Welcome

I think the Social Sciences course especially involves so many different skills that employers regard in high esteem, such as the use of statistical software, evaluating and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data and the assessing of presentation skills. Competency in these areas has real benefits for later, working life.

~ Andrew Harris, BA Hons Social Science

Read Andrew's full interview here

The Social Sciences degree gives you the opportunity to study different subjects (social policy, psychology, history, politics and sociology), offering an interdisciplinary and multi-perspective approach to investigating society and people. Contemporary issues (such as urban change, religion, crime and forensic psychology) are never simple to understand, but the degree programme provides a multi-layered analysis of such issues. In addition, new and returning students value the ability to select topics and modules to match their interests and needs in a flexible and coherent manner. This year returning students can choose from an expanding list of new modules taught by a dedicated research-active staff.

As part of the course you will learn key skills, which employers look for: analysing, interpreting and criticising reports, data and other written material. Basic skills such as literacy, numeracy and communication will be developed and improved. You will be encouraged to discuss and debate your ideas with other students and staff, and to work in teams.

The Kent staff have a great deal of experience of studying, teaching and working in social science areas. They are active in research and have published material on the subject.

Careers
Students who have taken this course go on to a variety of careers including teaching, lecturing, research, local government, civil service, management in the public, private or voluntary sectors, marketing, caring and counselling, psychology, politics and the police.

Dr Dawn Lyon
Director of Studies
Gillingham Building, Room G3-10
Telephone: 01634 888990
E-mail: D.M.Lyon@kent.ac.uk

Modules

Stage 1

The Social Sciences degree provides a general introduction to the social sciences in Stage I of the degree. Methods of Social Research is a compulsory core interdisciplinary research approach to the study of social science. Students study a range of topics including objectivity, values, validity and reliability. Students then choose three introductory modules. The structure of the first year is as follows:

Compulsory/Core
Methods of Social Research
This module introduces debates about the nature of social research methods. It will introduce students to social research from an inter-disciplinary perspective. Students will develop key study and research skills for research methods module in Stage 2 and dissertation in Stage 3

Students choose three from:

Introduction to Sociology
This course introduces students to the key process of socialisation through a range of topics, including social class, communities, professions, mass media and religion. It enables students to understand the role sociology has played in explaining modern society.

Social Problems and Society
This module aims to introduce students to social policy and social issues. Current issues and social problems will be analysed in a clear and structured manner, taking into account the political, social and economic environment, the research evidence and the policy recommendations of the different political parties and pressure groups. The study of social policy will be introduced by looking at ‘social problems’ in society.

Introduction to Contemporary Britain: Economic, Political and Social History from 1900
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the historical development of Britain’s society and economy over the period c.1900 – 2000 and the background to contemporary society. The period chosen facilitates discussion of some of the main political and economic ideas and events which have influenced contemporary society and the approaches which historians have adopted towards them.

Introduction to Psychology
This course provides a general introduction to the science of psychology, including historical development, philosophical issues and the major theoretical schools of thought.

All modules are 30 credits. The Methodology modules are assessed by coursework assignments and the other modules are assessed by a combination of coursework (50%) and unseen written examination(50%).

Stage 2 and 3

Students can specialise in Stage 2&3 or take a general Social Sciences degree. The main disciplines that students specialise in are: Sociology, Social Policy, Social History, Psychology and Criminal Justice Studies.

Students take modules to make up 240 credits to complete their Stage 2&3 studies. Two Research Methods modules out of Psychology/Sociology/ History MUST be taken in Stage 2. These build on the research module in Stage 1 and prepare students for their 10,000 word Dissertation in Stage 3. The Dissertation is a key element of the course and students must conduct original research into the subject they choose after consultation with their supervisor.

In addition in to the Research Methods and Dissertation modules in Stages 2&3 (in total 60 credits), students take other modules to make up the remainder of the credits required (180) to complete the Stage 2&3 studies. They can choose whichever modules interest them or they can specialise in a branch of Social Sciences. The modules may be studied in either Year 2 or 3 Full-time / Year 3 or 4 Part-time, subject to the requirements for prerequisites, student demand and institutional resources.

Research Methods modules – core
These modules are designed to develop awareness and critical understanding of methodological issues and practices within sociology, history and psychology. They will give students both a theoretical and practical understanding of these approaches and research techniques. Students will be equipped to tackle research design, to undertake research using qualitative and quantitative methods, and to analyse and present their findings.

Dissertation – core
The aim of the Dissertation is to enable students to undertake independent research. Students will propose a specific topic of interest to them, after discussion with the relevant subject specialist(s). In undertaking their research, students will deepen their critical understanding of research design and the application of specific techniques appropriate to the discipline in which they wish to specialise.

