Education Studies and Sociology with Foundation Year

Building on the fundamental concepts of learning introduced previously in Level 4, this module focuses on the sociology of education and learning, and, primarily, how academic achievement and educational inequality is shaped by society and educational structures. The module provides teaching and classroom-based experiences through which the impact of a variety of sociological factors, such as socio-economic group, gender, ethnicity and human rights can be better understood. Relevant theories and approaches to explaining differences in attainment will be studied, together with an exploration of factors that might contribute to narrowing gaps in educational outcomes. As part of this module you may be expected to investigate and analyse a range of published sources of data on educational attainment and interventions and so learn to interpret and explain data presented in different ways. You will also undertake a placement that will enable you to apply knowledge gained in the module and further develop your transferable skills of communication and organisation, as well as gain further experiences of supporting learning.

This module is designed to help and support you to adapt to studying sociology at undergraduate level. During this first-year module the basic skills, techniques and values that make for successful undergraduate learning and study are introduced via a programme of lectures, practical group tasks, seminars and one-to-one tutorial sessions. As the module progresses, increased emphasis is given to developing specific sociological skills that you require as you move towards more advanced undergraduate study. Overall, the module equips you with the skills necessary to undertake empirical social research (from project planning to write up findings), develop your collaborative and presentational skills and enhance your appreciation of the relationship between sociology and the “real world”. The module provides knowledge and understanding which will be developed at Levels 5 and 6.

This module is the first in a research methods ‘pathway’ that continues across level 5 and level 6 of the degree. In this module you will be introduced to the basics of empirical social research. A diverse range of qualitative and quantitative research methods for studying two key types of social data (i.e. textual and interactional) will be discussed, as will your respective strengths and weaknesses. As part of this introduction you will be provided with an understanding of the theoretical questions that underpin the application of such methods in empirical social research, and the methodological and practical issues that arise during their application. You will explore different areas of social research in lectures, small group tasks, class presentations and debates in a module with a strongly practical flavour. You will not only follow along as the research process converts various types of textual and interactional data into research findings and presentations. You will also get a chance to experience the practical challenges of managing and negotiating this process for yourself. In this way students will become equipped with some of the basic skills necessary to undertake qualitative and quantitative projects, from project planning and set-up right through to the conduct of ‘real world’ research and the final presentation and dissemination of research findings.

Most sociologists – whether university freshers, applied sociologists working in the public, private or third sectors, or experienced university professors – will be challenged at some point during their studies/careers about the point and purpose of a social science subject such as sociology. It is not uncommon, for instance, for sociologists to find themselves having to engage with questions or claims like: “what’s the point of sociology?”; “doesn’t it just involve the study of common-sense?”; “social science just isn’t as rigorous and/or effective as proper scientific research”. This module is designed to give you a positive view of the impact that the social sciences have had, and will continue to have, on modern societies, polities, cultures and economies. It equips them with the intellectual resources to understand and how the point and purpose of sociology can be demonstrated, articulated and, where necessary, argued. A broad range of classical and contemporary social and sociological theories are presented with the aim of showcasing the power, promise and potential of a sociological imagination for anyone wishing to understand the world around them and their place within it. Lectures, practical tasks and activities show that and how the application of sociological knowledge empowers us to link seemingly isolated events to the wider social forces, structures, trends and processes that shaped them and that, in turn, were shaped by those events. The accompanying learning sessions and fieldwork tasks provide you with the opportunity to explore a range of everyday life from a sociological perspective, reflexively exploring your own experiences of daily life, gathering and discussing exemplary materials from print and digital media and completing various exercises on specific pre-set topics.

Unlock the secrets to effective learning! This module explores how we learn, offering innovative approaches and tools to help you and your future learners become lifelong, independent thinkers. Perfect for anyone passionate about inspiring curiosity and resilience in education.

This module taps into a growing movement within the social sciences towards refiguring sociology as a specifically public sociology. The aims of the movement are to refresh the discipline’s sociological imagination, engaging audiences beyond the academy and contributing in a meaningful way to the debates that are sparked by, and the solutions that are proposed in response to, pressing societal issues and challenges. It is in that context that this module has been designed to help you understand some of the highest profile intellectual debates on social issues in the contemporary public sphere in relation to three key sociological categories: race, religion and sexuality. Religion has not always had a positive encounter with either sexuality or racial minorities and these encounters continue to be an area of significant importance for sociologists. This module will offer you opportunities to encounter issues of race, racism, poverty, sexuality, gender, powerlessness and liberation. It will explore the implications these global issues have for sociology in order to provide insights into how academics have been able to influence policy debates and learn how to apply the social science understandings developed in lectures and workshops to the critical analysis of public debates. You will also have an opportunity to develop the ability to explain some of the ways in which your studies have wider relevance to society. You will also be supported to recognise that some, at least, of the arguments encountered are not as clear cut as they might seem, and that identifying the best evidence to justify political and/or policy arguments can be quite challenging. There will also be the opportunity for you to develop some valuable transferable skills, in particular learning how to prepare and present a sustained complex argument and how to defend an argument in response to questions and opposing points of view.

