This module introduces concepts in ecology across the full breadth of the subject, from microbial ecology through  population and community ecology of plants and animals to aspects of human ecology, with humans as both population and habitat. It covers the basic subject-specific skills required for ecological study, including plant and animal identification, survey techniques and data handling. The fieldwork will include studies on both animals and plants which will be used to develop concepts such as energetics, food webs, limiting factors and population dynamics. Students will appreciate the broad application of the subject to environmental, medical and resource issues.

RATIONALE

Ecology covers the wealth of interactions between species and their environment, with the species including anything from prokaryotic microbes to humans. This module seeks to establish the broad appeal of ecology, including aspects of value to human biologists and microbiologists and highlight the diversity of employment that ecologists might find. The important scientific skills of experimental design, sampling theory and maintaining a clear field notebook are introduced here, alongside transferable skills such as teamwork and poster presentation. In providing a foundation in both ecology and its associated practical techniques this module underpins the more specialised ecology modules at Levels 5 and 6.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Ecology of humans, ecological foot printing
• Landscape ecology and conservation
• Habitat ecology and species interactions revealed through field studies
• Microbial ecology and its application in medicine and other fields
• Population ecology and its application to pest control

This module introduces the basics of chemistry, involving clear, lucid explanations of chemical concepts with coherent problem-solving approach. The understanding of Periodic table, atomic and molecular structures, pH, solutions, chemical reactions, model buildings and practical skills are the core thinking to take this module forward. The overall module aim is to provide students with a toolkit of knowledge, understanding and practical skills to appreciate the order within the chemistry and linking to the wider concepts within biological and physical sciences. Appropriate mathematical knowledge will be embedded throughout the module.

RATIONALE

This module provides a foundation in Chemistry by introducing the idea of an evidence-based subject, which has developed through interpretation and building of models. This module also provides opportunities for students to work in the chemistry laboratory on a range of activities that are linked through the theme of measurement and the acquisition of data to show the interdisciplinary nature of the chemistry, a preliminary requirement for employability in any chemical including biochemical related field or industries. The management of risk in a chemical laboratory will be an important factor.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Health and safety in a chemical laboratory
• The periodic table
• Atomic, molecular bonding’s and their models
• Carbon the basis of biological life
• Chemical reactions
• Solutions and solubility
• Spectrophotometric analysis

The cell is the basic biological unit. Using a range of activities, students will examine the molecular components that determine the structure, biochemical nature and physiology of different cells. This will then enable them to appreciate the significance of a range of signalling pathways within and between cells. Practical activities, including DNA extraction and microscopy, will be used to reinforce these aspects and will develop within student’s essential skills and confidence in scientific laboratory techniques. Through these, students will develop an appreciation of the scientific method and what constitutes a valid scientific investigation.

RATIONALE

This module introduces the cell components and cellular physiology. The module will develop a number of specific scientific theoretical and practical skills and provides the necessary underpinning scientific knowledge base for more advanced specialised studies at Levels 5 and 6. It also provides students with the background to understand biological phenomena at a variety of levels, from molecular through cellular, to complement the organ, whole organism and ecosystem levels covered in other Level 4 modules.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Laboratory techniques and working practices
• Cell organelles, structure and function
• Biomolecules
• Proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids
• Genetic manipulation
• Cells, cell membranes and cellular processes
• Excitable cells and membrane potentials
• Cell signalling and cancer development.

This is a field-based module typically based at the University in late May /early June, providing students with their first opportunity for detailed study of a particular group of organisms. The module introduces the full range of plant diversity across a wide range of habitats alongside supporting laboratory work using keys and microscopes. The module also incorporates coverage of the National Vegetation Classification (NVC), the standard method for classifying British vegetation.

RATIONALE

Despite its inherent academic value field skills have suffered a severe decline in British H.E., although there is increasing demand for such skills in both the government and private sectors. Hence its position on the Biology degree will enable graduates of this course to have significant employment opportunities open to them. In addition a familiarity with plant groups and habitats allows the theoretical work undertaken elsewhere in the course to be placed in a practical context. It also introduces and develops the fieldwork skills developed across several other modules (especially SCI 1112 Ecology), it significantly progresses the area of biology introduced in SCI 1113 Biodiversity and forms a useful background to the work undertaken in SCI 3309 Biodiversity and Conservation.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Identifying angiosperms from floral features
• Use of keys
• Recognition of major plant groups from a variety of habitats
• National Vegetation Classification (NVC) survey and identification method
• Herbarium skills
• Collection, preservation and preparation of plant specimens
• Legal consideration of collection
• The value of plant records
• Identification and dissection of appropriate material to allow identification of difficult plant groups (e.g. sedges, grasses, mosses)

Humans live in an environment with a baffling array of infectious agents that have diverse composition, shape, size which use as a rich shelter to propagate their own genes. This would have been the case if we have not developed a series of defence mechanisms, whose action provides the basis of immunology. A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions. It may be caused by external factors, such as invading organisms, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune diseases or environmental factors. This module examines our defence mechanisms that lead to immunity and a number of infectious diseases and how they influence normal physiology.

RATIONALE

Throughout our lives, humans are under threat from a great range of potential diseases. These differ greatly in their source. We may inherit specific gene abnormalities or a predisposition to specific diseases. In some cases, the diseases are produced in direct response to our own activities, such as the deliberate or passive ingestion or inhalation of toxic materials or the consumption of an inappropriate balance of food materials. Alternatively, we may succumb to a whole host of diseasecausing organisms which manage to breach our elaborate defence systems. Within this module, students will examine the classic range of defence mechanisms that lead to immunity as well as potential treatment options.

This module builds on the themes and concepts developed in ‘Introduction to Cell Biology’ and ‘Anatomy and Physiology’ at Level 4. Students will examine the sources of these disease-causing factors, the impact of these on the normal physiology of the body and how they can be treated. They will study the innate and acquired immunity. Mechanisms for prevention will also be considered and in addition, they will learn about specific immunological approaches for treatment. Many students will have been ‘brought up’ with advice on what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. The physiological understanding of how certain diseases develop in the body will enable students to appreciate more fully the importance of this advice. They will also appreciate the effect of ageing in our own defence mechanisms.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Fundamentals of Immunology:

• Innate immunity
• Acquired immunity
• Antibodies
• Anatomy of the immune response

Applied Immunology:

• Vaccines
• Immunodeficiency
• Autoimmune diseases

Causes of Infectious disease:

• Pathogens – types and their entry into the body
• Pathogen vectors
• Methods of disease transmission
  
  

This module will provide students with an understanding of plant structure and physiology. It will detail the basic structure of leaves, roots and stem, plus consideration of specialised structures. Biochemical aspects will cover photosynthesis and water regulation with hormonal control of communication with and between organisms. The module will also function as the major vehicle for delivering relevant laboratory/equipment skills including microscopy, physiology and plant development through use of model organisms.

RATIONALE

Central to any area of biology is an understanding of how an individual organism function internally. This understanding needs to incorporate how the various components are structured, develop and interact at. Moreover, for sessile and modular organisms such as plants, the range of adaptations that they have evolved that enables them to inhabit various habitats also need to be considered. This module addresses these areas. There is also a need for students to develop a range of lab skills relevant to both potential employment and subsequent study within the degree programme, particularly for SCI2308 Research Methods and SCI3335 Dissertation. These skills are introduced and developed within this module.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Plant organ and tissue structure: leaves, stems and roots.
• Biochemistry of photosynthesis. Adaptations to extreme environments, C4 and CAM pathways.
• Soil-plant-atmospheric feedbacks.
• Water relationships
• Environmental stimuli; tropic and nastic responses
• Plant Hormones
• Plant Secondary metabolites

Students will be exposed to the skills required for working in a research laboratory which will include developing working knowledge of the safe use of lab equipment. The module will also encompass health and safety, including legal requirements, and good laboratory practice. The students will relate these skills to their burgeoning interest in a particular area (or areas) of the discipline.

RATIONALE

It is essential that in addition to subject specific knowledge, students gain a number of transferable skills which will equip them for working life beyond their undergraduate degree. Specifically, it is becoming increasingly important in terms of futureemployability that biology students have greater experience in the technical requirements of a science degree.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Correct use and applications of laboratory equipment (eg. associated with microscopy, molecular biology and microbiology)
• Health and Safety requirements and how to implement them.
• How to plan and work efficiently in the laboratory
• Good Laboratory Practice and why it is important.
• Applications of these laboratory techniques to specific areas of biological knowledge determined by discussion with course tutors.

This module will provide students with the essential knowledge and practical skills to study forest canopies. As part of the module, they will learn practical canopy access skills during a five day intensive Basic Canopy Access Proficiency (BCAP) course. The climbing course will have the option of external certification by Canopy Access Ltd, who has provided rigging and technical rope training solutions for the wildlife film industry for over 20 years. Students will learn how to access the canopy safely and the challenges associated with canopy climbing and sampling. The practical module components will be supported by a number of lectures and assessments that will introduce them to the ecology, physiology and diversity of forest canopies. They will also be introduced to the current and future challenges in the conversation and management of these systems.

RATIONALE

Forest canopies are one of the most biodiverse habitats on our planet. However, due to the difficult nature of studying these systems (i.e. access), this frontier of biological research has until recently been elusive to the scientific community. In addition to their importance as a biodiversity ‘hot-spot’, forest canopies also provide crucial ecosystem services (e.g. nutrient cycling and water cycling) that are key regulating componence’s of our global climate system. Understanding these systems and how they interact, requires scientist to be able to study them in-situ. The practical skills required to access these canopies (e.g. using rope access systems) and the knowledge needed to understand their biology, are highly sought competences by graduate employers.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Students will learn theoretical and practical skills associated with safe canopy access and sampling.
• Students will be introduced to key concepts in global canopy biology including water and nutrient cycling processes, climate regulatory processes, driving factors that affect species distributions (flora and fauna), ecological interaction between epiphytes and animals and evolutionary processes that underpin their ecology.

The combination of sequencing and increased computational power has led to a revolution in the way genetic information is utilized and applied. This module explores that interface. From a human perspective the sequencing of entire genomes will allow more precise diagnosis and intimations of risk, with attendant tailored treatments. Beyond humans the complex interplay between genome, epigenetic and life history is starting to be unravelled. This module builds upon the principles delivered in year two and takes the students to the leading edge of the discipline.

RATIONALE

Since the Human Genome Project was completed in 2003 the plummeting costs of whole genome sequencing coupled with the increasing availability of sequencing technology has led to an avalanche in the number genomes being sequenced. We are now in the post-genomic era were analysing the often-overwhelming amount of data generated has led to the specialist field of Bioinformatics. Bioinformatics unravels and analyses genetic data in silico and aids the answering of biological questions. This cutting-edge science is at the forefront of conservation and medicine and is one of the fastest. growing disciplines in Biology. It is imperative that Genetics students have both an understanding and practical experience of this topic.

 INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Data handling and databanks (sequence, BLAST, alignment); different sections of DNA from different species
• Freeware for phylogenetics and bioinformatics
• DNA barcodes (KEGG)
• Case study session on Human Genome Project, mosquito species and Arabidopsis species
• Modes of genome organisation, comparative genomics
• Transcriptomics
• Proteomics
• Microarray Data Analysis

The module will detail the development, application and action of drugs on the human system through a combination of practical and theoretical work.

RATIONALE

This module builds upon Level 4 Cell Form and Function and Human Body Systems and develops biochemical knowledge. The content is a significant component of Health and as such is widely relevant for employment in this area.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

The module will include:

• Pharmacokinetics – Absorption & Distribution, Metabolism & Excretion
• Pharmacodynamics: Drug Receptors & Interactions, Efficacy & Tolerance, Dose Response
• Drug Development, Evaluation and Safety: Law; ADR; DDI (& other); Animal Testing
• Factors Affecting Drug Action: Disease, Exercise, Diet, Pregnancy, Pharmacology of the Elderly & Children
• Autonomic Pharmacology: Adrenergic & Cholinergic
• Chemical Mediators: Histamine, Prostoglandin, Serotonin, Nitrate Oxide
• Drugs Acting on Specific Systems: Antihypertensive, Hyperlipidaemic, Anticoagulants
• CNS: Sedatives, Anxiolytics, Anaesthetics
• Respiratory & Other: Headache Disorders, Bronchodilators, NSAIDS
• Endocrine: Drugs for Diabetes Mellitus, Fertility & Reproduction
• Chemotherapy: Antiviral, Antimicrobial, Antifungal, Antiparasitic, Inhibition of Cell Growth, Antineoplastic.
• Immunomodulating Drugs

This module provides students with an advanced understanding of the applications of biotechnology within various industries including food, medicine, environmental management and agriculture. The module will focus on the product development process within these different industries, from research and development, through to large scale production – as well as the legal aspects involved.

RATIONALE

The module will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the different steps involved in product development in biotechnology, which is essential knowledge for the pursuit of a future career in this field. The broad range of industries examined, along with the opportunity to carry out a more detailed analysis of a particular field of interest, will help to inform students with respect to their future career options. In particular, it will aid their appreciation of the procedures and practices undertaken commercially.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Various aspects of product development will be addressed including:

• Research and Development
• Legislation, intellectual property and patenting
• Quality management and Standards (e.g. ISO)
• Entrepreneurship in the Bio-economy
• Scaling of production

A significant feature of the module will be the provision of industrial visits to relevant local companies within different biotechnological sectors. This will allow students the opportunity to experience biotechnological processes conducted in an industrial environment by experts in the field.

The new Medical Microbiology (SCI3359) module will build on the introductory microbiology included in the module “Introduction to Cell Biology – SCI1117” delivered at level 4 and “Laboratory Masterclass – SCI2319” delivered at level 5. This module recognises that humans live in an environment with a baffling array of infectious agents. These are of diverse composition, shape and size and seek to use the human body as a rich shelter to propagate their own genes. The module will provide an overview of medical microbiology including bacteriology, virology, mycology and parasitology. The relationship between microbes and humans both in health and disease will be investigated.

RATIONALE

The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to medical microbiology as it impacts on the ‘professions supplementary to medicine’, in the community, and in institutions, particularly in clinics and hospitals. Students will develop an understanding of the role of microbes in health as well as disease. Students at L6 will gain an understanding of the normal human microbiota and situations where they may become pathogenic. In addition, students will be introduced to all pathogenic microorganisms that have the potential to cause human diseases including bacterial, viral and fungal diseases. The module will look at diseases of the urinogenital system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, blood and brain. Students will also be able to demonstrate an understanding of the diagnosis, pathogenesis and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The epidemiology of infectious diseases/public health will be considered along with the importance of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections. An understanding of infections and intoxications caused by food and water will also be discussed.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• The human microbiota (microbiome).
• Pathogenicity & Introduction to pathogenic microorganisms.
• Bacterial vs viral infections.
• Gastrointestinal tract infections including food poisoning.
• Skin – wounds infections.
• Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections.
• Respiratory infections (viral & bacterial).
• Sexually transmitted disease – diagnosis, pathogenesis and prevention.
• Review common diagnosis, pathogenesis and prevention of viral, fungal and parasitic diseases in the above systems.
• Epidemiology of infectious diseases/public health

The origin of species has been at the forefront of biology since the publication of Darwin’s book on the subject. An assessment of the level of genetic variation within populations and the genetic differentiation of populations is fundamental to an understanding of speciation. Modern molecular genetic techniques have revolutionised the study of variation which in turn has led to a renaissance in evolutionary biology in the last twenty years. This module outlines the recent progress made in this field placed in the wider context of classical genetic work. It examines modes of speciation and the factors enhancing or reducing population isolation and differentiation including breeding systems, gene flow, population size and natural selection. The module also examines modern phylogenetic approaches with a focus on cladistics. Practical work is utilised to explore theoretical ideas. These ideas are further underpinned by examination of classic and modern evolutionary studies.

RATIONALE

The molecular techniques considered in this module are of increasingly widespread use in all areas of biology. Hence its coverage in this module will provide a basis for those who aim to pursue a scientific career. It will also provide an appropriate background to understanding some of the key genetic issues in society. This module extends the genetic concepts introduced in SCI1110 Biodiversity and SCI1108 Cellular Form and Function and complements the cellular level studies in SCI2320 Molecular Genetics.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Influences on genetic variation in populations
• Species definitions
• The relationship between breeding system and genetic variation
• Inbreeding and outbreeding depression
• Hybridisation and introgression
• Reproductive isolating mechanisms
• Gradual and rapid modes of speciation
• The evolutionary consequences of small population size
• Phylogenetic trees, Cladistics

This module introduces the genetic and environmental control of an individual’s characteristics. It describes how variation at the DNA and chromosomal level leads to variation in the phenotype and genotype and the potential consequences of this variation including speciation. Taking a largely population genetics approach, it includes mutation, genotypic and phenotypic variation, , meiosis, Mendelian inheritance, phylogeny and speciation.

RATIONALE

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution (Dobzhansky, 1973). This module makes sense of biology by providing an understanding of the link between variation at a molecular level, phenotypic variation at the individual level and speciation. The material covered by this module is a fundamental feature of life and central to any understanding of biology. It underpins recent developments in genetic fingerprinting, gene therapy and an understanding of conditions and diseases that have a genetic basis. This module links with macro-evolution studied in the Biodiversity module and the cellular work in Introduction to Cell Biology. It also establishes a basis for genetic and evolutionary work that may subsequently be studied in various degree programme. An understanding of this area is increasingly important in a number of areas of potential employment (e.g. health, research etc.). In addition the accelerating knowledge and application genetics makes it an essential feature on any Biology programme.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• The neo Darwinian synthesis
• Continuous and Discrete variation – the interaction between the environment and the genotype
• Phenotypic plasticity
• Mendelian inheritance
• The molecular basis of variation
• Chromosomes and gene mapping
• Additive genetic variation
• Epistatic variation
• Meiosis
• Mutations – point mutations, frame shifts and gross chromosomal changes
• Linkage Phylogeny and cladistics Speciation

The module will focus on developing knowledge of the structure and function of the human body and an understanding of the inter-relationship between the systems of the body in the context of human health and disease. There will be a considerable emphasis on laboratory-based activities, including molecular techniques and practical physiological investigations.

RATIONALE

This module builds on the themes and concepts from Introduction to Cell Biology which developed understanding of the core biological unit, the cell. Here we consider how cells are grouped together into tissues and organs and study the ways that these tissues and organs are integrated in a “normally” functioning organism. This will allow students to appreciate more fully the impact of diseases or variations in environmental conditions, themes developed at Level 5 in Human Genetics, Immunology and Infectious Diseases.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Types of tissues
• Musculo-skeletal system
• Immune system
• Cardiovascular system – organisation, role of blood, lymphatic system and the immune system
• Respiratory system
• Digestive system
• Reproductive system
• Excretion and the urinogenital system
• Nervous system – organisation, communication and detection of external and internal stimuli
• Endocrine system – structure, nature of hormones and co-ordination within the body.

This module will explore the diversity of invertebrates in terrestrial habitats, examining their life cycles and basic  physiology, but also their importance to the functioning of a range of ecosystems. Through field and laboratory work  students will gain a sound knowledge of taxonomy, and the use of a wide range of sampling techniques.

RATIONALE

Invertebrates are the most diverse of all known organisms in terrestrial ecosystems contributing over 75% of species. They hold key roles in ecosystem function including pollination, nutrient cycling, regulators of insect populations and as prey for other organisms. With increasing pressure on terrestrial habitats from agriculture, forestry and urbanisation it is imperative that sustainable management and related policy takes into account the needs of this important group of organisms. Such management is underpinned by a sound knowledge of invertebrate ecology incorporating their life cycles, physiology, range of diversity and interactions with other organisms. The students will build on knowledge of ecological and evolutionary theory to understand the relationship between invertebrate diversity, morphology and phenology to key ecosystem processes and interaction across a range of habitats. This module builds on expertise and knowledge developed in the SCI1113 Biodiversity and SCI1112 Ecology, and aims to expand on core knowledge in invertebrate ecology, specifically the relationship between invertebrates and their environment, and the relationship between invertebrates and other organisms in terrestrial food webs. Furthermore, it will develop key skills in invertebrate taxonomy and sampling techniques for a range of groups through extensive field and practical work. Core transferable skills include computer literacy, data analysis and report writing, critical  thinking and problem solving.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Examination of the diversity, ecology and ecological function of a range of invertebrate taxa among various habitats.
• Qualitative and quantitative techniques for sampling terrestrial invertebrates in a range of habitats (e.g. pitfall traps, sweep nets, tullgren funnels, butterfly transects, light traps, kick sampling).
• Identification of various taxa (e.g. moths, butterflies, spiders, beetles, aquatic invertebrates) to species level using appropriate keys.
• Appropriate display of invertebrate collections (e.g. beetle pinning, butterfly mounting, soft bodied invertebrates etc.)

Human Genetics is the study of inherited and acquired genetic conditions at a variety of levels. This module builds upon the fundamental principles of molecular biology and genetic inheritance studied at L4. It will introduce students to inborn errors caused by inherited and acquired mutations, both in the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and will discuss modes of inheritances and their impact on families and personal lives. This module discusses human-related genetics on a molecular, clinical and pathological level and will close with a comprehensive discussion about the role of epigenetic effects, as well as environmental and population genetics studies.

RATIONALE

Throughout our lives, humans are under threat from a great range of potential diseases. These differ greatly in their source. One might inherit specific gene abnormalities or a predisposition to specific diseases. Genetic diseases can be monogenetic, multifactorial, early or late onset, treatable or fatal. Some conditions are affected by the patient’s direct engagement with the environment or their diet, others are unaffected from any interaction. With the progress in DNA and genome analysis and interpretation many genetic conditions are today well understood and on a cellular level exceptionally characterized. Nevertheless, some devastating conditions including Huntington disease and inherited cancer syndromes as well as less severe but much more common multifactorial conditions as asthma or diabetes type 2 have clearly a genetic component, but their association is less well understood. This module builds on the themes and concepts developed in Introduction to Cell Biology and Anatomy and Physiology at Level 4 or similar modules studied elsewhere. Students will learn human genetic concepts and principles on molecular, clinical and pathological level add will apply learnt knowledge to cases discussed in class. Diagnostic procedures, therapy and their current limits and future outlooks are discussed. This module will also investigate the impact of ethical considerations of genetic counselling. Epigenetic effects and their impact from past and for future generations as well as the role of epigenetic manipulation for stem cell research will be introduced in this module. Founder effects and the role of isolates for rare diseases will be a feature when introducing both, population genetic studies and genetic risk assessment calculations including Bayes’ Theorem (A-priori vs posterior calculations).

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Molecular Human Genetics
• Clinical Genetics including Case Studies
• Molecular Pathology in Human Genetics
• Chromosomal Aberrations and their molecular origin
• Pre- and Postnatal Diagnostic and Genetic Counselling including Case Studies / Ethical implications
• Therapy for Genetic Conditions – Limits and outlook to the future / Stem cells and their therapeutic potential
• Multifactorial disease and their genetic components – Linkage vs Association Study and their knowledge gain for us
• Isolates and other populations
• Human population genetics

Biogeography examines spatial and temporal patterns of living organisms over the Earth’s surface and highlights fundamental processes and causal factors which determine these patterns such as climate, evolutionary history, continental drift, spatial area, isolation, succession and disturbance. Key themes such as biodiversity and the history and development of ecological communities through time run through the whole module. The module culminates in exploring the impacts of human mediated changes to organism distributions, particularly the effects of habitat fragmentation and invasive non-native species.

RATIONALE

This module places community ecology into a larger spatial and temporal context and much of the content forms the theory that underpins conservation biology. The applied issues of habitat fragmentation and non-native species introductions are particularly useful to illustrate and explain the theoretical concepts. This module is also key in developing familiarity with locating and reading scientific papers through having regular discussion seminars around particular papers. Furthermore, students will present an example paper to tutors and peers in a formal oral presentation. The skills of summarizing papers, translating scientific writing into a presentable form, and delivering an interesting talk are of high value for employability so this module builds on the introduction to such skills at Level 4 and prepares students for their significant dissertation talk in Level 6.

 INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Patterns of distribution, biomes, biogeographical zones, phylogeography
• Community structure, species diversity and diversity gradients
• Island biogeography – species area curves, colonization and extinction, application to habitat fragmentation
• Community development – shifts in community structure, environmental filters in primary and secondary succession
• Holocene vegetation change and reconstruction – palynology and molecular evidence
• The Amazon – a case study of species richness
• Disturbance ecology and fire ecology
• Alien species – when geographical barriers are crossed

This module provides an understanding of several aspects of general Biochemistry and Metabolism. The students will obtain a global perspective on biomolecules, and the different types of anabolic and catabolic pathways, as well as basic concepts in enzymology and eukaryotic and prokaryotic cellular energetics.

RATIONALE

The module plays a central role in understanding several advanced concepts in the field of Life sciences, which are essential for future employers in a wide range of different professional areas. In addition to the theoretical aspects of this module, students will be able to develop a range of transferable and subject specific skills for their later careers, such as basic laboratorial techniques, recording and analysis of experimental data, information retrieval and research, synthesis capabilities, and presenting scientific information to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Biomolecules Membranes and subcellular compartments
• Cell Signalling 
• Enzymes and enzyme kinetics
• Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cellular energetics
• Main Metabolic Pathways 
• Fermentation
• Anaerobic and Aerobic Respiration.

This module provides a basic understanding of the principles of biotechnology and its practical applications. The students will be introduced to the advances in biotechnological applications and their importance in a wide range of disciplines including agriculture, industry, and medicine as well as their limitations.

RATIONALE

The module plays a central role in providing a global understanding of the different branches within biotechnology, enabling the student to investigate future career options. In addition, students will develop a range of transferable and subject specific skills required by employers such as critical evaluation of scientific evidence and its interpretation as well as the ability to critically analyse and synthesise information.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

In order to provide a global view of different biotechnological applications, the module will consist of sessions in which these different aspects will be addressed such as:

• Agricultural, environmental and marine biotechnology
• Nutritional biotechnology
• Medical biotechnology
• Industrial biotechnology
• Bioinformatics
• Legal and ethical aspects of biotechnology

This is a field-based module typically delivered in late spring or early summer in either the Canary Isles, Madeira or the Azures, providing students with an opportunity for detailed study of the range of vascular plant diversity. The module introduces the full range of plant diversity across a wide range of habitats alongside supporting laboratory theoretical work. The module also incorporates the basics of taxonomy and systematics giving the module a conceptual basis.

RATIONALE

Thediverse and rich flora of the location will broaden and deepen experience of the world’s flora and hence engender a thorough understanding of the breadth of vascular plant diversity and how it is categorised. The taxonomic and systematic underpinning will engender a wider perspective and develop logical thinking. In addition, a familiarity with plant taxonomic groups and habitats will allow the theoretical work undertaken elsewhere in the course to be placed in a practical context.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Identifying vascular plants from a variety of features
• Natural vs artificial classifications
• Recognition of major plant groups from a variety of habitats
• Construction of a character matrix and it’s use in key writing
• Endemism and adaptive radiation
• The history and origin of an area’s flora.
• Pollination syndromes
• Making floras accessible
• Conservation issues

Human Genetics is the study of inherited and acquired genetic conditions at a variety of levels. This module builds upon the fundamental principles of molecular biology and genetic inheritance studied at L4. It will introduce students to inborn errors caused by inherited and acquired mutations, both in the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and will discuss modes of inheritances and their impact on families and personal lives. This module discusses human-related genetics on a molecular, clinical and pathological level and will close with a comprehensive discussion about the role of epigenetic effects, as well as environmental and population genetics studies.

RATIONALE

Throughout our lives, humans are under threat from a great range of potential diseases. These differ greatly in their source. One might inherit specific gene abnormalities or a predisposition to specific diseases. Genetic diseases can be monogenetic, multifactorial, early or late onset, treatable or fatal. Some conditions are affected by the patient’s direct engagement with the environment or their diet, others are unaffected from any interaction. With the progress in DNA and genome analysis and interpretation many genetic conditions are today well understood and on a cellular level exceptionally characterized. Nevertheless, some devastating conditions including Huntington disease and inherited cancer syndromes as well as less severe but much more common multifactorial conditions as asthma or diabetes type 2 have clearly a genetic component, but their association is less well understood. This module builds on the themes and concepts developed in Introduction to Cell Biology and Anatomy and Physiology at Level 4 or similar modules studied elsewhere. Students will learn human genetic concepts and principles on molecular, clinical and pathological level add will apply learnt knowledge to cases discussed in class. Diagnostic procedures, therapy and their current limits and future outlooks are discussed. This module will also investigate the impact of ethical considerations of genetic counselling. Epigenetic effects and their impact from past and for future generations as well as the role of epigenetic manipulation for stem cell research will be introduced in this module. Founder effects and the role of isolates for rare diseases will be a feature when introducing both, population genetic studies and genetic risk assessment calculations including Bayes’ Theorem (A-priori vs posterior calculations).

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Molecular Human Genetics
• Clinical Genetics including Case Studies
• Molecular Pathology in Human Genetics
• Chromosomal Aberrations and their molecular origin
• Pre- and Postnatal Diagnostic and Genetic Counselling including Case Studies / Ethical implications
• Therapy for Genetic Conditions – Limits and outlook to the future / Stem cells and their therapeutic potential
• Multifactorial disease and their genetic components – Linkage vs Association Study and their knowledge gain for us
• Isolates and other populations
• Human population genetics

This is a field-based module providing students with an opportunity for detailed study of habitats and conservation issues at protected sites. Arranged as a one-week field trip to protected sites in a different part of Britain (e.g. Cumbria), the module will focus upon the conservation management for biodiversity in Britain. A diverse range of management issues across a range of organisms will be explored through fieldwork in varied habitats. This will be placed in the context of conservation legislation and wider pressures on the landscape.

RATIONALE

This module combines and develops much of the ecology studied in modules SCI1112 Ecology, alongside the biodiversity introduced in SCI1113 Biodiversity. It also reinforces fieldwork skills developed in previous modules and complements specialist skills which may have been developed in SCI2330 Field Botany and the Tenerife field trips. Hence it will be the culmination of the student experience of biological field surveying in the programme and will serve to give students the confidence to pursue careers in this area. The module will also be suitable for those with little ecology or biodiversity in their portfolio to date who wish to add breadth to their degree.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Statutory bodies and NGOs in nature conservation
• Countryside legislation relevant to conservation and access in the UK, e.g. National Parks and Access to the
  Countryside Act (1949), Countryside Act (1968), Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), Environmental Protection Act
  (1990), Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000), Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006), Marine and
  Coastal Access Act (2009)
• Protected area designation – National Park, AONB, SSSI, NNR, LNR, MNR, SPA, SAC, etc.
• Site evaluation and setting objectives
• Investigations of ecological effects of management in habitats available during a field course (e.g. moorland,
  grasslands, heathlands, etc.)
• Case studies of management of conservation issues
• Identification of a range of organisms (vascular plants, bryophytes, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, birds)

This module will examine the applications of genetics including the areas of conservation, food production, health and medicine, with the evaluation of attendant ethical considerations as appropriate. The course will utilise a series of detailed case studies, exploring the relevant primary literature and examining how this has actual or potential practical applications. These examples will cover the broad range of disciplines in which genetic understanding is now being applied. This module covers several important fields including medicine (e.g. disease diagnostics), food production (GM crops), conservation, taxonomy and forensics.

RATIONALE

Genetics is the most rapidly advancing area of biology with applications far beyond academia. With the advent of DNA sequencing technologies this area of biology has developed at a breath-taking pace in the last two decades and has contributed to many advances in numerous areas. It is also one of the most controversial with topics such as genetic engineering and cloning proving to be contentious issues. This module will explore the technical aspects of genetic applications and will look at case studies as well as investigating the ethical implications involved.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Performance of clones in forestry in climate change scenarios
• Genetic screening for disease
• Gene therapy
• Forensics
• Conservation e.g. DNA barcoding for species identification
• Genetically Modified Organisms and applications for crop improvement
• Conservation, pedigree lines and zoos
• Phylogeny, DNA sequences and hypothesis testing
• Ethical considerations

This module aims to provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles and application of a range of specialised methods and techniques employed in pathology.

RATIONALE

The cell sciences laboratory discipline traditionally includes cytopathology and histopathology, and utilises analytical and morphological techniques to investigate the normal macroscopic and microscopic structure of organs and tissues from key organ systems including cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, kidneys, hepatic and reproductive systems. In addition, specialist techniques include cancer diagnosis and molecular pathology applied to the study of tissues. A detailed knowledge of these disciplines is, therefore, essential to the study of health science and understanding disease
processes. The module will further equip students with an understanding of how to apply analytical principles in combination with a knowledge of anatomy, macroscopic and microscopic appearance of cells and tissues and pathological disease processes to identify specific structural abnormalities related to disease and response to treatment. This module aims to ensure students have a systematic and critical understanding of the principles and application of the cell sciences, and to critically review the application of cell science in the diagnostic and treatment pathway. This module will build upon existing knowledge in cell biology, encouraging students to critically appraise and evaluate detailed knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to enable them to formulate arguments and make informed judgements in clinical interpretation of laboratory data.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Pathological Basis of Disease
• Specific Investigation of Pathological Specimens
• Applications of Histopathology
• Applications of Cytopathology
• Basis of Cellular Pathology

This module will explore the diversity of invertebrates in terrestrial habitats, examining their life cycles and basic physiology, but also their importance to the functioning of a range of ecosystems. Through field and laboratory work students will gain a sound knowledge of taxonomy, and the use of a wide range of sampling techniques.

RATIONALE

Invertebrates are the most diverse of all known organisms in terrestrial ecosystems contributing over 75% of species. They hold key roles in ecosystem function including pollination, nutrient cycling, regulators of insect populations and as prey for other organisms. With increasing pressure on terrestrial habitats from agriculture, forestry and urbanisation it is imperative that sustainable management and related policy takes into account the needs of this important group of organisms. Such management is underpinned by a sound knowledge of invertebrate ecology incorporating their life cycles, physiology, range of diversity and interactions with other organisms. The students will build on knowledge of ecological and evolutionary theory to understand the relationship between invertebrate diversity, morphology and phenology to key ecosystem processes and interaction across a range of habitats. This module builds on expertise and knowledge developed in the SCI1110 Biodiversity and SCI1109 Ecology, and aims to expand on core knowledge in invertebrate ecology, specifically the relationship between invertebrates and their environment, and the relationship between invertebrates and other organisms in terrestrial food webs. Furthermore, it will develop key skills in invertebrate taxonomy and sampling techniques for a range of groups through extensive field and practical work. Core transferable skills include computer literacy, data analysis and report writing, critical thinking and problem solving.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Examination of the diversity, ecology and ecological function of a range of invertebrate taxa among various habitats.
• Qualitative and quantitative techniques for sampling terrestrial invertebrates in a range of habitats (e.g. pitfall traps, sweep nets, tullgren funnels, butterfly transects, light traps, kick sampling).
• Identification of various taxa (e.g. moths, butterflies, spiders, beetles, aquatic invertebrates) to species level using appropriate keys.
• Appropriate display of invertebrate collections (e.g. beetle pinning, butterfly mounting, soft bodied invertebrates etc.).

Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations. Students following this module will develop an understanding of patterns of disease occurrence, how these patterns are monitored and, if these patterns change, how the causes are investigated. There will be a strong emphasis on data interpretation to demonstrate these themes.

RATIONALE

In this module students will focus on the factors affecting health and illness within populations. In order to do this students will need to understand how disease patterns are monitored both nationally and globally, how changes in disease patterns are investigated and how public health strategies are formulated. With globalisation resulting in the spread of communicable diseases at a faster rate than used to be the case, and lifestyle and environmental issues leading to new disease spectra in the more developed countries, this module will be highly relevant to all students. It will require students to appreciate the evidence-based approach adopted in epidemiology and the basis of and uncertainties associated with recommendations that are made. The module would be a valuable complement to the Level 5 module SCI2326 Biology of Disease which addresses how diseases affect the individual.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Historical patterns of disease in Britain
• Contemporary disease patterns, local, national and global, including both communicable and non-communicable diseases
• Study designs for identifying causal relationships including the Bradford-Hill Criteria
• Population-based health management
• Role of statistics and statistical analysis in identifying disease pattern changes and causal relationships

This module will provide students with an advanced understanding of the interactions that underpin ecological relationships in populations, communities and ecosystems. Students will gain an understanding of the variety of interactions amongst animal, plant and fungi species and the key theories underpinning them. A combination of lectures, case studies and practical work (in the field and laboratory) will demonstrate the importance of these mechanisms to ecosystem function and in applied contexts including conservation, agriculture and forestry. The module will highlight the importance of various interactions to wider society and to achieving sustainability.

RATIONALE

Ecological interactions are fundamental to life on earth, shaping the diversity of ecological communities through antagonistic and mutualistic relationships. These interactions have a multitude of benefits for human society, and have been utilised in agriculture and forestry over generations. More recently, with agricultural intensification, population growth, urban expansion and changing climates, ecological interactions have been subject to modification through human intervention. This module explores the complex relationships that have evolved amongst organisms and how these are critical to sustaining human life on earth. In addition to these theoretical and applied module elements, students will develop a range of transferable and subject specific skills to enhance employability, including experimentation and data manipulation, implementation of ecological laboratory and/or field methodologies, information retrieval and research, presenting and synthesising scientific information in written form, working to deadlines.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Interactions among a diverse range of organisms (e.g. microbes, plants, animals, fungi).
• The role of evolutionary processes in shaping interactions
• Parasitism
• Plant-herbivore interactions (e.g. plant chemical defences and induced defences)
• Mutualisms e.g. pollinators, seed dispersal, insect and fungal gardens
• Commensalisms
• Applied case studies from agriculture, forestry and conservation in boreal, temperate and tropical zones.
• The impact of humans on interactions.

The module will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the importance of plants to human well being in economic and broader cultural settings. Students will develop their understanding of the importance of plants in terms of human utility and less easily quantified areas such as aesthetic, symbolic and general well being. The manipulation of plants through traditional and novel methods will be explained and through these the need for plant conservation. Students will study practical methods of ex-situ plant conservation, breeding and biotechnology including micropropagation, in addition to the ability to analyse data related to ethnobotany and ecosystem services.

RATIONALE

Humans have utilised and manipulated plants for thousands of years as crops, drugs and raw materials. Modern molecular tools allied to traditional plant breeding has been used to improve the plant resources that humans have available to them. There is a further need for research into biofuels and pharmaceuticals and plant scientists are at the forefront of this expanding field. This module will develop understanding of plant specific areas of these fields as a basis for students entering into careers in biotechnology and agricultural sciences. Plants also have huge cultural importance across the globe. This includes plants as symbols of life stages and religious significance. There is now increasing evidence that working with plants is beneficial to both physical and mental wellbeing. The aim of this module is therefore to consider the relationship between plants and humans across a variety of fields.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Ex-situ plant conservation – botanic gardens, seed banks, tissue culture
• Economically important plants – biotechnology, pharmaceutical resource, crops, impact of disease, centres of diversity, artificial selection, selective breeding.
• Ethnobotany – the cultural and social importance of plants, importance of plants in human well-being and horticulture.
• Ethical issues. Who owns a plant and its products?
• Plant Awareness Disparity

Biologists carrying out investigations within any field, in common with other scientists, use common, systematic methodologies. Students need to appreciate the nature of biological enquiry, the ways that biological knowledge develops and how the biological sciences are used to solve problems. They also need to understand principles such as peer review, sources of primary literature, project planning and the format of scientific write-ups. Some of this will be delivered through an overseas field courses.

