Overview
Whether your interest is in progressing towards a career in areas such as youth and community work, professional social research, policy analysis/development, working with disadvantaged and marginalised individuals, or you are interested in a broad-based undergraduate education, the BA (Hons) in Social Science (Level 8, 180 ECTS) is the degree for you. This degree offers a range of skills and understandings that prepares students for employment in various roles in both non-governmental organisations and the voluntary sector as well as in the public sector.
Social Science is the interdisciplinary study of human society. This honours undergraduate degree is designed around five core areas of social science; Sociology, Psychology, Criminology, Social Policy and Research. As well as gaining a strong, evidence-based understanding of these interesting and inter-related subjects, you will develop useful, work-ready skills such as flexibility, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and interpersonal communication - all highly valued by employers. You will develop more specialised expertise in areas such as group facilitation, campaigning, research, advocacy and public engagement as well as policy analysis, questionnaire and interview-based social research. This programme will provide you with a valuable platform for further research and specialist postgraduate education, improve promotion prospects in your current job, or help you find exciting new employment opportunities. Graduates of this programme are also eligible to apply for various Postgraduate programmes at DBS.
Programme Objectives
You will be challenged to think in a rigorous and scientific way about society and the social processes that feed into how society operates at an institutional, political and individual level. From the first year to the final year of the programme, there is a consistent emphasis on guiding, training and upskilling learners to carry out their own research and to be aware of how structures and special processes affect our daily lives. Learners will be encouraged to enquire further into this and conduct their own research in order to critically explore, evaluate and challenge the world around them. Learners will be well equipped to work in a wide range of roles and careers, in the public and private sector. The BA (Hons) in Social Science will also provide you with pathways for postgraduate study (Masters and PhDs) in areas such as Addiction Studies, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Criminology, Criminal Justice, Global Health, Gender Studies, Human Rights, Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Public Policy, Race, Ethnicity and Conflict, Social Work, Social Justice, Social Policy and Social Research to name a few. In some instances, conversion courses may need to be undertaken to allow progression to Masters level.
Teaching and Assessment
The programme provides a flexible, active, peer-led, experiential and reflective learning environment for students. While modules will be delivered in a hybrid mode through a mix of workshops, practical sessions, tutorials, lectures, and sociological experiments, emphasis will be placed on allowing students to examine the exercise problem descriptions and try possible solutions in the workshops, with guided individual feedback.
Assessment takes a variety of forms, including learning journals, case studies using real-world examples, project work (group/individual) and formal examinations.