Sociology of Education is a sub-discipline of Sociology that takes a critical and analytical look at the design, development, experience and outcomes of the education system. Over the course of the module we will take the UK education system as a case study for helping us to understand the ways in which political, social, moral and economic agendas have shaped (and continue to shape) schools and universities. Paying close attention to key policy-making, we will ask critical questions about the role and purpose of education in relation to wider society. This module offers a critical perspective on the ways in which education is organised and delivered, the values and power relationships that underpin it, and the outcomes it produces. You will be introduced to a variety of sociology of education theories, enabling you to critically evaluate education systems, processes and practices. You will explore a range of current issues and debates, e.g. those relating to the (re)production of inequalities, the sociology of knowledge, and school-to-work transitions. Finally, you will investigate alternative approaches to education.

Become a champion for children’s safety and welfare. This essential module covers safeguarding principles, policies, and practices, ensuring you’re prepared to protect and advocate for vulnerable individuals in educational and care settings.

Dive into the world of educational research! This module introduces you to key research principles and skills, giving you the tools to investigate, analyse, and contribute to best practice in education and care.

This module will focus on connections between psychology and sociology in examining joy; sociology and religion in determining how beliefs and values shift in relation to happiness; and the role of happiness in developing sociology in new directions of study and contribution to society. What makes you happy? Why does it make you happy? How long does it make you happy for? How does your behaviour / attitudes / beliefs / values change when you are happy? How do sociologists measure happiness? Happiness was a topic in early sociology and interest in the subject briefly revived in the 1970s in the context of social indicators research. Today it is a vital strand of emerging research in the context of austerity, climate crisis and in response to the covid-19 pandemic. Happiness can be measured at two levels, the individual (micro level) and the collective one (macro level). It can be done through standard sociological methods – quantitative and qualitative, but often the results are then used to consider more standard themes of sociology – poverty, crime, consumerism, alienation and anomie. Understanding how we can measure or quantify happiness means better understanding the importance of definitions and criteria. For example, happiness could be described as three distinct elements chosen for their own sakes: positive emotion, engagement, and meaning. These three elements would be more measurable and definitive than happiness. This module will enable students to refine and hone your research skills by asking you to explore something so intangible and personal as happiness. This will be vital for success in your third year capstone project.

Embark on your journey to professional excellence. This module guides you through the values, ethics, and behaviours that define outstanding educators and practitioners, helping you to develop a strong professional identity and confidence.

Successful teaching involves educators being deliberate, thoughtful and purposeful in their decisions and actions. Choices and decisions about how to teach are constantly under scrutiny and are increasingly driven by national and international data. This module will build on the understanding of learners and learning developed at level 4, underpin concepts of innovative teaching and learning approaches introduced at level 5 (in semester 2); and will critically examine a range of views of effective pedagogical practice drawn from contemporary research. The syllabus will respond as necessary to contemporary developments as they arise drawing on international, national and comparative research. It may include social pedagogical approaches such as dialogic teaching, pupil talk, group work and other interactive teaching and learning approaches.

Excellence and innovation in curricula are a central tenet of any world class education system. This highly responsive module provides you with a theoretical and critical understanding of key considerations in the development and implementation of curriculum policy, content and practice in educational settings. The module considers future developments in the current curriculum and possible alternative future directions. It provides you with an opportunity to study this at first hand in placement settings. A range of theoretical approaches to the curriculum will be critically examined. The syllabus may include topics such as differing views of the nature and organisation of knowledge, and examination of various curriculum frameworks, including aims, content and contemporary views of pedagogy. These will vary over time in order to ensure that the module is responsive to new developments and future directions in education for instance decolonising of the curriculum and environmental education. Innovative practice from inspirational educational settings may be showcased in order to provide models of excellence. Placement will allow you to gain real-world experiences of current curriculum arrangements.

