Sociology BSc (Hons)

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

On this module you will draw upon your sociological imagination to critically examine the way in which a range of social inequalities (such as 'race', class, gender, disability and sexuality) are created, experienced, maintained and reproduced. This will be done through reference to competing theoretical and historical explanations as to the causes and nature of inequality. Both those that challenge and those that seek to legitimate the inevitability of social inequality will be critically explored.

The module will be divided into two parts. In the first part you will draw upon and critically assess classical and contemporary sociological theories and ideas about the nature of social inequality such as ideology, intersectionality, symbolic violence, structuralism, material and cultural inequality.

In the second part you will critically apply and assess sociological ideas to historical and contemporary events which cast light on the nature of social inequality and the conflict that this stimulates. This will involve reference to case studies, for example, social class and deviance and disruption in the workplace, strikes, conflict and sabotage; cultural representations of the body and disability.

On this module you will come to understand the relevance of social theory and to evaluate a range of theories which seek to make sense of contemporary society and human lived experience. Key debates in sociological theory are examined as it seeks to grapple with the central features of contemporary society. How can social theory help us to understand contemporary inequalities, identities, culture and change ? Do we need new theories for a new age? When addressing these questions, there is a focus upon particular contemporary social theorists, whose work is at the cutting edge of contemporary sociology, criminology and cultural studies. We are not considering and evaluating theory for its own sake – if we can understand and analyse some of the key features, issues and problems of contemporary society and culture, we can more successfully intervene to influence social and cultural change.

On this module we will examine the social construction and representation of gender in historical and contemporary society. The early classes will cover scholarship about the social construction of gender, and key themes such as the significance of the private/public binary in constructing gender. We will explore how the private/public binary has been used in the construction of gender, and how this binary impacts on lived realities of women and men, girls and boys. Later classes will examine a number of case studies, to enable students to study the operationalization of gender in culture, political institutions, and social structures. The case studies will explore the gendered aspects of, for example: intimacy, family and sexual relations; paid and unpaid work; formal and informal political life; representations of gender in the media. They will help you problematize the private/public binary and study in depth the social construction and lived realities of gender in contemporary society.

Building on your learning from the previous year around critical thinking skills and research methods, the aim of this module is to enable you to become an effective qualitative social researcher.

First, we will revisit some of the key stages of the research process, including research design, planning a research project, writing a literature review, and the ethics and politics of social research.

Second, we will focus on the philosophies and methods used by qualitative researchers in a real-world context. We will cover ‘traditional’ qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups and ethnography, as well ‘contemporary’ methods including qualitative mapping, visual and digital methods.

Third, we will put that learning into practice. In groups you will plan and carry out a qualitative research project focusing on a key social issue in Newcastle upon Tyne. This will involve formulating research questions, planning a data collection strategy, collecting data, analysing data, and writing up your results. In addition, you will also complete a research risk assessment and an ethics form – all essential components of the research process.

Learning from this module will support you next year as you embark on your dissertation project, as well as in future employment where research, people and analytical skills are much needed.

You will be introduced to key issues and debates in the sociology of education such as the emergence of education systems and how recent reforms have impacted on patterns of attainment. We examine explore some traditional questions such as the role of class, race and gender in schools as well as taking a biographical approach to the analysis of learning across the life course. We investigate the way that education can shape identities and how learning is implicated in wider patterns of social injustice.

In this module, you will examine the family, as a key social institution, evaluate sociological and ideological perspectives of the ‘family’ as well as develop your knowledge and understanding of changes in family structures and roles. You will also examine the role of the state and its policies in influencing and supporting families, developing skills in finding, using, evaluating and presenting information.

You will assess and evaluate theoretical constructs, applying them to an analysis of the contemporary family, compare and evaluated aspects of international perspectives on the family and reflect upon and assess issues and debates concerning current and future family changes and public policy.

In this module, you will also develop a range of transferable skills, reading, note taking, data gathering, time management, presentation skills, group working, essay writing, effective referencing, interpreting evidence.

On this module you will explore the ways individuals and communities come together to challenge injustice and inequalities. The module is particularly concerned with the ways ordinary people try to challenge and resist the powerful and advocate for and develop more just ways of organising society. You will critically explore both contemporary and historical ways of understanding and theorising activism and resistance, including studying historical and more contemporary social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Anti-War Movement and Guerrilla Gardening. A variety of case study examples will be examined each year, such as analysing anti-corporate activism and boycotts, environmental activism, and diverse forms of feminist activism. You will analyse how and why people choose to take stand and what impact it has on them, as well as exploring different strategies of protest and resistance, such as violent and non-violent protest, activism via social media, and creativity as a form of activism and resistance. Cutting across North-South boundaries, you will engage with both UK and international examples to analyse the extent to which individuals and communities have been able to challenge the powerful, and the impacts this has had both immediately, and over time.

This module is based on experiential learning, or ‘learning through doing’.

In this module, through engagement with a partner organisation which seeks to create social change in relation to social inequality, marginalisation, and exclusion, you will develop and apply a range of sociological ideas, concepts, and skills, to address real world problems and challenges facing that organisation. In doing so you will reflect critically on the discipline of sociology and on your own skills, knowledge and abilities. The partner organisation will be identified by the module leader and engagement with that organisation will be facilitated by the module leader.

This module enables you, as new sociologists, to apply and test your skills, knowledge, and abilities in relation to ‘real world’ contemporary problems through engagement with a Live Project and to produce outcomes for organisations which will have a real impact on the work they do. You will apply your disciplinary practice and expertise through inquiry into and/or the resolution of real world/contemporary problems which are experienced by a third-party partner. You will produce solutions, services, material, or new perspectives which are of benefit to the third-party partner/s which may be from the public, private or not for profit sector.

Through engagement with the module you will develop and deepen effective workplace skills and your own interpersonal and discipline skills in supporting the partner organisation to overcome challenges that they experience and which they present to you within the module. Your engagement with this module will produce real and deliverable outcomes for partner organisations through the application of sociological skills and knowledge. The strategies/research/solutions/outcomes developed by students will be shared with partner organisations to make effective change and meet contemporary needs within those organisations.

You will be supported and supervised by the sociology teaching team within the Department of Social Sciences. The sociology team is comprised of staff who are accomplished academics and researchers, who also have a wide range of experience of the application of sociology in paid employment, activism and advocacy. The teaching team has been active in research and data analysis, funding and bidding applications, policy development in a range of public, private, charity, not for profit and campaigning settings both in the UK and overseas.

This module is a key aspect of the development of employability skills and forms part of thread of ‘learning through doing’ which is a core element of undergraduate sociology programmes within the University of Northumbria at each level of learning.

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.