Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2014-2015 (archived)
Module FOUD0627: Studying Social Life
Department: Foundation Year (Durham)
FOUD0627: Studying Social Life
| Type | Open | Level | 0 | Credits | 10 | Availability | Available in 2014/15 | Module Cap | None. | Location | Durham and Queen's Campus Stockton |
|---|
Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None
Aims
- To encourage students to think sociologically; stimulate the ‘sociological’ imagination
- To introduce a foundational bank of social science knowledge, paradigms and themes
- To provide a framework of academic and analytical skills upon which students can build either in further directed study or by the process of self-study
- To develop confidence and students’ learning and assessment skills
Content
- Introduction to sociology
- Social stratification, inequality and social class
- Race, ethnicity and nationality
- Gender and feminism
- Crime, deviance and subculture
- The mass media and new media
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- By the end of the module students will have acquired the knowledge to be able to:
- Display an understanding of society and the social world using sociological concepts such as socialisation, culture, norms and values
- Demonstrate an awareness of differing theoretical approaches in the social sciences
Subject-specific Skills:
- By the end of the module students will have acquired the skills to be able to:
- Ask critical questions about the taken-for-granted social world which humans inhabit
- Recognise a wide range of sociological theories and concepts
- Discuss a range of sociological areas (or topics) of research
Key Skills:
- By the end of the module students will be able to:
- Communicate effectively in writing
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills
- Perform effectively in examinations/seminars
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Theory, initial concepts and research techniques will be introduced during lectures and classes
- Much of the learning, understanding and consolidation will take place through the use of structured exercises, group-work, seminars, discussions and library assignments
- Knowledge and understanding of concepts/topics will be assessed by a number of assessments both summative and formative. The summative assessments for this module will be a written exam and an individual essay
- The unseen test - test of knowledge and understanding gained across the breadth of the module in a challenging environment.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 | Weekly | 2 | 20 | |
| Tutorials/seminars | 10 | Weekly | 1 | 10 | |
| Preparation & reading | 70 | ||||
| Total | 100 |
Summative Assessment
| Component: Essay | Component Weighting: 40% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Essay based on course material | 100% | Resubmission | |
| Component: Test | Component Weighting: 60% | ||
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Unseen Test | 2 hours | 100% | Resit |
Formative Assessment:
Throughout the module exercises (for example, 1000 word formative essay) and library research (i.e. task specific focus) will be undertaken by students. Comments are fed back to individual and group
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University