Sociology, Social Policy and Social History Options:

• Principles and Practice of Social Policy
• Key Welfare Issues: Social Policy and Social Change
• Health Policy in Britain
• Social Ethics
• Social Justice Practice
• Doing Visual Sociology
• History of the Police and Policing
• Britain on Film 1930-1960
• Politics and Society
• Contested Cities
• Women, Politics and Society in Britain from 1750

Criminal Justice Studies Options:

• The Politics of Criminal Justice
• Restorative Justice; Concepts, Issues, Debates
• Youth, Crime and Criminal Justice
• Women, Crime & Justice
• Drugs: Production and Use
• Crime, Punishment & Penal Policy
• Drugs, Crime and the Criminal Justice System
• Prisons, Probation and Offender Rehabilitation

Psychology Module Options:

• Applied Social Psychology
• Human Cognition
• Psychology of Group Behaviour
• Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Applied cognitive Psychology
• Psychology of Social Cognition
• Social Psychology of Health
• Psychopathology
• Emotion and Motivation
• Psychology of Social Behaviour

Teaching, assessment and staff profile

One of the aspects of the course that I really like is its flexibility. I am in my second year now and before I chose my modules I spoke to a lecturer about what I wanted to do in the long term and she advised me on which modules were the most relevant

Chloe Dover,
Second Year Student in Social Sciences

Teaching

A variety of teaching methods are used including lectures, seminars, presentations, case study analysis, group projects and research, individual and group tutorials. Study groups are small, normally no more than 18 students. The seminars give you an opportunity to discuss topics and issues in detail.

Assessment

Assessment is by a mixture of coursework assignments (50%) and examinations (50%) except for methods modules, dissertation and several modules that are 100% by coursework.

Staff Profiles

Dr Kate Bradley (Examiner)

• History of social policy
• Charities, youth justice and welfare
• Associational culture

Dr Janet Briggs (Library Rep)

• Cognitive illusions and biases
• Social cognition
• Memory and memory illusions
• Reasoning and decision making
• Individual differences in cognition

Professor Michael Calnan

• Diffusion and innovation in health care and technology
• Ttrust and health care
• D and the provision of health and social care for older people 

Laura Hart

• Childhood and adolescent studies
• Drug misuse and gender and social identity construction

Professor Phil Hubbard (Deputy Director for Research)

• Social inclusion/exclusion
• Psychoanalytical and post-structuralist ideas on social identities
• The city

Dr Rana Jawad

• Religious welfare and social policy
• Culture and social policy
• Social policy in the Middle East
• Social theory and social movements
• The voluntary sector

Dr Axel Klein

• Cultures of drug consumption
• The relationship between the use of illicit drugs and criminal activity, and the impact of policy on patterns of drug production distribution and use
• Strategies of offender management, the efficacy of incarceration and non custodial punishments
• Reintegration strategies for UK and foreign national offenders.

Dr Catherine Lee

• C19 prostitution
• History of policing, in particular the policing of deviant behaviour

Dr Anne Logan (Senior Tutor)

• History of feminism
• History of criminal justice, gender, voluntary work and professionalism

Dr Dawn Lyon (Director of Studies for Social Sciences)

• Sociology of work
• Migration
• Visual sociology
• Gender relations, comparative cultural sociology (especially France and Italy)

Dr Balihar Sanghera

• Moral Economy and Political Economy
• Philanthropy and Giving
• Post-Soviet Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)

Dr Simon Shaw (Director of Studies for Criminal Justice Studies)

• Youth crime and youth justice
• Inter-agency and multi-agency responses to crime
• The politics of criminal justice, community crime prevention schemes, penology

Professor Alex Stevens (Deputy Head of School)

• Illicit drugs (policy and treatment)
• Crime, public health, youth offending, and social inequality
• Using quantitative, qualitative and participatory research methods

Dr Alisa Stevens (Admissions Officer)

• The experience of imprisonment, and its sometimes ability to promote rehabilitation

Part-Time Study

The Social Science degree is also available to you on a part-time basis. This enables you to achieve the same academic standards and to study the same modules as you would on a full-time degree course, but over a longer period of time – up to six years for completion of a full honours degree. Students taking the part-time route usually take half of the modules each year that a full-time student would take, although other patterns of study are available.

Evening Study
Core modules and Stage 1 modules are available on particular evenings between 6-9pm

Entry Requirements

Social Sciences (UCAS code: L340:K)

Offer Levels
A-level BBB

IB Diploma 33 points or IB Diploma with 15 points at Higher.
BTEC National Diploma/Certificate with Distinction, Distinction, Merit.
Successful completion of an Access course.

University of Kent Certificate in Social Science.

Required Subjects
None

Flexible entry
The Department welcomes everybody, whether you are a school leaver or some older who wants to return to education. As well as those with A levels and equivalent qualifications, we welcome applications from those with non-standard qualifications and from mature students. There are also routes into our degrees via HND study at Mid-Kent College and Canterbury College. Direct entry to the second year programmes for students who have successfully completed an appropriate year of study at another university will also be considered.

Study Abroad
At time of writing we do not offer a programme in Social Sciences with study abroad. However, please enquire if this has changed.