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;
- the social context, 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 and the ability to apply them in guided independent study;
- the relationship between sociological argument and evidence;
- 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).

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.