| Module | Credits | Compulsory/optional |
|---|
| Brain and Behaviour | 15 Credits | Optional |
| Children may at times behave in ways that shock, frustrate and challenge educational professionals. Understanding that all behaviour is communication and what is at the root of behaviour is key to effective school-based behaviour support. During this module, you will consider the many and varying influences on our own thoughts, feelings and behaviours and way that these are linked. You will learn about the importance and impact of attachment and relationships in shaping children's understanding of the world and their own place within it. You will analyse the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on children's brains and they key role played by educational professionals in helping children to grow into resilient, independent young people.
You will use this familiar context to consider and debate the biological basis of behaviour and how far such thinking creates expectations that are realistic and/or fixed. |
| Psychological Myths | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
| "Pop" psychology is everywhere in our modern life and influences us both as individuals and in terms of social policy. As a psychologist you need to develop a critical awareness of the use of popular psychology, who is deploying and why. You will examine how psychological research can be misused in educational setting and its implications for policy and practice. In addition, you will analyse a range of misconceptions in popular psychology including ideas in mental illness, intelligence, learning styles, self-esteem, parenting styles and stress management. You will have an opportunity to consider the use of popular psychology in a specific context either known and experienced by you or of interest and importance to you. During the module emphasis will be given to the notion of rigor in psychological research and how it leads to generating reliable and valid conclusions. |
| Investigating | 15 Credits | Optional |
| As a relatively new "science" psychology takes little for granted and is perhaps better able to accept uncertainty than longer standing scientific methods e.g. as first outlined by Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) to provide logical, rational problem solving across many scientific fields. On your journey through this module, you may find yourself challenging the accepted approach of the basic steps of the scientific method of making an observation that describes a problem, creating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, drawing conclusions and refining the hypothesis. Is it really that simple? You will be critically examining a range of research reports, some sound, some not, to look at how qualitative methods may be used in psychology. |
| Connected Global Perspectives | 15 Credits | Optional |
| "People are the same the world over!" Is this true? Or is it that the interpretation of behaviour differs in different parts of our globe. This is an important consideration in our connected lives. You can observe cultural differences in the smallest of actions. When working and interacting with people from different cultures, you learn to look at their behaviour without making assumptions that are based on cultural identity. Large companies now have advisors to promote and interpret cultural sensitivity knowing that understanding how culture affects the way organisations operate in different parts of the world helps them to use acceptable business practices and why colleagues and customers behave differently based upon their location and cultural heritage.
In this module you can explore psychological perspectives from other cultures including those where the term 'psychology' would hardly be recognised. You will analyse patterns in behaviour, psychological functioning and experience that appear different in other countries and cultures and consider how far socialisation or interpretation is involved in the perceived differences. |
| Hard Facts and Uncertainty | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
| There is no such thing as absolute certainty, but there is assurance sufficient for the purposes of human life. -- John Stuart Mill. Certainty is thought to be an emotional state and is often confused with objectivity. In this module you will draw on philosophy to consider how certain you may be about 'hard facts' in psychology looking at opposing views such as from Socrates (ancient Greece), Al-Ghazali (Islamic theologian) Descartes (18th Century) and Ludwig Wittgenstein (20th Century). You will learn about empirical studies involving a variety of methods of data collection, including experiments, observation, questionnaires, interviews and focus groups and how to analyse, present and evaluate quantitative data that are often deemed to be scientific, objective and certain and so preferred. Using your awareness of how "hard" hard facts are, you will develop a story of practice in a specific setting of your choice. |
| Downloading: Social Media and Learning Identities | 15 Credits | Optional |
| Social media plays an ever-increasing part in our lives. This module asks whether it is beneficial or disadvantageous to learning and learners' identities. You will consider issues of equality, diversity and inclusion as well as social justice as well as how social media may shape attitudes and values and thinking dynamics in learning. Does access to social media develop agency and self-efficacy? What are the psychological perils of using social media for learners? |
| Applied Sociology: Policy Problems | 15 Credits | Optional |
| Do you want to be a change-maker? Feel like you can do a better job? This module enables you to develop your critical thinking skills and analysis to confront the greatest challenges facing society today. You will consider how these challenges can be met, guided by research and research techniques. Using real-world scenarios, you will develop your understanding of the complexity of social policymaking and will consider and reflect upon your own values and understand how they guide your ideas and solutions. Education, crime, unemployment, poverty, health and social inequality will be the focus, enabling you to analyse and evaluate how policymakers respond to these policy areas and, through your own assessment and application of research methods, will start to build your own social policy responses |
| Doing Sociology: Preparation for Employability and Research | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
| Building on work done at Level 4, this module will prepare you to conduct independent research in the field of sociology. This not only gives you the skills you need to succeed if you choose a dissertation at Level 6, but introduces you to how sociological research might be used in the workplace. It introduces you to the different methodological underpinnings of the field and help you choose the approach that best suits your research interests, including how to develop your own research questions and how to use qualitative and quantitative tools of data collection and data analysis to understand the results. You will see examples of how leading scholars in the field design their research, the problems they face in conducting it and the finished products they produce, so that you can then conduct your own independent research. |
| Medicine Matters: Access to Care and Activism | 15 Credits | Optional |
| How do health institutions and social processes shape disease experiences in individuals and communities? This module will encourage you to examine the interaction between health and society. you will interrogate how scientific knowledge that shapes health practices is socially constructed. It will consider medicalisation and how medical discourses construct illness categories. You will also think about how gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, social class, and disability intersect with experiences of health and healing in historical and contemporary contexts. In particular, it considers the social inequalities and divisions that shape access to health and healthcare. You will consider the theories that help to explain the existence of these inequalities and explore the ways in which society, for example through activism and political reform, responds to these inequalities. |
| Moving Stories: Migration, Society and Belonging | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
