Module description
Social science is the study or the science of societies. The social sciences examine what it means to be a social being, ranging from the minutiae of human behaviour and brain functions, to large scale social movements, demographics, economics and politics.
In this module we will study how human behaviour can be understood and what is it exactly that makes people behave the way they do and interact with one another in society in different settings and in different social contexts; such as in public and in private, among family and friends, and paid and unpaid work. In a nutshell, the module will increase our understanding of societies.
In a nutshell, this Social Sciences Foundation module will increase your understanding of societies. While we focus on the global context, you will also become more familiar with British society and British culture. This increased understanding will make it easier for you to succeed in your undergraduate degree.
During this module, you will learn about:
- how society works, including culture, stratification and theories
- connected sociologies
- identity and society, including race, ethnicity, gender, social class, religious and non-religious identities
- media, culture and society, including representation and the key issues and debates
- family and society, including changing families and debates about family diversity
- work and society, including the division of labour and unpaid work, migrant work, and key trends, patterns and debates
- social inequalities, including social class and wealth, gender and feminist movements and race and resistance
- social sciences research, including research bias, ethics and proposals.
This Social Sciences Foundation module will give you a solid grounding for further undergraduate study at King’s within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy and the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. You may progress to a range of degrees, including Social Sciences BA, Religion, Philosophy & Ethics BA, War Studies BA, International Development BA or Digital Media & Culture BA.
Assessment details
You’ll be assessed for this Social Sciences Foundation module by coursework (60%) and final exam (40%).
Educational aims & objectives
- Provide an overview of key areas of knowledge that underlie teaching and learning in the UK in your discipline.
- Supplement your argumentation with analytical frameworks appropriate to Social Sciences.
- Help you reflect on the foundations of and new developments in Western cultural and societal norms, and to make you aware of and sensitive to such norms.
- Further your ability to think systematically and analytically in such a way as to enhance your future success in a British academic environment and to enrich your ability to think about key debates in contemporary society that impact on and/or are impacted by your discipline and your future career path.
- Increase your ability, with appropriate support, to take responsibility for your own learning.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
- Explain key terms, ideas, and concepts within the social sciences.
- Examine the applicability of social science terms, ideas and concepts to real world situations using research evidence (qualitative and qualitative).
- Critically reflect upon social phenomena in relation to own positionality and social scientific methods and concepts.
- Frame questions, identify sources, and work with others in a team to communicate an investigation into contemporary social phenomena using different social science approaches and methods.
Suggested reading list
During this Social Sciences Foundation module, you will be required to do a lot of reading.
Module Textbooks:
- Antony Giddens and Philip Sutton (2021) Sociology
- Steve Chapman, Sue Brisbane, Katherine Roberts, Paul Taylor, Jannine Jacobs-Roth, Nayda Ali (2015) OCR A Level Book 1
*These two books can be accessed digitally once enrolled
Selection of useful books:
- Judith Bell and Stephen Waters (2018) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-time Researchers
- Erving Goffman (2022) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
- Mariam Khan (eds) (2020) It's Not About the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race
- Tim Marshall (2021) The Power of Geography
- Edward Said (2014) Orientalism
- Yunxiang Yan (2009) The Individualization of Chinese Society
Academic journal:
Useful websites
Useful podcasts