RATIONALE

An understanding of scientific practice is fundamental to an individual’s development as a biologist. This module  introduces students to the principles of The Scientific Method. Students will be able to develop this theme through into Levels 5 and 6 with the Biological Placement (SCI2328), Laboratory Masterclass (SCI2319 and SCI3322) and Current Issues (SCI3314) modules respectively although it does underpin all modules on the course. In order to complete this module, students will need to develop and employ research and presentation skills which will be of value throughout the course and in future employment.The module also provides an initial framework to support the student’s Professional Development Portfolio (PDP), enabling them to record and reflect on their learning and skills acquisition throughout their first year and the degree programme as a whole.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Biology and scientific enquiry. The scientific method and the role of observation, hypothesis, deduction, induction and chance in scientific discovery.
• Planning and carrying out biological investigations
• Alternative methods to practical investigations, e.g. computer modelling
• The influence of the technological climate on biological investigation
• The role of communication and co-operation in all scientific advances
• The scientific process
• Introduction to personal development planning techniques, including self-auditing and self-reflection; decision making and action planning; monitoring progress; gathering and responding to feedback; reviewing and summative reflection.

This module provides the knowledge which will enable students to recognise major taxa and to appreciate their evolutionary origins and relationships. It also provides the conceptual framework to understand these origins and relationships through study of the taxonomic hierarchy, the fossil record, phylogeny and the major events in the development of biodiversity. Further, it explores the diversity of organisms on the planet from a broad range of groups including microbes, invertebrates, amphibians, mammals and birds.

RATIONALE

An understanding of the full range of organisms and the major taxonomic groups into which they are classified is  fundamental to whole organism biology. The course underpins the taxonomic work which students may choose to undertake in Levels 5 and 6. It provides a framework for understanding the evolutionary relationships between major groups as well as providing a basic understanding of mass extinction events on their impact on biodiversity across geological time. In addition to these theoretical and applied module elements, this module provides a platform on which identification skills can be developed further in subsequent years. An ability to identify organisms is a declining skill amongst biology graduates yet increasingly in demand amongst potential employers. Further, the module will will develop a range of transferable and subject specific skills to enhance employability, including microscopy and slide preparation, and information retrieval.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• The origin of life
• Taxonomic hierarchy: it’s historical development and difficulties of classification
• Prokaryotic variation
• Origin of Eukaryotes
• Geological timescales
• Diversity of plants, fungi, invertebrates, chordates and notable minor animal phyla
• Mass extinctions
• Human evolution and the Anthropocene.

This is a field-based module typically based at the University in late May /early June, providing students with their first opportunity for detailed study of a particular group of organisms. The module introduces the full range of plant diversity across a wide range of habitats alongside supporting laboratory work using keys and microscopes. The module also incorporates coverage of the National Vegetation Classification (NVC), the standard method for classifying British vegetation.

RATIONALE

Despite its inherent academic value field skills have suffered a severe decline in British H.E., although there is increasing demand for such skills in both the government and private sectors. Hence its position on the Biology degree will enable graduates of this course to have significant employment opportunities open to them. In addition, a familiarity with plant groups and habitats allows the theoretical work undertaken elsewhere in the course to be placed in a practical context. It also introduces and develops the fieldwork skills developed across several other modules (especially SCI 1112 Ecology), it significantly progresses the area of biology introduced in SCI 1113 Biodiversity, and forms a useful background to the work undertaken in SCI 3309 Biodiversity and Conservation.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Identifying angiosperms from floral features
• Use of keys
• Recognition of major plant groups from a variety of habitats
• National Vegetation Classification (NVC) survey and identification methods
• Herbarium skills
• Collection, preservation and preparation of plant specimens
• Legal consideration of collection
• The value of plant records
• Identification and dissection of appropriate material to allow identification of difficult plant groups (e.g. sedges, grasses, mosses)

This compulsory module is designed to develop essential skills in biological research and data analysis so that students have a sound base for their future choice of dissertation research in a broad range of biological fields. It begins with sessions on experimental design and statistical analysis with varied types of data, following which students design and carry out a study of their own in small groups, complete a risk assessment and ethical approval. Students present the study as a research poster in a format similar to that of scientific conferences. This module will also provide the opportunity for students to reflect on progress on the programme and consider employability. The student will highlight skills and knowledge acquired to date, and identify gaps which may be fulfilled either through choice of research topics, modules or through additional activities (e.g. voluntary work).

RATIONAL

The skills of experimental design and sampling theory which underpin The Scientific Method have been encountered in Level 4 modules but are here developed further in preparation for the Dissertation at Level 6.The development of students’ biological research skills has been guided by the following QAA Benchmark statements for generic standards in the Biosciences:

• Be able to plan, execute and present an independent piece of hypothesis-driven work (e.g. a project) within a supported framework in which qualities such as time management, problem solving, and independence are evident.
• Have ability in a range of practical bioscience techniques, including data collection, analysis and interpretation of those data, and testing of hypotheses.
• Be able to record data accurately and to carry out basic manipulation of data (including qualitative data and some statistical analysis, when appropriate) (QAA, 2007: 10-11)

Awareness of employability is a becoming increasingly important for graduate students, particularly understanding the rangeof skills and knowledge that has been acquired over the course of the degree programme and how these can be used in a range of professions.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Research project design and the implementation process
• Hypothesis testing and The Scientific Method
• Practical skills in laboratory and/or fieldwork
• Use of analytical and statistical techniques including analysis of variance, regression, non-parametric tests and
• multivariate analysis
• Data presentation and research posters
• Critical review of research paper/report
• Planning for dissertation research projects and writing dissertation proposals
• Ethical issues
• Health and safety and fieldwork
• Empolyability planning and graduate skills; CV updates

The module aims to provide a comprehensive foundation to the study of management from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It seeks to consider the conceptual frameworks relevant to the behaviour of individuals and groups in organisations, and the issues which are raised in their management. The module focuses on three themes; rational modes of management, people strategies and contemporary issues in the workplace. This module provides a platform for many other modules studied at levels 5 and 6.

RATIONALE

Contemporary management issues arise from an historical and international relationship between management, organisation and society. The module examines this relationship within a critical, interdisciplinary framework. The module provides both an introduction to the functions and activities of management and organisation and a framework for understanding their consequences for people within the workplace and for society, whilst allowing students to develop skills associated with academic enquiry, writing and debate.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

There are three major themes to this module. The first provides students with an understanding of the major developments in modern management since the latter half of the 20th century. The second theme considers moves away from rational models where organisations became increasingly interested in developing strong corporate cultures, improving flexibility and devising Human Resource Management (HRM)-type people management strategies. In theme the module explores contemporary issues with emphasis placed upon discussing the impact of technology, globalisation and identity. This module provides a platform for many other modules studied at level 5 and 6.

The module is designed to provide an introduction to Operations Management such that students can apply the concepts learned. It is envisaged that the module offers learners the opportunity to develop upon the foundations of the subject and expand it in options available in Year 2 and Year 3 of the degree programme.

RATIONALE

Operations Management seeks to ensure entire supply chains are not only efficient but also profitable – the subject area ultimately incorporates most areas of business/management into efficiency drives and should open lines of enquiry for students to integrate subject matter from Operations Management into other lines of study, as well as introducing concepts theories from other modules into the Operations Management module. Operations Management is an area of study that recognises that resources are scarce and that choices must be made between the alternatives available. Building on from basic economic concerns, Operations Management considers the practical apportionment of scarce materials in terms of (usually) manufactured output, and seeks to ensure output is achieved as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Introduction to Operations Management and design of products and services. To consider the field of Operations Management and how/where it works within the business area. To consider its benefits and uses.
• Design of the operations network. Integration, capacity, location, supply-side influences, demand-side influences, long-term capacity management, break-even analysis, inventory smoothing.
• Nature of planning & control. Reconciling supply and demand, differences between planning and control, uncertainty, dependant and independent demand, responding to demand, planning and control – loading, scheduling, push and pull control, volume/variety effect on control.
• Capacity planning and control. Capacity, demand and capacity, seasonality, fluctuations, design capacity and effective capacity, level capacity plans, chase demand plans, managing demand, mixed plans, yield management, queuing theory.
• Inventory planning and control, volume decisions, timing decisions, inventory analysis and control systems.
• Supply chain planning and control. Purchasing and supplier development, physical distribution, integrated concepts, relationships in supply chains
• MRP. Background to MRP and MRPII. MRP calculations. OPT.
• Just in time planning and control. JIT philosophy, JIT techniques, JIT planning and control, JIT in service operations, JIT and MRP.
• Quality planning and control. Conforming to specifications, SPC (Statistical Process Control).
• Project planning and control. Successful project management, project planning and control processes, network planning.
• Improvement. Measuring and improving performance, improvement techniques, failure prevention, reliability. TQM.
• Operations Management – the future. Agility in Operations Management, strategy and Operations Management, international strategies in Operations Management

The two main foci of this module are encouraging students to develop an awareness of the need for market intelligence. and a knowledge of the mechanisms by which market intelligence is gathered. This module focuses on the nature of information required to make informed marketing decisions; the methods used to gather such information; the ways of interpreting and applying the resulting data and how the information is stored and retrieved.

RATIONALE

Market intelligence underpins all aspects of marketing with marketing research, and it is essential that marketers have commercial awareness of the markets they operate in or intend to enter; it is the key to informed marketing decisionmaking. Understanding the market in which you are operating and your customers, in terms of who they are, what they value, why they buy the products they buy, where they buy them from and what needs are not being fulfilled is fundamental to creating a marketing orientated organisation.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

The marketing research process, secondary research, qualitative data collection, quantitative data collection, the survey instrument, sampling, questionnaire design, marketing information systems, basic data analysis. Introduction to widely available sources of secondary research including commercial sources and government sources such as the Office for National Statistics.

This module will equip students with creative thinking theory, tools and techniques to enhance creativity and solve business problems utilising an “out of the box” and innovative approach. Creativity is a complex subject to evaluate and assess; therefore, the module assessment is twofold. On one hand, it will evaluate the process and the application of creative thinking techniques and in the other hand, their ability to create new ideas as a response to a business based problem.The module will nurture creativity and independent learning to create business-based solutions.

RATIONALE

In any role within any profession or sphere of work, students will have a competitive advantage if they develop the ability to come up with new ideas. Creative thinking is one of the most required skills in every company according to LinkedIn Learning. Creative Thinking in Business is a way of thinking that inspires, challenges, and helps people to find innovative. solutions and create opportunities out of problems. It’s the source of innovation and inspiration.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Overview of the creative process and its application in business.
• Creative thinking methods and techniques such as brainstorming, mind-mapping, SCAMPER, Six Hats Thinking
• Creativity theories and their roles in business.
• Types of thought – the psychology of thought patterns and creative thinking

This module is concerned with developments in Human Resource Management since the early 1980s and current people management practice. In keeping with the management discipline in general, there have been a number of significant developments in the management of people over the last few decades not least with the move away from Personnel Management to Human Resource Management. The module will take a practical yet integrated approach, as required by today’s HR professionals. Key theoretical issues will be studied and used to support the professional approach to HRM. The direction for the industry will be taken from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, especially considering the key professional areas and standards. Students will practice some key skills in constructive learning environments, thus attaining some useful HR “tools” that will help them manage people in the future.

RATIONALE

People management has come to occupy a central position in most organisations shaking off the add-on image it was once labelled. HR professionals occupy more senior positions in organisations than was the case throughout much of the twentieth century. The necessity of constructively and professionally managing within the Human Resource function is more critical now than it has ever been.

The module explores the nature of leadership and management roles within an environment characterised by change and cultural and organisational diversity. At the organisational level it considers how far organisational culture and change can be influenced by leaders and managers. At the national level it considers how national cultures influence leadership styles and the process of change. It considers experiences in large-scale organisations as well as small and medium sized enterprises and concludes with an examination of contemporary trends in these areas.

RATIONALE

The module provides students with an understanding of national and organisational cultures and the role of leadership in a context which is characterised by environmental change and uncertainty. It enables students to understand the different traits and characteristics found in national and organisational cultures and how these impact upon leadership and management approaches and the nature of work organisations. It is particularly relevant as more organisations operate in a global and interconnected context and require those employed to gain greater understanding of a range of business practices and approaches and how these impact upon performance.

Contemporary approaches to marketing require a consumer focus strategy. This module provides a comprehensive insight into consumer behaviour, from identification of needs to final satisfaction. It assists students to understand, analyse and predict various aspects of consumer behaviour and plan informed marketing strategies in different sectors. Students will gain experience in understanding and analysing the behaviour of consumers from different angels which marketing practitioners deal with.

RATIONALE

Consumers are the centre of marketing strategies and therefore understanding their behaviour is fundamentally important. Successful decisions, involved in devising an effective marketing mix for a product or service, rely on thorough knowledge of consumers. In addition, current emphasis on managing a long terms relation with consumers, personalized targeting strategies, and new trends in analysing behaviour has made this discipline increasingly more important. Consumer behaviour is also closely related to marketing research. In practical terms, this module addresses the following questions: How do consumers notice different kinds of marketing stimuli and how can we influence what they notice? What motivates or persuade them? What do they value? How can we motivate consumers to learn more about our product? How do they shape an attitude towards a brand or product? How do they find information and what makes them choose a specific product among unlimited options? What makes them satisfied? and finally how does culture/ sub-cultures influence their behaviour?

The module aims to enable students to develop a deeper understanding of international economic concepts, building on learning at Level 4. Theory pertaining to trade and international investment will be looked at, as will currency theory. The theory will be analysed in respect of trade and FDI flows, and movements in currency markets. Major players in the international economy will be analysed, in terms of their development and economic models. The role of institutions such as the EU, WTO and IMF will also be considered.

RATIONALE

It has to be recognised that this module will sit within a broader Business and Management degree. Business operates today in an international environment, and even if not actively involved, all businesses are subject to international influences. It is important that students, as potential managers, understand the role of national and international macroeconomic change, and the diversity of markets. It is also vital that, as students of Economics, they appreciate the theory underpinning international exchange. Throughout the module, a connection will be made between theory and the real world of international exchange.

This module provides a theoretical basis for understanding the nature of leisure and tourism and for the identification of key issues, problems and trends within these sectors. It takes the study of leisure and tourism ab initio and allows students to consider the development of these phenomena, the role of different providers, the importance of leisure to different communities and the spaces in which leisure takes place. It examines the economic, social and cultural significance of leisure and tourism and seeks to ascertain not only the current importance of leisure and tourism, but also how trends may indicate the future of these industries.

RATIONALE

This module introduces and explores the key themes and concepts associated with the study of Leisure and Tourism management and provides a fundamental element to progression through the named route. In the era of the twenty-four hour society and the context of ongoing and predicted changes in the relationship between work and leisure, this module aims to provide a platform for the examination of the leisure environment and its constituent sectors.

Heritage is not only a growing area of tourism and leisure, but one of academic study. Increased heritage consumption though visiting museums, landscapes and heritage sites encourage and combine enjoyment and learning. The way in which objects and practices from the past have survived is often the result of deliberate choices, particularly when &’official’ heritage protection steps in. The conservation of heritage involves choices about what to preserve or enhance or discard, whilst heritage tourism makes more decisions about the marketing messages. Curatorial Management creates and selects the official importance and meanings of the things they look after. Official heritage has its own history of changing ideas about how best to identify and protect heritage, and indeed an expanding definition of what ‘heritage’ is.

RATIONALE

This module explores the heritage debate and analyses the reasons why preserving the past is considered important in post-industrial society. The focus is a contemporary consideration of the meanings attached to heritage by a variety of organisations and individuals. It seeks to challenge current attitudes to conservation and develop a high level of critical thinking. Case studies include both urban and rural environments.

This module focuses on the development and interpretation of financial and statistics information to be used in the context of personal skills development and an understanding of business. The module introduces students to basic accounting statements including the statement of financial position; the income statement and cashflow statements and forecasts.

RATIONALE

An ability to understand and interpret information is an invaluable ability/skill for all who are involved with organisations, whether they be: employee; researcher; manager; consumer and the main decision-making tool used by organisations is arguably ‘financial information’.

Developing the ‘skills’ to understand and evaluate financial information from both a ‘financial viewpoint’ and also a ‘statistical perspective’ will be an essential asset for the student, both immediately in understanding organisations, and also in the context of career development and employment opportunities.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Financial information; historic data and the requirements to produce and use this information
• Developing the use of management accounting techniques and the fundamental concepts and techniques.
• Understanding basic statistical tools and how they can be employed in decision making.

Marketing is an exciting and dynamic subject and as one of the central functions of any business it is at the heart of the organisation’s activities. Focusing on customers and successfully meeting their needs is central to the success of any business organisation. This module provides an introduction to marketing and demonstrates its centrality to business decision making.

RATIONALE

This module aims to provide a solid introduction to marketing as a stand-along module, or as a lead into furthermore specialist modules. It addresses key marketing concepts of which those in business in any functional area should be cognisant. A range of marketing concepts, theories and models are introduced and set within the context of the fast moving and dynamic business environment.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

The evolution of marketing and the marketing concept will be examined, the role of marketing in business organisations and its contribution to the value proposition is considered. Marketing environments will be identified; both micro and macro, and their impact examined. The role of marketing research will be considered. The processes of segmentation, targeting and positioning are considered and their value examined. The components of the marketing mix will be introduced and examined.

Marketing communications is a central theme in marketing. Marketers have a range of tools available to them to influence consumers and communicate the value of their products to them. This module introduces these promotional tools and techniques.

RATIONALE

The purpose of marketing communications is to influence and encourage customers to accept or adopt goods, services or ideas. This is achieved through promotional activities in a variety of forms including advertising, selling, sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing. This module introduces the communication tools available to the marketer alongside the range of media options. This module will underpin Integrated Digital Campaigns at Level 5

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Models of the communication process
• The elements of marketing communications
• Promotion as part of the marketing mix
• The elements of the promotional mix including: advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, exhibitions, sponsorship and direct mail
• The range of media available

This module is a hands-on project where students working in small groups will design and undertake a small-scale practical research project utilising and further developing, the marketing research theoretical knowledge developed in BUS1021.

RATIONALE

Marketing research is crucial to organisations adopting a marketing philosophy. It is a means of enhancing marketing decisions by providing relevant, timely and accurate information. Such information allows organisations to identify and define marketing opportunities and marketing problems and initiate appropriate marketing responses. Students studying this module will have already studied some of the theory underpinning Marketing Research in BUS1021, and this module, through affording students, the opportunity to conduct a real-life marketing research project from conception to analysis, will enhance students’ practical skills and understanding of the research process.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• The marketing research process
• Primary research
• Qualitative data collection techniques
• Quantitative data collection techniques
• Sampling
• Basic data analysis

The module provides students with an overall knowledge, from a practical point of view, of the fundamentals of creative design and visual communication used by marketers and advertisers in the development of corporate brand identity and promotional materials. Alongside developing practical skills, this module provides students with key design and visual communication theories to inform design choices in the development of corporate brand identity and promotional materials.

RATIONALE

Design matters, it helps shaping organisations visually and verbally. Effective design is the vehicle to communicate companies’ values, personality and USP helping them to stand out from the crowd. Design helps companies to stay relevant and desirable in an ever-changing climate and to make a real difference. Whether internal or external, every business has an element of visual communication created through design.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

This module will explore the main principles and processes of design and visual communication covering the fundamentals of creative design such as printing techniques, layout, typography, image and colour. Design elements such as balance, contrast, golden ratio, rule of thirds, symmetry and hierarchy. On the other hand, the module will introduce key aspects of corporate brand identity such as brand guidelines, brand essence, brand personality and brand consistency.

The module is designed to introduce students to a variety of research methods and techniques aimed at improving both their academic skills and employability prospects. Students will be involved in undertaking both positivistic and interpretivist research methods to solve appropriate issues and problems identified by themselves. The module places research ethics at its core ensuring all research undertaken by students is ethically informed. Skills developed in the module will assist students prepare for advanced research in their level 6 studies in addition to providing researching abilities which will be required as students undertake careers in their chosen area of business.

RATIONALE

Research methods and philosophies are crucial to personal, academic and vocational development. Research methods are utilised at all levels of the degree programme and employers are increasingly looking for graduates who have specific skills, including those significantly developed through learning in research methods. Research methods are required to undertake specific academic projects, in order to enhance knowledge and understanding and also, in a vocational context, to address specific business issues and practical managerial problems. Research methods transcend many of the key skills in which graduates are increasingly expected to demonstrate competency.

This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the importance of total quality management which is an essential aspect of every organisation, both manufacturing and service industries in order to survive in a competitive environment.

RATIONALE

The essence of Total Quality Management is a dedication to understanding what the customer wants and then employing. resources including people to set up systems and processes to deliver products and services that delight the customer. This concept is an important one for students to grasp to be able to add value to any organisation. Any business operation that would not comply with quality standards would be unsuccessful in the current global climate were the customer is well informed, and competitors are striving to impress customers. In addition to this, government regulations require organisations to adhere to quality standards to operate successfully. This module would provide a valuable contribution in preparing students for the world of business.

It can be argued that the drive to privatisation and marketization accelerated from 1979 in the UK, and shortly after in the USA. The nature of work, as experienced by employees also changed with significant increases in flexible work patterns and increasing importance of service sector employment. Hence, the repertoire of skills required of those involved in managing people continues to expand. The purpose of the module is to provide students with a critical understanding of the changing nature of work, as well as raising their awareness of the practical strategies used by organisations to manage such changes.

RATIONALE

It has consistently been argued by proponents of HRM that the people working in organisations (not just the systems, capital etc.) are a key source of competitive advantage. Employees bring ideas, creativity, enthusiasm, which contemporary organisations are encouraged to tap into. Further, the UK workforce is becoming ever more diverse with greater numbers of people from countries including the expanding EU. However, it is not just employees from other countries who contribute to organisational diversity; there has been a steady increase in the number of women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds entering the workforce. The purpose of the module is to critically reflect on the ever changing working environment from both a managerial and employee perspective. Academically the module will be informed through critical approaches to organisational theory including labour process theory and the alienation this can engender in employees. The module will bring such theoretical approaches into contemporary organisational operations by applying theory to the expanding services sector both inside the UK and the trend to outsource many services to offshore locations. Vocationally this will provide students with an understanding of many of the current issues in the employment relationship they may experience once they enter the world of work.

An understanding of the ways in which business operates internationally is important in the 21st century. This module studies the various factors shaping international business in today’s globalising world economy. Students will analyse the different ways and conditions under which firms internationalise their operations, and how different structural changes in the global economies are impacting upon the international business environment. Relevant economic, political, institutional, technological, environmental, and socio-cultural factors in this regard are considered. Academic theories from the fields of international business, trade, investment, globalisation, development, regional integration and economic geography underpin the module.

RATIONALE

The world in which business operates has changed substantially in recent years, and many of the pressures under which British businesses operate are international. The understanding of key economic concepts and theories will be developed in this module, and critical analysis will be undertaken to examine from an economic perspective the operation of business in a fast-changing global economy. In addition, the module will consider other significant international factors such as business cultures, political systems, pressure groups and environmental issues. As well as having a theoretical underpinning, the module will be highly topical. In this module, we will be heavily focused on key real-world issues currently facing international business. The module will aim to develop analytical skills, and the ability to examine international business issues from a range of perspectives.

 INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Understanding international business in the broader context of globalisation.
• The impact of economic, political, institutional, technological, environmental and socio-cultural factors on international business.
• Transnational corporations, international trade, investment, finance and the state.
• International business markets and sectors in the global economy.
• The economic geography and region integrational dimensions of international business.
• International business, economic development, sustainability and ethical issues

Businesses are placed under considerable pressure to engage in ethical behaviour from a variety of stakeholders. This module examines these pressures and considers ways in which companies can structure their response and considers the implications for both business and society of ignoring their ethical responsibilities.

RATIONALE

The Global marketplace presents challenges for organisations to balance the social, economic and environmental components of their business, while building shareholder value. Organisations that choose to ignore this responsibility, risk their futures, reputations and profits and its is therefore imperative that the modern manager is aware of the various ethical issues that may have an impact upon their organisation and devise mechanisms to deal with them. This module will develop student understanding of an organisation’s overall responsibility to its various stakeholder groups together with the mechanisms by which they can analyse and address these issues. They will consider the importance of ethical theory and the mechanisms of regulation and control.

The module aims to enable students to develop a deeper understanding of economic concepts introduced at Level 4; and to introduce new concepts in both micro and macroeconomic analysis. Crucially, micro- and macro-economic analysis will be applied to business scenarios. This will include a development of the supply, demand, price and elasticity analysis introduced at Level 4. Marginal utility theory, and indifference curve analysis will follow, as well as profit maximisation models under different market structures. Game theory will also be considered. Micro theory will be applied to goods, labour and financial markets. On macro, models of equilibrium in goods and money markets will be covered, as well as the development of analysis of the main economic indicators, economic policies and the wider economic situation.

RATIONALE

This module will be studied within the wider context of a Business and Management degree, and as such it is important to recognise the importance and relevance of Economics to business. This is the case both in terms of market understanding and also in respect of the environment, national and international, in which business operates. This higher-level module will develop theoretical concepts, but also show their connection to the world of business. All theory, micro and macro, will be considered in respect of actual or potential business or market situations, and wider economic scenarios.

This course is designed as a response to the need for analytics in the market place. Analytics are related to use of data to improve managerial decisions. Companies are now more aware of analytics’ benefits and are using data to make business and marketing decisions. In this module students will be introduced to different data types used in analytics and their advantages and limitations. On successful completion of the module, they will be able to understand the output of such tool and interpret the results which lead to marketing decisions.

RATIONALE

As companies are collecting large amount of data, marketing decisions made by them has become data-based. More and more companies are now heavily investing in marketing analytics. Therefore, analysing the “digital footprints” in a meaningful manner is essential. Due to the unstructured nature of data, understanding behavioural patterns is complex. This course aims to provide a background understanding of analytics in relation to marketing strategy and communication.

The module will give students an opportunity do begin to develop some understanding of key principles of law as they relate to business and commerce and will be able to demonstrate the ability to apply these to problem situations within a typical business environment.

RATIONALE

An understanding of some basic legal principles is important to managers, in particular the rules relating to contract; consumer protection, corporate liability and employment. An understanding of these key areas of liability can help inform decision making in organisations. Recourse to law though is generally to be avoided and so it is important that the subject is seen in a wider context and students exposed to issues relating to risk evaluation. The subject is important in that it provides opportunities for the application of higher-level skills. The subject is essentially ‘applied’ in that the module seeks to develop management skills in problem analysis and solution. To this end the module will utilise a number of case studies looking at organisational problems.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Foundations of Law, Contract, Negligence, Health and Safety, Employment protection, Employment Rights, Discrimination issues

The module introduces the area of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), allowing students to appreciate the complexities of CRM implementation and impact of CRM on business strategy, users activity and firm process and functionality. Students will critically examine CRM techniques, and use / assess a CRM commercial software package. Customer Relationship Management is about building relationships with customers in order to develop and build loyalty and so keep customers for longer. This drives higher profits and keeps competitors out. Customer service is a key area here, along with delivering products that exceed customer expectations. The aim is to nurture customers who are loyal to the brand rather than price driven and open to switching to the competition. Graduates taking up any field in marketing (and business) will need a good understanding of this area in order to knit together other marketing disciplines be they product/brand management, consumer or business to business marketing.

RATIONALE

The module addresses industry-led requirements for students to have an understanding an insight into customer/supplier centric relationships across all areas of private, public and voluntary sector bodies. Use of Loyalty Marketing and building closeness of a long-term relationship for businesses is key to profitability and success and students will require to demonstrate how this is generated through interaction with processes and strategies throughout the Module.

Drawing upon the public policy and planning literatures, this module examines the role of public policy ( at central and local government levels) and the planning processes which have a major impact on leisure and tourism, not only in terms of public sector provision but in shaping the political, economic, social and environmental conditions within which the whole sector operates. The module will introduce students to the various perspectives on social policy and facilitate an understanding of contemporary debates on the development of public policy and the dynamics and tensions within public and private provision. It is also important to recognise that management decision making takes place within the context of competing ideologies, relationships and power bases, and is not simply a matter of the application of technical expertise.

RATIONALE

This module provides one of the key components to the study of leisure and tourism management. The policy and planning frameworks provide the background around which leisure and tourism management activities revolve. Planning for the provision of leisure services, facilities and tourism opportunities is a major challenge for the future. It is important to ensure that resources are used efficiently, sustainably and equitably, and to ensure that all sectors of society can fulfil their needs and aspirations.

Tourism and leisure have an undoubted, profound and sometimes catastrophic effect on the socio-cultural, physical, natural environments as well as on fragile ecosystems. With an increasing emphasis being placed on market positioning based around price rather than quality, and the spontaneous, unplanned and poorly managed leisure and tourism development, we have witnessed a breakdown of environmental capacities and the spoiling of the quality of facilities, leisure spaces and destinations. The result is that economic, social and environmental indicators consistently show that development is no longer sustainable in its present form. This module deals with these issues and assesses the ways in which they are managed.

RATIONALE

Leisure and tourism and destination managers in both the public and private sectors must understand the implications of planning, the concept of sustainable planning and the variety of environmental management techniques at their disposal to both help prevent and mitigate negative social, cultural, political and environmental impacts.

The subject of Economics can be broadly divided into two levels of analysis. Microeconomics is concerned with analysing economic actions at the individual, singular or ground level, whether this is people, firms, organisations, industries or markets. Macroeconomics on the other hand analyses economic actions at national and international aggregated level, thus looking at what is happening across whole economies. There are also economic issues and analysis that cut across both micro and macro levels (e.g. technology, sustainable development) that we will also examine in the module. Semester 1 will be devoted to microeconomics study subjects while in Semester 2 will focus on macroeconomics and key economic issues relevant to business.

RATIONALE

Having a good working knowledge of Economics is vitally important for the understanding of business behaviour, strategy and performance, and anyone entering the business environment should have knowledge in this area. Economics as an academic subject recognises that resources are scarce. Business and Management – in its consideration of scarce resources and decision-making on how to best use and allocate those resources – is thus firmly rooted in Economics. It is largely focused on understanding markets, and how they affect pricing and investment decisions. The subject is also concerned with the local, national and international economies in which business operates. The module has been developed after consideration of the 2015 QAA Subject Benchmark Statement on Economics, and in recognition of the fact that, for these purposes, the subject sits within a degree in Business and Management

Review of entrepreneurial skills and small business development through theoretical concepts of enterprise, selfemployment and small business management evaluating differing environments within which enterprise operates (including the rise of the digital economy) creating an awareness of emergent business types and their markets, the factors behind small business start-ups, entry routes, funding and barriers. A practical element includes foundational steps towards a business start up project involving students demonstrating key skill areas such as communication, negotiation, self-management and problem solving; and more generic skills in numeracy, research and cognition. The combination of these aspects will enable students to evaluate a business idea, conceptualise and plan how to this could be brought successfully to market.

RATIONALE

The Dearing Report (1997) recommended that Universities should “identify opportunities to increase the extent to which programmes help students to become familiar with work and to help them reflect on such experience “Entrepreneurialism is recognised as a key element in the provision of management programmes at undergraduate level. The module enables students to organise and evaluate theoretical perspectives in a practical setting whilst at the same time informing their future learning processes and outcomes. Furthermore, as careers in self-employment and small and medium sized enterprises become serious graduate destinations, it is clear that Higher Education has a role to play in developing the appropriate skills in order that graduates can build on these opportunities.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Entrepreneurship & Introduction to small businesses, Initiatives to foster enterprise; defining enterprise; education/training and entrepreneurship; entrepreneurship outside the small business sector & define a small business and self-employment; the importance of the small business sector; sources of statistics; factors determining growth/decline; heterogeneity of the SME sector.
• Characteristics of people starting up in business & Employment in the small business sector: Age; human capital investment; ethnic origin; marital status; gender; social class; factors affecting business ‘success’ & owner-managers/self-employed (working hours, profitability, risk); employees (conditions of employment and job security); graduate employment/self-employment and the SME sector.
• Starting up in business & Success and failure in the small firm. Reasons for business start-up; routes to business entry; business planning; sources of assistance at business start-up; barriers to business start-up & statistics; ‘stories’; small business advice; reasons for business failure; enterprise training/education; small business objectives.
• Enterprise skills & practical application. Self-management (researching, planning, organising, negotiating, objective setting, motivation, time management, stress management), working in groups, the business start-up process, reflection.

This module aims to provide learners with an understanding of and an ability to apply a range of mathematical and statistical concepts and techniques to a variety of economic situations. Descriptive statistics and techniques used for summarising and analysing data are fundamental to the work of business and economics professionals which allows one to present information to a wide range of participants. The use of probability, statistical tests, different set of distributions will allow one to analyse risk, uncertainty, and data to derive interpretive results. Basic probability rules are needed for analysing the importance and significance level of explanatory variables. The relationship between variables are used in the area of business planning and economic analysis. Different set of basic economic indices are provided which could be implemented in different subject areas of economics and interpreting economic situations.

RATIONALE

This module primarily introduces statistical concepts and techniques associated with economics and business. It provides core skills needed for rigorous study of economic analysis in any economic subject areas. Topics covered in this module provide foundations for economic analysis and analytical skills to derive results for interpreting economic and business situations and will contribute to the graduate employability skills.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Summarising and analysing economics and business data through descriptive statistics
• Use of probability and probability distributions to make decisions under uncertain economic conditions.
• Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing – Estimate accuracy of the significance of economic analysis with the small and large economic data. Evaluate the significance of the economic conditions.
• Correlation, simple and multiple regressions – Association between economic variables, and their graphical and statistical presentation. Understand the statistical significance of relationships between economic variables
• Index numbers – Indices for economic data such as unemployment and price, cost of living indices, inequality and poverty measures

Information has been described as the currency of the 21st century; unlike a physical good it increases not decreases in value as supply increases. This module provides an insight into how organisations are creating, collating and making use of information for a range of purposes. These include managing organisational processes, providing services, tracking the behaviour of consumers and forecast demand for products and services. This comes at a cost and the module also considers the ethical issues around a world where your movements, habits and hobbies can be quantified, anticipated, profiled and packaged for profit.

RATIONALE

In a post-industrial society, the ability to manage information is critical for all organisations from multinationals to government to small businesses. Graduates will be expected to use, manage and analysis a range of digital information sources, the internet and Social Networking Sites as a routine activity. Skills that will be of particularly valuable as the Digital Economy continues to grow and organisations make use of increasingly vast interconnected (big) data sources.  This module provides a through grounding in how information is central to the management of organisations and wealth creation in society. Moreover, it starts the students on a journey that will continue throughout their in terms of developing Digital Information Fluency – the ability to find, assess and use digital information sources for research and commerical purposes.

Moreover, it has been bench-marked against other programmes – information management is now standard across all UG management programmes and QAA guidance on Business and Management programmes (2007), makes particular reference to the fact that graduates must have a understanding of ‘the development, management and exploitation of information systems and their impact upon social media’ and a comprehension of ‘relevant communication and information technologies for application in business and management’ (p. 3)

The ubiquity of the internet has changed much of our consumption and has also affected marketing substantially. This module aims to introduce a broad range of topics in the area of digital marketing including website marketing, social media marketing, e-commerce and digital advertising.

Rationale

The emphasis on providing digital marketing skills and knowledge in contemporary marketing cannot be overemphasised. The industry has rapidly evolved and continues to evolve due to the dynamic digital marketing environment and divisions between websites/social media/e-commerce have increasingly blurred in the marketplace. These skills are highly sought after in the current labour market, which includes an emphasis on digital acumen and online marketing skills

The module is designed to provide learners with the opportunity to consider Project Management concepts and practicalities such that the said concepts can be applied into a working environment.

RATIONALE

Project Management is an area of study that recognises that resources are scarce and that choices must be made between the alternatives available in terms of bringing a project to a satisfactory finish on time and budget. Building on from basic economic concerns, Project Management considers the practical apportionment of people, time, finances and materials, and seeks to ensure output is achieved as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Project Management seeks to ensure entire projects are run efficiently and profitably – the subject area ultimately incorporates most areas of business/management into efficiency drives and should open lines of enquiry for students to integrate the subject matter into other lines of study, as well as introducing concepts/theories from other modules into the Project Management module.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Introduction to Project Management. What is project management? The issues and challenges facing project management. Why projects fail. Project leadership.
• The Project Management lifecycle. Project management steps, project management solutions and the project management maturity model.
• Return on Investment Methodology. Initial analysis and ROI process model. Introducing operating standards.
• Aligning the business with the project. Capacity, demand and capacity, seasonality, fluctuations, design capacity and effective capacity, level capacity plans, chase demand plans, managing demand.
• Measuring. Reactions, volume decisions, timing decisions, inventory analysis and control systems. Data collection methods, barriers to success, measurement issues.

Branding is a central concept in marketing. This module examines the role of marketing communications in building brands and is designed to link brand strategy and positioning to the creative aspects of branding. The module requires students to examine the elements required to build successful brands with specific focus on the role of digital media.

RATIONALE

This module examines the role of marketing communications in building brands. Branding is a central concept in marketing. It is fundamental to the success of many products and organisations as it signals a product’s positioning strategy to the marketplace, enables companies to establish their corporate reputation, and that of their products, and through the creation of strong brands and brand equity can build customer value. The module is designed to link brand strategy and positioning to the creative aspects of branding thus preparing students for the marketing, marketing communications and branding industry by building a clear bridge between creative solutions and formulating strategy. Campaigns and strategic planning are an essential part of marketing communications and studying campaigns will enable students to analyse the suitability of various techniques measured against objectives and outcomes. The module requires students to examine the elements required to build successful brands and specifically the use of traditional and contemporary media.

The module explores the process of strategy formulation and implementation and considers how the decision making process influences the choices made by those involved in deciding the strategic direction of organisations.

