedia technology. You will analyse a specific film, and its possible connections with other films, and explore your ideas and research methods under the close supervision of a tutor, as well as present your work in progress.

Global Issues

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

The module aims to introduce you to the study of global politics and global political economy. To do so, we will examine problems, issues and dynamics that have come to shape contemporary political life at the international, transnational and global levels. This introduction will set the scene for later modules that offer an in-depth analysis of these issues, as well as a thorough examination of the theoretical and conceptual tools used by scholars.

Historical Controversy II

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This course introduces you to the study of history through the critical reading of a key historical text. In this way you will gain an understanding of the complexity of the historical record and an appreciation of a range of problems associated with the interpretation of evidence. You will also be made to think about the discipline of history and the nature of historical enquiry. Through a study of how historians have formulated and deployed their arguments, you will begin to learn to deploy ideas and to shape your own historical arguments.

Italian Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a course for complete or near beginners, introducing you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Elements of the culture and society of Italy will be introduced within the framework of the language course.

Italian Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This course builds on the basic grammatical structures taught in part one to improve your grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis, and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of Italy appropriate to the framework of your language studies and, wherever possible, through authentic materials.

 

Japanese Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a module for complete or near beginners, introducing you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will be introduced to Hiragana and Katakana. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Essential elements of cultural awareness in Japanese society will be introduced. An essential part of the module will be independent work carried out in the Language Learning Centre.

Japanese Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The module builds on the basic grammatical structures taught in part one to improve grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis, and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will work in Hiragana and Katakana and begin studying Kanji characters. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of Japan within the framework of your language studies, and, wherever possible, through authentic materials. An essential part of the module is independent work carried out in the Language Learning Centre.

Making Music

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This is a practice-based module that will engage you in the making of site-specific performance in public spaces. You will explore through lectures and practical workshops the relation of space, place and sound, and the social meanings of specific locations. The module will examine a range of contemporary artistic approaches and theoretical ideas, as well as introducing you to practical methods for making site-specific work with music.

Music and Society (E)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Music does not exist in isolation from society. Many cultures in the world have no word for music conceived as an entity distinct from the contexts in which it takes place; contexts such as social or religious ritual, dance or performance. Only in modern western culture has the idea of art music as something autonomous and removed from the everyday world evolved. Why is music meaningful to us, and how can we understand how music has meaning at all? What is the function of art music in cultures dominated by commercial values? How can we grasp the relationships between the multiplicity of musical forms that are available in a modern globalised culture? How can we evaluate the impact of the different media and technologies by which music is disseminated and consumed? These are some of the questions that this module seeks to address. The module also aims to introduce you to different intellectual approaches to these questions, and to broaden your engagement with the issues through independent research. The module charts recent musical history both in terms of technical innovation and social and aesthetic concerns of the composers involved. The aim of the module is to stimulate awareness of recent musical thinking and also to use that awareness to re-examine more conventional musical views and habits.

News, Politics and Power

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module explores media and politics and, more broadly, the media and questions of power. It focuses on current affairs with an emphasis on news, although other forms of factual content (for instance TV docudrama, web blogs, and broadsheet lifestyle spin-offs) are also covered.

The module considers the role media can play in producing our understanding of the globalising world. It asks how media frame, organise, and contextualise events, both as they take place, and in relation to the collective memories that emerge after the event. It also asks how the media themselves are managed, manipulated, and influenced, by governments, media owners, professional newsroom codes, and/or by public pressure.

The module is centrally concerned with the role the media play in relation to the citizen and the state, and explores how a wide range of media contribute to the maintenance or erosion of a democratic society and an informed citizenship.

Our Place in the Universe(s)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Astronomy, the study of space and its contents beyond the earth, is both the oldest science, and one in which new discoveries are being made on a daily basis. It is used to explain such familiar phenomena as the tides, eclipses and meteor showers, as well as much more exotic objects such as black holes and exoplanets. The observable Universe also provides a laboratory for testing physical theories at extreme energies that are unachievable on the Earth. This elective will provide non-science students with a broad, non-mathematical understanding of astronomy from our Solar System, via stars and galaxies, to the Universe as a whole, all to appreciate Our Place in the Universe(s).

