Module SOC1019 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
SOC1019: Contemporary Society: Themes and Perspectives
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
At a general level, the module aims to inspire a genuine engagement with topical research and scholarship by introducing students to sociological ways of seeing and explaining the modern world, its phenomena and dynamics. In doing so, it aims to instil professional values and ethical standards by helping students develop a critical understanding of various theoretical and/or methodological approaches to sociology and encouraging them to apply these in their observation, analysis and interpretation of contemporary society.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter of sociology, together with an analytical understanding of the subject, which takes into account different sociological perspectives; 2. demonstrate competence in describing and applying a variety of methods of social investigation, including ethnographic and survey methods, questionnaire and interview design; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. relate a body of knowledge to a specific context within the field of sociology; 4. think clearly and argue logically about contemporary societies; 5. express sociological ideas both in writing and verbally; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. undertake independent study; 7. select appropriately from a range of suggested material and present key arguments clearly; and 8. demonstrate the capacity to reflect on the perspectives and life situations of social minorities and to question taken for granted majority views. |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Selected topics on:
- Political Economy
- Cultural Change
- Political Transformation
- Globalisation
- Nation-states
- Class
- Gender and Ethnicity
- Media
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 122 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 20 | 2 hour lectures x 10 weeks |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 1 | One hour introductory lecture to the module |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 2 | Two hour revision session |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 5 | Fortnightly 1 hour tutorials |
| Guided Independent study | 30 | 5 tutorials x 2 readings x 3 hours/reading |
| Guided Independent study | 12 | Preparing for the lectures and tutorials |
| Guided Independent study | 40 | Reading/research/writing the essay |
| Guided Independent study | 40 | Exam preparation |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2000 words | 1-8 | Written |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 100 | 2 hours | 1-8 | Mark and verbal feedback on request |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Examination (2 hours) | 1-8 | August/September assessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Castells, M. 1998. The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Oxford: Blackwell.
Crompton, R. 1993. Class and Stratification: an introduction to current debates. London: Polity.
Mann, M. 1993. 'National States in Europe and Other Developing Countries', Daedalus, 122 (3): 115-40.
Murray, C. 1990. The Emerging British Underclass. London: IEA.
Ritzer, G. 1996. The McDonaldization of Society. London: Sage.
Skeggs, B. 1997 Formations of class and gender: becoming respectable. London: SAGE Publications.
Course materials will be provided on ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