RATIONALE

The rapidly changing environment in which organisations operate requires students to develop an understanding of the factors influencing the strategic direction of organisations. This requires students to develop a critical understanding of how psychological, political, economic, social, cultural and technological factors influence decision making and the subsequent formulation and implementation of strategy in a range of different types of organisations. It also requires students to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach that draws upon their learning in other modules and any relevant experience that they possess. The module also provides an opportunity for students to develop cognitive skills such as critical analysis and evaluation, communication skills (both oral and written), team working skills and skills in decision making and creativity.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Approaches to decision making including individual and group perspectives.
• The process of formulating and implementing strategy and the different schools of thought put forward by theorists.
• The practical issues experienced by managers and organisations in different types of organisations including SMEs, large enterprises operating on a local and global scale, public sector and non-profit organisations.
• It considers key issues for strategic success such as creativity and innovation, the role of information, entrepreneurship, organisational learning and the micro-political process.

An understanding of the financial implications of decisions is vital for managers. This module introduces some of the techniques used in financial decision-making and provided an insight into the complex issues involved in the financial appraisal of long-term projects.

RATIONALE

The primary focus of this module is to provide an opportunity for those students with an interest in developing their finance skills to so do, and to give a deeper understanding of the theory and practice of strategic financial management.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

The topic areas to be covered include:

• Financial management function – the nature and purpose of financial management, financial objectives and their relationship with corporate strategy, the achievement of corporate objectives, the achievement of stakeholder objectives and not-for-profit organisations
• Financial management environment – the economic environment for business and financial markets and institutions.
• Management of working capital – the nature and objectives of working capital; managing inventories, accounts receivable and accounts payable; working capital finance including the management of cash, cash flow forecasts, treasury management, cash management models, investing surplus cash, working capital funding strategies
• Investment appraisal or capital budgeting – the capital budgeting process, relevant cash flows, the payback period, the return on capital employed, NPV, IRR, assessment of DCF methods, allowing for inflation and taxation, risk and uncertainty, sensitivity analysis, probability analysis, other risk adjustment techniques, lease or buy decisions, asset replacement decisions, capital rationing.
• Business finance – short-term sources of finance, debt finance, venture capital, equity finance, Islamic finance, dividend policy as internal sources of finance, gearing and capital structure, finance for small and medium-sized entities.

Where will the challenges of the next decade come from? This questions and students’ answers lie at the heart of this module: the changing face of commerce and their role in it. Capitalism is an evolutionary process where new industries, new process and new ways of working continually emerge overturning the existing Status Quo. In this module, students will be asked to explore and decide for themselves where the big changes of the next decade will come from and how it will impact the world they graduate into.

RATIONALE

The Knowledge Foundation’s document entitled ‘Employability and Skills in the UK: Redefining the debate’ (2012) note that “graduates must be prepared for an economy where “technology and knowledge-based activities taking the lead – advanced manufacturing, low carbon activities, high tech and business services, and the cultural and creative industries”. This module is intended to stimulate the students minds in regard to what their future employment opportunities might be and what the key issues face organisations as they prepare to enter the world of work or full study while developing their critical reasoning skills and ability to weight possible options and trends. In addition, it has been benchmarked against the QAA ‘General Business and Management’ (2007) document which notes that graduates should be able to ‘understanding and responding to change and the consideration of the future of organisations and the external environment in which they operate’. Furthermore, in terms of skills development they should be able to ‘identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence and … to generalise appropriately’. On a skills development level, it is intended to assist in their communication via asking them to use a range of tools are widely used in business such as ‘the preparation and presentation of business reports’.

How do digital goods and services change the nature of competitive advantage? The internet and the rise of ubiquitous mobile devices had changed business and society, a new economy of creativity, opportunity, connectivity and content has been created. This module considers this ‘digital economy’, the key concepts underpinning commercial activities and considers how the application of existing theories of competitive advantage and added value based can be applied to or are changed by digital goods and services that have no physical form. The module makes extensive use of case-studies to illustrate emerging research on how organisational strategy and underlying business models are changed. Students are asked to investigate and analyse real world products such as Netflix, Candy Crush Saga etc.

 RATIONALE

The UK Strategy Technology Board notes that The UK internet economy (ICT, Software such as mobile applications and Content such as Facebook) is estimated to be larger per head than in any other country and is currently worth 100 Billion (Pounds Sterling) and is expected to grow to 10% of GDP by 2015. Those new opportunities have seen the raise of business strategies that were difficult to undertake in the traditional economy. From an economic perspective, this has led. to the new application of business models but this has also led to the increased strength of consumers in the economic relationship and equally increased concerns about privacy and how and when data is collected, analysed and used. This module is not intended to capture all of the complexes of those changes in society, commerce and social-political change (broadly ‘The Digital Economy’) but simply to concentrate on one aspect – how has the growth in digital goods/service led to changes in how organisations develop and implement strategy. It is intended to fulfil several functions:

• It fits within the QAA guidance (see QAA guidance document Enterprise and Entrepreneurship) on enterprise education, entrepreneurship education and effectiveness in that it should provide an ‘enhanced capability to generate ideas and skills’ and ‘equip students with the additional knowledge, attributes and capabilities’ required for operating a digital enterprise or developing digital goods or services.
• It maps against the QAA ‘General business and management’ (2007) benchmark statements in that it provides an overview of the relationship in relation to ‘the development of appropriate policies and strategies within a changing environment’ and “business innovation, creativity, enterprise development”.
• It provides employability skills for students who will be facing an economy that is increasing based on ‘skilled job creation through business formation and growth in the technology sector’ (Department For Business Innovation & Skills – Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth 2011)

This module builds on various modules in Level 4 and Level 5 including Operations Management, Economics and International Business. International Logistics in a global context, is the set of processes required to strategically manage materials and product flows from suppliers through to the final customer in order to achieve competitive advantage. This module looks at the theoretical background of logistics and considers the practical perspectives of logistics from an international trade perspective. It will consider how effective logistics and procurement systems can become key business enablers. The module also considers how international supply chains must form a significant element of the strategy of any organisation operating on a global basis.

RATIONALE

Due to the internationalisation of businesses (both large and more recently small, due to the take-up of e-business), the importance of Logistics, particularly from an International perspective, should be understood such that such knowledge can be strategically implemented to make businesses run effectively and efficiently.

This course aims to provide and discuss the key economic, social, and political factors responsible for economic development and growth. This module gives insight into economic theories analysing the development patterns across different countries and explaining differences. It will also consider what factors effectively enhance or hinder economic growth. The module will also examine the relationship of economic development with national and international institutions, macroeconomic policy and foreign direct investment. The role of civil society and the environment on economic development will also be considered, as will socio-economic issues such as poverty and inequality.

RATIONALE

Understanding the domestic and international factors affecting economic development is essential for managers in their business decision making process. Business is now integral to the global economy, and international trade and foreign direct investments are influenced by economic development, and the different models of economic development, throughout the world. This module thus reflects the fact that the world is becoming increasingly interdependent and that actions taken in one part of the world can have a profound impact, for better or worse, on other countries. In this respect, this module will lead to better understanding of the key concepts and ideas of economic development. It will also consider the implications of economic development on business and society.

This module aims to provide learners with an understanding of and an ability to critically analyse contemporary issues in Economics. Economic theories and understanding established in Level 4 and 5 will be utilised to analyse contemporary economic situations and policies. This module will cover significant economic events nationally and internationally, in respect of both the economic situation and policy. All issues will be considered from the perspective of business and management. The topics covered will be current, and significant.

RATIONALE

The continual change in the economic situation, domestically and globally, and the increasing inter-dependence of economies, make it ever-more important that we understand the environment in which business operates. Managers need an understanding of these economic pressures when making decisions and planning ahead. Examples of such issues might be changes in official regulations, or government policy, which could affect businesses directly. Or they might be wider issues which will change the environment in which businesses operate, such as the sovereign debt crisis, and its implications for the Eurozone; or economic change in important markets. Economic theories obtained in earlier levels of the degree will be utilised to analyse these real-world contemporary situations and allow learners to appreciate the everchanging and multi-faceted pressures faced by businesses.

The module critically investigates how far human relationships are central to Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). The module takes a cross disciplinary approach making content as relevant to health and education as it is to sport, events management or any other organisational setting which requires people management. We will place the module inside the globalised context with a focus on developments in cross industry, cross continent context where the soft’ rhetoric of people as an organisation’s greatest assets often collides with the ‘hard’ reality that ‘people’ constitute only a part of organisations strategic thinking and are used like any other asset or resource.

RATIONALE

The module explores the cultural and economic relationships that underpin the employment relationship to provide a better understanding of the complex and various motivations that lie behind people’s actions. This will better enable students wanting to develop a career in HRM to understand their role in the complexity of the modern organisation. It will enable them to look critically at existing HR practice and draw on theoretical approaches to envisage the possibility of a re-worked SHRM model based around motivated, empowered and involved employees.

This module takes a critical position in reflecting on why it seems almost inevitable for institutions and their employees to misbehave. Institutional racism and misbehaviour appears in the police; politicians appear to have ‘fiddled’ expenses; and financial institutions amongst other issues rigged the LIBOR interest rate setting mechanism. We will critically review such instances of personal and institutional misbehaviour to understand why it appears so difficult for organisations and their employees to act in a way which is both ethical and aligns with the moral norms we expect from our principal institutions.

RATIONALE

The module will apply theories including rationality and game theory aligned with appropriate and current case studies to help understand why organisations and employees misbehave. Theoretically the module will present the tensions between instrumental and substantive rationality as a framework to help understand what drives certain decisions in specific circumstances. Linking theory to practical examples will provide students with a critical insight into many of the contradictions and complexities they will face when they move into work. The module will provide insights for both HR specialists and more general managers as inevitably working with or managing people requires understandings of how and why people behave in particular ways.

All businesses now operate in an increasingly global world. Many companies operate internationally and even those who don’t, have to compete with international competitors in their domestic market. Consequently, an understanding of international influences is critical. This module intends to provide students with an understanding of the dynamics of the international marketplace and the complex and challenging forces shaping it. The module develops understanding of marketing concepts by providing opportunities to apply them to a range of settings in international and global contexts.

RATIONALE

In view of emerging world markets and increasing globalisation this module intends to provide students with an informed appreciation of international marketing. It provides the means for students to integrate aspects of operational marketing within a global perspective. This module through its teaching and learning strategy provides students with an opportunity to further develop cognitive skills such as critical analysis, evaluation, synthesis and problem-solving skills.

The Module will help students to define and understand how marketing in society is utilised as a tool for public services such as charities, government and the health service. This will involve the study of the business and social environments in terms of their target audiences, resources, planning, education and current changes. The Module will familiarise students with key models of behaviour change and the role of stakeholders, values, beliefs, emotions and lifestyles in influencing such change, with emphasis on environmentally sustainable behaviour. The module also clarifies the misconceptions that. people sometimes have about used a social marketing approach. The module concludes by introducing a practical and reflective campaign process that supports the use of a social marketing approach to achieve behaviour change.

RATIONALE The Module will allow students to engage with projects and organisations engaged with delivery of key social messages that impact on our everyday lives. Students will learn the concepts and techniques used in the marketing of such messages and their influences.

This module will consider the role of advertising in on-line and off-line integrated marketing communications strategies. It will drill into the elements that comprise individual adverts and consider how the range of on-line and off-line media vehicles available to deliver it have blurred the boundaries between advertising and individual elements of the promotion mix.

RATIONALE

Advertising is arguably the oldest and most visible element of the marketing communications mix but it also attracts much controversy. UK firms spent over 16 billion pounds on advertising in 2013 and Deloitte’s (2013) have estimated that every £1 spent on advertising contributes £6 to the UK economy. It is important therefore that students understand the strategic role of advertising and the rationale that underpins the design and development of individual adverts. In addition, they need to understand the place of advertising within the marketing communications techniques available to marketers whilst understanding the effects advertising has on the consumer and the debates that emanate from those effects.

Effective marketing strategy and planning is essential for all organisations. This module is designed to provide an understanding of marketing management and planning and to engage students in the marketing decision-making process via the use of a marketing simulation package.

RATIONALE

All organisations, whether profit-making or not-for-profit, operate within a dynamic marketing environment making effective marketing strategy and planning essential. It is imperative that marketing managers understand this environment and develop marketing strategies to survive and prosper within it. This module is designed to provide an understanding of marketing management and planning and to engage students in the marketing decision-making process via the use of a marketing simulation package.

How do you turn a good idea into a successful market-leading product? Entrepreneurship and innovation go hand in hand and involve the development and release of a new product/service or the repacking of an existing one to provide competitive advantage or even create new markets. This module explores a variety of concepts around strategic entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. We will examine the difference between an idea, an invention and an innovation and provide students with a case-led understanding of the process in action, from creation to implementation. Moreover, it provides them with a number of tools and techniques to critically evaluate success and build on their previous experiences of work based learning or enterprise education.

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The UK Strategy Technology Board document concepts to commercialisation notes that ‘Globalisation brings both opportunities and challenges. To share in global growth, the UK has to compete effectively. This will depend on rapid technological innovation, effective Strategic management of knowledge, and a clear focus on higher value added goods, services and industries’ (pg 3. 2011).This module will explore the whole process of innovation from idea to product development and strategy development and the conditions that must be fulfilled for innovation to thrive. It synthesizes research from a number of areas in an attempt to highlight the importance of factors such as leadership, social and economic capital, structure and individual traits.It is intended to fulfil a number of functions:

• It fits within the QAA guidance (see QAA guidance document Enterprise and Entepreneurship) on enterprise education, entrepreneurship education and effectiveness in that it should provide an ‘enhanced capability to generate ideas and skills’ and ‘equip students with the additional knowledge, attributes and capabilities’ required for operating an enterprise;
• It maps against the QAA ‘general business and management’ (2007) benchmark statements in that it provides ‘This includes the encouragement of positive and critical attitudes towards change and enterprise, so as to reflect the dynamism and vibrancy of the business environment’;
• It provides employability skills for students who will be facing an economy that is increasing based on ‘skilled job creation through business formation and growth’ (Department For Business Innovation & Skills – Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth 2011).

A practical introduction to the fundamentals of computer programming. Students will be introduced to computational thinking, the basics of algorithmic design and the analytical techniques and processes essential for specifying, designing, and implementing simple software systems. This is a foundational module for which no pre-requisites are required.

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Computer programming is a sub-field within Computer Science, concerned with the creation of software systems. This module aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools needed to understand and create simple software systems, helping to prepare them for job roles in a computational world (e.g., software engineers, data scientists, web-developers, project managers etc.). To achieve this, students must be introduced to computational thinking – a problem solving approach that underpins computer programming. Computational thinking advocates breaking down large problems into a sequence of small, independently completable tasks. This approach allows complex problems to be solved efficiently at scale. To instil computational thinking, students must be taught to “think” like a machine. Once students are able to employ computational thinking, they can be taught the basics of a counter programming language. This will be achieved via hands practical exercises and problem-solving activities. These activities will challenge students, whilst developing their analytical skills. Students will ultimately attain basic proficiency in a modern programming language, that supports and reinforces the notion of computational thinking.

This module is a fusion of two distinct areas in the world of Web content production: Web Design; and Web Development. The elements of Web Design on this module will include colour & design theories, layout and typography. The elements of Web Development covered will include the use of HTML, CSS and the basics of developing accessible websites.

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In recent years, in a response to the rapidly changing nature of the World Wide Web (WWW), there has been a considerable push towards a more standards based and accessible approach to Web site development, using tools such as HTML and CSS. In addition, there has also been an increase in the number of Web authoring tools to aid in the development of Web sites.

This module will allow students to develop a sound understanding of the WWW, the related technologies, the relationships between them and also their use, which will be a valuable asset in all aspects of work within the Web industry. In addition, the module also provides an appropriate setting to introduce some of the more powerful, user friendly Web development tools used widely in the industry today, along with HTML and CSS and developing accessible web content.

This module is designed to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in web coding, teaching students how to create foundational algorithms and data-structures in a web environment. This module will enable students to create valid solutions for small-scale real-world problems.

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Software development for the web has made significant progress in the last decade, moving from primarily static pages to powerful and complex applications. This module will introduce the students to the fundamentals of web coding, the core algorithms and data structures, and how to ensure that their code is secure and correct. Students will be expected to apply fundamental algorithms and data-structures to solve small-scale real-world problems. Students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge in a number of programming languages for software development in client-server model. Students will also develop the necessary skills to create, debug and test the software applications.

In this module, students will develop an understanding of the role that games engines play in the development of interactive computer games. Creating an engagingly realistic and/or immersive experience in modern a videogame depends on creating complex, dynamic behaviour of the game characters or objects. This module explores the two fundamental components necessary to implement engaging game behaviour: Physics and artificial intelligence. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of how these are facilitated through the use of games engines.

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Games engines play a critical role in the development of computer games. Whether games are developed for consoles, PC or mobile devices there is typically a games engine deployed for the creation of the software. Games engines offer the core functionality required to support the implementation of games. Key features include rendering engines, physics engines, artificial intelligence, networking, streaming and threading. Engines also often provide a scripting engine to assist developers create and customise software. Otherwise, programmers make use of the engine through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) using common programming languages such as C++, C# or Java. The rationale for this module is to explore the adoption and usage of these engines as their use is considered good practice, if not essential, in the games software development industry.

This module is designed to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the basic principles of modern networking and data communications and at the same time motivate students to develop understanding and awareness of the emerging new technologies in the field.

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The importance of data communications and networking of computer systems has been rapidly increasing over the past few decades. Today, networking technology is at the heart of popular and important areas of distributed computing and Internet technologies. At the same time, with the emergence of wireless and mobile communications, new advancements in data communications and networking technologies have become possible. It is against this dynamic technology-driven background that today’s communications and network specialists need to practice and keep up-to-date. This module is designed to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the basic principles of modern data communications and networking, and at the same time to motivate students through understanding and awareness of the emerging new technologies in the field.

This module is designed to introduce students to the basic definitions and concepts in different relevant areas of cyber security. Students will learn the key approaches to secure information (information security), to design and evaluate secure networks (network security), to evaluate the security of web services (applications security), and to understand human aspect of security. Finally, essential legal and ethical aspects will also be presented and discussed.

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Organisations and individuals depend on the security of their computer systems to protect those systems and the sensitive data that they store, process, and communicate. As we can see from previous data breach incidents from well-known businesses, damage or loss through accident or malicious attack can have serious implications for those affected and can threaten the existence of organisations. With the strict data protection regulations such as the Data Protection Act 2018, protecting data becomes even more crucial. Understanding and identifying the security threat and learning the essential concepts to secure computer systems and networks is required for achieving these goals.

Module aims:

• To learn about the vulnerabilities, threat on computer systems, networks, and applications, and the obligations of businesses to protect their data.
• To understand attack approaches against computer systems, networks, and applications.
• To apply appropriate counter measures against some attacks.
• To integrate the students’ skills by tackling the complex problem of system security.

In this module, students will learn about various techniques for creating artificial intelligence. The students will acquire skills in developing algorithms in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing etc. In the process students will also develop various programming skills in various languages (such as python and Java) and platforms such as Pytorch, Tensorflow etc.

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Recent advances in computing have led to the proliferation of affordable ICT devices capable of collecting and processing massive amount of information in the form of digital data. This large amount of data can no longer be analysed using traditional model-based techniques. This has prompted researchers to develop data-based techniques that can learn patterns and relationships directly from the data itself. These methods are known as machine learning or data mining algorithms. These algorithms have now matured to a level to create an impact in our daily lives. For instance, our email clients learn to filter spams from our mailboxes from our own actions. The e-commerce websites analyse human behaviour to make recommendations or select people for offers. Social media websites like twitter customize the news feeds based on the user preferences. There are chat bots on websites that can intelligently respond to user queries. Our phone cameras are smart enough to recognize its owner and allow access to the phone. Autonomous cars now use complex deep learning algorithms to analyse and understand its environment and avoid collision with other objects on the road. IBM Watson defeated human experts in a live quiz session known as Jeopardy. DeepMind’s artificial agent called AlphaGo defeated the world champion in the Go game. Our smart phones are capable of understanding our voice commands. The list is endless. Given this proliferation of smart agents in our surroundings, it becomes necessary to create a next generation workforce who are well-versed in techniques that can help support, sustain and contribute towards creating this automated and intelligent future. This module will help the students in this regard.

This module introduces the student to the principles of embedded systems as essential tools for enabling many other advanced technologies we see or experience around us. The basics of the hardware and software unique to microcontrollers, as core component of embedded systems, are introduced. The student gets to program a microcontroller and applies this skill to communicate with or control external devices.

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Embedded systems today form the largest percentage of computer systems in service. In fact, they are more in numbers than all the other types of computer systems put together (e.g. mainframes, personal computers, etc.). This is hardly surprising as almost all moderately intelligent devices we use or rely upon (e.g. domestic appliances, mobile telephones, motor vehicles, most automated consumer products, dispensers, toys, etc.) contain one or more microcontroller devices. These embedded systems are mostly not seen, tucked away in some unreachable locations, and are expected to function for long periods of time (often many years) without fault, any attention, maintenance and often in environmentally unfriendly places. As a result they demand some unique engineering (both hardware and software) requirements. It is for these reasons that the computing students should have some appreciation of embedded systems as part of their well balanced education.

The embedded systems specialists are increasingly sought after as the systems are increasing in numbers and the technology is rapidly advancing. At the same time research in new embedded systems technology (e.g. low power requirements, smaller geometries, higher computing power, etc.) is expanding thus creating many opportunities for the computing graduates in research as a satisfying career.

Streaming media is a standard feature in many games ranging from the development process to the reporting medium. In this module you will look at the technical implementation and limits of platforms such as OnLive and at the technology that allows games to stream content dynamically to the user whilst still allowing them to play such as World of Warcraft. You willalso consider the effect that streaming media has had on games reporting and sales, including the advent of “Lets Players” and the boom of game streaming on platforms such as Twtich.TV

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Advances in computing and networking technology mean that it is now feasible to deliver media such as video and sound across the internet. This has become a standard expectation of web experiences, and now streaming has started encapsulating games presentation and development. The advent of the “Let’s Play” YouTube phenomena has shown how important streaming media is for the games industry from a sales, marketing and development standpoint. This module will cover the affect websites, such as YouTube and Twitch.TV, have had on the games industry, and the development process.

This module will also investigate the technical requirements of streaming, specifically aimed at the games industry. This will cover game streaming platforms such as OnLive, the streaming techniques employed by the current generation of consoles, and the techniques these games use such as phasing, instancing and streaming.

In this module students will gain an in depth understanding of the principles of computer and network security, gain an understanding of the key vulnerabilities of a networked computer system and design and construct a secure network.

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Security is of increasing importance for a number of reasons: Society depends increasingly on computer systems; the systems are accessible from intranets and the internet, therefore increasing the risk to system integrity. Information Systems professionals need a sound understanding of the threats and vulnerabilities of a system, and preventative and recovery measures. Students will further develop analytical and evaluative skills in the context of a complex and unpredictable systems environment in order to be able to define an appropriate level of security to meet the needs of the network owner

Students will gain an overview of the background and the need for Big Data and how Big Data can be exploited by different sectors. There is a need for Information Scientists to understand and provide guidance to business’ on how to leverage the most from Big Data and stay ahead of the competition. The module covers the need for Big Data, the infrastructure, security issues and software that’s being developed to handle structured and unstructured data.

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Computer scientists, physicists, economists, mathematicians, political scientists, bio-informaticists, sociologists, and many others are clamouring for access to the massive quantities of information produced by and about people, things, and their interactions. Diverse groups argue about the potential benefits and costs of analysing information from Twitter, Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and every space where large groups of people leave digital traces and deposit data. Significant questions emerge. Big Data is now part of every sector and function of the global economy – from retailers to health providers, to financial services and insurance, and to governmental and non-governmental organisations. Planning and strategic decision-making processes rely on large pools of data that need to be captured, aggregated, stored, and analysed.

Computer scientists, physicists, economists, mathematicians, political scientists, bio-informaticists, sociologists, and many others are clamouring for access to the massive quantities of information produced by and about people, things, and their interactions. Diverse groups argue about the potential benefits and costs of analysing information from Twitter, Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and every space where large groups of people leave digital traces and deposit data. Significant questions emerge. Big Data is now part of every sector and function of the global economy – from retailers to health providers, to financial services and insurance, and to governmental and non-governmental organisations. Planning and strategic decision-making processes rely on large pools of data that need to be captured, aggregated, stored, and analysed.

The aim of this module is to introduce the students to the fundamental concepts in database design. To provide the student with the ability to evaluate and apply the methodologies and techniques used in the development of modern databases. Students are expected to acquire practical skills in database modelling, development and design. Developing relational schemas using normalisation and entity relationship modelling, implementing and manipulating such schemas using SQL.

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 This module will focus on the theory and the major principles behind database design. The languages and methods used to build database programs as well as the formulation of queries and updating will provide students with much valued operational skills.  Small, medium and large sized businesses depend upon relational database management systems (DBMS) for competitive advantage.  Therefore graduates who can handle, manipulate and manage database systems and resources will have the necessary core prerequisite skills demanded by employers and professional bodies

Contemporary databases perform a central role in many information systems and an integral part of e-commerce.  Helping organisations manage and make available their data resources in an Information-intensive environment.

This module will acquaint students with the advanced understanding of emerging technology and appropriate skills to critically evaluate their suitability, impact and applicability to new scenarios. It will also provide students with an ability to identify and analyse ethical issues related to use of new technology for both development or research purposes.

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Computing is constantly changing as advances in hardware, software and methodologies results in new systems being constantly developed and new application areas being discovered.

In this module students will be exposed to a range of issues of current importance through guest lectures from staff and outside speakers. The module will also help students to develop an understanding of the professional and legal constraints within which computing specialists operate, using a ‘discursive’ environment as the vehicle where the students will be confronted with social and ethical issues of using technology in place of, or supporting, human abilities.

This module is a fundamental starting point for computer systems architecture and networks. It explores how the world is underpinned by IT. It discusses how current and modern computer architectures operate and analyses the technology on which they depend. An important aspect of modern computer technology is networking. This module introduces and covers basic principles of networks, their interconnecting components and protocols used in enabling reliable communications.

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This module aims to help students develop an understanding of the essential concepts of for computer systems architecture and networks which are important for further study at level 5 and level 6. This includes topics such as binary logic, systems, and application of operating systems to support the running of multiple application software often concurrently and networking which is heavily relied on by a plethora of communications devices. The module therefore looks at network topologies, different types of networks from LANs to WANs and introduces the basic principles of protocol layers and models used in reliable data communications. Key features of this module are the way that it integrates a wide range of theory and practice to provide the students with a systemic view of the interconnections enabling them to gain knowledge and understanding of computer networks & architecture.

In this module, students will develop an in-depth technical and theoretical understanding of the techniques used in producing computer graphics. 2D graphics will be covered, but particular emphasis is placed on understanding 3D graphics and the fundamental requirements for implementing a 3D rendering solution. The module considers current concepts and practical applications, as well as the mathematics underlying computer graphics by exploring the human visual system.

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In the implementation of immersive computer games, the role that the graphics play in creating an engaging environment cannot be underestimated.  Alongside gameplay as a key feature, the visual effects which have been embedded within games on all platforms has developed rapidly over recent years.  From the early block-based sprites of 8-bit computer games to the photo-realistic models which are employed in the production of current games, the graphics often are a central tool for the games producers to draw players into the environment in which the game is set.  The production process makes use of specialised toolsets in which models can be created and skinned.  These models are then exported from the modelling tools and programmatically manipulated within the game code in order to portray animation and movement within the game. The rationale for this module is to explore the development of graphics which are appropriate for deployment within a game, to consider the limitations of the underlying platform on which the game will be targeted, and to consider the mechanisms for manipulating models within the game once they have been created.

This module is designed to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the basic principles of modern wireless and mobile networks. It provides students with theoretical knowledge and hands-on in experience in fundamentals, set-up, configuration and testing of wireless networks. The module focuses on indoor wireless technologies (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc), cellular networks (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G), Internet of Things (IoT) and their associated application.

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The past decade has seen an enormous expansion in the use of wireless and mobile technologies. A further trend has been the convergence of various forms of digital communications to facilitate next generation connected networks and smart infrastructures. Wireless networks have become essential in both indoor and outdoor applications and data related services. The rapid rise in wireless devices and transformation of associated services has resulted in increased demand of wireless and mobile networks. This module, therefore explores the wireless and mobile networking technologies its strengths, weaknesses and the need to develop new solutions.

This module is designed to introduce the basic concepts and areas of cyber security. The module covers areas such as information security, security risk, vulnerability, and threats. Basic network and personal security problems and measures are also included.   

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Security became a crucial part of computer systems as it plays an important role to prevent data breaches and helps achieving business continuity and compliance with data protection regulations. It is important, therefore, to introduce to the students the basics concepts of security, approaches to identify security threats and vulnerabilities, and basic attacks and defence approaches.   

Security is a complex topic and this module provides an understanding of the context and overall security issues that apply in the use of networked computer systems from a perspective of personal data protection.

This module will enable students to gain an in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning and it will enhance student’s programming skills in developing efficient expert systems for addressing a wide range of different complex tasks (e.g., automated reasoning, theorem provers, natural language understanding, question-answering). With regard to the theoretical content of the module, students will be introduced to fundamental computational methods for knowledge representation and reasoning such as first-order logic, ontology engineering and propositional and predicate logic. The practical aspects will enable the students to design, implement and evaluate knowledge representation and reasoning methods and analyse the strengths and limitations of these methods.

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Over the past decade, there has been an exponential increase in the availability of on-line data resources and thus computational methods that can efficiently manage and interpret large-scale data resources now play a pivotal role in driving business automation and in informing critical business and design decisions. To deal with rapid proliferation of available data (in both structured and unstructured formats), data processing techniques have had to adapt. By leveraging well-defined mathematical frameworks (e.g., first-order logic), Knowledge Representation and Reasoning can explicitly and accurately model information encoded in on-line data resources and can infer new and novel knowledge that is not immediately evident to (human) users.

This module will introduce students to Knowledge Representation and Reasoning methods that can be used to extract pertinent and useful from large-scale data sources. Students will be expected to learn about fundamental computational methods for representing information and inference algorithms for extracting new and implicit knowledge. They will also be expected to develop an in-depth understanding of the strengths and limitations of different Knowledge Representation and Reasoning methods and tools. Students will have the opportunity to design, develop and evaluate Knowledge Representation and Reasoning methods and apply those to real-world data-sets. Additionally, students will obtain extensive practical experience using a wide range of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning software libraries.

In this module, students will gain an insight into the issues relating to the design and implementation of user interfaces. The development of new technologies and libraries that offer richer functionality to interface developers offers the opportunity to explore different mechanisms for the creation of interfaces. Students will develop a critical understanding of these mechanisms and also the relationship between the end user, the interface designer and the software developer through the development lifecycle that takes place. Students will also gain an insight into the human factors that offer key determinants to support decisions in the design process.

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The key determinant of whether or not a computer system is successful is whether or not the organisation for whom it is designed is able to use it. Hence, effective design is reliant upon understanding the human context in which a new artefact has to fit. A poor fit may mean that the artefact is ignored, rarely used or possibly used mistakenly. A good fit helps ensure that the development as whole was not wasted effort. Human computer interaction is a field that looks towards applying information about human behaviour, abilities, and activities in the design and evaluation of systems for productive, comfortable, and effective human use. Technologies such as touch screens or camera devices introduce new means by which users can interact with systems, such as through gestures or voice command. This module will have the opportunity to explore these concepts through the development of applications by exploring techniques, tools and methods which are common to effective design of modern Human-Computer interfaces.

This module focuses on practical security evaluation of computer networks or systems. The aim of the module is to introduce different practical attack and defence approaches, and besides, pays great attention on the ethical aspects. It includes the examination of different real-life hacking incidents from the ethical and legal perspectives. Finally, it presents management and technical report writing skills.

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Security is of increasing importance.  Information Systems professionals therefore need a sound understanding of principles and tools that can be used to test the security of a system. This module aims to raise awareness of the need for system penetration testing and provide some experience of evaluating network and web application security, both internally and externally. A key aspect is the understanding of legal and ethical issues concerning penetration testing.

Students will further develop analytical and evaluative skills in the context of a complex and unpredictable systems environment in order to be able to test the level of security in a computer system.

Information Security management is a process by which information assets are assessed in order to determine the threats and corresponding risks to those assets. It also encompasses the methods for controlling those risks. This module provides a systemic view of the process and encompasses the legal compliance issues which complement the technical security methods explored in other modules.

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Information assets are of critical importance to organisations in both public and private sectors.  Information security therefore needs to be considered in a systematic way to ensure that a comprehensive and effective system exists for identifying and controlling risks. Furthermore, there are legal imperatives which have a critical impact on information security.

Students will develop analytical and evaluative skills in the context of a complex and unpredictable systems environment in order to be able to develop an Information Security Management System that is fit for purpose.

This module provides a foundation in Calculus, building on students’ prior knowledge. It introduces fundamental mathematical concepts that underpin mathematics at degree level. The module also allows students to use a mixture of numerical and analytical techniques to help them achieve a deeper understanding of key concepts. This module provides width and as such embraces topics such as; functions, limits, the fundamental theorem of calculus, differentiation from first principles, differentiating hyperbolic functions and inverse hyperbolic functions, improper integrals, numerical solutions, numerical differentiation, numerical integration and approximations to functions.

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Calculus is one of the foremost branches of mathematics and its mathematical discipline has a unique legacy over the history of mathematics. It is a versatile and valuable tool and is fundamental to any degree-level mathematics course. This module aims to provide a foundation in Calculus, building on students’ entry knowledge from A-Level, with a focus on highlighting the difference between techniques and adopting an analytical approach. It introduces mathematical concepts, which underpin mathematics at degree level. The module will provide students with an understanding of the analytical elements of Calculus and the knowledge of the more advanced methods of differentiation and integration. In addition to knowledge of essential mathematical functions such as logarithmic, exponential and hyperbolic functions. The module provides width and as such embraces important mathematical principles all of which permeate Level 5 and Level 6 modules. It also provides the necessary knowledge and skills, which in turn is vital to students throughout the degree course.

This module is the second of three calculus modules. It provides a progression route to the calculus studied at level 4 and is designed to provide students with the necessary mathematical knowledge and skills essential for progression into level 6 calculus. The module introduces students to greater rigour in their studies as well as to new topics in calculus such as; polar

coordinates, applications of higher order partial derivatives, centres of mass in 2 dimensions and application of first order ordinary differential equations in real life. This greater rigour forms an important bridge to later more abstract work given that calculus is one of the major tools used in the applications of mathematics. In this module, students will also use computers and graphics calculators however with the emphasis on developing, not replacing, their mathematical skill and reasoning.

RATIONALE Calculus is a form of mathematics that is developed from algebra and geometry and its applications are deeply integrated in every branch of the physical sciences, computer science, statistics, engineering, economics, business, and medicine. Applications of calculus are part of modern mathematics education. Calculus is also used to create mathematical models in order to arrive into an optimal solution. This module provides a progression route to the calculus studied at level 4 and is an essential prerequisite to studying calculus at level 6. It combines logic and precision with intuition and imagination providing students with a powerful tool for applying their developed skills to real-life situations in calculus.

This module will provide students with a philosophical and theological survey of the significant religious traditions of the east. Students will study the Dharmic traditions emanating from India. The Module will address central aspects of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism and study the interaction between individuals and communities in diverse and complex religious settings globally and in modern Britain. Through a combination of classroom-based activities and experiences in the field students will develop their understanding of the key features of Dharmic traditions.

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The content of this module provides the intellectual foundations needed by anybody who wishes to engage in the academic study of Religion as defined by the QAA’s Subject Benchmark Statement. Religious literacy is key to global citizenship in the 21st century and in the current shifting geo-political situation, it has never been more important. It is vital therefore that students are given a strong basic grounding in the origins, scriptures, beliefs and ethics of the major world religions that have shaped and continue to shape so much of human history and experience. This module will enable students to reflect on what a religious tradition is. Despite the plurality of belief and practice there is a certain unity among all the various doctrines and schools of thought that Hindus and Buddhists refer to as Dharma. Students will be introduced to the complexity of each tradition through an investigation of major internal divisions and responses to major contemporary issues. The module will look at dharmic belief and practice through the lens of the religious experiences and contributions of key figures. It will encourage students to link these experiences and contributions to contemporary belief and practice within an increasingly pluralistic global and local society. It provides a solid foundation for future study.

Students undertaking this module will gain an appreciation and understanding of religious practice in new media worlds, including digital religion and social media settings. This module offers a comprehensive analysis of how age old religions and traditions operate and are recast in the contemporary digital culture we live. The module examines how new technologies influence and impact on religious practice, accessibility, the emergence of online religious identities and communities, and the interface between believers and digital technology. Students will encounter questions related to religious authority, authenticity, community and ritual online.

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The emergence of digital technology and the proliferation of social media means that people are engaging with online settings to find, practice and identify their religious and spiritual selves. In online settings, virtual worship platforms exist, such as cyber churches. Digital religion refers to religion as it is formed and articulated online, but it also points to how digital media is also shaped by religious practice – this allows students to situate the study of religion in digital contexts. Upon completion of this module, students will explore the social and cultural role of religion in digital contexts. They will be aware as to how religious traditions have changed over time and continue to evolve in the contemporary world. Students will also engage with technological and media literacy, including the generation of documents and other resources, electronic communication and interaction in various forms and accessing information from a variety of sources.

This module introduces students to the various ways that biblical themes, images and characters have an enduring presence and influence within contemporary popular culture. By learning to analyse religious and biblical references found in music, film, TV, art, advertising and the media, they will discover that, even in today’s increasingly secular world, the Bible continues to both influence and be influenced by our cultural, political, and religious landscapes. will enable students to explore key themes and passages in the Bible as a contemporary literary work and consider how it is used by society at large as a cultural artefact. They will explore how the Bible has been used by entertainers, politicians and others and how this has on the one hand shaped Western society, at the same time as being shaped, in popular cultural understandings at least, by popular culture.

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In short, any and all serious (cultural) literacy would seem to require religious literacy. (Carr, 2007: 670)

The Bible is an ancient text which is a global bestseller.  It is a foundational text which has had an unrivalled impact on Western Society and Culture.  A thorough grasp of Biblical literature is therefore essential to understand how Western Society and Culture – from Politics, to Shakespeare, from Lady Thatcher to Lady Gaga – has been shaped.

In turn society has shaped the way that the text has been shaped and understood: the changing nature of ‘sexual immorality’ being a prime example.  The tools of reception critics seek to analyse and deconstruct this use.

It may be difficult to understand (local and global) political and economic events and the (human) geography of the contemporary world without some grasp of biblical narratives and associated religious cultures and beliefs. But even more, it is hard to see how students of media, literature and art could begin to appreciate the meaning of many contemporary works in the absence of such biblical literacy.

This module offers an overview of how bodies have been celebrated, disciplined and modified in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and in other spiritualities. Examining how bodies take on and perform religious practices, this module also explores how such presentations are conceptualised and represented in society and culture, including the media. The very nature of religious study, often tackled in terms of sacred texts, traditions and artefacts, is reshaped when the messy flesh and bone of human existence is examined. Moreover, the module engages with intersections of the human body, including youth/ageing, race/ethnicity, ability/disability and fat studies.