Peace Processes

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The aim of this module is to analyse ongoing peace processes within the context of global and local political, economic and social change. Exploring cases from the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and elsewhere, it poses questions such as: what accounts for the relative success of some peace processes, and the failure of others? Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict simply intractable? Do social and economic liberalisation, or globalisation, tend to promote peacemaking? What forms of third party intervention are most supportive of peacemaking? And why is the recent record of peace processes so poor? Through so doing, the module will provide an introduction to the study of peace processes, and fresh insights on contemporary international relations and the global political economy.

Spanish Ab initio A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This is a module for complete or near beginners, introducing you to basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. A thorough grounding in grammatical functions will be undertaken. Elements of the culture and society of Spain will be introduced within the framework of the language module.

 

Spanish Ab initio B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module builds on the basic grammatical structures taught in part one to improve grammatical accuracy, oral and written fluency, lexis, and listening and reading comprehension in a variety of everyday situations. You will gain an insight into the culture and society of Spain appropriate to the framework of your language studies and, wherever possible, through authentic materials.

Spanish Intermediate A Year 1

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This stage 3 course is for students with some basic knowledge and experience of the target language (TL). Building on existing levels of proficiency at level A2 (Basic User) of the Common European Framework of Reference [CEFR] the course aims to: - enable students to understand key information and to communicate effectively in the TL, sometimes spontaneously, in less routine situations, at a standard level - provide opportunities, across a variety of topics, for practice of understanding and communication in the TL using the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, at a standard level - consolidate and develop the range of key elements of TL language structures, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation, to allow progression in the TL - present the background culture and society of the TL through a variety of contextualised activities and materials, in a range of media, e.g. text; audio; audio-visual; digital. Successful completion of the course is equivalent to level A2-B1 (Basic-Independent User) of the CEFR for languages.

Spanish Intermediate B Year 1

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

The Making of Modern Europe I

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This course provides students with an understanding of the historical development of the idea of Europe as it has evolved from the middle ages until the present day. In particular we shall trace the relationship between, on the one hand, ideas and ideals of European cooperation, integration and unity and, on the other, the realities of European economic, political and social development and conflict. The course explains the different dimensions of the idea of Europe and places them in their contemporary context, highlighting aspects of continuity and change. The course examines the inherent tension between unity and diversity in European history and explores how this tension has been manifest in the political struggles and the philosophical arguments which have characterised Europe over time. The first half of the course considers the development of Europe as idea and reality over the long run while the second half examines how these aspects have interacted in the twentieth and twenty first centuries.

The Making of Modern Europe II

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module provides students with a understanding of some of the cornerstone ideas of modern Europe, such as human rights, identity and citizenship. Drawing on the insights of a number of disciplines (history, philosophy, sociology, politics and economics) it explores the way in which our understanding of these principles has evolved over time and how they have manifest themselves in European states and societies. In particular it considers how these principles have informed and shaped the development of modern Europe and of European co-operation and integration.

Truth and Morality: The Meaning of Life

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This course is concerned with central issues of morality - examining both the kinds of considerations which might be appealed to in moral arguments, and the status of moral arguments themselves. What should we bear in mind when deciding whether to eat meat, or whether to help someone, or whether to fight a war? In what sense are the decisions we make right? How can a moral argument be a good argument? Are some people wiser than others? Is there any truth in moral relativism? These and related issues will be tackled from a range of theoretical positions.

Understanding Business and Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module aims to introduce you to the study of business, organisations and management and equip you with the tools to understand the business landscape. We look at organisational environments, structures and managerial processes. We look at contemporary issues such as CSR and globalisation, what it takes to be an entrepreneur, why change is an ever-present, what it takes to be a CEO and what makes for an effective team?

The focus will be contemporary, critical and balance of the conceptual and the practical.