This module introduces you to the study of surveillance society. The module draws on key sociological concepts such as crime, inequality, social class, gender, race, ethnicity, the body, and globalisation, to offer an analysis of the ways in which forms of surveillance pervade individuals' everyday lives and how they are utilised by agents of control. This includes: a) various forms of contemporary surveillance in a globalised world; b) the relationship between surveillance and power; c) the ways in which surveillance functions as a form of 'social sorting', and d) the ways in which public and private organisations 'watch' certain populations and/or individuals. The module will build on introductory modules at Level 4 and intermediary modules at Level 5.

By looking at the relationship between justice, social control and punishment, this module seeks to critically explore how societies respond to crime. We will explore key concepts in criminology and criminal justice, and attempt to understand what punishment is, whether it works, how and what consequences it has for those who experience it and for societies. We will focus on key debates in prison sociology and criminology to question whether imprisonment—both as a crime control measure and as an institution of rehabilitation—is successful.

We will investigate why the prison is a core feature of liberal democracies, while it is also a source of much controversy and debate. Particularly as prison populations in England and elsewhere remain unprecedentedly high, and as technologies of punishment, regulation and control extend well beyond the physical boundaries of prison walls and are consistently affecting those who are most disadvantaged in society, the stakes of these debates are high.

This module will introduce you to the sociological analysis of prisons and penal policy within a contemporary setting. It will examine and focus on:

•An investigation of the growing 'crisis' of imprisonment.

•An examination of the reasons for the growth of imprisonment in both the UK and America.

•The imprisonment of women and ethnic minority groups/ asylum seekers and refugees / economic migrants.

•An exploration of issues impacting on the experience of imprisonment.

•A consideration on the future of imprisonment.

Each of these areas will be examined through key case studies in the field of prison sociology, enabling you to conceptually, theoretically and empirically challenge, question or critique the rationales of punishment in a global context and explores its consequences. The module aims to situate the modern prison within its broader social, historical, political and economic context, and it will end by exploring key social and legal issues arising from punishment by evaluating challenges of prison reform; and exploring alternatives to incarceration but also alternative perspectives in ‘doing justice’.

The Sociology of Personal Life is a theory created by Carol Smart recognising how families and households have moved away from traditional ideology and headed towards a more intimate and meaningful experience for individuals. We will use it to explore questions around what sociology can tell us about our personal lives, our families, pets and our intimate relationships. The Sociology of Personal life is strongly influenced by Interactionist ideas and contrasts with structural theories. Sociologists from this perspective believe that to understand families, we must start from the point of view of the individuals concerned and the meanings they give to their relationships. Consequently, this module prioritises the bonds between people, the importance of memory and cultural heritage, the significance of emotions (both positive and negative), how family secrets work and change over time, and the underestimated importance of things such as shared possessions or homes in the maintenance and memory of relationships. By focusing on people’s meanings, the sociology of the personal life focuses our attention on a range of other personal or intimate relationships that are important to people, even though they may not be conventionally defined as family. These include all kinds of relationships that individuals see as significant and give them a sense of identity, relatedness and belonging, such as pets, close friends, fictive kin, ‘chosen families’ for LGBT couples and individuals, and relationships with dead people who live on in memories and rituals.

Broaden your horizons with a global outlook on education. This module examines worldwide trends and future challenges, preparing you to innovate and lead in an ever-changing educational landscape.

Broaden your horizons with this dynamic module that takes you on a global journey through education! Explore diverse educational systems, cultures, and philosophies from around the world. You will critically examine international policies and practices, gaining insights into how global perspectives can inspire positive change in local contexts. Ideal for students eager to become globally minded educators and leaders.

This module will build on (EDU50322) Vision to Reality and introduce you to a further range of contexts and settings for learning, examining these from the perspective of educators and learners, policy and practice. Throughout the module you will be encouraged to consider and appreciate the scope and limitations of education within a variety of teaching and learning environments and organisations. You will be introduced to a wider and more complex range of research and theory related to the benefits and limitations of teaching and learning in informal and alternative learning environments alongside the unique personal embodiment / impact of these on the overall experience of learners and educators. You will consider how pedagogical approaches are utilised in these contexts and how such contexts are positioned in contemporary educational policy. You will develop and apply skills of critical analysis in module sessions and independent learning. First hand experiences of different learning contexts through study visits and work with visiting experts will be threaded through the module as a basis for comparison, analysis, evaluation and reflection.

Take your research skills to the next level. Learn how to structure impactful studies, analyse data, and present findings that shape educational practice and policy.

Bring your knowledge to life in this dynamic capstone module. Tackle complex problems, demonstrate your skills, and make a meaningful contribution to the field of education.