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Traditionally, the study of religion has relied on an examination of texts and traditions. Yet, the body has always been a site for religious discussion, as the human body participates in ritual and performs religious and spiritual identities. The body is also integral to worship practices in various traditions. This module examines the body in the various religious traditions, exploring  questions of appearance (hair and dress), diet (food and drink), health, illness, virginity, celibacy, menstruation and circumcision. The module also examined social and cultural theories relating to intersectionality and identity studies.

Upon completion of this module, students will gain imaginative insight and creative self-direction which allows them to develop independence of mind and initiative as they are able to gather, evaluate and synthesise different types of information (QAA, TRS, 2014: 14) They will be aware of current intellectual frameworks and present social realities which pertain to the human body within contemporary religious discussions (QAA, Theology and Religious Studies, 2014: 14). Students will be literate and confident to apply knowledge and skills about the body in religion to social and cultural contexts.

This module investigates Buddhism as both ancient and modern, global and local. The three jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha provide the lens through which Buddhism will be explored enabling students to develop critical knowledge and understanding of Buddhist history, doctrine and practice. A variety of traditional and modern sources will be explored including sutras, biographies of the Buddha and iconography. Investigation of contemporary forms of Buddhism provide a special focus linked to a small scale fieldwork study exploring pluralism within modern western Buddhism.

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Scholarly and popular interest in Buddhism has grown in the West leading to the development of new forms of western Buddhism some of which have their origins in counter cultural spiritual and political movements. By undertaking this module students will engage with Buddhism as both an ancient and modern tradition enabling critical investigation of the tradition as plural, diverse, dynamic and evolving. The special study of Buddhism in the west offers students opportunities to develop their understanding of theoretical and methodological issues in the study and research of religions and to engage with faith practitioners within Buddhist communities providing a strong experiential dimension to this module.

The module will draw on varied teaching and learning resources, such as external visits and individual subject-focused teaching sessions that will take a blended approach of lectures, seminars, workshops and where possible online learning in a virtual environment.

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This module prepares students to be able to reflect on their knowledge about religion in the key challenges and evolutions of religion in the 21st Century and on completion they will be able to reflect critically on some of the major characteristics of religion in an informed way. They will have explored a number of theoretical and methodological problems in the study of religion, and reflected on these in relation to a range of faith traditions including (but not exclusively) Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Scientology and various Paganisms. This will then enable them to critically evaluate some of the ways 21st century religion is presented in the media and how this may affect the ideas society has about Islam for instance.

Although the dominant focus of the module is on contemporary issues, they will also be able to comprehend how these issues need to be seen in broader historical and cultural contexts, and will therefore have become familiar with a range of scholarly methods and arguments.

With competing constructs of Islam dominating the domestic and international news agenda, a thorough understanding of the complex issues facing Islam is essential for all citizens. A range of popular, stereotypical images come to mind when considering Islam in its contemporary setting. Questions raised about Islam often parallel similar questions raised globally among Muslims themselves about the decline of Islam and its place in the modern world, especially the nature of the modern secular state and the degree to which religion has a role within it, both in Muslim majority societies and those in which Muslims constitute a minority.  This module will enable students to develop an in-depth and critically reflective awareness of the challenging issues that have impacted upon Muslims through recent history by drawing upon empirical research and a wide range of critical literature.

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This module is hugely important in terms of developing knowledge and understanding of policy agendas around extremism and radicalisation.  Numerous recent reports have suggested that there is a need for a greater religious literacy – in terms of really understanding what it means to belong to a religion.  Islam is the second largest religion globally and nationally and is increasing in terms of size and influence.  Thus the aim of the module is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to explore critical issues in contemporary Islam from a balanced, and well-informed perspective.  It builds upon the earlier introductory modules at Level 4 and 5.  Students are confronted with some of the questions raised by Islamic history and are required to consider viewpoints other than their own.  Critical dialogue is essential to the subject as studied at higher education level. Attention is given to the dominant theological narratives related to the historical development of Islam and the present state of Muslim societies across the globe. It looks at contemporary geo-political events and examines how they are shaped by historical and cultural frameworks and perspectives.  Drawing upon the disciplines of theology, history and sociology, and with a focus on the experience of Muslims in Britain, it will explore a selection of key issues in the context of Muslims living as a minority and also of religious minorities of predominantly Muslim societies.  It will consider the effect of external influences, such as liberal pluralist democracy, securitisation and the influence of geo-politics  and representation in the modern media in helping to shape contemporary Islam.

This module introduces trainees to a key aspect of English studies. Students will be introduced to a range of different theoretical approaches to literature, including: Marxist, Feminist (and Gender), Postcolonial, Structuralist, Post-Structuralist, New Historicist, Cultural Materialist, Psychoanalytic, and Narratological. They will engage in researching the key thinkers associated with each strand of theory, as well has reading extracts of key texts written by the leading names.

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Literary theory is a crucial aspect of literature studies; since the beginning of the 20th century, the work of key philosophers and cultural theorists has been adopted and adapted for the purposes of textual analysis. It forms a core strand of English studies in practically all universities and, in a number of instances, theory can be said to have had a very significant influence on the production of literary art. It is becoming ever more frequent that the analysis of literary texts will be informed and underpinned by the application of theory to text. For future English teachers, it is vital that they be aware of the most current trends and debates in their specialist discipline.

Romanticism is one of the key artistic movements in the history of literary art, with the key authors and works associated with this period being amongst the most widely-known of all: Wordsworth, Blake, Byron, Shelley, and Keats. This module will engage trainees in the in-depth study of the historical background from which this artistic movement emerged and enable them to investigate why it is that the Romantics sought to break from the Enlightenment authors who preceded them, as well as hypothesising as to why Romantic literature eventually evolved into that which is characterised as distinctly Victorian in style and content.

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Given that the Romantic period is the one which has given English literature a disproportionately large number of its canonical or classic texts and authors, it appears fitting that trainee secondary school English teachers should have a detailed knowledge of the major authors and texts of this period, as well as an equally detailed knowledge of the various critical approaches to the study of Romantic literary art. Additionally, it is possible to robustly argue that the cultural aftershocks of the Romantic movement are still influencing art production and art criticism to this day and that it is necessary for English teachers to understand the artistic influences against which, or with which, contemporary authors are working.

This module will engage students in a critical analysis of the way in which literary texts have been turned into films. They will be introduced to, and then guided in their independent exploration of, a broad range of literary and film theories. Then, they will study in some depth a select number of examples of filmic literary adaptations and practice applying theory to text in order to develop more critical and reflective analyses of these cultural products.

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Literature studies and film studies have long gone hand in hand, and English teachers regularly draw upon film texts in their teaching as a way to engage pupils in their studies. This module will equip students with the technical specialist knowledge of film analysis in relation to literary adaptations, thereby enabling them to develop a set of intellectual and conceptual strategies for the incorporation of film into their professional practice.

This module will engage students in the in-depth study of one of the key periods in the history of literary art. The Modernist period in literature can loosely be defined as running from the very early years of the 20th century up to either the end of the Second World War, or else even to the last years of the 1950s. Trainees on this module will study a select group of primary texts from this period and then engage in analysing them against the backdrop of their studies in general literary theory and, in particular, academic publications on the Modernist literary movement. Ultimately, the aim of this module is to foster an awareness and understanding of what it is the Modernists were reacting against, and how their artistic project fundamentally shaped the art that followed in the second half of the 20th century.

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Modernism is one of the most important literary periods of all for the trainee English teacher, since it is possible, and not uncommon, to argue that contemporary art is either still in the midst of Modernism or else in its immediate aftermath, reacting to it. It is possible to detect the influence of the great Modernist literary artists in almost all contemporary literature of note. Many of the towering literary names of the 20th century, Joyce, Woolf, Pound, Eliot, Frost, Beckett, are firmly placed within the Modernist art movement, and an understanding of their works and artistic projects is undoubtedly vital in the general education of future English teachers.

This module provides students with a critical overview of language and schools. It focuses on the relationships between language variation, language use, language ideology and language policy within schools, and allows students to examine concrete links between theory and practice. It will allow students to explore both historical and contemporary ideas about language and schools, particularly in England, but also from international perspectives, adopting a critical and political stance on how language in schools is used in the making of social in/equality. Students will develop a strong sense of critical language awareness enabling them to enact pedagogies and practices driven by social justice and anti-racist approaches to language education. Regular links to students’ observations and experiences on school placement will be made.

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By the time they come to complete this module, students on this programme will have taken two other language-focused modules in Years 1 and 2. These modules provided the foundational work for the current module, where students apply this knowledge into an exploration of language and schools. Students will be able to draw on their placement experiences so far on the programme, making clear and critical links between theory and practice. The module will encourage students to engage critically with a range of issues concerning language and schools. These include how ideologies about language translate to policies and practices; linguistic (in)justice; how language education policies are designed and implemented; language variation and classrooms; literacy practices; the relationships between language and race/class; classroom talk; critical language awareness, and grammar teaching.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to academic studies in education. Students will explore the core disciplines of the history, philosophy, psychology, and sociology of education. It will also introduce students to the newer and emerging discipline of the economics of education as well as the key topic of technology in education. The module will enable students to conceptualise the breadth of areas and the whole gamut of age-phases and contexts upon which those involved in education studies focus. They will begin to accrue the conceptual knowledge and skills needed in order to further their studies in education.

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The content of this module provides the intellectual foundations needed by anybody who wishes to engage in the academic study of education as defined by the QAA’s Subject Benchmark Statement. It enables students to acquire knowledge about the key thinkers, theories, and concepts associated with education studies: this knowledge will greatly inform their perspectives, values, and approaches whatever their future careers might be. Of particular importance on this module will be expanding the conceptual horizons of students vis-à-vis the education sector, seeking to ensure that they do not default to considering education (as a subject of study) as either limited only to formal schooling or to the ages 4-18. Instead, this module explores formal and informal education, combining both with the concept of life-long learning.

The aim of this module is to enable students to engage with real-world contemporary issues in education and, through that engagement, reflect upon the relevant contingent factors that define and shape those issues. This module will focus on post-primary education, in both its formal and informal contexts, and will encourage students to explore the causal links between the various factors at play in particular education contexts. Through the discussion and investigation of real-life issues, many of which will be particularly pertinent to the students themselves considering where they are in their own educational journeys, students will learn to apply the concepts and theories of academic studies in education.

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The specific academic aims of this module are to assist students in developing skills of research, critique, argumentation, reflection, and articulation. The specific vocational aims of this module are to help students to develop a wide and deep knowledge-base in relation not only to the key stages and genres of education but also how to how policy can fundamentally alter a business sector. Problem-based learning is a student-centred approach, in which learning opportunities are relevant and rooted in real-life. The goals are, in part, determined by the students themselves, enabling them to develop increased autonomy and take responsibility for their own learning. This module will be one of the key opportunities for students to apply their academic learning to real-world scenarios and issues.

Key questions that are currently interesting academics, policy-makers and practitioners will be researched in different ways, using the lenses of the core sub-disciplines of education studies. For each session, the key theories and concepts of the discipline will be explored, allowing students to draw on these in order to explore the problem. They will be introduced to the question and will have the chance to reflect on their own knowledge; they will then need to consider the knowledge and skills they need to gain in order to explore the issue.

This module will enable students to explore some of the momentous changes in the history of education in the UK, to consider how and why those changes occurred and what were their social, political, economic and ideological causes. Students will consider the historical ripples from those changes and how they have continued to inform educational debates and policies to the present day. They will be introduced to some of the most influential educational thinkers drawn from the field of sociology whose ideas have influenced and shaped the discourses on education in our society, and to make connections between changes in policy and thinking and the ideas of key sociologists within this field

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This module will enable students to develop a strong background knowledge of how and why education has evolved over time and to gain contextual understanding that will allow them to situate current and future educational debates and policies. They will be introduced to significant figures and ideologies (particularly those from the sociological field), who have shaped and informed the educational landscape of the UK over time, allowing them to understand and engage with the political, social, economic and theoretical discourses that have driven educational change in the UK. This module will also enable students to consider the ways in which a discipline develops its own history over time, and how knowledge of the past is always critical in understanding present circumstances and in planning for the future. Knowledge, skills and attitudes gained from this module will support students in their future careers, especially if they continue to work within the broad field of education.

This module will enable students to engage in the in-depth study of one of the key disciplines of education studies. Students will explore the genealogy of a number of key aspects of the current education sector, for example: the National Curriculum; Early Years Provision; Lifelong Learning; the Exam System; Higher Education. It will build on students’ existing knowledge  of the UK Education system and significant changes within it. In their summative assessment, students will analyse a current issue, using what they know from previous historical changes to formulate their own perspective on a contemporary one.

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This module will, academically, enable students to work consistently at the forefront of the discipline of the sociology of education, exploring what current researchers are investigating, where the discipline appears to be heading, and how it can continue to make a contribution to the future of education and education studies. Vocationally, this module will provide students with the subject knowledge and skills that they will be able to draw upon in understanding the evolution of whichever sector in which they end up working, being able to trace the evolution of workplaces and working practices, and, ultimately, it will give them the confidence and knowledge to be involved in contributing to the further evolution of their workplace.

This module will introduce students to the study of middle childhood with a focus on perceptions of children and childhood, the development of individual identity in childhood, and children’s rights.

Students will explore their own personal beliefs, assumptions and expectations with regards to middle childhood and children’s developing independence and competencies during this phase. They will consider the ways in which these assumptions are developed, reinforced and perpetuated by historical perspectives, dominant ideologies and the roles of social institutions in contemporary Britain.

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‘Middle childhood’ (defined here as between 5 and 11 years) is a distinct and important life phase during which identity is developed and consolidated, even before we enter ‘adolescence’ or ‘adulthood, yet it gains relatively little attention. It is during this important phase of development that the foundations for positive outcomes in later life are laid. It is vital that those working with children in the middle years develop a sound understanding of the factors influencing:

• how they perceive children and childhood;
• their expectations of children’s capacities and abilities;
• the development of children’s individual identities.

Students will explore their own personal beliefs, assumptions and expectations with regards to middle childhood and children’s developing independence and competencies during this phase. They will consider the ways in which these assumptions are developed, reinforced and perpetuated by historical perspectives, dominant ideologies and the roles of social institutions in contemporary Britain.

Social, psychological and philosophical constructions of middle childhood as a distinct phase will be taken as lenses through which students will consider identity ‘anchors’ and how children develop them.

Students will consider ‘identity’ in relation to children’s rights with a focus on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; children will be conceptualised as autonomous beings with their own identities, rights, needs and agency.

This module explores a variety of topics within discrete mathematics. It enables students to appreciate the importance of the solutions of modern day problems including google maps and navigators. It also provides width and as such embraces essential topics such as; Critical path analysis, Flows, Matchings, Allocation, Transportation and Game theory.

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Discrete mathematics is the branch of mathematics that deals with countable sets. This module introduces the concepts of using discrete mathematics to model and solve problems. It gives students the chance to study modern topics within mathematics such as the algorithms involved in the graphs and networks used in computers and route planners. It also introduces combinatorics, which is related to “selecting” or “counting” objects to satisfy certain criteria and deciding when the criteria can be met. In addition, it covers graph theory, flow, matchings, allocation, transportation, all of which has numerous applications in dealing with modern life problems. This branch of mathematics is removed from the new A-Level mathematics specifications hence it is really important to introduce our new generations to this branch at level 4 given its importance in solving modern real-life problems.

In this module students’ understanding of statistical techniques and test-structures is being developed. The module provides width and as such embraces essential topics such as: probability distributions, sampling techniques, hypothesis testing, application of the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, chi-squared test, goodness of fit, contingency tables, Type 1 and Type 2 errors and the power of a hypothesis test. Hypothesis testing, estimation and prediction are used in a growing number of real-world fields and are central to much academic research work.

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Inferential Statistics is the body of principles and methods underlying the statistical analysis of data. The development of a mathematical approach to inference provides the field of statistics with some of its most powerful roles. Studying inferential statistics within the context of a mathematics course enables students to gain insight into the underlying structure of techniques and key results. A mathematical approach to these topics and an understanding of the structures behind them will equip students with key skills needed for their level 6 dissertation. This module also engages the students with statistical software and graphics calculators for the purpose of communicating results effectively and coherently. It provides a sound grounding in theoretical and practical statistical analyses designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills essential for progression into the level 6 Statistical Modelling module.

This module will provide students with a philosophical and theological survey of the significant religious traditions of the west, introducing the three major Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. By looking at core beliefs, practices and texts, it will examine key developments and shared aspects of the formation of the Abrahamic Traditions up to modern times. The module will then proceed to investigate the concept of a shared “Abrahamic Tradition” and key similarities and differences between the three faiths through an exploration of selected themes such as “the Oneness of God”, “Salvation”, & the “Afterlife”.  Through a combination of classroom based activities and experiences in the field, students will develop their understanding of the key features of the three religions.

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The content of this module provides the intellectual foundations needed by anybody who wishes to engage in the academic study of Religion as defined by the QAA’s Subject Benchmark Statement.  Religious literacy is key to global citizenship in the 21st century and in the current shifting geo-political situation, it has never been more important. It is vital therefore that students are given a strong basic grounding in the origins, scriptures, beliefs and ethics of the major world religions that have shaped and continue to shape so much of human history and experience. 

This module will enable students to reflect on what a religious tradition is, focussing on the shared contribution of the three major Abrahamic traditions.   In addition, students will be introduced to the complexity of each tradition through an investigation of major internal divisions and responses to major contemporary issues.  It provides a solid foundation for future study.

In this module, students will explore the interface of religion, law, and ethics within workplace settings. These include, but are not limited to, the National Health Service (NHS), the civil service, journalism, social/youth/community settings, teaching, marketing, banking, charity work, law, religious ministries, chaplaincy. These settings reflect the wide range of employment options available to graduates, and the intention is for students to be thinking about career options as well as gain valuable experience of work settings.

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As the time of the development of this module, current legislation (the 2010 UK Equalities Act) recognises religion as a protected characteristic. In current equality law, religion includes any religion and also no religion, in other words employees or jobseekers are protected if they do not follow a certain religion or have no religion at all. Therefore, religious literacy is an essential attribute to employability. In their work on religious literacy in policy and practice, Dinham and Francis point to legal cases which showcase the public treatments of religion that have produced more heat than light (2016: 4). They cite examples where a British Airways employee was told she couldn’t wear cross to work, she took the airline to court and won. In another case a Christian bed and breakfast owner refused to allow a same-sex couple to stay, again this went to court, and the same-sex couple won. This module therefore examines how the question of religion pervades employment and business environments. Moreover, as a module which offers structures engagement in a workplace setting, students will benefit from practical studies. This allows students to evaluate how effective policies and practices relating to religion and belief as a protected characteristic are played out in the workplace. Moreover, students will see the benefits of studying degree level study in religion and be able to articulate how their studies offer transferable attributes which enhance employability.

Drawing upon the academic heritage of post-war religious studies and interpretive qualitative research, this module will require students to critically engage with religion as it is lived and experienced by practitioners. The module presents religion as a plural and complex reality shaping the beliefs, practices and lifestyles of human beings locally and globally. The module will explore the theory and practice of the critical study of religion through consideration of methodologies such as ethnography, phenomenology, post positivism and related ethical issues such as ‘representation’ in the field of the empirical study of religion. Students will take part in a 3 day ethnographically oriented field work investigation to explore the practices of a religious community, which may be online (via a virtual world environment) or offline. The tutor team will model methodology, application of theory and ethical research practice and will negotiate fieldwork investigations with students and communities.

During the 3 day fieldwork investigation their tutor will ensure close supervision, create opportunities for regular reflexive review with students through consideration of the religious phenomena and way of being under consideration.

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Since the establishment of the Lancaster University Religious Studies department in 1967, the critical, academic investigation of religion has drawn from a diverse range of disciplines and methodologies, as highlighted by the QAA TRS benchmark statements (QAA, 2014). However, the dominant approaches have been interpretive and phenomenological, fore-grounding the ‘experience’ of religious subjects in order to gain rich descriptions of the religious way of being. More recently, the crisis of representation in qualitative research has resulted in the narrative and cultural turn raising important considerations of researcher and research subject positioning (Denzin and Lincoln, 2003). As an integral part of a critical, enquiring Religious Studies programme, this module builds on year 1 modules which emphasise the experience of the ‘sacred’ and methodological perspectives in the study of religion. As part of the phenomenological and interpretive tradition of Religious Studies this module allows students to apply the conceptual knowledge and skills that they have acquired through empirical ethnographic case studies.  It gives them the opportunity to experience how religion is a dynamic, lived phenomenon but provides them with the analytical and conceptual instruments to develop their comprehension of religious experience.

This module provides students with an introduction to some of the key debates in critical thinking that have shaped religious and atheistic thought. Perspectives from philosophy, psychology, and critical social sciences will be investigated to provide students with the lens through which to explore the relationship between reason and religious belief. Students will develop their critical thinking skills through their exploration of the central premises of theistic belief, reasoned philosophical argument in defence and in critique of religious belief through examination of the classical and the modern versions of theistic proofs. students will consider the contributions of thinkers such as Aquinas, Kant, Descartes and Hume. The module also explores the contributions of psychoanalysis and social science to post Enlightenment thinking about religion in order to consider claims about the irrational or ideological nature of religion. finally the module will address the prospects for religion in postmodern times, in the light of this overview.

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In 2006 Richard Dawkins published the now bestselling book ‘The God Delusion’. The book offers a critical survey of some of the most well known critiques of religious and theistic belief. Its success and the debates it has produced and confirmed the enduring public interest and fascination with the role of religion as a major cultural and ideological and political reality. There is a wide consensus amongst scholars that  post war predictions of global secularisation have not been realised and that religion remains a potent force shaping lives and culture, however questions about the compatibility of religion with reason continue to make and impact as Dawkin’s bestseller testifies (Davie 1994; Brown 2004). This module provides students with a critical introduction to issues of reason and religious belief through an enquiry-led approach to key philosophical arguments both in defence of and against belief in God, the implications of the logical problem of evil and suffering theism psychology and religion with a focus won psychoanalysis (Freud Jung) and some scientific perspectives on religion. By undertaking this module students will develop their knowledge and understanding of some of the key debates in modern religious and theistic thought, providing them with an introduction to some of the most influential and prevalent theoretical and methodological paradigms in the study of religion. Students will be able to demonstrate their application of philosophical, analytical and reasoned argument by a paper in defence of their position on a chosen theme given in this module. 

This module sensitively grapples with the issues of gender and sexuality within the Christian traditions. Exploring feminist and queer theologies, students will explore the complex relationship between Christianity with gender and sexuality. The justification for the churches’ positional statements about gender and sexuality are often grounded in traditional readings of scripture. This has led to questions of inclusivity of the churches. This module is informed by voices that have historically been marginalised, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex. The module offers a platform which demonstrate the ability for such stigmatized and silenced voices to think theologically about their own experiences.

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Upon completion of this module, students will gain empathy and imaginative insight into issues of religious identity, gender and sexuality, with a tolerance of diverse positions as well as ability to attend to others and have respect for others’ views. They will be aware of current intellectual frameworks and present social realities which pertain to gender and sexuality within contemporary religious discussions. Students will be literate and confident to apply knowledge and skills about gender and sexuality to social, community and workplace settings, as part of a wider inclusivity agenda.

Students undertaking this module will gain an understanding of various branches of Paganism and an awareness of some of its basic principles. The module examines how social media may influence and impact practices and accessibility and offers the opportunity to question various Pagan myths. Students will encounter questions related to religious authority, authenticity, community and ritual and will explore how Pagan identities are formed.

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Since the 1990s popular culture has had an influence on people’s perceptions of Western Paganisms and this has led to an increase in people identifying as Pagan (Cowan and Ezzy, 2007). The increase that has been identified in census data has demonstrated that alternate spiritualities are a part of society and spiritual faith traditions such as Druidism and Wicca are becoming popular with in particular younger generation.  The rationale for this module therefore is to gain some understanding of the belief systems, history and practice of spiritual traditions within the UK so to debunk myths associated with the concept of Witch and to redress any potential prejudice.

Upon completion of this module students will be aware of the influence on current intellectual frameworks or present social realities of non-traditional and non-aligned religious movements, and contemporary spirituality. Students will be confronted with some of the questions raised by general intellectual history and required to consider viewpoints other than their own. They will be encouraged to engage in critical dialogue about Pagan truths, belief systems, practices and identities.

Contemporary society has seen the rise of a number of challenges to religion and religions.  In a philosophical sense this includes the challenges of secularism, extremism, modernity and post-modernity.  This module appreciates the global nature of these challenges and focuses on religion and controversial issues. This module will deepen appreciation of the value of an ethnographic approach in understanding public controversies through case studies. We aim to examine live issues, that is, controversies that are being publicly aired during the academic year.

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Critical analysis of religion, as part of an academic study, may stimulate engagement with contemporary concerns. Such study is a major contributor to community understanding and development and the avoidance or challenging of prejudices arising from misinformation. Contemporary society in the UK has an interest in ensuring that in matters of religion, debate is well informed and of high quality.

In order to understand the complex interrelations between religion, spirituality and secularism. Students will initially focus on key thinkers and debates to develop understanding of key terms, such as secularism, modernity and postmodernity.  They will question the apparent paradox between increasing secularity and extremism, debating how philosophical movements such as modernity and post-modernity have contributed to this. Using a mix of historical, sociological and ethnographic sources, approaches and methods, this module will help students develop understanding of the contested nature and role of ‘religion’ in contemporary societies. 

The module is intended to be flexible enough to allow students to engage with current issues and controversies as they arise.  Upon completion of this module, students will be able to bring a degree of self-reflection to the subject and marshal arguments in a mature way while engaging in debate and dialogue with respect for the opposite case or different viewpoint.

This module introduces trainees to some of the most famous poems, plays, and novels in Western culture; they will engage with a large number of texts (studying in detail a select and representative few) that have been widely and consistently regarded as outstanding cultural achievements. Trainees will engage with texts dating from the beginnings of Western civilization right up to the middle of the 20th century, studying in detail a selection that were originally written in English between the 16th and 20th centuries. Crucially on this module, trainees will parallel their studies of the classic authors and texts with readings about the complexities and debates surrounding the very notions of Western civilization, culture, and the Canon.

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It is simply vital for secondary school English teachers to have a broad knowledge of those texts and authors widely considered as being amongst the most important in the history of Western civilization. With a renewed focus upon such classic texts in contemporary education, and the knowledge that current authors are arguably almost always writing in the light, or shadow, of those great authors and texts that have gone before, knowledge of the classics is crucial if trainees are to engage with the art of those contemporary authors who are writing in response to them.

The module will focus on a selection of Shakespeare’s works in order to explore the historical and cultural conditions underlying this highly significant epoch in British cultural development. The module will engage students in the study of selected plays and sonnets, concentrating on pertinent aspects of each, for example on the history play as a manifestation of national and cultural identity, as well as analysing the relationship between politics and theatrical representation in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

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Shakespeare is a central figure in the culture of the English speaking world and more widely, and an ability to read Shakespeare with detailed understanding is valuable in itself, but particularly for teachers of English.  As the only named author on the KS3 and KS4 curricula, it is a certainty that secondary school English teachers will have to engage pupils in significant study of Shakespeare’s work.

This module will enable students to learn about the ways in which the formal education system is structured, governed, and funded in the four countries of the UK. Students will explore the similarities and differences that exist between the different systems and in the conceptualisations of education that each appears to reflect and develop opinions as to the ways in which they function. They will also explore the evolution of those different systems over time. Of particular interest for study will be the ways in which the different policy approaches taken by the separate legislatures within the UK have affected education in practice.

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This module will equip students with the fundamental subject knowledge that they will require not only if they are to pursue a career in education anywhere in the UK, but also with the knowledge they will need to explore and critique the formation over time of any business sector. It will enable them to construct a robust conceptual architecture of the way in which education systems currently exist, how they developed over time, and to establish robust opinions as to the strengths and weaknesses of each, the continuities and connections that exist between them, and how they compare to some key benchmark education systems around the world. This module will engage students in the study of all of the key sub-disciplines of academic studies in education, as defined by the QAA Benchmark Statement. Its broad scope will also students to develop academic skills such as critical comparison, evaluation, synthesis, and reflection.

The aim of this module is to enable students to engage with real-world contemporary issues in education and, through that engagement, reflect upon the relevant contingent factors that define and shape those issues. The module shall focus on pre-secondary school education and shall explore the key issues that today are driving change and defining the practice of education at those age-phases. Students shall begin with an introduction to several case-studies, and shall explore the contingent and contextual factors, with a view to acquiring in-depth practical and theoretical knowledge about the dominant conceptual and theoretical ideas that exist within the education studies discipline.

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The specific academic aims of this module are to assist students in developing skills of research, critique, argumentation, reflection, and articulation. The specific vocational aims of this module are to help students to develop a wide and deep knowledge base in relation to the key stages and genres of education and, through that, develop their skills of analysis, argument, and critique. To develop their knowledge of education in both a holistic and sequential way, students shall focus on the first 12 years, or so, of the educational journey experienced by the vast majority of people in the UK, and, through that exploration, shall begin to explore how those involved in the academic study of education seek to conceptualise and theorise the processes at play. The aim, ultimately, is for students to acquire knowledge of the key methods and approaches used in education studies, and to develop skills in the application of those methods and approaches to real-world scenarios.

This module is designed to enable students to develop their knowledge and understanding of the philosophy strand of education and to develop higher level academic skills in critical analysis. These skills include the ability to synthesise ideas and analyse competing philosophical positions. A key focus will be on understanding how arguments are philosophically underpinned and value-driven.

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Critical thinking is a core skill which is required throughout degree-level courses. Through engagement with real-life issues in educational policy and practice, students will develop skills in questioning assumptions and challenging taken-for-granted ‘facts’. They will develop a critical awareness of how policy and reform is underpinned by value-driven philosophies and start to develop an understanding of these. This module develops and hones their critical skills, making explicit the importance of challenging ideas, analysing philosophical arguments and starting to draw justified conclusions from this.

Alongside this skills-based approach, students will be introduced to key thinkers within the field of educational philosophy. Their arguments will be examined and critiqued in relation to current issues, considering the relevance of particular social, political and economic schools of thought to education. Again, the emphasis is on developing students’ ability to question and assess competing philosophical positions, as well as starting to consider their own perspective.

Moving beyond the realm of the University, critical thinking involves a set of skills that are crucial in the world of work and are arguably the most transferable of all that they will acquire over the course of their university studies. The ability to analyse competing arguments, recognise assumptions and present justified conclusions will prove valuable across a diverse range of fields.

This module will enable students to develop an understanding of global issues and their impact upon educational practices. It will require students to re-examine the role of education in a modern inter-connected global society and support them in developing their own identity as global citizens. It will also build on their knowledge and skills in relation to the UK system and its place within the global context.

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This module will  develop the students’ knowledge of the international economic, cultural, political and environmental factors which shape and influence our lives, an awareness of which is crucial within today’s society. In a world where technology has enabled traditional barriers to be traversed, knowledge to be exchanged across geographical borders and the development of a greater than ever sense of global inter-connectedness,  global issues such as climate change, sustainable development, environmental conservation and  fair trade will be explored through the lens of education.  The module will also draw upon the faculty’s commitment to and research interests in social justice. 

For students wishing to pursue a career in education, knowledge of international issues and contexts is likely to be of prime importance, particularly as global issues continue to influence policy and practices across a range of settings. Ever increasing criticism of the UK systems  from  educationalists, researchers, politicians, and the media, alongside a performance-driven culture, means it is crucial that students develop an awareness of these debates and the international comparisons which are drawn. Additionally, the scope of the module extends beyond traditional educational contexts, to consider the role of charities, businesses and cultural organisations in relation to the development of global citizens; this provides the opportunity for students to explore alternative future avenues within these fields. 

This module will enable students to study the thinkers and ideas currently existing at the forefront of the philosophy of education. They will explore how philosophy is conducted in education studies, and what it contributes to policy-making, curriculum design, teaching, learning, and assessment. It will encourage independent thinking through the use of philosophical approaches. The goal will be to build upon students’ skills in critical analysis developed earlier in their studies in order to develop an awareness of their own values and beliefs. They will need to communicate and defend their personal position in relation to challenging issues, exploration of which will structure the sessions.

RATIONALE

In a world where learning by “doing” is becoming a dominant paradigm, this module offers students the chance to take a wider and longer view of the point, practice, and purpose of education, teaching and learning. They will discover how the policy-makers have borrowed their ideas from philosophers, and how those ideas have evolved and mutated in the hands of different stakeholders. They will discover how those currently working in the field of philosophy of education are moving debates on, and opening up new avenues of research and discovery for those who follow behind them.

This module will equip students with the ability to develop, communicate and defend their own values position in relation to education. They will have the opportunity to explore challenging and complex issues, which may cause them to revise their own assumptions. Students should be able to present their own position in a concise and convincing manner, recognising counter arguments and be able to construct valid justifications to support their assertions. This will provide them with transferable skills for the future and will enable them to develop a greater understanding of self.

Whether working with children and their families in a school setting or in the wider children’s workforce, an underpinning knowledge and understanding of ‘learning’ is vitally important if every child’s opportunities to flourish and experience well-being throughout their life-course are to be nurtured and protected.

Students will explore and define ‘learning’ in the middle years of childhood through consideration of a range of key theories, concepts and models. This knowledge and understanding will support graduates in their advocacy for children and their families in roles in the wider children’s workforce and will provide a secure foundation for a move into a role which involves taking responsibility for children’s progress within the education system as a teacher, learning mentor or higher level teaching assistant.

RATIONALE

One of the defining features of the ‘middle years’ of childhood in the UK and most ‘developed’ cultures is the transition to formal, compulsory education. Some children move from spending the majority of their time in a ‘home’ setting, with adults who would be defined as ‘family’, often as one of a very small number of children, to spending the majority of their time in a ‘school’ setting as one of a large number of children of the same age with a small number of adults who are usually unknown to them. Other children who have experienced a range of early childhood care settings outside the home from their first months or Early Years Foundation Stage educational settings from the age of three years, often have to adjust to less freedom of choice and independence and a more formal approach to ‘learning’.

Students will consider a broad definition of ‘learning’ that extends beyond education and ‘schooling’ and which includes the learning that starts at birth and takes place in every context that is part of a child’s life. Through this module students will define and refine their understanding of ‘learning’. They will explore theories and models of learning to give a sound underpinning for observing, analysing and discussing children’s learning, progress, attitudes and responses, and their development as an individual.

Whether working with children and their families in a school setting or in the wider children’s workforce, this underpinning knowledge and understanding of ‘learning’ is vitally important if every child’s opportunities to flourish and experience well-being throughout their life-course are to be nurtured and protected. This knowledge and understanding will support graduates in their advocacy for children and their families in roles in the wider children’s workforce and will provide the basis of a critically analytical approach to developing practice within the expectations of ‘curriculum’ if they move into a role which involves taking responsibility for children’s progress within the education system as a teacher, learning mentor or higher level teaching assistant.

This module concentrates on aspects of pure mathematics and aims to develop students’ deep understanding of number and links between algebra and geometry. The module introduces mathematical principles such as algebraic structure, proof, matrix algebra and the extension of the number system to include complex numbers. Students will also be introduced to Computer Algebra and Mathematical Word Processing.

RATIONALE

Students will be introduced to the mathematical concepts which underpin mathematics at honours degree level. The module provides width and as such embraces mathematical principles such as algebraic structure, proof, matrix algebra, extension of the number system and mathematical computer packages all of which permeate Level 5 and Level 6 modules.

This module is designed to develop further the foundations in matrix algebra that have been laid at level 4 in the algebraic structure module. It provides depth of understanding into the links between number, algebra, and geometry. This is both a pure and an applied mathematics module, taking the opportunity at each stage to examine applications of the theory.

RATIONALE

Linear algebra is central to both pure and applied mathematics and is vital to practically every area of modern science. It is the branch of mathematics concerning vector spaces and linear mappings between such spaces. It includes the study of lines, planes, and subspaces, but is also concerned with properties common to all vector spaces. The module provides width and as such embraces essential level 5 mathematical topics such as; linear Algebra, solving linear equations, Eigenvectors, Numerical techniques and Gaussian elimination all of which permeate level 6 modules. This module provides the opportunity.

to study vector spaces, together with their structure-preserving maps and their relationships to matrices. It also considers the effect of changing bases on the matrix representing one of these maps and examines how to choose bases so that this matrix is as simple as possible.

This module will introduce students to the different methodological approaches to the study of Religion. Students will study the main attempts to define Religion and to engage in the debates surrounding such definitions. They will engage in a multi-disciplinary approach to the idea of Religion through the traditional fields of historical, anthropological, philosophical, sociological and textual studies. In addition, students will examine religion in more contemporary fields such as the visual arts, politics, environmentalism, psychology and gender.

Rationale

The content of this module provides the intellectual foundations needed by anybody who wishes to engage in the academic study of Religion as defined by the QAA’s Subject Benchmark Statement. It enables students to acquire knowledge about the key thinkers, theories, and concepts associated with Religious Studies. Religious literacy is key to global citizenship in the 21st century. Despite the technological advances of modern society, religion remains a fundamental part of the human experience. Religious Studies gives students an insight into diverse cultures from the past and in the present, and how diverse peoples have imagined the universe and their place within it. Religion is the primary expression of humanity’s quest to find meaning and purpose and understanding the phenomenon of Religion helps people to explore the most basic questions of our existence. Religion is a contested concept, and every person has an opinion as to its validity. Of particular importance in this module will be expanding the conceptual horizons of students regarding religion and religions as an underpinning of further studies in world religions and other aspects of the field. This knowledge will also greatly inform their perspectives, opinions, and approaches in whatever their future careers might be

This module will provide students with an opportunity to analyse concepts such as ‘religious experience’, ‘spirituality’, ‘revelation’ and ‘Mysticism’ and draw on studies in

psychology, anthropology, theology, esoteric philosophy and a range of wisdom traditions. The module will provide students with a framework in which to investigate nonrational forms of knowing and the epistemology of religious experience.

Rationale

Since human beings painted in caves or set out monolithic circles to observe the cosmos, there has been a consciousness of the sacred. This module explores the concept of spirituality, what sacrality is and how it is expressed. This is because such ideas are contested and within a culture that claims religion is dying, it is important to explore in some way other forms of expression, namely through the various opinions of ‘the sacred’. It is important therefore, that the diversity of human religious experience be explored in a way that brings light to the question of what it means to be human. People are increasingly more comfortable in stating that they are spiritual more than religious so how are religious experiences to be interpreted and understood in an increasingly non-theistic, postmodern cultural milieu that would hold no rational meaning for human life today. This module will help students to n begin to critique the various forms of religious and non-religious expression that can be considered ‘spiritual’ and/or ‘religious’ forms of the scared. Thus, enabling them to have a more informed view about the significance of ‘religion’ to humanity

This module presents Judaism as a fascinating historical religion which has a variety of forms of expression in modern society. Through a combination of classroom based activities and experiences in the field students will develop their understanding of the key features of Judaism to enable them to have good knowledge and understanding.

