Birkbeck, University of London, BSc, Social Science

Year 1: There are a number of pathways; students who do not have recent experience of learning in social science to take the core module: Introduction to lifelong learning and personal development planning, in the 1st term; students who take the core module can also take special subject or option modules from a range of social science subject areas at level 4, totalling a further 60 credits; students who take the core module: introduction to lifelong learning and personal development planning: approaches to social sciences, can also take 2 modules from the Higher Education Introductory Studies programme: sociology and politics; or psychology; students who have taken previous pre-entry/access courses, may take all of their year 1 modules from a single social science discipline (for example psychology, sociology, criminology, social anthropology, development studies) from a CertHE programme; students may take modules from the following subject areas in Stratford: community leadership; development studies; gender and culture; higher education introductory studies; Islamic studies; politics; social anthropology; social policy and the care sector; sociology; understanding London; students may also take modules from the following subject areas in central London: communication skills; criminology; development studies; economics; gerontology; higher education introductory studies; international and European studies; law and legal studies; London studies; politics; psychology, psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; religious studies; social anthropology; social policy and the care sector; sociology . Year 2: Centres on 4 disciplines within the social sciences, which explore debates about the person at an individual, collective, national and international/global level; students must take 4 core modules totalling 60 credits (taught in Stratford): Psychological approaches to social conflict; sociological approaches to social conflict; political science; approaches to social conflict; contemporary perspectives in development studies: war, terror and social conflict; in addition, students must take option modules totalling 30 credits at level 4 from the social science disciplines listed above; other options may also be available from other Schools within Birkbeck. Year 3: Centres on debates in social research and on developing research skills; students must take 1 core module (taught in Stratford): Knowing the social world: understanding and designing social scientific enquiry (30 credits at level 5); in addition, students must take option modules totalling 30 credits at level 5 and 30 credits at level 6 from the social science disciplines listed above; other options may also be available from other Schools within Birkbeck. Year 4: Centres on the development of advanced theoretical and research skills; students must take 1 core module (taught in Stratford): Research dissertation or work-based learning project (60 credits at level 6); in addition, students must take option modules totalling 30 credits at level 6 from the social science disciplines listed above; other options may also be available from other Schools within Birkbeck.