| You will consider the different sociological theories informing how migration is framed and understood, and the impact it has on society and belonging - for individuals and groups worldwide. Key questions include: How is a sense of belonging constructed or achieved? How is society influenced or shaped by migration? What are the reasons affecting, preventing or allowing freedom of movement? We will be evaluating different sources of qualitative and quantitative data to gain insight into the political and ethical considerations surrounding migration. Visual, oral, material and digital evidence depicting migration from around the globe - from the viewpoint of migrants themselves, their countries of origin and their arrival countries - will be used to discuss the emotive responses to the movement of people. This module will ask you to reflect on and challenge your own understanding and experiences of migration, society and belonging. |
| Religion, Faith and Society | 15 Credits | Optional |
| Religion remains powerful force in twenty-first century society, both as a source of meaning and purpose and a source of conflict. How has religion adapted to an increasingly secular environment, and what does it mean to be a believer in a pluralist, globalised world? In this module, you will be able to question the evolution of religious community and the nature of faith in a 'disenchanted' world, where, in secular societies, religion is largely expected to remain in the private sphere. We will challenge this division between religious and secular, private and public by examining the complex and ongoing dialogue between these categories. How does religion influence attitudes about sexuality, embodiment, and national and personal identity? What role does religion play in political struggles for recognition? What does the rise of the 'prosperity gospel' tell us about the place of religion in the contemporary global capitalism? |
| Sociology at Work | 15 Credits | Optional |
| Sociology graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that open doors to many different career pathways. This module is designed to help you put those skills into practice by undertaking a minimum of 24 hours spent at up to two work placements, identified by yourself and approved by the module tutor. It helps to provide a stimulating range of activities and hands-on experience that will allow you to develop your sociological knowledge beyond the context of university. There are a wide range of possible sites for a suitable placement for Sociology students, including education, heritage, voluntary organisations, the media, local government and other areas: we encourage you to pursue placement opportunities that interest you most! In addition to making you aware of the different ways in which your sociological knowledge will help you in the workplace, the module is geared towards enhancing student employability skills in a supportive environment |
| Beginners French for Social Sciences A | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate in basic French in everyday social settings. Starting from simple greetings and exchanging simple information, you will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations and to understand the language in a range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and/or other francophone countries. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners French for Social Sciences B | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate further in basic French in everyday social settings. You will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations about past and forthcoming events and understand the language in a wider range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and/or other francophone countries. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners German for Social Sciences A | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate in basic German in everyday social settings. Starting from simple greetings and exchanging simple information, you will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations and to understand the language in a range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers |
| Beginners German for Social Sciences B | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate further in basic German in everyday social settings. You will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations about past and forthcoming events and understand the language in a wider range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Japanese for Social Sciences A | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate in basic Japanese in everyday social settings. Starting from simple greetings and exchanging simple information, you will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations and to understand the language in a range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan and communities. Whether students are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Japanese for Social Sciences B | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate further in basic Japanese in everyday social settings. You will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations about past and forthcoming events and understand the language in a wider range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan. Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Mandarin for Social Sciences A | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate in basic Mandarin in everyday social settings. Starting from simple greetings and exchanging simple information, you will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations and to understand the language in a range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and/or other Chinese-speaking countries and communities. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Mandarin for Social Sciences B | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate further in basic Mandarin in everyday social settings. You will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations about past and forthcoming events and to understand the language in a wider range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and/or other Mandarin-speaking countries. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Spanish for Social Sciences A | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable students to communicate in basic Spanish in everyday social settings. Starting from simple greetings and exchanging simple information, you will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations and to understand the language in a range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| Beginners Spanish for Social Sciences B | 15 Credits | Optional |
| This module aims to enable you to communicate further in basic Spanish in everyday social settings. You will progress towards being able to hold longer conversations about past and forthcoming events and understand the language in a wider range of contexts. Through regular conversation, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and opinions, and develop your interpersonal skills. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity for learners to develop their sense of self-efficacy and enhance their sense of self. It also provides an opportunity to develop intercultural awareness by gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers. |
| The State in the 21st Century | 15 Credits | Optional |
| In 1996, Susan Strange published The Retreat of the State in which she argued that the central role of the state in both domestic and international politics was diminishing. However, in recent years political developments across the globe, including the policies of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, BREXIT, and the 2008 Financial Crisis, have shifted focus back onto the state as the primary arena for the conduct of politics. Through a combination of theoretical discussions and applied case studies, this module will explore how and why the state is returning as well as what its return means for the broader narrative of domestic and international politics. |
| Postcards from the Empire: Experiences of British Imperialism | 15 Credits | Optional |
| At the empire's height, Queen Victoria claimed sovereignty over nearly one in four of the planet's human inhabitants. The lives and experiences of each were sculpted by international, national, and local dynamics. This module explores the stories of these everyday lives through snapshots of life in the British Empire up to 1922. Case studies may draw from places including Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Africa, India, Ireland, Canada, America, and the Caribbean. Themes may include race, gender, class, religion, economics, and adventure. A particular emphasis will be placed on exploring the histories of racialized and colonized peoples, with attention to the historical approaches developed over the past several decades that have changed the ability of historians to identify and engage with these voices. |