RATIONALE

An understanding of Judaism as the foundational, Abrahamic, monotheistic faith is a fundamental pre-requisite of studying religion in the West.  A systematic and scholarly approach to the study of a religion is a fundamental feature of Theology and Religious Studies.  This module builds upon the introductory modules studied in Level 4 by allowing students to deepen and extend their knowledge. Students will have the opportunity to engage in the twofold exercise of:

• exploring religious thought within Judaism so as to understand its integrity and diversity, and grasp its integrative role in relation to lifestyles, practices and ethics
• analysing the historical, social, philosophical, cultural and artistic role of Judaism in diverse contexts. 

In both contexts students explore both an ‘inside’ and an ‘outside’ perspective, so that the perspectives of both practitioners and non-practitioners are appreciated.

By undertaking this module students will engage with Judaism as both an ancient and modern tradition enabling critical investigation of the tradition as plural, diverse, dynamic and evolving. The special study of Judaism in the west offers students opportunities to develop their understanding of theoretical and methodological issues in the study and research of religions and to engage with faith practitioners within Jewish communities providing a strong experiential dimension to this module.

By undertaking this module students will engage with Judaism as both an ancient and modern tradition enabling critical investigation of the tradition as plural, diverse, dynamic and evolving. The special study of Judaism in the west offers students opportunities to develop their understanding of theoretical and methodological issues in the study and research of religions and to engage with faith practitioners within Jewish communities providing a strong experiential dimension to this module.

By undertaking this module students will engage with Judaism as both an ancient and modern tradition enabling critical investigation of the tradition as plural, diverse, dynamic and evolving. The special study of Judaism in the west offers students opportunities to develop their understanding of theoretical and methodological issues in the study and research of religions and to engage with faith practitioners within Jewish communities providing a strong experiential dimension to this module.

Religion has global social and political significance and influence. This module explores the intersection of religion as a living practice which shapes the lives of communities and individuals at the local, national and international level. Students will explore some of the major debates about the role of religion in public life, through case studies of key issues, debate and discussion about the contested role of religion as an enduring force in the twenty first century. Issues of religious citizenship, the role of religion in welfare, the relationship between race and religion will be explored in the context of a globalising and unstable geopolitical environment.

RATIONALE

The notion that religion is in terminal decline, known as the secularization thesis has dominated much of the post war twentieth century debate about religion. Media reporting and public discourse tended to assume that we live in a secular age and that religion is largely a private matter. The secularization thesis has progressively lost its hold as the geopolitics of the twenty first century, globalization and migration highlight the diversity and plurality of religion through daily encounter. However, public discourse still tends to resonate with assumptions that this module seeks to explore and challenge: that the West is secular, religions cause conflict and oppress minorities. This module aims to explore religion as nuanced, multi- faceted and integral to the public sphere, challenging simplistic notions of a ‘private religion/ public sphere’ split. Recently the report of the Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life (2015) has called for greater understanding of religion across all sections of society and the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur in 2018 highlighted evidence of the racialization of religion in the UK. This module will explore the intersections between religion and public life through the frames of these debates and issues, equipping students with the knowledge necessary to make sense of their society which is complexly both secular and religious.

Upon completion of this module, students will gain imaginative insight and creative self-direction which allows them to develop independence of mind and initiative as they are able to gather, evaluate and synthesise different types of information. They will communicate information, ideas, principles and theories and develop an argument effectively by appropriate oral and visual means, and relate materials to an intended audience through the assignment task. 

This module will introduce students to the study of the English language and its many varieties and styles. Primarily, it will provide them with a solid foundation in the basics of grammar, introducing them to the different ways in which English language is studied at university level.  Through developing a solid grounding in the basics of the language, students will engage in the study of how language is manipulated for effect by writers and speakers in many different genres.

RATIONALE

The study of English at university level is generally divided into two broad strands: literature and language. SEN1002 will introduce students to the key areas of English language study at university level, helping them to develop a knowledge of the foci of each of the key sub-disciplines within this area, the main concepts and theories that define their parameters, and the main theorists and researchers who publish within the field. SEN1002 will help students to develop skills in textual analysis, evaluation and interpretation, organisation, articulation of opinions, self-reflection and self-critique. Ultimately, this module will prepare students for the general world of work with the aforementioned skills being easily transferable to a multitude of settings; it will also begin to equip them with the subject knowledge and skills that they might need for a career in teaching English at any level, as well as equipping them with the knowledge and skills required for further undergraduate and postgraduate study.

This module will build upon students’ existing knowledge of the English language and its study at university level. It will engage them in the exploration of both the seminal texts and theorists in the field as well as introducing them to the most up-to-date advances and areas of study and research in the discipline. It will cover a wide range of sub-disciplines within the overarching discipline of English language studies.

RATIONALE

Language study is one of the two broad sub-disciplines of English (the other being literature). As such, this module will help students to develop language skills in key areas such as the history of the language, Sociolinguistics, and Psycholinguistic. Additionally, it will equip them with more generic, and transferable skills like analysis, interpretation, critique, organisation, planning, presentation, research, and writing. These skills, in addition to being key skills in the study of English at all levels, will also help students develop their generic transferable skill-set in readiness for the world of work. Students who successfully complete this module will be well equipped to further their studies in English, or other related disciplines, and to teach English at all levels up to University level.

This module will enable students to explore the various ways in which access to education can be helped or hindered as a result of issues such as race, religion, class, ethnicity, learning difficulties, or physical disability. Further, it will allow students to explore and reflect upon the specific factors that can affect access, and how obstacles to access can be mitigated against or overcome.

The module will provide a broad overview of the legislative and policy context relating to equality and inclusion as an ongoing process involving values and attitudes, as much as issues of practicality and access.

RATIONALE

The content of this module is of particular interest to anybody involved in the study of education. Most careers are, in one form or another, concerned with the issue of access and ensuring that the largest number can access services with fewest impediments.

This module is designed to contextualise current understandings, concepts, ideas and perspectives of inclusion within a theoretical framework and recent legislation relating to equality and inclusion policies and practices. Students will be encouraged to address issues by analysing national and local responses to the equality and inclusion agendas.

This module will focus on educational technology, which is a consideration of the physical hardware, software, underlying theoretical perspectives and pedagogical approaches used to enhance learning.

Technology has the capacity to significantly re-shape teaching and learning and this module will provide students with the opportunity to critically examine, explore and evaluate the potential benefits of a range of educational technology, to consider the underpinning pedagogical rationale for their use, with the specific intention of enhancing teaching and learning.

RATIONALE

Over time, national and international education strategies and policies have been founded on the premise that technology has the potential to remove barriers, unlock potential, engage learners and improve learning experiences/outcomes. The content of this module will enable students to understand the role that technology has played in education in past and present times. They will develop the skills of critique, reflection and articulation, as they examine the potential benefits of educational technology, in a range of teaching and learning contexts. 

This module provides students with an introduction to key theories and perspectives in the psychology of education. They will develop an understanding of the basic principles within the fields of cognitive, developmental and social psychology, and will have the chance to explore issues relating to identity, self and motivation; investigation of high quality research within these fields will be underpinned by the fundamental question of how and why we learn.

RATIONALE

Psychology is one of the core pillars within the study of education, and can provide fascinating insights into why individuals behave in particular ways within their social contexts. In this module, students will explore learning theories from a psychological angle and consider what is important in relation to notions of self and intelligence. The distinctions between cognitive, developmental and social psychology will be explored and students will be introduced to key researchers from across these fields. There will also be the opportunity to consider key issues which educational psychologists face in relation to specific learning difficulties and emotional and behavioural problems.

Vocationally, this module will provide knowledge and insights that will inform graduates’ professional practice across a number of fields. Whether or not they choose to pursue a career within education, the knowledge and awareness of what drives themselves and others will prove useful, with psychology forming an important part of training across many business, commercial and enterprise ventures, in addition to educational contexts. The knowledge students will develop in relation to individual differences, child development and motivation may have implications across a number of professional and social situations, with an understanding of the discipline proving useful for solving problems, dealing with challenging situations and questioning the reasons behind the actions of others. An insight into how we learn can be of real value within and beyond educational settings.

This module will immerse students in the advanced study of psychological theories in order to develop in-depth knowledge of what constitutes effective teaching and learning. The aim is to build on students’ earlier studies in order to further develop the skills to examine and critique psychological enquiry, such as notions of self and intelligence and specific learning difficulties. They will then apply this knowledge by considering key educational issues from a psychological angle.

RATIONALE

Psychology makes a vital contribution to the field of education, offering theories which can explain learning, behaviour and the mind. It allows examination of the motivations and perceptions of individuals, enabling educators to better understand the most effective ways to promote learning and how potential barriers to progress might be overcome.

This Level 6 module explores themes such as individual differences, emotional and behavioural difficulties, but also builds knowledge of key themes in early childhood, employing theories from developmental, cognitive and social psychology. Key questions will be raised in relation to issues such as: inclusion, intelligence, testing, motivation, bullying and identity.

This module will enable students to explore shifts in educational policy and practice and consider the most pressing contemporary issues in the sociology of education.  They will explore how education across the age spectrum, and in its formal and informal paradigms, is affected by the design and implementation of government policy, as well as by factors relating to, inter alia, class, gender, race, religion, and wealth. Additionally, they will explore the origins of the history of the sociology of education and how researchers apply the core concepts, collect and analyse data, and report on the results of their research.

RATIONALE

As one of the core disciplines of Education Studies, the sociology of education is key to the academic and professional development of students. Within the sociology of education, students have the opportunity to apply a broad range of concepts and ideas from the parallel disciplines, and to explore the impact of these ideas on educational settings and for the lived experience of learners, teachers, and all education professionals. Vocationally, this module will prepare students for the world of work through its focus on the reality of the way in which abstract ideas and policies manifest themselves in the lives of real people.

This module is intended to foster professional practice and  employability skills in two ways.  First by simulating, as accurately as possible, what it is like to work in a given Engineering specialism.   In other words, students will be introduced to the “world of work”  via a simulated work environment/project – they will be put into teams that represent fictional companies or given live briefs,  which need to produce real products or engage in realistic work-related activity. 

In the employer derived simulation/project, for example, many engineers work as part of a team on large  projects. Therefore, students will be assembled into fictional development companies, and will thereby experience the challenges that can occur when trying to develop a complicated engineering project and deliver it on schedule and with high quality.

RATIONALE

Given the increasing emphasis on self-directed learning and employability, and the highly competitive nature of the graduate job market, graduates need to be well prepared for both the immediate challenge of attaining a graduate-level job and the demands of life-long learning.

To meet these requirements, this module aims to improve the skills of engineering students and to ensure graduates have the employability skills needed for the world of work

The module reflects the IET desire for engineering students to;

• Use and apply information from technical literature;
• Demonstrate awareness of quality issues and their application to continuous improvement;
• Demonstrate awareness of team roles and the ability to work as a member of an engineering team.
• Apply their skills in problem solving, communication, information retrieval, working with others and the effective use of general IT facilities;
• Plan self-learning and improve performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

This module provides students with essential project management and planning skills, which will enable them to undertake their engineering project with confidence. Through a series of lectures and seminars, students will use a project-based learning approach to explore the processes and behaviours associated with performing an engineering research project. The journey through a research project will be mapped out, describing how to perform a literature review, the importance of citation and referencing and what constitutes a project’s aims and objectives. The qualitative and quantitative methods of performing research will be presented, and what constitutes plagiarism and the need for ethical conduct will be described with the aid of case studies. The research tools that are available for effectively conducting an engineering project, such as Microsoft Project, will be demonstrated. Sources of information in the public domain will be presented. Students will use the information presented in lectures and seminars to formulate a project proposal, which will be used as a basis for the engineering research and development project. The ability to effectively communicate the results of the module will be evaluated through a 15-minute oral presentation.

RATIONALE

Graduate engineers will spend a significant amount of their career working on projects and the ability to manage and plan work is an important aspect of an engineer’s skills portfolio. One of the major modules of the engineering degree is the Engineering Research and Development project. For many students this will be the first time that they will have been required to take on such a task, and the prospect can be daunting. This module is designed to develop expertise in topics that are essential for undertaking an engineering research and development project. The module provides a variety of essential skills, which will help develop students’ critical thinking and analytical skills and provide a solid basis for project work at Level 6 and Level 7. The outcome of this module will be a comprehensive project proposal, which will thoroughly prepare and instil confidence in the student for a major research and development project undertaking.

Students will be introduced to basic semiconductors and use of transistor as an amplifier and a switch. Amplifier’s classes will be discussed within a wide variety of applications. Similarly, for digital electronics, logic level models, logic gates and the design and application of digital logic circuits will be introduced to students. Students will learn to will learn to design simple analogue and digital circuits and gain an understanding of how electronic circuits are analysed, designed, verified, and tested. They will develop the capability to use electronic circuits to solve simple engineering problems.

RATIONALE

Analogue and digital circuits are an essential component of every electronic device including computers, phones, and tablets. They are used to build engineering designs that deliver various computational outcomes. This module introduces the students to the operation and application of analogue and digital logic circuits and the techniques used for their design and analysis. It also gives them an insight into how electronic circuits are used to solve simple engineering problems

This module provides a foundation of mechanical engineering fundamentals covering material structures, the types of materials and their mechanical behaviour. Through a series of lectures, together with a range of practical laboratory sessions to help reinforce material discussed in lectures and gain hands on experience in the use of test and measurement equipment and simulation tools, students will use a problem-solving approach to explore classical concepts in materials engineering. The module begins with an introduction to the structures of materials, in describing the crystalline solids, defects and disorders, and atomic bonding. The different types of materials are then described and characterised. The causes and preventions of mechanical failure are then analysed, in considering elastic and plastic deformation, creep and fatigues and toughening and stiffening mechanisms. Students will learn how to characterise the performance of mechanical behaviour and develop the capability to apply different types of materials to solve simple engineering problems.

RATIONALE

This module is designed to introduce topics that are fundamental to the study of mechanical engineering, which are essential for a rigorous academic study in engineering and related disciplines at University level. The module provides technical breadth and embraces important hands-on practical skills using simulation tools and test and measurement equipment, to enable modelling, implementation and testing of materials to solve simple engineering problems, which will help develop students’ analytical skills and build confidence in their practical abilities. The module will provide a solid basis for further study and experimental work at Levels 5 and 6

This module provides a fundamental starting point for engineering students. Through a series of lectures, together with a range of practical laboratory sessions to help reinforce material discussed in lectures and gain hands on experience in the use of test and measurement equipment and simulation tools, students will use a problem-solving approach to explore classical concepts in engineering practice. Students are introduced to the engineering profession and the role that engineering plays in society. and the basic lab skills that are required depending upon their engineering discipline. Various soft skills are introduced in the context of developing a basic functioning electronics project. Students will be made aware of relevant regulatory requirements governing engineering activities.

RATIONALE

It is essential for engineering students to have a base knowledge that is latter built upon through their journey to be a professional engineer. This module is designed to introduce topics that are fundamental to professional engineering, which are essential for a rigorous academic study in engineering and related disciplines at university level. The topics covered within this module are generic and provide students with a grounding in how professional bodies underpin their practice. The module will also provide an overview of generic laboratory skills, giving students hands on opportunities with basic equipment to build a small project to practice their laboratory skills. This module will provide a solid base for further study and experimental work at Levels 5 and 6.

This module will focus on providing a comprehensive overview of the important mathematical concepts and methods relevant to engineering. It will emphasise applications and methods related to a variety of real-world problems from engineering to physics and mechanics. It will explore how mathematics has helped to shape the modern world. Students will be exposed to cutting-edge applications of mathematics, including those related to current research areas.

RATIONALE

Mathematics is an essential component of engineering and it is at the core of many engineering analysis techniques and concepts. In particular, the development of mathematical theories and applications have led to new engineering areas and fields. This module focuses on the relevant mathematical methods in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers, differential and integral calculus and matrices. These will be embedded within an engineering context ie Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals and Agriculture to provide a deep understanding on how to successfully apply the most relevant mathematical concepts and tools to engineering.

This module presents the theoretical principals and practical considerations behind the operation of electrical machines. Through a series of lectures, together with a range of practical laboratory sessions to help reinforce material discussed in lectures and gain hands-on experience in the use of test and measurement equipment and simulation tools, students will use a problem-solving approach to explore classical concepts in electrical machines, covering electromagnetism, the characteristics of motors, and the various types of DC and AC motors that are currently in operation. Students will learn how to design, test and measure the performance of electric motors in a laboratory setting. The module begins with an analysis of the natural forces that enable electricity to be converted into motion. Classical concepts describing the

relationship between Electric and Magnetic Fields, the Hall Effect, and Faraday’s Law are presented, together with Maxwell’s equations. The characteristics of electric motors are analysed, defining the circular force and electromechanical energy. The characterisation of DC motors is presented, discussing the various means of implementation that are currently available. The module then concludes with an analysis of the different types of AC motors.

RATIONALE

This module is designed to introduce topics that are fundamental to the study of electrical machines and their inclusion has been guided by bench marking in the subject. The understanding of the design and operation of electric motors is becoming an increasingly important part of electrical and mechanical engineering, as research and innovation is now intensifying on developing efficient and powerful electric motors for the automotive industry. The fundamentals of electrical machines are essential for a rigorous academic study in advanced engineering at University level. The module provides technical breadth and embraces important hands-on practical skills to enable the understanding of how various types of electric motors operate, which will help develop students’ critical thinking and build confidence in their practical skills. The module will provide a solid basis for further study at Levels 6 and 7.

This module aims to introduce the fundamentals of signal processing. This module starts with signal analysis to help the students understand the signal representations in both time and frequency domain, then explores various signal modulation schemes for analogue- and digital-signal transmissions and their performance evaluation in terms of signalto-noise ratio, bandwidth requirement, and error performance, then further introduce the signal filters including the design and implementation.

RATIONALE

Signal processing technologies have been developing rapidly in the past decades, which is an essential asset for building the future smart world, where interaction between smart devices heavily rely on reliable and efficient communication signal processing technologies. This module is designed to teach students the principles of signal processing, including both the underpinning theories and mathematics and practical applications with an emphasis on developing problem-solving techniques via theoretical/computational activities and building life-long active deep learning skills, thus equipping students with sufficient knowledge and hands-on practice to improve employability.

This module presents the theoretical principals and practical considerations behind the transmission, propagation, and reception of radio waves. Through a series of lectures, together with a range of practical laboratory sessions to help reinforce material discussed in lectures and gain hands-on experience in the use of test and measurement equipment and simulation tools, students will use a problem-solving approach to explore classical concepts in antennas and radio wave propagation, covering electromagnetism, the characteristics of antennas, and the various empirical and geometrical models that are used to characterise the transmission channel. Students will learn how to design, test and measure the performance of antennas in a laboratory setting. The module begins with an analysis of the natural forces that enable electromagnetic waves to be transmitted over the air, beginning with Maxwell’s equations before discussing the characteristics of plane waves and types of polarisation. The characteristics of different types of antenna are analysed, including the parameters which define their performance, such as boresight, beamwidth, and gain. The different mechanisms which determine how a radio wave propagates through the air are described, before concluding with various means of modelling the transmission environment.

RATIONALE

This module is designed to introduce topics that are fundamental to the study of antennas and radio wave propagation and their inclusion has been guided by bench marking in the subject. As research and innovation is now intensifying on developing efficient and powerful means of transmitting increasingly complex signals over cellular and satellite networks, addressing the fundamentals of antennas and radio wave propagation are essential for a rigorous academic study in advanced engineering at university level. The module provides technical breadth and embraces important hands-on practical skills to enable the understanding of how various types of antenna can be used to transmit and receive signals, and how radio waves propagate through the air in different transmission environments. The module will help develop students’ critical thinking and build confidence in their practical skills and knowledge. The module will provide a solid basis for further study at Levels 6 and 7.

This module provides an overview of the most important thermodynamic concepts, laws and applications in some relevant practical examples. In particular, it will focus on real-world applications and methods from engineering to physics and mechanics. Students will be exposed to cutting-edge applications of thermodynamics, including those related to current research areas.

RATIONALE

Thermodynamics is the science that deals with heat and work and the properties of substances that bear a relation to heat and work. This module focuses on introducing to students the fundamental concepts linked to engineering thermodynamics, principles of thermodynamic laws and practical applications of thermodynamics. These will be embedded with a context of mechanical engineering to provide a thorough understanding on any relevant knowledge and applications in the area

This module presents the theoretical principles and practical considerations behind the solid mechanics. Understanding physical laws and their applications in modern day machinery is one of the fundamental requirements of a mechanical engineer. For engineers, structural and solid mechanics provide essential knowledge to compute stresses, strain, and deformation of solids. Prediction, description, and explanation of physical properties of materials is one of the key fundamental requirements in applied engineering. Students will have the opportunity to understand the behavioural characteristics of static and dynamic engineering systems by investigating stresses, strains, bending, deflection, and torsion etc.

RATIONALE

As a mechanical engineer, it is essential to know the behaviour of materials under external actions. Structural and solid mechanics module will enable students to learn and understand applied mechanics. Materials behave differently under different stress conditions. In order to prevent accidents and damages, it is essential to determine the behavioural characteristics of solids under consideration for a particular application. One of the key goals of study of such materials is to avoid such accidents and damages as well as the study allows to determine the dynamic properties and structural flexibility.

The module provides technical breadth and embraces essential skills to enable the design and maintain systems that work safely and efficiently. Principles laid down by famous scientists including Newton, Hooks, and Young will be the key constituents of the study. Loading beams, laws of motion and combustion engines will all be discussed. The module will provide a solid basis for further study at Level 7 or prepare students for industry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE

Today’s complex engineering challenges require a multidisciplinary approach, in bringing together various disciplines including electronics, energy and power, computing, and mechanics, as well as the need to consider other influences such as social, economic, and environmental factors. It is therefore important for students studying advance topics in a specific discipline to have a breadth of knowledge in other areas of engineering and technology to better understand the nature and complexities of the problem. Moreover, students would benefit from the experience of working in multiskilled teams, to reflect and prepare for the complexities of the working environment. This module develops group skills and multidisciplinary design knowledge through a substantial project, the subject of which will aim to develop a sustainable solution to a global engineering challenge and will be broadly related to the students’ degree programmes. The nature of the project will be informed by the research interests of the academic supervisors, as well as external influencers.

The project will be executed independently by multidisciplinary groups of 4 to 6 students, drawn from contributing degree programmes. The group project work will be performed under the guidance of an academic supervisor.  The project will generate group and individual outputs, which will be clearly identified at the outset.  The module requires groups to conduct in-depth work on a substantial engineering challenge, which includes researching and analysing a given problem and finding and realising a practical engineering solution.

RATIONALE

This 40-credit module is designed to introduce topics that are essential for undertaking a multidisciplinary engineering group project. The module provides a variety of necessary skills, which will help develop students’ project work, critical thinking, teamwork, and interpersonal skills, and analytical skills, and provide a solid basis for advanced individual project work at Level 7. The substantial group project is a requirement of the IET for the purpose of accreditation of a taught Master’s programme.

The module aims to give each student the opportunity to: demonstrate within a group environment, creativity, ingenuity, and originality to apply appropriate knowledge and skills taught throughout their degree programme; develop investigative, problem-solving, communication, management, and other transferable skills; demonstrate the ability to undertake a substantial multidisciplinary group project with a view to achieving a common goal.

The multidisciplinary group project is an opportunity for each student to investigate in some depth an issue of particular interest, while also contributing more widely to the group’s common goals.  The module offers an element of specialisation to demonstrate the integration of skills, group work and technical knowledge.

The substantial multidisciplinary group project has major benefits in providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• their ability to apply practical and analytical skills present in the programme as a whole
• innovation and/or creativity
• synthesis of information, ideas, and practices to provide a quality solution together with a critical evaluation of that solution
• that their project meets a real need in a wider context of global significance
• the ability to self-manage a significant piece of work within the confines of group activities
• teamwork and peer evaluation of the process.

The aim of this module is to give each student the opportunity to show individual creativity and originality, to apply where appropriate knowledge and skills taught throughout the degree programme, to practice investigative, problem-solving, communication, management and other transferable skills, and to demonstrate the ability to undertake an individual project.

The project will be executed independently by the student, under the guidance of a supervisor. It requires the student to conduct in-depth work on a substantial problem, which includes researching and analysing the problem and finding and realising a solution. While projects may vary widely in the problem they address, the problem must be related to the students’ degree programme.

RATIONALE

The final year project is an opportunity for each student to investigate in some depth an issue of particular interest.  It offers an element of specialisation within the degree to demonstrate the integration of skills and technical knowledge from the programme as a whole.

The Research & Development project has major benefits by providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• their ability to apply practical and analytical skills present in the programme as a whole
• Innovation and/or creativity
• synthesis of information, ideas and practices to provide a quality solution together with an evaluation of that solution
• that their project meets a real need in a wider context
• the ability to self-manage a significant piece of work

The project requires that students, design, plan, and apply their knowledge to a solution requiring the application of technical knowledge. Project activities are largely determined and executed by the students, thus developing their ability to manage and critically evaluate their own work. Students will increase their capacity to communicate effectively and interpret responses with respect to appropriate stages of the development of the project. They will also develop and apply time management skills to project scheduling and develop a sound appreciation of the need for high quality documentation which is organised and structured to reflect the logical development of the project.

This module introduces the development of language and communication, and how we learn to understand and produce it, with a focus on the English language. It also addresses how language developed during human evolution, outlines how language is processed in the brain, and how language affects our minds and perception of other aspects of our environment. The module also discusses some of the major theories that have been put forward to explain different types of language development.

RATIONALE

What language is and understanding how we communicate is a topic that is of great importance for a wide range of careers. This module will enable students to understand the major topics and theories related to how language develops, how it can be manipulated, and how to communicate effectively in a range of situations. It will also lead to deeper understanding of how language and meaning is successfully conveyed and how miscommunication may occur during interaction with others. The module will be of particular interest to students who are interested in teaching and/or working with the public. It also introduces topics that students can follow up in subsequent years, such as psycholinguistics, child language acquisition, bilingualism and TESOL.

The module provides an overview of the history and development of the English language from its earliest beginnings to the present-day. It covers the influence of Chaucer and Shakespeare on the language, and the role of dictionaries and the King James Bible in the making of what English has become today. There are input sessions focusing on the effect of linguistic borrowing on the language, sound change over time, the history of English spelling, the rise of standard English and English in society, focusing on forms of address. Later sessions focus on recent change in the language and the growth of regional standards of English around the world.

RATIONALE

This is a compulsory module for all English and English Language students. It develops key transferable skills such as close reading, the adoption of linguistic conventions, and appreciation of the systematic nature of language and much of language change. The module also addresses some of the key political and social issues around the changing role of English, around the world and over time. The module allows students to develop attention to precise details of change, the identification of underlying linguistic systems, and the organisation and presentation of material logically. It enhances students’ experience of working autonomously and develops ability to come to evidence-based conclusions. While working to a brief, students will learn to employ appropriate academic apparatus, abide by instructions concerning word length, and use appropriate conventions of linguistic citation.

This module takes a linguistic approach to the examination of discourse, both written and spoken. It explores how discourse is structured and considers how meaning in discourse is created and negotiated between addressors and addressees. Furthermore, it presents a linguistic approach to the study of the communication, creation, maintenance and contestation of ideologies via discourse.

RATIONALE

This module aims to contribute to subject knowledge and to key subject specific skills by contributing to the students’ knowledge of the structure and functions of discourse; increasing awareness of the relationship between language use and context, and the importance of background knowledge in the communication and interpretation of discourse meaning; improving students’ skills in the close reading and analysis of written text and transcripts of spoken discourse; and, as with other English modules, encouraging the bibliographical skills appropriate to the discipline in the presentation of written work. This module contributes to the students’ academic and graduate skills in a number of ways: enhancing their ability to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse; encouraging them to work with others to collectively accomplish a prescribed task, namely to produce a piece of transcription; and by improving their research skills, such as data gathering and the consideration of research ethics.

This course introduces students to the principles and practice of good English language teaching. Issues dealt with during the module include the history of language teaching and learning, individual learner differences, grammatical terminology, materials development and planning ESOL lessons. The module is delivered by a combination of tutor-led presentations and student-centred, practical seminars.

 RATIONALE

TESOL is an important and well-documented area in the field of linguistics. This module allows students to develop their knowledge, understanding and practical skills in TESOL. The course balances academic aspects (the history of TESOL, teaching and learning theories, learner differences etc.) with the more practical side of TESOL (materials evaluation/development and lesson planning).This module has a very strong vocational aspect as it gives students a good grounding in teaching and learning techniques and approaches and is very useful for students wishing to follow a career in teaching and learning at any level and of any discipline. A number of students have secured jobs and/or places on further TESOL courses on the strength of this module.Re key and subject specific skills, during the module students are encouraged to:

• develop their autonomy as learners
• appraise their own and peers’ opinions/suggestions
• reflect on and critically evaluate subject material
• judge the relevance and appropriateness of information provided
• communicate effectively and appropriately through spoken and written language
• work in various groups
• use appropriate terminology when discussing issues in TESOL
• use appropriate bibliographical and referencing skills when producing written work

When possible, students will be put into multi-national and (so multi-lingual) groups to work together. This will give British English students an insight into non-native-speaker English which will in turn inform their teacher-talk. In addition, non-native English speakers will have the opportunity to learn (particularly informal) English. Students will also be encouraged to set up working parties outside class to further this aim

The law is overwhelmingly a linguistic institution.  Laws are coded in language and the concepts that are used to construct law are accessible only through language.  Legal processes, such as court cases, police investigations, and the management of prisoners take place almost exclusively though language.  Forensic linguistics concerns the application of linguistics to describe and analyse language and discourse in the legal process.  This module takes a broad view of the subject to examine a wide interface between language and the law.

RATIONALE

All of us come into contact with legal matters, for example, via contracts between us and our partners, employers and service providers.  In this module, students are presented with the opportunity of investigating this important area of applied linguistics.  In so doing they are able to apply their knowledge and understanding of linguistic techniques of description and analysis in an interdisciplinary fashion, in order to gain a critical understanding of the function and effect of language in legal matters.  Although this is a fairly new application of linguistics, it has rapidly acquired a respectable legitimacy among lawyers, judges and juries as well as among linguists.

The module addresses the aims of the programme by developing existing subject knowledge: it requires knowledge of, inter alia, specific forms and functions of English; of the metalanguage of its description; of both diachronic and synchronic aspects of legal language; and of the effect of both context and purpose on the structure of written and spoken English.

The module addresses transferable graduate skills, such as, skills in reasoning; and the ability to analyse data; effective learning skills; critical thinking skills; information retrieval and selection skills; communication and presentation skills; and interactive and group skills. The module will also enhance students’ digital literacy.

LIT 1015 Beyond Books 1 introduces students to the critical analysis of a three narrative forms, the novel, the interactive story and sequential art, and to the elementary terminology, methodologies, and critical debates found in narratological theory.  Students will become familiar with interdisciplinary approaches to the interpretation of literary, interactive and graphic narratives to ensure they acquire a firm foundation for further narratological studies or activities throughout their undergraduate degree.

RATIONALE

In terms of the creative arts, textual, pictorial, and interactive print narratives are a common feature of our personal and professional lives.  Consequently, it is both academically and vocationally desirable for students to understand the structures and conventions of various narrative forms and how they influence us as readers.  Hence, LIT 1015 introduces students to a range of narrative textual models and to the often interdisciplinary terminology, methodologies, and critical debates associated with each.  As the module assumes no previous knowledge amongst its students, it adopts an evolving structure until all previous work is of equal relevance.  By constructing the course in this manner, students will be able to consolidate their knowledge and understanding.  Thus, the final weeks of the module serve as both a review and a development of the entire semester’s study.

This 20-credit / one-semester first-year module will introduce students to the skills and approaches necessary for the interpretation and evaluation of poetry, prose and drama. Students will be introduced to a range of influential critical theories from the 20th and 21st centuries and learn how to apply these to literary texts. The primary literary texts are predominantly 19th century in focus, enabling students to understand how critical theories can help produce new insights and new readings of existing literature. Students will make practical applications of these approaches to the primary literary texts studied on the module.

RATIONALE

This 20-credit first-year module introduces students to a range of critical ‘ways of reading’ the primary texts. Students will spend multiple weeks analysing each of the set texts, using a different critical apparatus each week to interpret a range of cultural and social themes. It is important that students develop the close reading skills necessary for University-level study, as well as engaging critically with a mix of with poetry, prose, and drama in assignments designed to provide early feedback on academic writing. It is particularly important that students from a variety of different backgrounds, and who have had a wide range of disparate learning experiences before embarking on their degree course, receive a firm foundation in this material to build their critical skills and confidence for the rest of their learning journey. Students will enhance their existing key skills of reading / comprehension, speaking and presentation, listening and information retrieval through studying this module.

Romanticism is a 20-credit / one-semester, second-year period-survey module that provides an introduction to texts, authors, genres and central themes from the first stirrings of what has been traditionally conceived of as the Romantic age in the 1760s, until the dawn of the Victorian age seventy years later. Poetry, the prose essay and the novel are all studied.

RATIONALE

Romanticism, either in its traditional form as the ‘Romantic period’, or in its more recent guise as a constituent part of the ‘long eighteenth century’ (c.1660-1830), is one of the major periods of English Literature, as reflected in the great attention paid to the age by critics / scholars, students and the general reading public alike. The module provides a historical and critical framework for understanding British literature and culture of the period, and of its domination by the impact of the French Revolution (1789), which polarised British society between radicals and reactionaries. The module will introduce students to the richness and diversity of one of the great literary periods, one which redefined its predecessors and shaped its successors to the extent that critics and cultural commentators still debate the extent to which are ‘children of the Romantics’ today. The module will enable students to explore in some depth a crucial and seminal literary period and, in doing so, will develop their subject knowledge and enhance their critical skills.

Through the study of important creative, critical and theoretical texts associated with the eighteenth century, students will be introduced to an important area of literary study. The challenges of the important creative, critical and theoretical texts of Romanticism with which students will engage will present them with an opportunity to develop higher order reading skills, and to develop their critical expertise. The module offers students the opportunity to develop key subject-specific skills in the comprehension of the complex nature of literary languages, close reading of complex texts and an understanding of the influence of cultural circumstances on literary production. Students will develop skills in research, critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

This module will enable students to begin to develop their research and academic writing skills within a structure which provides a clear and continuing framework of support. It will take students through weekly subject-based sessions for study of a thematic and genre-based branch that is significant for current literary study.

RATIONALE

This module will offer students a varying selection well-defined, specialist research topics current in literary studies. Emphasis will be on close reading and understanding of texts and their contexts, and on methodologies and current debates in literary studies, including the use of digital resources. This module will support students by providing a clear structure and rational for varying subject pathways based on current staff research. These topics align with research interests of tutors so that within a supportive structure students undertake work as developing literary critics with the potential to work at the cutting edge of their discipline. Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to articulate their arguments in verbal as well as written form in supported small group and seminar discussions.

This 20-credit / one-semester third-year option module gives students the choice of working on a group of authors (such as Shakespeare) where works are sufficiently extensive to justify a whole module’s study. Students will examine authors’ work in the light of recent critical and theoretical approaches to authorship and canonicity, and develop an ability to theorise the relationship between authors and their cultural contexts. Students will acquire a specialist knowledge of literary periods and major writers in relation to relevant historical, cultural and literary contexts.

RATIONALE

[The example given hereafter is that of one author in order to demonstrate what the module might look like in practice

The module focuses on the works of one author. The module will focus on recent and current theoretical and critical approaches to their work, and students will develop an ability to theorise the relationship between authors and wider literary networks. Students will acquire a specialist knowledge of the literary sphere of periods from the Renaissance to the present day, and of the historical, cultural and literary contexts which informed their chosen authors’ or group’s writings. Students will additionally acquire a wide range of transferable skills; they will improve both their skills in reading and interpreting primary texts and extend their range of critical expertise through engaging with secondary texts. Students will develop skills in information retrieval and research, in critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

This module enables students to write in, and experiment with, a variety of styles, to read a range of contemporary and recent poetry, and to relate that reading to an on-going process of reflection that will feedback into a robust and inventive writing practice. Emphasis will be placed upon continuous journaling, intensive reading and workshop participation.

RATIONALE

This module aims to assist students develop as creative writers and to develop as readers of poetry and to reflect on his or her processes. Writing and reflection and reading feed into one another and develop co-terminology. Becoming an experienced and varied writer, becoming a wide reader and reflecting on the nature of writing poetry leads to literate, creative, reflective and flexible students, with requisite transferable skills for the career opportunities within and out with the cultural economies.

This module serves as a practical and theoretical introduction to research methods in nineteenth century studies. It introduces students to shared concepts and themes in studying the literature, history, and culture of the nineteenth century. It teaches students to understand the variety of approaches and perspectives which they might employ in their studies of 19thC culture and to apply them to critical and historical texts. Students will learn to identify and discuss the benefits and limitations of various critical interpretations and theories, research approaches etc.

Students will be taught about the processes and skills required to conduct research in an academic setting, from research ethics, digital archival searching and the processes of academic publishing, to presenting research in different forms and stages, from proposals and abstracts to more extended research essays.

Students will also be encouraged to recognise and explore the social relevance of these approaches and perspectives, reflecting on the transferability of their skills and knowledge to academic and non-academic career paths. The module will also introduce students to the wider significance of taught postgraduate study in the Humanities and Social Sciences through personal development planning.

RATIONALE

The MA class generally consists of a diverse student body made up of students of different ages and social and educational backgrounds. Since the critical and theoretical knowledge which different students can bring to an MA can vary considerably, even among recent graduates from different universities, this module is intended to ensure that students on the option modules will have some shared knowledge and understanding of literary, historical and cultural theory and to prepare all students for an extended piece of 19thC research in the dissertation.

The Humanities and Social Sciences do not offer an immediately vocational curriculum and many of the emergent approaches and perspectives in these fields lead, sometimes indirectly, to debates about the social and personal relevance of literature, language, history, and cultural studies. The MA is concerned to enable students to recognise the transferable skills which may be acquired through the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the module’s assessment regime promotes reflective critical practices. Assessment types will allow students to submit their final coursework in a form best suited to their learning and career goals: either an academic essay or a more work-related format which might include a school scheme of work or an exhibition plan.

This module serves as a practical and theoretical introduction to research methods in nineteenth century studies. It introduces students to shared concepts and themes in studying the literature, history, and culture of the nineteenth century. It teaches students to understand the variety of approaches and perspectives which they might employ in their studies of 19thC culture and to apply them to critical and historical texts. Students will learn to identify and discuss the benefits and limitations of various critical interpretations and theories, research approaches etc.

