This module is not currently running in 2026 to 2027.
In an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), digital media, fake news and misinformation, the ability to think critically is more important than ever. On this module, you will be introduced to the principles and practical skills of critical thinking. You will be given the opportunity to explore gen AI tools in a safe and exploratory environment and helped to understand how thinking critically will give you the confidence and skill to use AI tools safely and legitimately.
You will consider the differences between argument versus opinion, exploring fallacies and biases. Engaging in the research process, you will learn to identify concurrence and contradiction in arguments and how to synthesise arguments while challenging and questioning concepts. Via a range of interactive sessions, you will discover how ‘Socratic questioning’ enhances critical thinking. You will also enhance your skills in oracy, learning how to communicate ideas effectively by participating in academic discussion and debate. Pulling the three academic skills modules together, you will be encouraged to engage your reflective skills, drawing on your learning from the two previous modules, FOUN3000 and FOUN3001.
The moduleYou will develop transferable skills essential for university study and professional contexts beyond higher education.
Interactive workshops: 54h
Tutorials : 2h
Assessment prep : 50h
Independent Study : 94h
Total: 200h
Critical source comparison , 1,200 words, Four sources, assessment prep: 35 hours, weighting: 70%, pass compulsory
Viva/interview assessing critical thinking, 10-15 minutes, assessment prep: 15 hours, weighting: 30%, pass compulsory
1) Analyse and compare viewpoints to understand different perspectives and reduce personal bias
2) Identify, assess and evaluate the validity of arguments
3) Synthesise information from multiple sources
4) Use a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess personal understanding of a problem
5) Explain how AI can be used as part of the research process
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