BA Politics and Sociology

Year 3

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of this programme students should have provided evidence of knowledge of:
- key concepts and theoretical approaches that have been developed and are developing within sociology together with an in-depth grasp of specialist aspects of political systems/processes and/or specialist topics in political theory;
- the nature of social processes, and of social diversity and inequality;
- the value of comparative analysis;
- the relationship between individuals, groups and social institutions;
- the role of culture in social life and the social processes underpinning social change;
- a range of qualitative and quantitative research strategies and methods;
- the relationship between sociological argument and evidence and specialist debates within the discipline of political analysis;
- the use of theories and concepts to critically appraise specialist aspects of political and social systems/processes or key conceptual debates within social and political analysis
- the distinctive character of sociology in relation to other forms of understanding, such as its relation to other disciplines and to everyday explanations (QAA, Benchmark; 3.2).
- theories/approaches/methodologies within the disciplines of sociology or political analysis within an independent research project.

Transferable (key) skills

Joint Honours BA Politics:
-Conduct independent research work within the discipline; ability to critically evaluate in-depth debates; ability to utilise a range of information sources towards producing appraisal and evaluation; ability to work in independent yet guided way
Joint Honours BA Sociology:
Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- the transferable/key/generic skills necessary for employment related to the area(s) studied;
- the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;
- the deployment of decision making skills in complex and unpredictable situations;
- the communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences;
- the ability to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

Assessment

Joint Honours BA Politics:
Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- dissertation; essay/exam
These will demonstrate the ability to:
- use the scholarly literature
- analyse and evaluate arguments
- show self-discipline and self-direction
- conduct independent work.
Joint Honours BA Sociology:
Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- demonstrating the ability to apply a broad range of aspects of the discipline;
- work that draws on a wide variety of material;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion;
- evidence of an ability to conduct independent, in depth enquiry within the discipline;
- work that is typically both evaluative and creative.

Learning context

Joint Honours BA Politics:
The learning context for the year/award will provide students with the ability to work independently, to design a project and to discuss the main contemporary issues in the scholarly work in the discipline.
Joint Honours BA Sociology:
The learning context for this year/award will include the use of complex and unpredictable situations. The study will be structured within a framework that provides both breadth and depth and opportunities for demonstrating proficiency in the application of concepts and techniques. Opportunities will be provided for students to develop interests and informed opinions and to undertake some autonomous study.