Students will be taught about the processes and skills required to conduct research in an academic setting, from research ethics, digital archival searching and the processes of academic publishing, to presenting research in different forms and stages, from proposals and abstracts to more extended research essays.

Students will also be encouraged to recognise and explore the social relevance of these approaches and perspectives, reflecting on the transferability of their skills and knowledge to academic and non-academic career paths. The module will also introduce students to the wider significance of taught postgraduate study in the Humanities and Social Sciences through personal development planning.

RATIONALE

The MA class generally consists of a diverse student body made up of students of different ages and social and educational backgrounds. Since the critical and theoretical knowledge which different students can bring to an MA can vary considerably, even among recent graduates from different universities, this module is intended to ensure that students on the option modules will have some shared knowledge and understanding of literary, historical and cultural theory and to prepare all students for an extended piece of 19thC research in the dissertation.

The Humanities and Social Sciences do not offer an immediately vocational curriculum and many of the emergent approaches and perspectives in these fields lead, sometimes indirectly, to debates about the social and personal relevance of literature, language, history, and cultural studies. The MA is concerned to enable students to recognise the transferable skills which may be acquired through the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the module’s assessment regime promotes reflective critical practices. Assessment types will allow students to submit their final coursework in a form best suited to their learning and career goals: either an academic essay or a more work-related format which might include a school scheme of work or an exhibition plan.

One product of the urbanisation and industrialisation of Britain was that order and discipline became necessary prerequisites for production, progress and what was seen as the development of civilised society. Gradual centralisation of government enabled the construction of a reformed and ‘new’ police force, a national system of courts and the construction of the domestic convict prison system. Of course, these were based on older forms of criminal justice institutions but they were driven not only by economic contexts but also by philosophical ones, in particular ideas about reform and rehabilitation. Despite the fact that serious crime decreased in the centuries before 1800, urbanisation made crime more visible so that by the mid nineteenth century crime had become a national social problem often perceived as an indictment upon civilised society and contemporary morality. Crime became a metaphor for a range of social issues and problems so that the study of attitudes towards crime, its reporting and governance provide a valuable lens through which to examine contemporary society, its fears, ideologies and prejudices especially those relating to social class and gender. Therefore, this module encourages the critical analysis of crime and its governance as a means to understand not only the society in which they occurred but also 21st century criminal justice structures and approaches.

RATIONALE

This module will use the study of crime in the period between c.1840-1940 as a valuable means by which students will examine contemporary society its fears, ideologies and prejudices especially in relation to social class and gender. This period was crucial in the development and refinement of the modern criminal justice system in the midst of rapid industrial and technological change and so students will gain an understanding of some key features and institutions that compose modern society in England and Wales. It will therefore enable students to consider crime as a key lens through which to understand and critically analyse social, economic and cultural change. It will foster M-level skills in primary research. in examining historiographical debates and in the development of critical thinking. Furthermore this module will develop students’ oral and written skills

This module is designed to introduce students to, and further their knowledge of, various publishing industries (commercial, trade and independent), fields of contemporary literary production, and the role(s) of the creative writer within the publishing world and other creative and cultural environments. It will also introduce them to various research methodologies as they relate to their own practice and within the context of the academic study of creative writing. They will learn how the publishing industry works through looking at all the stages a book goes through towards publication. This will help them better understand the publishing industry and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to enter the industry. There will also be a focus on oral presentation to help the students develop skills that are an integral part of a writer’s life whether that be reading their own creative work at public facing events or presenting at job interviews or in. academic settings. They will also develop transferable skills to assist them in gaining employment opportunities outside those directly related to the discipline, e.g. advertising, marketing, web content creation, writing copy etc.

RATIONALE

It is crucial that our students (in addition to their primary activity of writing and participating in workshops) develop a sense of how to situate themselves within the field of contemporary literary production and how to operate professionally within the industry and survive as a writer. This module aims to furnish students with practical and transferable skills to help them navigate the business. This will include how to identify appropriate and potential markets for their work and how to prepare submissions to publications, agents, and publishers etc.

This is a practical module focussing on the practice of creative writing in all its forms. The students will participate in the activity of writing primarily through the workshop which is central to the experience of the programme and helps to develop the students’ own writing to a professional standard. They will be given writing exercises to complete and will be required to share work to obtain peer feedback in order to develop their own writing.

RATIONALE

This foundational module will allow the students to experiment with their writing in order to discover their strengths and ultimately have a clearer idea of what medium/genre they want to write for. This module will give them a strong base for successfully completing MCW4016 (Workshop 2) where their writing will need to be more focussed, although it must be noted that completion of MCW4015 is not a pre-requisite for MCW4016. It will also give them the skills needed to tackle the Manuscript/dissertation module MCW4017.

This module explores the different aspects of meaning as expressed through lexis and grammar. It examines meaning in relation to the world, society, culture and attitude, and looks into how words and their meanings relate to one another. The module also investigates meaning expressed directly or indirectly, as well as how meaning arises from the combination of lexis and grammatical structures.

RATIONALE

Meaning is at the core of language expression and interaction. This module aims to familiarise students with the fundamental issues and concepts in linguistic semantics (i.e. context-independent meaning) and pragmatics (i.e. contextdependent meaning); to identify and explore the multifaceted nature of meaning, including both language-internal and language-external aspects of meaning, as well as the relationship between the two. The knowledge and skills introduced in this module are directly relevant to jobs in text editing, dictionary compilation, and language teaching.

This module allows students to explore distinctive Early Modern English linguistic features (including morphology, syntax and pronunciation) of Shakespeare’s work in great detail, and to compare them with corresponding features in Present-Day Standard British English.

RATIONALE

The module allows students to concentrate in more depth on one aspect of the historical study of English they have been introduced to in LNG2116, History and Development of English. The module focuses on the language of Shakespeare’s plays within a context of the language of the time. Shakespeare is a central figure in the culture of the English-speaking world and more widely, and an ability to read his work with detailed understanding of his language is valuable in itself, but particularly so for teachers of English, or for an understanding of British culture.

Such a competence is particularly vital for anyone who may wish to become a teacher of English in a secondary school, as Shakespeare is an obligatory study for GCSE English and often forms an obligatory part of the ‘A’ level English Literature syllabus. The module, concentrating as it does on linguistic characteristics of the plays and the period, is an excellent basis for such teaching, since it is the language of Shakespeare which is often perceived as a barrier to appreciation of his work as a whole by both teachers and pupils. Touching as it does on rhetoric and on salient and resonant lexis in Shakespeare, it also provides a basis for more literary approaches to Shakespeare and his contemporaries for those students who are taking the English degree programme.

This module offers students an overview of the processes involved in first language development. The module will consider how children develop language in terms of perception and comprehension, phonetics and phonology, lexis, grammar and morphology. It will also introduce and examine theoretical accounts of how we learn our first language, such as nativism, evidence-based approaches, etc.

RATIONALE

This long-standing discipline considers important issues relating to the developmental aspects of human language. Moreover, it has been the genesis and focus of important debate over the nature of human language itself. Although the approach of this module is linguistic, the subject is of concern to other disciplines, such as psychology, education and child development. In this respect, this module contributes to students’ subject knowledge by enabling them to recognise the links between linguistics and other disciplines and forms of knowledge. Furthermore, the module consolidates the students’ ability to use appropriate linguistic terminology to describe language, thus contributing to the students’ key subject-specific skills. Students are also expected to develop learner autonomy, communicate effectively and appropriately through spoken and written language and to use appropriate bibliographical and referencing skills when producing written work.

This module also has a strong vocational aspect as a knowledge of children’s language development is of use to students who intend to follow careers that bring them into contact with infants and young children, such as pre-school and early years teaching and speech and language therapy.

This module enables students to analyse and account for the ways in which gender and sexuality are constructed and represented through language use. Butler’s (1990) influential theory that gender is performative and that it emerges through discourse is key to the approach taken in this module, and students explore the diverse linguistic means by which gender and sexual identities are linguistically constructed and performed. Queer linguistic approaches, as well as those based on third-wave feminism, allow students to critique earlier linguistic analysis of language and gender which are based on hegemonic, dichotomous gender ideologies. Students explore the pluralisation of gender identities, including trans identities, and they analyse the linguistic means by which sexual identities are linguistically constructed via processes such as coming out. Furthermore, the module will encourage students to examine a variety of discourse types, such as spontaneous conversation, magazines, children’s literature, and film, in order to interrogate the ways in which gender and sexual identities are linguistically represented, regulated and constrained. In addition, the module will encourage students to take a trans-global view of sexuality and gender by considering, for example, the travesti of Brazil and the Hijra of India, as it is often through the examination of cultures other than our own that the limitations of our understanding and theorising of genders and sexualities are revealed. Moreover, the module will encourage students to appreciate the intersectionality of language, gender and sexuality with other aspects of social identity, such as ethnicity, age, and social class.

RATIONALE

The module provides students with an opportunity to build on the linguistic knowledge and analytical skills that they have acquired at levels 4 and 5 in their study of, for example, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, and discourse analysis, and to use that as a basis to develop specialised understanding and knowledge of the interplay between language, sexuality and gender to a degree commensurate with Level 6. The module encourages students to examine their own roles as citizens and social beings. By exploring sexuality and gender in an academic context, learning about how stereotypes of sexuality and gender directly impact on social structures, and considering politicised arguments related to power, freedom and equality, students taking this module learn to evaluate and critique their own notions of what is ‘normal’ or ‘natural’, and to examine how these notions are reproduced in society. In this way, this module links directly with Edge Hill’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in its policies and practices. Students taking this module will engage with real data and discover how social and cultural theories can be used to explain language use, drawing on their own experiences through active discussion and debate.

Via its teaching, learning and assessment methods, the module will enable students to develop, demonstrate and explicitly reflect on their key Graduate Attributes, including communication and interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, being self-motivated, organisational skills, team working, the ability to adapt and be flexible, negotiation skills, and valuing diversity and difference. Students will be able to use their experiences on the module to evidence these skills to employers in an interview or job application.

This Historical Linguistics module centres around one key question: how and why does language change? Language change can be a way through which to explore not only language and its structure, but also human (pre)history, society, cognition and psychology. Historical linguistics is therefore one of the most dynamic fields in linguistics. It deals with many of the same issues and questions as other areas of the field, such as sociolinguistics, but takes a diachronic approach to them, looking at change over time.

RATIONALE

The rationale for the module is twofold. Firstly, it will be of benefit to English Language students taking other courses within the subject, because in order to understand how language works in the present day, it is crucial to achieve an understanding of the ‘long view’, i.e. how it has worked in the past, and what the continuities are between past and present. Indeed, as Bowern and Evans (2015) point out, there is an ‘increasing appreciation for the insights that language change can provide for synchronic fields such as syntax and phonology’. Therefore, in addition to directly building on directly relevant historical second year English Language modules such as the History and Development of English, Early English (600-1500AD) and the Language of Shakespeare and his time, this module will build on other second year modules such as Analysing Discourse, Approaches to Sociolinguistic Variation and even Child Language Acquisition. It will also meet a need in the third year English Language programme for a module which engages with historical texts and language change over time, because although there are three historical modules in the second year, there is currently no historical module in the third year for English Language students. Furthermore, by utilizing online resources such as the Mapping Metaphor online database and corpora of historical documents, this module engages with the digital turn in linguistics and digital humanities more generally. Secondly, this module will allow English language students to make links between historical linguistics and other (pre)historical disciplines which are increasingly turning to linguistic data, such as anthropology, archaeology and even genetics.

LIT 1016 Beyond Books 2 introduces students to the critical analysis of a variety of narrative forms, including film, tabletop roleplaying games, hypertext and interactive games, and to the elementary terminology, methodologies, and critical debates found in narratological theory.  Students will become familiar with interdisciplinary approaches to the interpretation of cinematic, hypertextual and interactive/ludic narratives to ensure they acquire a firm foundation for further narratological studies or activities throughout their undergraduate degree.

RATIONALE

In terms of the creative arts, visual, interactive and ludic narratives are a common feature of our personal and professional lives.  Consequently, it is both academically and vocationally desirable for students to understand the structures and conventions of various narrative forms and how they influence us as readers, viewers and games players.  Hence, LIT 1016 introduces students to cinematic and interactive narrative models and to the often interdisciplinary terminology, methodologies, and critical debates associated with each.  The module adopts an evolving structure in which the sub-units described in the Indicative Content build upon each other until, in the final section, all previous work is of equal relevance.  By constructing the course in this manner, students will be able to consolidate their knowledge and understanding from sub-unit to sub-unit.  Thus, the final weeks of the module serve as both a review and a development of the entire course.

This 20-credit, level-4 module is based around the study of critical essays which have had a lasting impact on literary studies. It introduces students to significant and contemporaneous ideas in literary criticism which scholars still implement in the twenty-first century. The content of the module has been selected to highlight the difference in literary studies between reading for understanding and interpretive readings.

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Critical approaches to literature are ongoing debates with which students should have an intellectual engagement. LIT 1021 is designed to define the literary qualities of a text and critical approaches to it. It is important that students are equipped with the skills necessary to question their discipline and to be able to identify those ‘landmark’ ways of thinking about literature which often challenge conventional attitudes in literary studies. Students will engage with some philosophical and some linguistic approaches which reflect changing ideas about the text and which will implement their understanding of these ideas in their interpretive, critical and analytical writing. The theories studied will be applied to none work each of poetry, drama and prose, in order that the effect of the theories in interaction with the literary text can be demonstrated and studied. Students will enhance their existing key transferable skills of reading / comprehension, writing and comprehension, verbal communication and presentation and listening and information retrieval through completing this module. They will acquire a wide range of subject-specific and transferable skills, including the ability to read and apply challenging, ambitious and complex ideas.

This interdisciplinary module explores the drama of the English Renaissance (c.1450-1685); a period of extraordinary civil and cultural change. It evaluates the dramatic literary output of the reigns of up to ten monarchs beginning with the Tudors.  The diversity of Renaissance drama will be acknowledged and the period problematised as much as it is defined.  Students will explore canonical and non-canonical drama by male and female authors. Central themes and concepts under study may include: monarchy, rebellion, class, nationalism, religion, heresy, superstition, witchcraft, gender and sexuality, power and self-fashioning.

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This interdisciplinary module will enable students to gain detailed knowledge of pre-twentieth century drama as a core subject. It will enable them to trace the development of English theatre from the reign of Henry Tudor (1485-1509) to that of Charles II (1660-1685), providing them with the opportunity to evaluate key achievements in dramatic writing in this significant epoch in British literary and artistic history. It will enable them to engage in cross-genre comparative work in their focus on (for example) tragedy, comedy, history. It will also enable them to problematise literary generic boundaries through focus on plays which elude simple generic definitions.  It enables them to develop their employable skills in problem-solving, writing, analysis and in self-reflective evaluation. 

This module gives students the opportunity to focus on a choice of single authors (such as Shakespeare or Austen) or related group of authors (such as the Brontës) whose works are sufficiently extensive to justify a whole module’s study. Students will examine their selected author’s work in the light of recent critical and theoretical approaches to authorship and canonicity, and develop an ability to theorise the relationship between an author and his/ her literary work. Students will acquire a specialist knowledge of a literary period and a major writer through examination of the author’s development in relation to relevant historical, cultural and literary contexts.

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[The example given hereafter is that of Austen in order to demonstrate what the module might look like in practice]

The module gives students a choice to study the works of Jane Austen, a popularly and critically celebrated author. The module will focus on recent and current theoretical and critical approaches to their work, and students will develop an ability to theorise the relationship between authors and their literary oeuvre. Students will acquire a specialist knowledge of the literary sphere of periods from the Renaissance to the present day, and of the historical, cultural and literary contexts which informed their chosen author’s writing. Students will additionally acquire a wide range of transferable skills; they will improve both their skills in reading and interpreting primary texts and extend their range of critical expertise through engaging with secondary texts. Students will develop skills in information retrieval and research, in critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE

This 20-credit / one-semester, third-year module develops students’ understanding and appreciation of the key features of early twentieth-century movements in the literary arts. The module will examine a range of different forms, styles and practices in order to focus on the heterogeneous interpretations of the term modernism and engage with ongoing debates in modernist studies.

RATIONALE

Modernism has been identified as the dominant literary movement of the twentieth century. As such, it had a profound effect on the ways in which literature was produced and perceived. Recent transformations in modernist studies have extended the parameters of this literary canon in acknowledgement of the diversity of writers and works that may be associated with the aesthetics of modernism. Contemporary theoretical and critical approaches have revitalized the field and opened up new lines of enquiry and ways of engagement with literary texts which underpin the plurality of modernism(s).

Modernism  altered the relationship between reader and writer, creating the conditions in which further late-twentieth-century upheavals in the field of literary production occurred, and it continues to resonate in contemporary literature. This module enables students to explore the texts which contributed to this major shift in literary culture; to develop literary analyses framed by social and political contexts in which writers operated, and  to acknowledge the transatlantic and/or colonial networks which impact on writing and the modernist aesthetic.

Through the study of important creative and theoretical texts associated with modernism, students will be introduced to an important area of literary study. The difficulty of modernist texts will present an opportunity for students to develop higher order reading skills, and to extend their critical expertise. The module offers students the opportunity to develop key subject-specific skills in the comprehension of the complex nature of literary languages, close reading of complex texts and an understanding of the influence of cultural circumstances on literary production. Students will develop skills in research, critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

The purpose of this module is to allow students to gain a deep understanding at a high level of current research in a particular field or genre of literature. This module will enable students to pursue independent research within a structure which provides a clear framework of support. It will take students through weekly subject-based sessions to more independent, but supported, study of their chosen extended special subject research. Students will have considerable choice of subject matter they wish to study within their subject pathway, drawing on current staff research specialisms. Students will work towards producing a significant independent research project, with specialist staff support.

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This module will offer students the choice of well-defined, specialist research topics current in literary studies at the moment and drawing on the expertise of teaching staff. Emphasis will be on close reading and understanding of texts and their contexts, and on methodologies regarding current debates in literary studies, including the use of digital resources. This module will support students in pursuit of a significant independent project within a clear subject pathways based on current staff research. These topics align with research interests of tutors so that within a supportive structure students undertake work as mature practicing literary critics with the potential to work at the cutting edge of their discipline. Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to articulate their arguments in verbal as well as written form in supported small group and seminar discussions. Assessment has been designed to professionalize students in the research practice of producing a research proposal and then developing the research essay over a series of supported weeks.

This module will enable students to learn about the ways in which the formal education system is structured, governed, and funded in the four countries of the UK. Students will explore the similarities and differences that exist between the different systems and in the conceptualisations of education that each appears to reflect and develop opinions as to the ways in which they function. They will also explore the evolution of those different systems over time. Of particular interest for study will be the ways in which the different policy approaches taken by the separate legislatures within the UK have affected education in practice.

RATIONALE

This module will equip students with the fundamental subject knowledge that they will require not only if they are to pursue a career in education anywhere in the UK, but also with the knowledge they will need to explore and critique the formation over time of any business sector. It will enable them to construct a robust conceptual architecture of the way in which education systems currently exist, how they developed over time, and to establish robust opinions as to the strengths and weaknesses of each, the continuities and connections that exist between them, and how they compare to some key benchmark education systems around the world. This module will engage students in the study of all of the key sub-disciplines of academic studies in education, as defined by the QAA Benchmark Statement. Its broad scope will also students to develop academic skills such as critical comparison, evaluation, synthesis, and reflection.

Victorian Decades will engage students with the literary and cultural developments of the nineteenth century, taking a decade-by-decade approach to explore the key cultural shifts of the period and to build subject knowledge across a range of Victorian texts and discourses. Students will explore how social and cultural changes were both shaped by and shaping the literary trends of the period, from the optimism of the 1830s, the ‘Hungry forties’, and the sensation novel of the 1860s to the Realist movement, New Imperialism and Gothic anxieties of the fin de siècle. The module will take an interdisciplinary approach to the Victorian period, giving students a detailed subject knowledge as well as introducing a range of critical and theoretical approaches to the primary material.

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This module aims to give students a broad subject knowledge of the cultural, historical, and literary debates of the Victorian period which they can build upon in their independent work or develop in further study. The module will introduce students to current critical debates within the discipline with an aim to providing new interdisciplinary approaches to studying the period.

Additionally, the module will foster M-level skills in independent thinking, critical analysis and interdisciplinary writing. Students will learn how to express their understanding of the module’s subject matter with persuasion and cogency in their written work, while developing, where appropriate, independent and original lines of analysis. Apart from subject-specific research skills, students will also gain transferable written and oral skills as well as skills of analysis and comparison.

Working on the Nineteenth Century is an option module which enables students to make a direct connection between the subject matter of 19thC studies and their plans for a postgraduate career by engaging with workplace practice. Students will work on either an independent research project as agreed with their tutors or with an external partner, making use of their developing research profile in 19thC studies to support a work-based project (for example, experience in museum or gallery work, education, or charity work). Academic supervision and assessment is provided by the Department of English, History and Creative Writing while support is also available from the University’s Careers Centre.

RATIONALE

The employability strategies of academic degree programmes in humanities subjects are generally based on transferable skills. Compulsory work-placement modules are often not considered appropriate for students who have made an active decision to study a non-vocational course. Working on the Nineteenth Century therefore aims to enable students to make use of and develop their employability skills in a way that is relevant to their wider degree. Students will work independently in the production of a project, aimed at a specified audience. The module facilitates a self-aware consideration of the academic content of students’ degrees with a more practical application of these skills, It also provides students with a ready-made, experience-based case study of how they applied knowledge and skills learned on their degrees in a practical setting, providing valuable material for job applications, interviews and graduate CVs.

This module is designed as a ‘shell module’ on the model of LIT2059 Special Topic I and LIT3054 Special Topic II, which offer students the opportunity to pursue cutting edge research with specialist support. This module will enable students to pursue independent research within a structure which provides a clear framework of support. It will take students through weekly subject-based sessions to more independent, but supported, study of their chosen extended special subject research. Students will have considerable choice of subject matter they wish to research within broad subject pathways, drawing on current staff research specialisms. Students will work towards producing a significant independent research project, with specialist staff support.

RATIONALE

This module will offer students the choice of well-defined, specialist research topics current in nineteenth-century studies at the moment. Emphasis will be on methodologies regarding current debates in literary studies, including the use of digital resources. This module will support students in pursuit of a significant independent project within one of three clear subject pathways based on current staff research. These topics align with research interests of tutors so that within a supportive structure students undertake work as mature practising critics with the potential to work at the cutting edge of their discipline. Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to articulate their arguments in verbal as well as written form in supported small group and seminar discussions.

This module is an introduction to how the English language is used in different ways by varied speakers. It allows students to explore the diversity of English at the regional, national and global level. The module also focuses on the methodology of linguistic research and allows students to carry out their own, small-scale sociolinguistic research project.

RATIONALE

This module will advance students’ understanding of language by exploring in some detail the social parameters of variation, such as age, gender and social class. Students will investigate regional, national and global varieties of English. In this way, the module provides students with a solid grounding for further English language study by familiarising them with key issues associated with language use and requires them to reflect on their own communicative competence. The module enhances students’ understanding of formal lexical, grammatical, and phonological aspects of language through their analysis and investigation of linguistic features in context. The module also allows students to engage with the methodologies of sociolinguistics and to undertake their own, small-scale, supervised research project. In doing so, it allows students to develop skills in critical thinking, presentation, research methodology, self-directed learning and academic writing.

The first part of the module (Semester 1) provides an overview of different types of data, discusses data selection and collection, and introduces contemporary approaches to working with linguistic data, and an exploration of current methodological approaches used by linguists according to the kinds of features, and levels of, language being explored. It will also support learners (via workshops) in identifying the topic and focus of their supervised small-scale research study in Semester 2, and develop a viable research proposal, submitted in week 12 of Semester 1. Based on the proposal, a supervisor is selected by the beginning of Semester 2. The second part of the module (Semester 2) provides students the opportunity to undertake a supervised small-scale project and write a report of about 2500 words. This represents an opportunity to engage in a fairly long piece of extended writing in preparation for possible dissertation work at Level 6.

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This distinctive module in the programme, focusing specifically on methodologies employed in the study of language, provides a useful support for several parallel Level 5 modules investigating sociolinguistic variation, descriptive and applied linguistics, comparative and historical linguistics, where students are working first hand with data and critiquing and assessing results of research. It also serves as an introduction to several Level 6 modules where acquiring, managing and interpreting data is a central feature of coursework, e.g. Language and Identity, Corpus Linguistics, Language, Gender & Sexuality, and Psycholinguistics. It aims to enhance students’ understanding of qualitative and quantitative techniques, and encourages a deeper understanding of how to interpret linguistic data, alongside raising awareness of ethical issues relating to the acquisition of linguistic data from informants. In addition, the second part of the module (Semester 2) provides the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills introduced in Semester 1, and facilitates the development of the ability to work independently (although with support from a supervisor), and plan and carry out a small-scale research project. The module provides excellent preparation for students who want to do the Language Dissertation (40 credits) at Level 6, while also providing students who may choose to only do taught modules at Level 6 with the opportunity to do a smaller-scale project on a topic within their interests. The module develops employability skills such as critical thinking, numeracy, and technical skills (most notably, the use of a variety of appropriate software tools).

This module provides students with the opportunity to learn about a particular area of the English language, and to acquire relevant practical and theoretical knowledge and skills. In particular, the module may focus on issues of English phonetics and phonology, morphology and syntax, or issues of regional variation in these respects. The module also provides training in related methodological and analytical techniques.

RATIONALE

The module allows students to develop skills and confidence in the description of English forms (for example lexis, grammar, phonology) and their use in social and/or historical context, which will allow the students  to fulfil roles such as  English language specialists and team leaders in language curriculum delivery and development in both Primary and Secondary schools.

The module focuses on the critical analysis of texts (spoken or written); that is, it discusses how discourse analysis can help uncover implicit attitudes, ideologies, and power relations. The module examines in detail the core theoretical approaches, concepts, and constructs which underlie critical discourse studies. At the same time, it discusses the different techniques that can be utilised, demonstrates their use, and provides opportunities to carry out critical discourse analysis of different types of texts in a variety of contexts.

RATIONALE

This module contributes to subject knowledge and to key subject specific skills by helping students develop their understanding of the power of discourse to construct identities. It helps increase students’ awareness how lexical, grammatical and discourse choices, examined in light of the relevant context, can reveal underlying stance, ideologies, and power relations.

This module contributes to the students’ academic and graduate skills in a number of ways: enhancing their ability to critically examine diverse forms of discourse; and by improving their research skills, in particular, their analytical skills in terms of both the use of analytical techniques and interpretation of research results.

The module provides students with opportunities to explore the multi-faceted relationship of English with other languages, and acquire relevant practical and theoretical knowledge and skills.

RATIONALE

The module enables students in developing knowledge and skills in investigating issues related to the influence of English on other languages, or the influence of other languages on English, or issues related to learning more than one language as a child or living in a multilingual environment, and the attendant implications for a language user’s identity.

Literary History is a 20-credit, two-semester introduction to the study of the development of English Literature at degree level for first-year Literature students. Beginning with the classical and biblical background which inspired examples of English Literature, semester 1 of the module will focus on international literature (which might include, but is not limited to, books of the Bible, classical epic and drama, significant poetry and prose). Semester 2 of the module will turn to the development of English literature from early examples to the eighteenth century / Romantic period (which might include, but is not limited to, examples from Old and Middle English, Renaissance drama, significant poetry and prose).

RATIONALE

Knowledge and experience of the classical and biblical contexts of English literature, the impact of international writing on the development of English literature, and the development of English literature through time are essential facets of an English Literature degree. This module will provide students with often unfamiliar examples of literature which has impacted upon the development of English literature over time.

The module will allow students to develop their subject knowledge, critical skills and close-reading abilities. In being introduced to the literature and key ideas of two major periods, students will develop their reading skills, and extend their critical expertise. The module offers students the opportunity to develop key subject-specific skills in the comprehension of the nature of literary languages, close reading of texts and an understanding of the influence of cultural circumstances on literary production. Students will develop skills in research, critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

This 20-credit, two-semester introduction to the formal features and development of poetry, prose and drama at degree level for first-year Literature students. The module is divided into three parts, allowing students to consider the formal developments, influences and historical/critical contexts which have shaped the development of literature from the Renaissance to the postmodern period; and how form is instrumental in making meaning in a text.

RATIONALE

Understanding the formal features of a text, acquiring a broad technical vocabulary and developing confidence in close reading are essential tools in the successful completion  of an English Literature degree. This module will introduce students to a range of canonical and lesser-known works, allowing students to think about the way texts influence and respond to one another over time, and enabling them to build confidence in interpreting meaning in more unusual or experimental forms. Students will develop skills in research, critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module. By providing a space for focusing in detail on close formal analysis of a range of texts and for building critical vocabulary, this module also stands students in excellent stead for subsequent years of their degree.

This module will explore British children’s literature from its origins in the eighteenth century; through the Romantic period’s celebration of childhood and Victorian ambiguities about the angelic versus the feral child; to the Golden Age of the Edwardian period; and beyond into territory darkened by war, overshadowed by the implications of empire, and the oncoming of adolescence. The module will analyse the relationships between children and adults, nature, animals, class, gender, race, and sexuality. It will be underpinned by theoretical and methodological approaches to the history and representation of childhood in literature.

RATIONALE

This level-five module aims to give students an opportunity to study British children’s literature published between the eighteenth and twenty-first centuries. It will also enable students to do in-depth work on literary theories useful in thinking about the representation and construction of the child.

More broadly, the aim of this module is to read critically a selection of texts within their historical, cultural and ideological contexts in order to examine and define changing constructions of childhood and children’s literature. At the end of the module, students will have knowledge and understanding of these different constructions and representations of childhood. Moreover, students will have learnt how to express these understandings with persuasion and cogency in their written work.

This module is specifically designed to address employability, with both seminar discussion and assessment aimed to encourage students to consider the pedagogical and health and wellbeing aspects of children’s literature. As many of our students plan to become education professionals, this module on children’s literature will provide them with a grounding in theoretical issues concerning childhood and children’s literature.

This 20-credit Level five module offers students an opportunity to study a range of significant contemporary American literature from post WW2 onwards. The module enables students to examine various ways in which America is imagined and constructed within fiction. The module will examine the ways in which persistent figures, landscapes, and mythic concepts are engrained in American culture and embedded in the wider world’s imagination. Such concepts retain imaginative power because of frequent re-enactments in popular cultural productions. This module will trace the complex histories and fictional appropriations and discursive shifts that form these literary productions. The module offers an opportunity to concentrate specific study on American fiction within its historical, social, cultural, political, critical, and theoretical contexts.

RATIONALE

This module will develop students’ understanding of the ways in which American identity and definition of nation have been mediated through contemporary (post WW2) fiction. Students will have the opportunity to study a range of significant key texts that contribute to the thematic plurality of fictions of, and about, America. The module will develop awareness of core foundational myths upon which constructions of American national identity have been based. A central theme of the module is to encourage students to critically evaluate the assumptions, conflicts, divisions, and prejudices evident in literary refraction of the ‘America dream’ and its key concepts of individualism, opportunity, and freedom. Through the study of significant creative, critical, and theoretical texts, students will be introduced to a significant area of literary study that aligns with the internationalisation agenda. The module will develop students’ appreciation of a comparative national literary tradition that is nonetheless written in the English language and will therefore broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of Anglophone world culture. Students will develop skills in research and interpretation through completing this module and the Reading Log will advance thematic critical reasoning skills by ensuring close engagement with all texts studied on the module.

This 20-credit / one-semester third-year module develops students’ understanding and appreciation of the key features of late twentieth-century and early twenty-first century movements in the literary arts. It examines aesthetic paradigms relevant to the period including realism, the postmodern, late modernism, intertextuality, and metafiction to understand the continuations and reactions to the earlier Modernist period.

RATIONALE

The divergent nature of English literature and culture from the post-war period onwards is a central theme of the module, and students will have the opportunity to study a wide range of the demanding and complex literary texts that have emerged and contributed to the plurality of literatures in English since the end of the Modernist period.  The module develops awareness of models of English literature through a range of texts including fiction, poetry and short story form. The module considers realism and experiment in contemporary writing from post-war developments in literary culture to present day. The module develops awareness of creative narrative strategies adopted by writers interested in cultural politics and a rapidly changing society. The module examines meeting points between past and present in contemporary writing to understand themes that include time and memory, sexual revolution and identity, urban realism, and tensions between individuals and community.  Students will examine texts that narrate and problematise subjectivity, sexual and cultural difference, ideas of centrality and marginality, politics of identity and the representation of history, using relevant theoretical and critical perspectives. Thus students will gain an understanding of the aesthetic, historical and political dimensions of contemporary literature and culture as it has continued and developed since the Modernist aesthetic. 

The module offers students the opportunity to develop key subject-specific skills in the comprehension of the complex nature of literary practices, close reading of texts and an understanding of the influence of cultural circumstances and political events on literary production. Students will develop skills in research, critical reasoning and interpretation through completing this module.

This 20-credit third-year module is devoted to the critical analysis of textual representations of sexuality and especially of same-sex desire and sexual dissidence in British prose. It focuses mainly on the novel, but also on key autobiographical prose texts, from the nineteenth century to now (with particular focus on the twentieth century). It problematises perceptions that sexual radicalism originated in the late twentieth century by interrogating its earlier textual representation(s). Texts, their contexts, and relevant literary and cultural theories combine to reveal the changes and continuities in the textual representation of subversive and dissident sexualities and sexual identities over time.

RATIONALE

This module historicises and theorises important literary representations of the intersections between text, sex and gender. It enables students to analyse and theorise complex intersections between sexual desire and gendered identities as constructed in key works of English prose, notably in the novel form, from the nineteenth century to now. It also encourages students to theorise the literary representations of dissident sexualities within the methodological contexts posed by the work of recent gender, sexuality, feminist and queer theorists.

Students will acquire and extend their ability to comprehend complex ideas expressed in language formations from the nineteenth century onwards. They will also hone their analytical skills through the comparative evaluation of literary texts. They will further develop their potential to research and contextualise and theorise literary texts effectively.  In terms of both its subject matter and its keys skills base, this module develops a wide range of key critical and conceptual skills which will be useful in other areas of their study, particularly preparing students for the rest of their study at level 6 but also providing an ideal foundation for those students interested in the pursuit of postgraduate research in related fields. The module also enhances (through its development of their communication, oral, written, technological and analytical skills) students’ employability in the wider work environment. 

This module introduces students to the art of non-metrical poetry by concentrating upon shorter poems and upon building up techniques of perception, language and effect, in combination with the reading of poetry with the aim of integrating reading as a poet into an on-going practice of reflection. Emphasis will be placed upon journal writing and workshop practice.

RATIONALE

This module aims to assist student writers to develop as creative writers and to develop as readers of poetry and to reflect on their processes. Writing and reflection and reading feed into one another and develop co-terminology. This module will also introduce student writers to a variety of texts, in order to read and reflect on the nature of writing poetry. WRI1010 leads to the development of literate, creative, reflective and flexible students, with requisite transferable skills for career opportunities within the cultural economies.

This module introduces students to the art of fiction by concentrating on shorter pieces, often referred to as ‘microfiction’, also on building up techniques of perception, language and effect, in combination with the reading of fiction with the aim of integrating reading as a fiction writer into an on-going practice of reflection, Emphasis will be placed upon journal writing and workshop practice.

RATIONALE

This module provides insights into the basic requirements of writing imaginative prose. Students will develop an understanding of the working methods and techniques appropriate to fiction, and evaluate their application in their own writing, that of their peers, and in published texts. Transferable skills include the ability to conduct independent research through reading and observation; and to communicate ideas in clear and succinct prose.

This module is designed to introduce student writers to a range of contemporary writing, in all its formats, both in English and English translation. It will also help them to develop the art of reading as a writer, understand poetics, and will encourage them to contribute to the cultural landscape by producing and maintaining a writer’s blog. All activities will be developed and encouraged via tutorials, lectures, seminars and workshops.

RATIONALE

This module reflects the ethos of this programme as expressed in terms of activities, experiences, types of assessment and professional development. It is crucial that our students (in addition to their primary activity of writing and participating in workshops) develop a sense of cultural citizenship and an appreciation of cultural artefacts. This module allows students to read widely and deeply, discover contemporary literature, and introduces them to different forms of writing. In addition, student writers will develop a Professional Development Audit, which will allow them to consider, analyse and organise necessary practical and transferable skills needed for future employment.

This module is designed to introduce student writers to a range of contemporary writing, in all its formats, both in English and English translation. It will also help them to develop the art of reading as a writer, understand poetics, and will encourage them to contribute to the cultural landscape by producing and maintaining a writer’s blog. All activities will be developed and encouraged via tutorials, lectures, seminars and workshops.

RATIONALE

This module reflects the ethos of this programme as expressed in terms of activities, experiences, types of assessment and professional development. It is crucial that our students (in addition to their primary activity of writing and participating in workshops) develop a sense of cultural citizenship and an appreciation of cultural artefacts. This module allows students to read widely and deeply, discover contemporary literature, and introduces them to different forms of writing. In addition, student writers will develop a Professional Development Audit, which will allow them to consider, analyse and organise necessary practical and transferable skills needed for future employment.

The module will explore various strategies towards Scriptwriting with a particular emphasis on writing imaginatively for the stage. Students will gain an understanding of the central role of the playwright in the theatre making process. They will be involved in a dramaturgical analysis of a range of scripts and gain an understanding of how plays are constructed. They will experience writing collaboratively as well as developing their own personal practice and playwright’s aesthetic. Finally, students will prepare, pitch, develop and write to format their own original One Act Play.

RATIONALE

This module addresses the underlying principles of writing for the stage. Students will gain a critical understanding of the form by encouraging writers to discuss and analyse the works of a range of contemporary playwrights. Students will then apply this understanding to their own creative work, learning to redraft and accept constructive feedback from peers and understand the process of playwriting as well as exploring various dramaturgical strategies and new approaches for writing contemporary stage plays by developing their own personal aesthetic. The employability aspects of this module will be addressed by exploring some of the issues involved in writing for theatre – including getting new work developed and produced.

The module provides a broad introduction to the study of human geography, identifying and exploring key interrelationships, namely between people, places and environments. The module outlines conceptual and theoretical approaches to the study of human geography. Attention focuses on the role of time, space and scale in human geography. In addition, the module introduces students to current debates, concerns and issues within the discipline. The module connects a knowledge and understanding of human geography with the development of key transferable skills.

RATIONALE

The module will focus on comprehension of the nature of change within human environments and foster an understanding of the diversity and interdependence of places at various spatial scales. The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements: ‘Describe and exemplify the nature of change and variability within societies and environments ‘Describe and exemplify the reciprocal relationships between societies and environmental at multiple spatial and temporal scales

This module develops students’ skills in collecting, handling, analysing and presenting geographical data and information. The module will focus first on acquiring information and data from library sources and in the field. A three-day residential field trip will introduce students to a range of field data collection techniques. Subsequently, the focus will be on data analysis using spreadsheets and statistical testing and on data presentation in graphical  format. Students will be introduced to the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for the analysis and presentation of spatial data.

RATIONALE

Core elements of contemporary geographical practice are the ability to handle, analyse and communicate spatial and graphical data using ICT. Geography students need to learn how to convert increasingly complex and diverse sets of data into geographical information and how to communicate this information in a variety of formats.

The module is essentially skills based and practical. It provides a grounding in a range of subject-specific and transferrable skills that are required for the study of geography at degree level. Students will build on these skills during subsequent skills-based modules taken in the first and second years of their programme and will apply them in other modules throughout their course of study, including the dissertation modules. Students will learn how to find academic information and to reference it correctly. The module will also develop their essay-writing skills. Students will be instructed in methods for the processing and analysis of numerical data using spreadsheets. They will also learn how to present the results using appropriate graphs and to apply a range of statistical tests to geographical data. Students will be introduced to the basic principles and uses of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and digital cartography.

This module is designed to begin the development of students’ capabilities in the following list, as set out in the QAA benchmark statement for Geography (QAA, 2022): ‘Carry out routine investigations as instructed. Know the difference between accuracy and precision. Illustrate both quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical information and data and perform basic applications. Summarise information and data and make accurate interpretations. Illustrate diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in presenting geographical knowledge and information (for example, GIS, cartography and different textual strategies). Communicate geographical ideas, principles and theories by written oral and graphical means. Present material to support a reasoned argument. Use communications and ICT to select, analyse, present and communicate geographical information.’ (QAA, 2022)

The module will investigate the research process, enhancing and developing essential Geoscience techniques, providing a basis for future research.

RATIONALE

The module builds upon core geographical research skills introduced in Level 4 within the framework of conducting a research project based upon local fieldwork.  The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the different approaches to research and the fundamental issues surrounding research (such as ethics), and to also equip students with the skills necessary to design, conduct, and report their own research projects.  Such research skills will be developed and applied in an overseas setting (GEO2249/GEO2250/GEO2251) later.  Introduction to these skills will assist students in their choice of dissertation investigation at Level 6.

The extension of development of students’ research skills has been guided by the following QAA (2022) Benchmark statements: ‘evaluate the issues involved in applying research design and execution skills within the specific context of field-based research; Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for the analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques) undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient and sustained attainment’ (QAA, 2022)

This second year module develops students’ knowledge and skills in remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS), building on the Level 4 GEO1060 Contemporary Geographical Skills module. Practical training in the application of both remote sensing and GIS to answer spatial and environmental questions forms a substantial component of the module. The module focuses on remote sensing analysis and interpretation of aerial and satellite imagery, which has transformed the way that geographers and geoscientists view the Earth, and on the use of GIS for processing and analysing a wide variety of spatial data in fields such as planning, health studies, population studies, natural resource management and  environmental investigations aimed at tackling sustainability challenges such as land degradation and climate change. The module explores how remote sensing and GIS have improved our understanding of atmospheric, oceanic and earth surface processes, landscape changes, the built environment and spatial variation within societies, have supported sustainable environmental management, and have enabled a better understanding of the interaction of humans with the natural world. This module provides the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to utilize these tools and available data sources.

RATIONALE

Remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems, although only developed relatively recently, now underpin research across the discipline of geography as well as being widely applied in business and the public sector, and therefore having significant value for graduate employability. GIS is also gradually becoming integrated into the Geography National Curriculum. The exponential increase in the availability and use of digital geographic information has created a need for experts with the knowledge and skills to create and use this spatial information for society’s benefit. This module combines development of students’ understanding of the principals of these two techniques alongside training in their application to a range of geographical research questions. Students will also develop their knowledge of the wide range of freely available data that can be managed, processed and analysed using GIS and remote sensing techniques. This module will build on the introduction to GIS given in the first-year GEO1060 Contemporary Geographical Skills module. Students will be able to apply their learning in this module in a number of other modules during their course, notably the dissertation modules, and may choose to build on the GIS skills taught in this module by taking the final-year Applied GIS module if they are considering working in this field. In addition to the subject-specific skills that are the focus of this module, students’ transferable ICT skills will also be developed.

This module is designed to develop students’ capabilities in the following areas, as set out in the QAA benchmark statement for Geography (QAA, 2022): Demonstrate comprehension of the nature of change and variability within societies and environments. Demonstrate comprehension of the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales. Apply a systematic approach to accuracy, precision and uncertainty. Evaluate the diversity of techniques and approaches involved in collecting geographical information (for example, instrumentation, remote sensing, cartographic surveying, social survey, observation and the use of textual and archival sources). Evaluate both quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical information and data, including competence in the application of a range of these approaches. Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques). Synthesize information and data and make accurate interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.

• Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in presenting geographical information (for example, GIS, cartography and different textual strategies.
• Use communications and ICT effectively and appropriately to select, analyse, present and communicate geographical information.
• Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient and sustained attainment.’ (QAA 2022)

This module introduces Political geography as one of the most important subdisciplines of human geography.  The module provides a deeper understanding of various ways power produces and is produced by spaces and places in which they operate. The module aims for students to develop an in-depth understanding of the spatial nature of political power thereby enabling deeper theoretical and practical insights into the relationship between space, place, territory, and politics. With specific attention to how power is related to and distributed across space, the module aims to interpose theory, concept, and activism to enable students to comprehend the contemporary moments of politics emerging at various scales. The post-colonial and post-structural theories introduced in the module are aimed at assisting students to develop their ideas on contemporary issues related to territory, sovereignty, border, conflicts, security, belongingness, race, settler colonialism, citizenship, mobility, and migration etc.

RATIONALE

The field of academic political geography provides a foundation for the students to make sense of the constitution and transformation of the political world. Whilst approaches to political geography is diverse, they help to understand the spatial dimensions of power and politics at a variety of scales.  Hence, these theoretical and conceptual approaches to political geography are aimed at enabling students to acknowledge, understand and appreciate contemporary political moments and possibilities. These approaches not only open-up different ways to make sense of global politics, but also allow us to have a critically charged understanding of the way politics is organised around us. Political geography interfuses core geographical concepts like space, place, and territory with politics, power, and policies to understand various dimensions of spatial control and struggles. Overall, political geography enables an intellectual platform for the students so that they can develop their independent arguments about issues like power, representation, sovereignty, the role of the state, citizenship etc.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Demonstrate comprehension of the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales.
• Communicate and compare different views about geographical issues.
• Recognize their positionality and assumptions and evaluate the potential implications and consequences of them.’ (QAA 2022)

This module will explore the emerging field of disaster mitigation of cultural heritage sites, as well as the role that cultural heritage plays in post-disaster recovery. It will allow students to demonstrate their abilities to research and evaluate information of cultural heritage and disasters both as individuals and in groups. 

RATIONALE

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction was codified in 2015 at the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Notably, the Sendai Framework singles out cultural heritage as a vital element of both disaster risk reduction and post-disaster recovery. Scholars of disaster have also shown us that disasters can act as windows-exposing how our societies function. Everyday life often functions without us questioning how our society works, or without us thinking about or questioning why things are the way they are and why we do the things we do. But often- during and after- a disaster we have the opportunity to examine and question the societal process: Why do we do things this way? Is this the best way to do it? Is it fair? The occasion of a disaster allows us to see this exposed society. While none of these concepts are strictly speaking new as such, we have moved towards codifying these terms in evolving iterations of best practices. This module will explore these concepts in relation to disaster mitigation of urban cultural heritage.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Demonstrate critical insight of the complexity of the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate and critically reflective interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Critically reflect on a range of views about geographical issues and come to a reasoned evaluation.’ (QAA 202)

The module will cover the techniques practised by professionals in the fields of emergeny planning and disaster management. The module will focus on five key themes: search and rescue, humanitarian aid during and following disasters, emergency first aid, the role of the media and social media in disaster reportage and community education for disaster mitigation, response and recovery. The module will include contributions from emergency planning and management practitioners.

RATIONALE

An insight into the work and techniques routinely practised by professionals in the fields of emergency planning and disaster management is essential for students with aspirations to work in this career area on graduation from the programme. Current practitioners working in fields such as search and rescue, emergency services, humanitarian aid organisations, local authority and Government departments and the media will provide a valuable input into the module.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• Demonstrate critical insight into the nature and causes of change and variability within societies and environments.
• Reflect on and appraise the reasons for the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales.
• Critically reflect on a range of views about geographical issues and come to a reasoned evaluation.’ (QAA 2022)

This is an introductory module in physical geography which looks at basic concepts and their development. It outlines the physical framework of the Earth’s surface and investigates the materials and processes operating there. It covers introductory aspects of biogeography, meteorology, hydrology and geomorphology. The module will also cover a range of laboratory methods and equipment for the recording and analysis of physical geographical phenomena.

RATIONALE

The module provides an introduction to approaches, concepts and knowledge in physical geography at a level appropriate to an introductory module in higher education. It provides an understanding of the various components within the physical environment and the nature of flows of energy and materials that link them. The module will also provide a range of practical experiences in physical geography, providing an understanding of the various equipment and techniques appropriate to compliment theoretical studies within the physical environment.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements: ‘Describe and exemplify the nature of change and variability within societies and environments. Carry out routine investigations as instructed.

Illustrate both quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical information and data and perform basic applications’ (QAA 2022)

This module is an introduction to geographical research, providing skills that students require to study, research and succeed in their degree programme.  It enables students to identify and use geographical information in appropriate and effective ways. Skills developed will include key skills, together with more specialist skills such as cartographical, research skills, statistical skills and fieldwork skills.

RATIONALE

Geo-students must be able to research their subject effectively in order to learn and to disseminate information, this module focuses on introducing and developing geographical research methodologies, building upon a wide range of subject specific and transferrable skills.

The module will teach and develop a number of subject specific skills, including, research skills (e.g. link preparation, methods and analysis to answer a question/problem), map skills, statistical analysis, and fieldwork skills (field note taking, sketching, risk & ethical assessment, specific geographical techniques).

Students will prepare for fieldwork, undertake a field visit and follow-up their field investigations, learning and developing the necessary skills as part of the process.  Emphasis on practical and fieldwork activity will allow students to appreciate the practical, theoretical and conceptual aspects of their studies and allows these aspects to be integrated with transferrable skills.  The module ultimately provides the necessary skills base as a foundation to Level 5 and 6 independent research activities.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

‘Illustrate both quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical information and data and perform basic applications. Summarise information and make accurate interpretations. Describe the process of learning and present a basic assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses.’ (QAA 2022)

This module will extend knowledge and understanding of the diversity of spaces and places in a foreign field setting. The module will further enhance the field and research skills developed at Level 4, and in previous modules at level 5 (GEO2249). Students will explore a very different environment to the UK in an overseas location to enrich their understanding of physical (and human) environments. They will have the opportunity to apply techniques to new scenarios, investigate processes and explore a range of physical and anthropogenic environments. The module will improve students cultural and social capital, and their employability.

RATIONALE

Fieldwork is fundamental to geographical education and is required as an element of an Undergraduate degree in Geography by the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement (QAA, 2022). Using investigative research processes, this module will enhance and develop essential field research methods and provide a broad base for future choices in terms of physical study and employability. The module will develop important field and investigation skills explored at Level 4 within the framework of devising and implementing research programmes based on foreign fieldwork, and will follow the five principles for Undergraduate field courses as outlined by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS, 2020). The module will continue to develop student understanding of the different approaches to research, the fundamental issues surrounding research (such as ethics, health and safety, sustainable fieldwork), and to also equip students with the skills necessary to design, conduct, and report their own research projects.

The continued development of student’s geographical research skills has been guided by the following QAA Benchmark statements: Evaluate the issues involved in applying research design and execution skills within the specific context of field-based research. Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for the analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques). Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient, and sustained attainment (QAA, 2022)

This module will extend knowledge and understanding of the diversity of spaces and places in a foreign field setting. The module will further enhance the field and research skills developed at Level 4, and in previous modules at level 5 (GEO2249). Students will explore very different environments of an overseas location to enrich students’ understanding of hazardous environments. They will have the opportunity to apply techniques to new scenarios, investigate a range of hazards, and explore risk and vulnerability. The module will improve students cultural and social capital, and their employability. The module is aimed at providing an integrated geoscientific case study of natural hazards, incorporating geological history, hazard assessment, risk and vulnerability evaluation, and evaluation of existing disaster management strategies.

RATIONALE

This module will build on the fundamental concepts and approaches to natural hazards, hazard assessment, hazard management and risk reduction, which have already been explored in modules GEO1062 and GEO2258, through application in a field setting. Students will be introduced to and practice field and practical techniques of hazard investigation, risk assessment and risk reduction and will apply these skills to scenario-based exercises and field-based exercises through a case study approach.  Fieldwork is fundamental to geographical education and is required as an element of an Undergraduate degree in Geography by the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement (QAA, 2022). Using investigative research processes, this module will enhance and develop essential field research methods and provide a broad base for future choices in terms of physical study and employability. The module will develop important field and investigation skills explored at Level 4 within the framework of devising and implementing research programmes based on foreign fieldwork, and will follow the five principles for Undergraduate field courses as outlined by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS, 2020). The module will continue to develop student understanding of the different approaches to research, the fundamental issues surrounding research (such as ethics, health and safety, sustainable fieldwork), and to also equip students with the skills necessary to design, conduct, and report their own research projects.

The continued development of student’s geographical research skills has been guided by the following QAA Benchmark statements: Evaluate the issues involved in applying research design and execution skills within the specific context of field-based research. Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for the analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques). Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient, and sustained attainment (QAA, 2022).

This module will extend knowledge and understanding of the diversity of spaces and places in a foreign field setting. The module will further enhance the field and research skills developed at Level 4, and in previous modules at level 5 (SPY2150). Students will explore very different environments of an overseas location to enrich students understanding of human environments. They will have the opportunity to apply techniques to new scenarios, investigate processes and explore a range of physical and anthropogenic environments. The module will improve students cultural and social capital, and their employability.

RATIONALE

Fieldwork is fundamental to geographical education and is required as an element of an Undergraduate degree in Geography by the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement (QAA, 2022). Using investigative research processes, this module will enhance and develop essential field research methods and provide a broad base for future choices in terms of Human Geography study and employability. The module will develop important field and investigation skills explored at Level 4 within the framework of devising and implementing research programmes based on foreign fieldwork, and will follow the five principles for Undergraduate field courses as outlined by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS, 2020). The module will continue to develop student understanding of the different approaches to research, the fundamental issues surrounding research (such as ethics, health and safety, sustainable fieldwork), and to also equip students with the skills necessary to design, conduct, and report their own research projects.

The continued development of student’s geographical research skills has been guided by the following QAA Benchmark statements: Evaluate the issues involved in applying research design and execution skills within the specific context of field-based research. Evaluate the diversity of specialised techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for the analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques). Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient, and sustained attainment (QAA, 2022)

This module introduces the concepts and approaches/methods used in disaster management including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The module also provides knowledge and understanding of the theories and practices involved in disaster risk reduction including vulnerability assessment and reduction, mitigation, risk assessment, analysis and emergency planning. The module will include the study of case studies and scenarios, and will consider the differences and similarities between disaster management approaches in developed and developing countries. We will also examine how the legacies of colonial and imperial geography lead to risk creation.

RATIONALE

In order to prepare for and reduce the risk and impact of natural hazards and to respond to events and disasters when they occur, it is essential that students have a knowledge and understanding of the concepts, theories and approaches to vulnerability assessment, disaster management and risk reduction.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Demonstrate comprehension of the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Communicate geographical ideas, principles and theories effectively and fluently by written, oral and graphical means.
• Work as a participant or leader of a group and contribute effectively to the achievement of objectives.’ (QAA 2022)

This module will investigate sedimentary processes and products across a range of environments past and present. A range of techniques for examining, describing, interpreting, and classifying sediments and sedimentary rocks, will be introduced, including hand specimen and microscope analysis, and field data recording (logging). These techniques will be used to interpret modern and ancient sedimentary environments.

RATIONALE

The module provides an integrated approach to the theoretical and practical study of sediments and sedimentary rocks interpreting present and past environments. It includes aspects of sediment and sedimentary rock production, composition, and classification. Some understanding and recognition of sedimentology is a requirement of a practicing geoscientist, while the impact of the environment on sediment production and characteristics is a growing field of research, of which modern anthropogenic climate change is perhaps the most prominent example. Group and independent laboratory work and fieldwork will enhance key and interpersonal skills, especially in areas of laboratory observation, recording and presentation of observations (observe-record-interpret). The directed and independent study elements will enhance their use of ICT and other research tools.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Conduct fieldwork and laboratory investigations competently (as appropriate).
• Interpret and evaluate practical results in a logical manner.
• Gather, prepare, process, and interpret data using appropriate techniques.’ (QAA 2022)

The module is a practical application of all the students’ geological knowledge needed for field mapping and for undertaking research in geology. The module will enhance the students range of laboratory techniques, will train on the use of dedicated software for geological applications, and will train on geological field mapping introducing the students to independent field working in complex terranes. The module will also train the students in the process of developing a research proposal in geology.

RATIONALE

The module gives students the opportunity to develop a range of skills needed in the geological sciences. It will build upon the students existing geological knowledge and skill base, introducing field techniques working in remote and complex terranes and the key techniques to perform research in geology. These experiences along with group and independent work will enhance key and interpersonal skills, especially in areas of field observation, recording and manual and digital presentation of their observations. The directed and independent study elements of the module will enhance their use of geological observation and recording along with ICT and other research tools.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• Conduct fieldwork and laboratory investigations competently (as appropriate).
• Gather, prepare, process and interpret data using appropriate techniques.
• Reflect on the process of learning and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses.’ (QAA 2022)

This module focuses on real world environmental problems faced by geo-environmental specialists in the context of climate change and the move away from reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources; mineral planning issues (with focus on super quarries), the reduction and management of construction and domestic waste; waste disposal facilities and planning issues; contaminated land remediation; UK geohazards and their management including superficial and anthropogenic (made ground) deposits; water resources (including quality and management) and the conservation of geodiversity.

There is also opportunity to produce an industry style geoenvironmental management report.

RATIONALE

Geoenvironmental Management enables students to apply their learning to real world geo-environmental science as well as introducing knowledge and a skill base not encountered before. The module aims to enable students to utilise their generic geo skills and knowledge by application to this applied rapidly developing area of geoscience. Geoenvironmental specialists are increasingly challenged to solve environmental problems related to the reduction or management of construction and domestic waste, waste disposal facilities, clean-up of contaminated sites, water supply and management, renewable energy resources and the conservation of geodiversity. This effort has given rise to a new discipline of specialists in the geoenvironmental field. To be effective, geoenvironmental specialists must be armed not only with the traditional knowledge of geology and physical geography, but also with the knowledge of principles of hydrogeology, geochemistry, and biological processes, together with an awareness of renewable energy sources/resources and geoenvironmental industry regulations and planning. The purpose of this course is to teach principles and phenomena in geoenvironmental science, which are required as basic knowledge for landfill management, remediation for contaminated lands; managing water supply and water quality; managing geohazards; geoenvironmental related planning issues and environmental impacts. Regulatory frameworks and changing environmental legislation have increased the job market for geo-environmental specialisms and this module seeks to provide students with the exposure and skills relevant to this work area.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Analyse, synthesise, summarise, appraise and critically evaluate information.
• Take a critical approach to academic literature, data and other sources of information.
• Use appropriate numerical, statistical and qualitative techniques.
• Effectively articulate and synthesise an argument.’ (QAA 2022)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE

Migration is a hot topic across the Global North and the South. Migration occurs across space influencing and shaping the spatial, demographic, economic, social and political environment of both the origin and destination locations. This module will equip students with the factual knowledge and conceptual skills to understand migration processes, migration consequences and migration governance. 

RATIONALE

This module will provide an introduction and overview of the complex and vibrant topic of migration. It does so by exploring migration processes, migration consequences and migration governance. This module aims to encourage students to understand geographical approaches and theories of migration. A specific focus on migration processes built around theoretical aspects will develop students’ conceptual understanding of migration. Students’ perspectives will be challenged by looking at various forms of migration, the consequences of migration and how it is governed in the UK. This module will actively engage students to form and express their views on migration across space. In line with that, the objectives of this module are to

1. Familiarise students with contemporary trends in global migration.
2. Familiarise students with the political, social, economic and geographic dynamics of migratory patterns.
3. Introduce students to the contemporary theoretical debates and concepts.
4. Introduce students to current political debates in the UK regarding migration.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Critically reflect on a range of views about geographical issues and come to a reasoned evaluation.
• Reflect on and appraise the reasons for the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate and critically reflective interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.’ (QAA 2022).

Geography is a multidisciplinary subject, but what defines it as an academic discipline?  This module will introduce students to the nature and scope of geography as a science; explore the growth and development of the subject; review key conceptual frameworks in which the subject operates; and, more broadly, develop geographical thinking at the onset of the degree programme.

RATIONALE

Transition from further education to higher education can be a challenge for students, particularly in the realisation of the true nature of the discipline, its many facets and approaches to knowledge generation.  This module aims to develop an appreciation of the wider discipline, its developmental history and the interlinkages between sub-disciplines.  By understanding the historical development of key epistemologies, students will develop a contextual framework through which criticality of materials, as their degree progresses, can be applied.

Throughout the module, we aim to support the transition to higher education, by providing opportunities to develop key academic and transferrable skills.  These may include:  time management; managing independent learning; reflection on skills development; information gathering (literature searches, selection of appropriate data/literature sources); how to make use of lectures; effective reading and note-taking; referencing and academic integrity; essay and report writing; employability; managing feedback; oral presentation; group work; critical thought.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements: Describe the history of geography as a discipline and the relevant contexts of past and present geographical knowledge production, and contemporary implications of this history. Describe and exemplify the diversity of approaches to generation of knowledge and understanding deriving from experience of the epistemologies of the natural and social sciences and humanities. Describe the process of learning and present a basic assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses.’  (QAA 2022)

The module provides students with an awareness and understanding of the nature of environmental issues facing the world today. Issues such as climatic change, water quality, flooding, biodiversity loss and human vulnerability to natural hazards will be considered. Through case studies, the physical processes underlying the issues will be explained together with an evaluation of management responses.

RATIONALE

The human population faces a wide range of environmental issues at the present day and will continue to in the future. The module explores the important impact that people have on the environment and the influence that the environment exerts on people. It will focus on both natural hazrds and the modification of environmental systems by human activity and the problems this may pose. The module will use case studies to explore a range of interactions between the physical environment and society.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements: ‘Describe and exemplify the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.’ (QAA 2022)

The module is a broad introduction to and overview of geology, delivering an understanding of the processes which shape the Earth, and to develop practical skills in recognising the evidence of these processes. The module will have a primary focus on the materials of which the Earth is made, how the major constituents are distributed between core, mantle and crust, and how this changes with time through the agencies of plate tectonics and volcanism. From this viewpoint of underlying process, the course will also consider the inherent availability of natural resources and the potential for predicting natural hazards.

RATIONALE

The module is intended as a broad introduction to geology and geological hazards, either as part of a geology degree programme, or to provide a basic knowledge of geology and geohazards for a related programme. The module explores the central paradigms in the Earth sciences: uniformitarianism (the present is the key to the past); geological time; evolution (the history of life on Earth); and plate tectonics. It also introduces Geological Maps, Stratigraphy, Natural Hazards, and Earth Science terminology, nomenclature and classification of rocks, minerals, fossils, and geological structures.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:
‘Have a knowledge and understanding of subject-specific theories, paradigms, concepts and principles.
Integrate evidence from a range of sources to test findings and hypotheses’ (QAA 2022)

An introduction to a range of field and laboratory geological techniques covering the range of knowledge and skills that a
geologist in training will need to successfully study and practise geology at more advanced levels. This module illustrates the composition and formation of major mineral and rock groups and identify and classify fossils. The module will provide skills suitable to the description, identification and classification of these geological materials in hand specimens and under the petrographic microscope.

RATIONALE

This module affords an introduction to the geological processes and materials which make up planet Earth. It considers the
range and origin of these materials. It will provide students with the skills to describe and analyse these materials and the
knowledge to understand their development and meaning. The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements: ‘Conduct fieldwork and laboratory investigations competently (as appropriate). Describe and record observations effectively in the field and laboratory.’ (QAA 2022)

This module develops students’ understanding of geomorphic processes, landforms and landscapes. The module will focus on three selected earth surface environments, such as fluvial, hillslope and periglacial environments, and will investigate in detail the geomorphic processes operating in each environment and the characteristics of the landforms they produce. The dynamic nature of earth surface environments will be illustrated through lectures, practical classes and fieldwork. Key concepts for understanding the relationships between landforms and geomorphic processes will also be introduced during the module.

RATIONALE

The earth’s land surface is dynamic, altering as a result of a range of geomorphic processes that vary depending on the nature of the environment and, in some cases, may pose a hazard to human populations. This module studies the geomorphic processes that modify the earth’s surface, the landforms and landscapes that they produce, and the linkages between them. Students will learn to identify landforms and to differentiate between similar landforms on the basis of their characteristics. They will study the geomorphic processes that form and modify landforms and landscapes and will relate individual landforms to the specific processes involved in their formation. Students will also learn about specific concepts that underpin geomorphological understanding of landforms and landscapes, such as equilibrium concepts and geomorphic thresholds. In order to study landforms and processes in depth, the module will focus on three earth surface environments selected from a list including fluvial environments, hillslopes, periglacial environments, glacial environments, coastal environments and aeolian environments.

This module is designed to develop students’ capabilities in the following areas, as set out in the QAA benchmark statement for Geography (QAA, 2022):

• ‘Demonstrate comprehension of the nature of change and variability within societies and environments.
• Demonstrate comprehension of the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales.
• Apply understanding of geographical concepts in different situations.
• Apply a systematic approach to accuracy, precision and uncertainty.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Communicate geographical ideas, principles and theories effectively and fluently by written, oral and graphical means.
• Communicate and compare different views about geographical issues.
• Synthesize material appropriately to support the presentation of a reasoned argument to the intended audience.
• Use communications and ICT effectively and appropriately to select, analyse, present and communicate geographical information.’ (QAA 2022)

This module aims to provide students with a detailed understanding of the climate and environment system. It covers a range of atmospheric processes through to the development of weather systems, with a specific focus on mid-latitude weather. Climatic variability of planet Earth is then considered, making use of paleoenvironmental techniques to explore past climate/environment change, and climatic projections to explore future scenarios. It includes practical training in the analysis and interpretation of meteorological data,  and methods used in the field and laboratory analysis of palaeoenvironments.

RATIONALE

Understanding how the global climate system operates is of significant importance considering the ever-changing environment that we live in.  The module will develop understanding of the fundamentals of the climate system, providing context for past and future climate and environmental changes; drivers of climate change, in particular of radiative forcing; atmospheric composition and the influence of greenhouse gas content; general circulation and distribution of energy and heat around the globe.  Taking a particular interest in mid-latitudinal weather and climate, we will explore contemporary weather systems and future climate scenario projections.  We will then move to consider past and future climate and environmental change, making use of palaeo-proxy data as evidence of past change and review the influential mechanisms (natural and anthropogenic).

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• Demonstrate comprehension of the nature of change and variability within societies and environments.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Synthesize material appropriately to support the presentation of a reasoned argument to the intended audience.’ (QAA 2022)

This module will identify the nature of natural hazards, the relationships between hazards and risk to people, and evaluate monitoring and mitigation techniques.  It will investigate the distribution, causes and management of a range of major natural hazards. It will allow students to demonstrate their abilities to research and evaluate information on natural hazards in areas of this discipline that interests them the most.

RATIONALE

As Earth’s growing population makes demands on the use of more marginal and hazard prone lands, more and more people are becoming exposed  to risk from relatively low frequency but high magnitude natural events – for example, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2005’s Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the 2010 eruptions of Mount Merapi in Indonesia and Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, or the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan. In addition, climate change is increasing the frequency and magnitude of meteorological and hydrological hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, wildfires and drought. Technological development also increases our exposure to natural hazards, such as perturbations in the Earth’s magnetic field, or solar flares, which would not have impacted pre-technological civilisation. The study of such natural hazards, and consideration of measures for adaptation and mitigation, are therefore more crucial than ever. This module provides a topical and adaptable focus to the study of natural hazards, using examples from the present and the geological past. The module also explores social, economic and political factors influencing the nature and severity of natural hazard events. The research/literature/evidence-based teaching style of the course allows it to be accessible for students from a range of backgrounds across the entire field of geosciences, from human geography to physical geography, geoenvironmental hazards, or geology; and to focus their learning in the course on aspects which best suit their discipline.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Demonstrate critical insight of the complexity of the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate and critically reflective interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Critically reflect on a range of views about geographical issues and come to a reasoned evaluation.’ (QAA 2022)

The module develops knowledge and understanding of the nature of environmental change throughout Earth’s history and focussing on the Quaternary epoch. The module examines evidence of change, potential causes, and the spatial and temporal responses.  The module explores the major changes of the Late Glacial, Holocene and recent periods and elucidates the relative contribution of natural and anthropogenic drivers of these changes.  In addition, the module will critically consider the techniques and methodologies used in the reconstruction of environmental changes discussed.

RATIONALE

The Quaternary is a period of profound global change, including advances and retreats of ice sheets, expansions and contractions of desert regions and large, rapid changes to both ocean circulation and the biosphere. Understanding the Quaternary period provides the context for present day climate issues and a backdrop to human evolution. By exploring these timescales we gain critical insights into the nature and sensitivity of the global climate system to external forcing and internal interactions between the various ‘spheres’ (atmosphere, lithosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere). This module will also explore global and local archives of climate change and learn about the responses of different landscapes and environments.  In particular, understanding the relationship between natural and anthropogenic factors, and environmental change over various spatial and temporal scales are vital if we are able to make predictions about the future. The past is the key to the present.

The module will be guided by QAA benchmark statements:

• ‘Demonstrate critical insight of the complexity of the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the history of geography as a discipline and the relevant contexts of past and present geographical knowledge production, and contemporary implications of this history.
• Critically appraise and reflect on use of the diversity of techniques and approaches involved in collecting geographical information (for example, instrumentations, remote sensing, cartographic, surveying, social survey, observation and the use of textual and archival sources).’ (QAA 2022)

GIS is a growing and increasingly specialised field, providing spatial data management and analysis to many academic disciplines as well as a broad range of business and public organisations. The module focuses on the theory and application of GIS technologies for geographical and environmental enquiry and/or application. Students will develop advanced technical skills which will enhance their employability. During this module students will become familiar with both industry-standard software including ArcGIS and Open Source software including QGIS.

RATIONALE

The module extends the GIS skills and knowledge developed at Level 5 through the GEO2253 Digital Geography module. Students will explore contemporary theory, research and application of GIS to gain a better understanding of how the technology can be used in geographical and environmental enquiry and its application in real world contexts.

This module is designed to develop students’ capabilities in the following areas, as set out in the QAA benchmark statement for Geography (QAA, 2022):

• ‘Demonstrate critical insight into the nature and causes of change and variability within societies and environments.
• Critically appraise the diversity of approaches to the generation of knowledge and understanding deriving from experience of the epistemologies of the natural and social sciences and humanities.
• Critically reflect on the accuracy, precision and uncertainty of research data.
• Critically appraise and reflect on use of the diversity of techniques and approaches involved in collecting geographical information (for example, instrumentation, remote sensing, cartographic surveying, social survey, observation and the use of textual and archival sources).
• Critically appraise and reflect on the application of quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical data, including excellent and sophisticated application of a range of these approaches.
• Demonstrate a mastery of techniques and approaches involved in analysing geographical information (for example, special techniques for the analysis of spatial information, GIS, laboratory techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques) and very good judgment of their effectiveness.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate and critically reflective interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Critically evaluate and reflect on the appropriate application of the diversity of specialised geographical techniques and approaches.
• Communicate geographical ideas, principles and theories with flair, accuracy and sophistication by written, oral and graphical means.
• Use communications and ICT with a high level of competence to select, analyse, present and communicate geographical information.
• Undertake highly autonomous and well organised study/ learning and time management to achieve consistent, proficient and sustained attainment.’ (QAA, 2022)

Rivers are responsive systems. The current form and behaviour of a river channel and its floodplain is dependent on its past and, in particular, its response to past environmental changes including climate and land use change. Historical and recent management interventions within river channels have also had substantial effects on river form and behaviour. This module develops students’ understanding of the ways in which river systems have responded to environmental changes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene and the impacts of river management measures on rivers and their floodplains. The module will also examine the implications of these impacts for the future of river systems in the context of changing climate and land use.

RATIONALE

An understanding of river system behaviour is particularly important in the context of changing climates and land use and their impacts on flooding, river channel change and floodplain development. Rivers are sensitive to environmental changes produced by both natural processes and human activity. Changes in channel and floodplain systems impact on human populations that are frequently concentrated within river floodplains. This module develops students’ understanding of past and present river system behaviour and the methods used to investigate it. It will also focus on changing approaches to river management and their impacts on river system development. An understanding of past and present river behaviour provides insight into how river systems may develop in the future under the influence of changing climate and intensive land use.

This module is designed to develop students’ capabilities in the following areas, as set out in the QAA benchmark statement for Geography (QAA, 2022):

• ‘Demonstrate critical insight into the nature and causes of change and variability within societies and environments.
• Demonstrate critical insight of the complexity of the reciprocal relationships between societies and environments at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
• Demonstrate critical insight into sustainability and sustainable development practices in relation to the complex interactions between societies and environments.
• Reflect on and appraise the reasons for the diversity and interdependency of places at various spatial scales.
• Critically reflect on the accuracy, precision and uncertainty of research data.
• Critically appraise and reflect on use of the diversity of techniques and approaches involved in collecting geographical information (for example, instrumentation, remote sensing, cartographic surveying, social survey, observation and the use of textual and archival sources).
• Critically appraise and reflect on the application of quantitative and qualitative approaches for analysis of geographical data, including excellent and sophisticated application of a range of these approaches.
• Synthesize information and data and make accurate and critically reflective interpretations in the context of current geographical knowledge.
• Communicate geographical ideas, principles and theories with flair, accuracy and sophistication by written, oral and graphical means.
• Critically reflect on a range of views about geographical issues and come to a reasoned evaluation.
• Synthesize complex information to support the presentation of a reasoned argument to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.’ (QAA, 2022).

This module introduces students to the key developments that transformed European society between 1789 and 1919. At the start of this period, on the eve of the French Revolution, Europe was predominantly an agrarian society with very limited industrial and urban development. In most European states landed elites were still dominant as a conservative influence resistant to political and social change. By 1919 Europe had been transformed into a society in which state power lay in the hands of urban-based political parties with industry and trade as the dominant forms of economic activity. The module is primarily concerned with the broad political, economic and social influences that caused this transformation which was of immense significance not only for Europe but also for the course of world history during the twentieth century. The course will be organised into groups of interpretative themes which relate to the principal changes in Europe from 1789 to 1914

RATIONALE

This module is designed to introduce students to the processes whereby Europe was fundamentally re-shaped in the period, 1815 – 1914, and, at the same time make students aware of the trends and developments that created the Europe we are still familiar with today. The module will also explore the impact of key ideas and concepts – Nationalism, Socialism, Imperialism, and their interaction with change in the wider world. This will introduce students the complex relationships that exist between ideas and actions, that is a feature of all periods of human history. The module will also act as a bridge in that it will move students from the event-based emphasis of school history to the interpretative emphasis of the subject in HE.

This module focuses on the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the thirteenth century, which saw the emergence of Europe as a distinct entity as well as the unification and development of countries such as England and France. ‘Christendom’ is often used to describe medieval Europe and we will look at how the Church did indeed give a type of cohesion to the continent. The Church assumed leadership of societies after the fall of Rome and held a deep and powerful influence on the medieval outlook. We will consider how this influence manifested itself through a study of the state, power and authority as well as popular beliefs and the medieval world-view. We will also consider the tensions which arose between the bishop of Rome and the development of more secular authority and culture.

RATIONALE

It is important for students to study: societies which differed significantly politically, socially, economically and culturally from both the world they live in and other more modern periods of history which they have studied. The understanding of how these societies viewed themselves. The processes whereby subsequent generations of historians (and their histories) interpreted and reinterpreted these societies, often in the light of their own contemporary needs, beliefs and aspirations. The dynamic and diverse character of the medieval world, and thus challenge the stereotype of static uniformity.

The module begins by examining the process of frontier expansionism within the United States. It assesses the impact of the move west on native American populations and also the ideological justifications advanced for expansionism, such as mission, manifest destiny and American exceptionalism. The second half of the module examines the emergence of the United States as a global power from the war of 1898 against Spain through to the start of the Second World War. The various strategic doctrines advanced to further American foreign policy in this period, such as the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary to it, are examined together with their strengths and weaknesses.

RATIONALE

This module will encourage students to gain increased understanding and awareness of the sources of U.S. foreign policy and the nature of internal westward expansion. They will investigate the tensions between political idealism and national self-interest in policy formation. They will examine the relationship between imperialism, racism and economic oppression in an historical context, and compare the nature of internal and external colonialism. Students will develop a variety of transferable skills, including critical analysis of primary and secondary source materials, oral and written communications skills, and teamwork within sub-group discussion and analysis. 

This module introduces a subject that is both related to and distinct from the familiar Hitler-and-Stalin-centric story of twentieth century Europe, with the prospect of widening your horizons. You will examine the history of contemporary France during turbulent periods of political conflict and social change before, during and since the Second World War and France’s subsequent wars of decolonisation in Algeria and elsewhere, as well as its politics and society today. By taking up this comparatively rare opportunity to study the recent history of an important neighbouring country which is often stereotyped and misunderstood in the UK, you can develop the wider international awareness that British graduates are often accused of lacking.

RATIONALE

The module, based on staff research expertise, introduces a subject that is distinctive from what to most students are more familiar aspects of twentieth century European history, with the prospect of widening students’ horizons. Studying France provides an appropriate vehicle for understanding Europe more widely, since France has been sufficiently prone to upheavals to make its history of interest, while lacking the absolute extremes seen in Germany and Russia, which can lead to too much of a sense of ‘otherness’. France has faced many similar challenges to the UK in recent times (e.g. Globalisation and adjusting to a decline from great power to medium-sized power status) but has often approached them in different ways. Studying such issues is therefore both of obvious relevance to students and can challenge their ideas of what is ‘normal’. The module therefore makes a point of covering both ‘extraordinary’ times (e.g. the Occupation of 1940-1944 and the preceding period of political polarisation following the riots of 6 February 1934, or the violent end of empire in Algeria and elsewhere) and more ‘ordinary’ times (e.g. the apparent stability of the Fifth Republic since 1962 and the associated development of a consumer society). Both political and social history approaches are used, with an emphasis on the role of popular protest and on history as experienced from below, such as issues of class and gender inequality. The content of the module, as given below, contributes to the University agenda of internationalising the curriculum, as well as helping meet the national History benchmarking requirement for geographical diversity. 

For thousands of years, perhaps starting with the Akkadian empire of ancient Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BCE, empire and colonialism were the norms of political order around the globe. In the 20th century, however, that ceased to be the case; not only did the nation-state become the most common political structure, but the very idea of colonialism was discredited, and disavowed by global political institutions. This class examines why this change happened, with a focus on the British empire. The module begins in 1896 with the Second International’s decision to commit itself to the right to national self-determination as a core part of its political programme– that platform constituted the first public use of this terminology in relation to nations. The module ends with the post-colonial independence of nations in South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, Malaya and Ghana, two years after the Bandung conference of Asia-Africa nations in 1955, which asserted the principle of national self-determination as the basis of a post-colonial world. 

RATIONALE In the wake of the global Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, students have shown a tremendous interest in the legacies of colonialism, and how they continue to shape the world we live in. Indeed, students have been at the forefront of the decolonize movement, and this module will provide an historical gateway into these core issues of post-modernity. It continues a long tradition of imperial history at Edge Hill, which began with the ‘Third World’ Studies of the 1970s and the Afro-Asian Studies programme

It is difficult to find nuance in popular perception of the Vikings, which either maligns them as bloodthirsty savages or glorifies them as free-spirited warriors. Who were the Vikings in reality, and what was their impact on early medieval history? The actions of these raiders and traders had significant consequences for Europe in the early Middle Ages, causing devastating amounts of damage but also opening up new avenues of trade and communication. In this module, we will undertake an in-depth examination of the Viking Age and its aftermath across the early medieval world. We will study the background behind the rise of the Vikings and the effects of their raiding on the North Atlantic region. We will also examine the political and cultural repercussions of the Viking Age, from its impact on European politics (including an extended study of Viking-Age Dublin) to the influence of Scandinavian art, archaeology, and mythology. The module will conclude with a look at how the Viking Age was remembered across Europe in chronicles, annals, and sagas from the twelfth century onwards.

RATIONALE

Viewed from the perspective of continental Europe, Britain and Ireland have always been considered the western fringe of the Viking territory. Yet when we reorient our perspective to that of the Vikings themselves, we find that the Irish Sea region stood at the heart of a maritime empire that spanned the whole of the known world. A key aim of this module is to help students understand the significant impact of the Viking Age from the medieval period to the present day by drawing heavily upon the incredibly rich and easily accessible Viking heritage of the northwest. An astonishing 16 Viking hoards have been found in the region; the highest concentration in England; and this module is designed to take advantage of the proximity and accessibility of these exciting finds by engaging with local heritage organisations such as the Museum of Liverpool, where a collaborative programme allows undergraduate students to study the Huxley Hoard in person. Yet the module does not glorify the Viking Age, as it also incorporates important material that illustrates the impact of the Viking slave trade on the early medieval world. In The Viking World students will reimagine the Lancashire coast as the centre of a trading network that spanned from Greenland to Russia as they learn how the actions of these raiders and traders had significant consequences for Europe in the early Middle Ages, causing devastating amounts of damage but also opening up new avenues of trade and communication. At the same time, genetic and historical evidence for the melting pot; diversity of Viking-age settlement in this part of the world will challenge the dangerous modern narrative of Viking ethnic identity which has presumed Vikings to be a biological category rather than what it was, namely, a medieval job description.

The module examines African American life and history from the 1890s through to the end of the Second World War. It examines the reasons for the widespread introduction of racial segregation in the United States at the end of the nineteenth century and its impact on African American communities. The efforts of African American leaders, like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, to challenge discrimination are examined together with the strengths and weaknesses of their respective programmes. The extent to which the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s constituted a ¿seedtime¿ for the later civil rights movement of the 1950sd and 1960s is also assessed.

RATIONALE

 This module will encourage students to gain increased awareness and understanding of African American history, 1895-1945, and to investigate the inter-relationship between changes in the living conditions of black Americans in this period and civil rights leaders and organizations seeking to remove sources of racial injustice. The module addresses the problems of racism in a historical context and examines the relationship between racial and class oppression. Students will develop a variety of transferable skills, including critical analysis of primary and secondary source materials, oral and written communications skills and team work within seminar sub-group discussion and analysis.

This module examines the origins of the Zionist-Palestinian conflict before the commencement of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1923. It analyses the development of Zionism and Palestinian Arab nationalism under the Ottoman Empire, British support for Zionism in World War I, and the escalation of political conflict and violence by the 1920s. A principal focus will be the impact of the War.

RATIONALE

The Zionist-Palestinian conflict remains one of the world’s most intractable and significant conflicts. The first outbreak of politically motivated violence between Jews and Arabs took place in April 1920. There is vociferous debate amongst historians as to the reasons behind this violence. Some argue that Zionism, Palestinian Arab nationalism and the enmity between the two peoples was well established under the Ottomans, whilst others contend that World War I was the principal cause of conflict in the Holy Land. 

This module gives students the opportunity to explore these debates, and to come to their own conclusions about a subject of pressing significance today. The subject is taught in very few Universities in the UK. The module leader is a specialist in the field.

This module on world history in the twentieth century will examine some of the main events, political and social movements, economic developments and ideologies which dominated the twentieth century around the world. We will look at the rise and fall of the great ideologies of Communism, Nazism and Fascism, in Russia, Italy, Germany and elsewhere. We will explore the turbulent international relations of the period, from the end of the first world war, through the causes and outcome of the second world war, to the development of the Cold War between the Super Powers after 1945. We will also look at international relations and the global economic system after the fall of the Soviet Empire in 1989-1991. Economic and social change will also figure prominently with detailed examination of popular protest and youth culture. The fall of the great European empires at the hands of nationalist movements will also be a major theme, with particular emphasis upon anti-colonial movements. By the end of the module, students should have a sound grasp of some of the major developments around the world in the twentieth century.

RATIONALE

This Module is designed to act as a bridge between school/FE work and HE work. As such it seeks to introduce students to the concerns of professional historians, and the conventions of their practice. The module will introduce students to the key developments that shaped the Twentieth Century experience and, at the same time, introduce students to the perspectives and approaches of professional historians towards those developments. The module content is organised into thematic bundles of seminars and lectures. The lectures will act as broad introductions to topics. The seminars, which will take a variety of forms – whole group discussions, presentations, workshops based around documents, video screenings. The module will provide a students with a deep historical understanding of the processes creating the present-day world.

This module will focus on the immense social, political and religious changes which took place in Early Modern England. Reformation of the church, the outbreak of civil war, the emergence of radical sectarian groups and an increasingly politicised people created a rapidly changing society. We will explore the diverse responses to those changes and the fear that they lived in a ‘world turned upside down’. Although the period can be characterized as one of tension and crisis, we will also consider continuities from the medieval period, and the existence of political and social consensus, climaxing in the restoration of monarchy after the short-lived republic. The module will consider whether we can truly agree with the perception of the early modern period as one of approaching modernity through a study of key developments in church, state and culture during the period 1500-1660.

RATIONALE

The module is intended to introduce students to

– Societies which differed significantly politically, socially, economically and culturally from both the world they live in and other more modern periods of history which they have studied. An understanding of how these societies viewed themselves. The basic chronology of this key period in England’s history and the development of its religious and political institutions and culture. The processes whereby subsequent generations of historians (and their histories) interpreted and reinterpreted these societies, often in the light of their own contemporary needs, beliefs and aspirations

The module is about probably the most exciting period of Western European history since the Second World War, the rise and fall of a cycle of protest movements often referred to by the label ‘1968’, but which it can be argued went from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. These included a range of movements that affected European politics and arguably transformed European society, including industrial unrest by workers, the women’s liberation movement, anti-war movements, anti-racism, the so-called ‘New Left’, environmentalism, and a quest for greater freedom and authenticity in people’s personal lives. A lively body of recent historiography is extending our understanding of the period into a properly historical perspective, beyond the polemics of former participants, while protest movements today continue to debate the legacy of those movements.

RATIONALE

This module fills a gap in Modern European History in the second semester of Level 5. Given that the Module Leader’s publications relevant to this module are already used in teaching internationally, this will enable Edge Hill students to join them in continuing to engage with research-led teaching on the movements of 1968. Also, because the single largest case study used in this module is France, it provides a logical progression in the second semester of Level 5 to those students who chose to take the increasingly popular HIS2033 Introduction to Contemporary French History in the first semester. 

This module examines the rise of the United States as a global superpower from American entry into the Second World War in 1941 through to the present day. It examines the extent to which the ideology underpinning U.S. foreign policy, under successive administrations, has been shaped by American historical experience and values, such as the concepts of American exceptionalism, mission and manifest destiny. It examines the challenges facing U.S. foreign policy planners from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama and the effectiveness of the various strategies that have been advanced to overcome them. The module also examines both the opportunities and limitations on the exercise of American power in the modern world.

RATIONALE

This module will encourage students to reflect upon the sources and motivations of American foreign policy formation and the complex relationship between domestic and international pressures on the development of foreign policy. It will examine the extent to which foreign policy goals and objectives can be seen as the result of particular presidents and Democrat v Republican political differences as opposed to longstanding, deep rooted influences that transcend individual administrations.

Students will develop a variety of transferable skills, including analysis of primary and secondary source materials, oral and written communication skills and teamwork within seminar sub-group discussion and analysis.  

This module will give students extensive practical experience with digital archives and will help them to develop a range of advanced digital research skills. It will be taught entirely in computer rooms and will take the form of weekly 2-hour workshops. The historical content of the module will be structured around the history of crime and society in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Britain – a subject area that is popular with students and well-supported by the library’s existing digital subscriptions. 

RATIONALE

Digital tools and archives are becoming increasingly central to the process of historical research. Most students have embraced these new resources and the new possibilities they offer for pursuing original research projects. While computer sessions have already been introduced modules at all levels of the history programme, these isolated workshops do not give students the time and experience required to develop advanced research skills or a critical awareness of digital methodologies. The module aims to address this problem by making digital research its primary focus. It will be taught entirely in computer rooms and will take the form of practical, two-hour workshops focused on a particular archive or research methodology. The module will be open to all Level 5 students but will be particularly useful for those who intend to pursue a dissertation or special subject project at Level 6. 

Rather than discuss digital methodologies in an abstract way, the new module will focus on the same historical subjects as its predecessors. The history of crime has long been central to the department’s teaching and proved to be enduringly popular with students. More pertinently, it is supported by a wide range of digital tools and archives and is currently the focus of several pioneering digital humanities research projects. It provides the ideal historical focus for a module of this nature and will allow students to apply their new research skills to a series of interlinked historiographical debates and problems.

Migration is widely recognised as one of the most pressing issues facing Europe today. However, public debates around migration are often characterised by ignorance and fearmongering. Even where responses to current waves of migration are positive, they often involve decontextualization, and the recycling of mythologies about past waves of migration. There is therefore an urgent need for better public understanding of the historical context behind migration. This module aims to equip students as citizens to be part of that better informed public debate. By viewing current issues both within a longer-term historical perspective, and within contemporary debates in critical migration studies, students will be able to critically examine claims made about, for example, the exceptionalism of current waves of migration, and situate them within a broader history of people on the move within, beyond and into Europe. By placing current debates within such a context, they will be enabled to understand political and social issues ranging from refugees to migrant workers, from cosmopolitanism to immigration controls, and from anti-racist activism to anti-migrant backlashes within a longer term context. 

RATIONALE

Interdisciplinary teaching on this module will enable students to relate and make associations with other disciplines such as Social Science and Geography. This approach will enable students to be exposed to more theoretical and contemporary approaches to critical migration studies, at the same time as retaining the best of historical approaches. The chronological content will be limited to the period since 1918, with the majority of the period since 1945. This module will enable students to develop their knowledge of migration issues and apply that knowledge to patterns in migration occurring in the twenty-first century and the problems and opportunities that poses.

This module examines African American life and history from the end of the Second World War through to the present day. It examines the causes, impact and significance of the post-war civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s as well as the causes and consequences of the Black Power movement, 1965-1975. The efforts of African American leaders, such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, to challenge racial injustice are examined together with the strengths and weaknesses of the respective programmes. The module concludes with an examination of present day America and the Presidency of Barack Obama to assess the extent to which the racial problems of the past have, or have not, been resolved in the early years of the twenty-first century.

RATIONALE

The module will encourage students to gain an increased understanding and awareness of African American history and to investigate the inter-relationship between the changing living conditions of African Americans in the second half of the twentieth century and civil rights leaders and organizations seeking to remove sources of racial injustice. The module addresses the problems of racism in an historical context and seeks to promote a better understanding of the continuing problems in present day U.S. race relations. Students will develop a variety of transferable skills, including critical analysis of primary and secondary source materials, oral and written communications skills, and team work within seminar sub-group discussion and analysis. 

This module examines British rule in Palestine from 1917 until 1948. It focuses on the development of British policy and its impact on the Zionist-Palestinian conflict. Special attention is paid to recent historical literature that has emphasised the significance of the British Mandate in the history of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

RATIONALE

Prior to British rule in Palestine, the Zionist movement had made very limited advances in the country and were a small minority in a land that was a part of the Ottoman empire. ‘Palestine’ did not even exist as a political entity prior to the British Mandate. Yet just over three decades later the State of Israel was established, and the first Arab Israeli war commenced. The aim of the module is to enable students to analyse the origins and development of Britain’s occupation of Palestine, and its impact upon the Zionist-Palestinian conflict. It will help to broaden their horizons by focusing on an additional extra-European region and will give them valuable insights into an issue of great and ongoing significance for international politics.

Becoming a Historian will introduce first year undergraduate students to the tools and methods required to become an independent historical researcher with respect to both academic and public history. These skills include: (1) selecting and interpreting primary evidence; (2) independently locating and reading academic books and articles; (3) making effective use of digital tools and archives; (4) applying these research skills to a specific historical problem; and (5) producing a clear, convincing, and original argument. The module will also enable students to begin thinking about potential career paths for history graduates and the skills those require. This will be achieved through a key employability task to ensure students engage with their personal development in this respect from an early point.

RATIONALE

The purpose of the Becoming a Historian module is to introduce first year undergraduate students to the tools and methods required to become an independent historical researcher. These skills include: (1) selecting and interpreting primary evidence; (2) independently locating and reading books and articles; (3) making effective use of digital tools and archives; (4) applying these research skills to a specific historical problem; and (5) producing a clear, convincing, and original argument. This skills-focused module is designed to support students’ work on other Level 4 modules and prepare them to produce high quality work at Level 5 and Level 6. Becoming a Historian builds students confidence and experience by encouraging first year students to produce small pieces of original historical research, an expectation that is often delayed until Level 6 on many history programmes. By introducing independent research at an earlier stage, we aim to improve the quality of students work at Levels 5 and 6, and to prepare them more effectively for the demands of the independent study project in Level 6. This approach also allows students to make more effective use of the university’s digital resources throughout the history programme. The module will introduce students to a range of different assessment methods used elsewhere on the degree. In particular, it will task students with completing a small public-facing history project such as a short documentary, walking tour, podcast, exhibition plan, teaching resources, etc. This will help to prepare students for our careers-focused, placement module at Level 5. The module will be assessed using: (1)an analysis of a primary source that students have independently located using a digital archive; (2) a small public history project; and (3) a job application exercise. In relation to the skills that students will develop on this module, they are also tasked with beginning to think about potential careers for history graduates, evaluate their existing skills and those they are developing on their degree and then map those onto an action plan for their own development.

This module will introduce students to modern British history and issues that have been traditionally neglected in the public domain, secondary and tertiary education: race, gender, disability, sexuality, and social inequalities. Through this material, the module will support the development of core historical and transferable skills and introduce students to themes that will be studied at Level 5 and Level 6.

RATIONALE

As shown in publications on inequalities in higher education produced by the Royal Historical Society’s, university History programmes in the UK have much work to do in regard to tackling inequalities in relation to race, gender, sexuality, and class. These aspects of History have long been neglected, and contemporary best practice is to ensure that curricula tackle these issues head-on. The aim of this module is make the history of inequality in Britain prominent within the Level 4 curriculum of the programme. In addition, the module will incorporate a variety of methods by which students can construct and present information and arguments. These will also help to develop key transferrable skills. Finally, the module will enable students to benefit from research-informed teaching and learning in connection with the University’s International Centre on Racism, along with research expertise in gender and class inequalities.

This module will be designed to showcase research-driven teaching on historical and historiographical cruxes. It focuses on the ways in which authors understood the process of writing about history, past and present, particularly those types of historical narratives that many modern scholars consider to be myth, legend, or pseudo-history. This module is about writing history: how authors engaged with the evidence they had to hand in order to construct historical narratives that made sense to their worldview, how scholars throughout the ages have interpreted those historical narratives with the benefit of hindsight, and how we as historians can sift through the evidence whilst acknowledging our own biases and perspectives.

RATIONALE

This module has been designed and planned to complement the existing module ‘Making History’. Where ‘Making History’ focuses on introducing students to public engagement with history, the focus of ‘Writing History’ will be another crucial set of skills we would like our students to gain in the second year, namely, the ability to engage deeply with historiography, particularly the historiography of historical ‘cruxes’: moments where eyewitness accounts, contemporary records, different types of historical evidence, or modern scholarship offers divergent or conflicting interpretations of events. ‘Writing History’ will be structured in two halves, with the first focusing more on the interpretation of primary source material and the second on the study of historiographical trends and cruxes.

Making History is a practical module in which students will apply their historical skills and knowledge to a public-facing project of their choosing. This project can be organised around external work-related experience (such as at a museum, archive, or school), or an independent project supervised by academics (e.g. a video documentary or social media account). Students will have the option of either: (1) identifying an external partner themselves (subject to approval from the module leader); (2) selecting from a list of external partners identified by the department; or (3) working on a public history project without experience of an external work provider. The flexibility of this approach means that if arranged work experience falls through students can always undertake an independent project and still complete the module. The precise nature of each project will be determined through discussions between students, tutors, and external partners, but should always involve students making meaningful use of the historical skills and knowledge developed during the course their degree. We expect that most students will work with external partners in the heritage and education sectors, but will consider prospective placements outside these areas if we believe that they will be beneficial to the personal and professional development of our students. Students will submit a non-assessed proposal before undertaking their projects which will be signed off my the module leader and any external partners who are involved. 

The module is divided into three phases. 

1. Public History – a series of workshops devoted to different forms of public history, featuring conversations and guest lectures from industry professionals and former EHU students. These sessions will also address how to pitch a viable public history project.
2. Work-related project – students work on their work experience/project, under the supervision of academic tutors and external partners.
3. Dissertation prep – the final half semester of the module will focus on research methods and preparing students for their 3rd year dissertation. Students will already have engaged in discussion about the methods and approaches involved in their work experience/project.

The module will be supported by the University Careers Team and the FAS Work Placement Officer. Students will be supervised by the module leader and by their personal tutors while on placement.

RATIONALE

The module is designed to enhance the employability skills of our students by developing their independence, self-discipline, self-motivation and time management skills. This module, through practice-based work and planning for their third year Independent Study Project, facilitate student engagement with research methods and approaches. Students taking the module will frame, through a process of negotiation, their own discrete project – a process that will help to prepare them for the development of a final year dissertation project. Students will be responsible for the execution of this project and for ensuring that it meets the needs of their external partner and any other participants/beneficiaries. The module will require students to demonstrate the transferable nature of the skills they have developed on the History programme and, at the same time, successfully apply historical skills in a non-academic context. The assessment will help students to record evidence of their work and to reflect upon its significance in ways that will be applicable to future job applications and interviews. The dissertation proposal assessment will ensure that students identify viable projects for their third year and have the opportunity to begin their research over the summer.

This module will concentrate on the major diplomatic, economic and cultural meeting points of arguably the two most influential nations of the twentieth century and how their relationship – at times good and at times bad – influenced the course of international history. It is a relationship of unparallel closeness and complexity which persists into the present day. By analysing the principal issues that arose between these two competitive yet cooperative states, we may be in a position to judge to what extent the relationship actually deserves the epithet ‘special’.
 

RATIONALE

The Anglo-American relationship was, and still is, perhaps the most important relationship between nation-states of the twentieth century. In the last hundred years, the relationship has evolved at all levels of interstate discourse: political, economic and military themes have, at differing times, dominated the path of diplomacy between these two first-world powers. The ‘special’ relationship has been intimately involved in the key moments that have shaped the course of modern history, such as the First and Second World Wars, the Cold War and, more recently, the affairs of the Middle East and the ‘war on terror’. No assessment, however general, of the development of the modern world can be complete without addressing at a basic level the roles of these two hegemonic powers, their cooperation, collusion and at times mutual conflict on the international stage.

This module will enable students to examine a range of crimes that occurred in England and Wales over the century between c.1840 and 1940 and their criminal justice, social, cultural and economic contexts. Crime and punishment will be used as a lens through which to explore and analyse important changes over time and the impact of key events such as the First World War and the spread of motorcar ownership.

RATIONALE

This module will enable students to examine a range of crimes that occurred in England and Wales over the century between c.1840 and 1940, some of which historians have suggested have historically been so common as to be termed ‘everyday’. This module will analyse the criminal justice contexts in which crime has occurred and it the impact crime has had on contemporary society. During the chronological period covered, crime became an issue of national importance and perceived as originating partly in major social change and upheaval, such as, urbanisation, the First World War and expanded ownership of the motor car. Some crimes became associated with geographic regions, for example, ‘kicking Lancashire’ and the association between male violence and the use of clogs as a weapon in the second half of the nineteenth century, or London-based hooliganism at the turn of the century. All crimes have a history, and historians ask questions of the past that are relevant to the concerns of the world in which they live. In the early twenty-first century crime continues to be a major issue. In that sense, this module will allow students to develop their understanding and interpretation of early twenty-first century crime through a focus on its long-standing historical background.

This  module is part of the University’s institution-wide language programme and will last for two semesters. It is designed for students who wish to learn a new language or for students who wish to further develop their current language skills alongside their main programme of study. Students will be able to work towards some of the ‘can do statements’ as defined by the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) at a level appropriate to them.  Students will be placed in groups according to language ability on entry, for example, Beginner (CEFR A1/), Elementary (CEFR A2) or Intermediate (CEFR B1- B2).

RATIONALE

This module offers EHU students the opportunity to access a language module, and in doing so, enriches the student’s experience. It also enhances EHU’s provision and, therefore, EHU may appear a more attractive option to potential students. This module is designed to allow students to start learning a language with no prior knowledge. However, it will also allow students with some previous language knowledge the opportunity to further develop these skills. Feedback from applicant days, open days and previous student cohorts has highlighted that there is a demand for this module,  particularly, with students who have already had some experience of the language and wish to develop further. It is also designed to support the outward mobility of students by providing a mechanism which will allow students to gain confidence in a different language (e.g. students taking part in an exchange). Furthermore, EHU will be at a comparative disadvantage with its competitors if a module such as this is not available to students.  This is a long thin module delivered over two semesters in order to meet the need for continuity. It also allows for differentiation based on the learner’s current language proficiency by grouping students according to language  level as described above, whilst maintaining the cognitive and academic skills required at this level of study.

This module is part of the University’s institution-wide language programme. It is designed for students who wish to build and develop upon previous language knowledge alongside their main programme of study. The duration of the module is across two academic semesters to accommodate continuity of language learning. Students will be able to work towards some of the ‘can do statements’ as defined by the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) at a level appropriate to them.

RATIONALE

This module is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills of a previously learnt language and aims to provide students with the language skills necessary to become an intermediate (either lower (B1),upper (B1.2) or lower B2) user of the target language as defined by Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).This also allows for differentiation based on the learner’s capability.

This module is part of the University’s institution-wide language programme. It is a 20-credit elective module designed for students who wish to build upon previously learnt language skills alongside their main programme of study. The module aims to improve students’ language skills appropriate to their entry level.

The aim of the module is to provide students with the language skills necessary to become a more proficient user of the target language. Students will be expected to develop language skills so that they are equipped to get by during time or residence abroad.

RATIONALE

This module is designed for students who wish to build upon the skills of a previously learnt language and aims to provide students with the language skills necessary to become a more proficient user of the target language, as mapped by Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This allows for differentiation based on the learner’s language level within this range, on entry to the language module.

This is an optional module for Level 4 Single Honours students. The module will encourage students to develop their critical awareness and evaluation skills. It considers the controversies, contradictions and common-sense assumptions that underpin the generation of ‘knowledge’ around concepts such as ‘crime’, harm, punishments, rights and justice. The module contests the concept of ‘official truths’ and examines how specific discourses contribute to the establishment of ‘legitimate’ knowledge and the barriers this creates for those attempting to present alternative versions and accounts. The module will draw on a diverse range of accounts and testimonies to demonstrate how knowledge is shaped by power and how the processes of denial, neutralisation and disqualification are used to silence dissent.

RATIONALE

The module is predicated on the development and application of critical and analytical skills. In line with QAA Benchmark Statements for Criminology (2014) the module will encourage students to compare, contrast and evaluate competing sources of information (4.2) to understand the complexities within and between official, professional, media and ‘alternative’ or autobiographical accounts. In providing opportunities to practice and refine these skills, the module makes an important contribution to students’ acquisition and development of transferable skills, including critical evaluation, self-directed study, collaborative working and oral and written communication (5.4)while at the same time requiring the ability to retrieve and utilise information from a wide range of sources.

This is a compulsory module for all Level 4 Single Honours Criminology students in which students will be introduced to the key components and theoretical foundations of critical analysis and to the techniques and skills of critique. Throughout the module, specific skills for study will be incorporated such as: academic practices, and introduction to independent research, research methods, and information retrieval skills. Personal Development Planning (PDP) will be integrated into the module in order to provide students with a foundational grounding in essential study skills whilst fulfilling institutional requirements.

RATIONALE

Fundamental to this module is the development and application of critical thinking and analytical skills to the study of the discipline of Criminology. The module will enable students to identify and develop skills associated with, and essential for, the realisation of critical analysis and apply these to Criminology in accordance with the disciplinary Benchmarks (QAA, 2014). It is designed to build critical thinking skills, analytical awareness, interpretation, contextualisation and reflexivity through a student-centred curriculum. There will be focus on student development of, and competency in information retrieval, critical evaluation of material, awareness of methods used to research Criminology, and academic practices which will provide a strong foundation for study at Levels 5 and 6. This module also addresses and meets Quality Assurance Agency and institutional requirements for Personal Development Planning (PDP). The need for students to participate in a continuing process of review, reflection and action-planning (Dearing, 1997) is integrated into this Level 4 module through a range of tasks which will enhance student awareness of their own skills, together with knowledge of how to enhance and develop these. In accordance with Criminology benchmarks (2014), the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge is complemented by development of a wide range of transferable skills, from essential research and information retrieval from a range of sources through to critical evaluation of contradictory and competing accounts, and the construction and presentation of an academic argument. The module will also provide students with a foundational knowledge of research methods in Criminology which will prepare them for study at Level 5. In addition, the module requires students to be able to work independently and in collaboration with their peers, in order to develop effective organisation, planning and time-management skills. Whilst not vocational per se, these skills will enhance future career and student employability. Students who successfully complete this module meet all the criteria for PDP at Level The module will begin with an introduction to specific elements imparting knowledge and skills. These include an overview of PDP identifying basic essential skills of reflection, and time management. Academic skills such as study skills, referencing and avoiding malpractice, constructing a bibliography and essays, and how to prepare for and revise for examinations, which provide an essential foundation for future study at Levels 5 and 6 will be introduced. Students will also be familiarised with how to find, use, and evaluate the quality of resources which they will use in the study of Criminology. They will also be introduced to research methods for Criminology in order to prepare them for further study at Levels 5 in research methods, and for their dissertation at Level 6. Students will be given practical tasks in order to help them practise these skills in relation to the study of Criminology. Related to PDP, the module will also include guidance on Career choices and options which are available to Criminology graduates in order to assist students with medium to longer term plans. With this in mind, it will provide students with practical tasks such as writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV), completing a job or volunteering opportunity application which is relevant to Criminology in order to assist them with their assessed Portfolio, and prepare a presentation as part of their assessment on career choices in order to enhance the employability of students

This module aims to provide students with a contemporary and detailed understanding of the pivotal issues pertaining to the mentally disordered offender (MDO). The module will specifically focus on those individuals detained under Part III of the Mental Health Act (1983) who will be frequently detained under Section 37 MHA (1983), which is a Home Office restriction order.

RATIONALE

There has been a general increase in the number of restricted patients detained over the last ten years (Ministry of Justice, 2010). However, the gender differential has remained relatively static over the last decade with women being subject to 11-13% of restriction orders and men representing 87-89%. Many mentally disordered offenders (MDO) will be detained in secure hospital provision in the NHS and Independent sector which spans a security spectrum of low secure, medium secure and enhanced medium security. However, some MDO’s require treatment under conditions of high security due to their dangerous, violent or criminal propensities, and the needs of these patients are met by the four high secure NHS hospitals in the UK which are Ashworth, Broadmoor, Rampton and Carstairs. Most people detained in the high secure hospitals are men with women accounting for around 6% of the high secure hospital population, this figure mirrors the statistics available for dangerous women detained in prison. The diversion of MDO’s from the criminal justice system into healthcare has been a cornerstone of policy and practice for the last two decades (DH, 1992), and most would have a primary diagnosis of Schizophrenia or serious mental illness or a ‘treatable’ personality disorder. The category of Dangerous Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) emerged in the aftermath of high profile cases such as that of Michael Stone who attacked Josie Lawrence and killed her mother and sister. He had been assessed by psychiatric services as having an untreatable personality disorder and excluded for treatment. In 2007, amendments to the Mental Health Act (1983) removed the category of psychopathic disorder and a more inclusive approach to the treatment of personality disorder emerged (DH, 2003).However, the category of DSPD has no legal or medical basis and is subsequently something of a contentious political category. The complex medical, legal, and political aspects of the mentally disordered offender will be explored in the module alongside scrutiny of care and treatment practices which are effective and reduce recidivism, as well as those considered contentious and a further deprivation of liberty or in contravention of the Human Rights Act (1998).

The module explores how ideas about ‘race’ help to shape and determine social, judicial and political responses to perpetrators and victims of crime. It explores the role of race as a major source of social divisions and aims to show the significance of racism to the reproduction of structural inequalities. This will involve students gaining knowledge about patterns of continuity and change in racism and an awareness of the relationship between ethnic and cultural diversity and social and criminal injustice.

RATIONALE

The social and political processes which construct and label groups has been an issue in criminology for a number of years. The dual processes of racialisation and criminalisation and in addition the relative invisibility of ethnic minorities as victims is an important aspect of criminology and this module will work towards an application of critical analysis to the issues of ‘race’ and crime.

The module is not directly committed to vocational imperatives or the specific needs of employers in relevant professions. Having said this criminology supplies a necessary knowledge base (as listed by the QAA benchmarks for Criminology 2014)

for a number of vocations. Therefore, this module will provide theoretical and applied knowledge likely to be of vocational value.

The aim of this module is to provide a grounding in issues of youth justice. It will consider the history of youth justice in the UK and elsewhere and will consider the development of responses to children and young people in conflict with the law in its social and political context. It will consider theoretical approaches to youth justice and consider explanations regarding differences in state responses to this issue. It will examine contemporary policies and practices in the UK and elsewhere.

RATIONALE

This module will focus on an important aspect of criminology, namely children and young people in conflict with the law, and it will work towards an application of critical analysis to the issue of youth justice. By considering the responses to children and young people in conflict with the law and the processes of the Youth Justice System, this module will seek to develop a deepening understanding of competing theoretical explanations to the issues and examine the functions and administration of the youth justice system. The module is not directly committed to vocational imperatives or the specific needs of employers in relevant professions. Having said this criminology supplies a necessary knowledge base (as listed by the QAA benchmarks for Criminology 2014)for a number of vocations. Therefore, this module will provide theoretical and applied knowledge likely to be of vocational value.

There is much debate focused around the concepts of punishment and treatment in the UK and the wider world. This module enables students to acquire a detailed understanding of the key theoretical and practical arguments in the contemporary fields of criminal justice and health and social care. The module will explore a variety of treatment options which are available to offenders across the criminal justice and health and social care services, considering their effectiveness and how the treatment may be best delivered. The concept of risk and dangerousness will be explored, with students encouraged to consider the complex processes of determining an offender’s risk of harm and risk of reoffending, alongside the problems with directing and delivering an effective treatment pathway.

RATIONALE

The progression beyond the ‘nothing works’ era (Martinson, 1974) to the ‘what works?’ era (Maguire, 1995) has seen a shift in criminal justice services considering which treatment approaches are effective and for who? There is recognition that a universal approach to the treatment of offenders is no longer suitable and collaborative multi-agency working, from the courts, prison service, probation and health and social care services allows for a broad consideration of factors when directing treatment for offenders. Structured risk assessment tools alongside clinical judgement are widely utilised to; determine risk levels, highlight remaining risk factors to be addressed and to direct the treatment pathway for an offender.

The concepts of risk and dangerousness will be introduced within this module with consideration given to those offenders with personality disorder and learning disabilities. The increase in both number and variety of accredited offending behaviour programmes offered across services is evident during the past decade, with conflicting findings around their effectiveness for the offenders who complete them. Such general treatment programmes will be discussed in comparison to more specialised treatment regimes, for example, dangerous and severe personality disorder (DSPD) units. The rehabilitation and treatment of offenders is emphasised within the statement of purpose across the criminal justice and health and social care sectors. The treatment of offenders is a widely contentious issue, regularly attended to by the media and high on the political agenda. The economic implications and conflicting evidence to support a significant reduction in offending through treatment opens up further debate about the relationship between rehabilitation and punishment.

The module will critically explore how psychology can inform our knowledge of offenders and offending. Building on the level 4 and 5 learning of psychological theory, this module will critically assess the relationship between offending and mental and personality disorders, with reference to culpability and risk.  Drawing upon investigative, forensic and social psychological frameworks, students will critically consider how psychological investigations can inform our knowledge of risk and offending behaviour beyond traditional offender profiling. It will critically evaluate how the methods employed by investigators can influence false confessions. The module will also investigate some of the psychological techniques employed by criminals in the form of grooming and criminal exploitation.   

RATIONALE

The module seeks to extend the students’ knowledge of psychological and individual explanations of crime as evidenced at level 4 and 5. It will explore firstly: how investigative, forensic and social psychology can be used to enhance our knowledge of offending behaviours and investigations; and secondly, how psychological processes can influence and impact upon the actions of offenders. The module is designed to encourage students to think critically about how psychology as a discipline can inform our knowledge of offending and offenders.

This module is designed to critically reflect on and analyse the discipline of Criminology, its political, practical and theoretical strengths and limitations, and the production and commodification of criminological knowledge. It will consider whether criminology has become a ‘parasitic’ discipline with the criminalisation of social problems, and the ever increasing techniques of crime control, forming the justification for the discipline’s existence, rather than providing a platform for resistance. It will explore the concept of the ‘criminological imagination’ as an alternative way of envisaging the discipline and its utility. It will consider the way in which criminology has to connect with other disciplines in order to expand the range of issues it deals with and in order to help criminologists make sense of issues where the ‘normal’ boundaries of criminology would stifle or limit an analysis.

RATIONALE

QAA Benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) note that the discipline must be responsive to the cross-fertilisation of ideas and methods between a range of human and social sciences (S3.1) and that continued theoretical debates within other disciplines are essential to the vitality of Criminology (S3.4). Thus the skills of reflection and reflexivity are essential for a deep and advanced understanding of criminological concerns and, arguably, for successful participation in the social world and the world of work. This module prioritises political, academic and personal reflection / reflexivity. It is concerned with encouraging students to critique the discipline on academic and political levels and further, on a personal level, to envisage criminology and the issues it can and should be concerned with, not as something they ‘stand outside’ of and observe, but rather as something they are inherently and actively part of.

Conveyancing is the process of transferring ownership of property from one person to another. Conveyancing is a generic term that describes property transactions whether they are in respect of residential or commercial property. The basic rules and principles of conveyancing apply regardless of the nature of the property. This module will  provide students with the practical skills and knowledge of the rules and principles required to complete a residential property transaction. Students will develop this knowledge so that they will be able to provide advice and assistance to a client in relation to each of the critical stages of a property transaction.

This module will provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills of locating learning resources, case and statute analysis, legal reasoning, criticism and argument.

The subject may be broken down into solicitor initial stage, enquiries and searches, contract and completion. The level and complexity of this module is designed to be advanced.

RATIONALE

To provide students with a good understanding of the process and obligations concerning the conveyance of property. This module will form part of the legal practice pathway which is endorsed by the Law Professional Advisory Panel.

This module is designed to allow the students to understand the overall context of policing and its core function in society, whilst introducing them to a variety of procedures and ethical decision making. It is also intended to compliment other modules in introducing them to the Criminal Justice System.

RATIONALE

Students will look at the concepts and principles of policing by consent, the structure of the police service, the concept of professionalism, national policies and strategies in relation to policing and the role of the College of Policing. They will also be introduced to the extent of police powers, regulation and the use of them fairly and without bias. The students will be introduced to and look at the national decision-making model, code of ethics, discretion, decision making, recording of decisions, the importance of accountability and the importance of critically reviewing policing decisions. The new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) provides three entry routes into the policing profession at the rank of police constable, one of which is the pre-join undergraduate Degree in Professional Policing (pre-join Degree).This module forms part of a suite of 20 credit modules designed to ensure coverage of the national curriculum for the pre-join degree in professional policing (as prescribed by the College of Policing as the professional body for policing) which is professionally transformative, in that there is comprehensive, modern and up-to-date coverage of areas of knowledge, skills and professional approaches that have been identified as critical to 21st century policing role of the constable.

This module is designed to introduce the students to the Criminal Justice System

RATIONALE

The students will look at the function of the Criminal Justice System and the police role within it, as well as looking at various pieces of associated legislation. They will look at victims, the victim’s commissioner, codes of practice, and the role of the family liaison officer Students will also explore the custody processes as it appertains in particular to the detention, custody, charging, disclosure and escorting of detainees. They will also look at the courts, sentencing, out of court disposals, restorative justice and the key players such as the CPS, Youth Offending Service, probation etc. The new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) provides three entry routes into the policing profession at the rank of police constable, one of which is the pre-join undergraduate Degree in Professional Policing (pre-join Degree).

This module forms part of a suite of 20 credit modules designed to ensure coverage of the national curriculum for the pre-join degree in professional policing (as prescribed by the College of Policing as the professional body for policing) which is professionally transformative, in that there is comprehensive, modern and up-to-date coverage of areas of knowledge, skills and professional approaches that have been identified as critical to 21st century policing role of the constable. The national curriculum for the police constable has been developed so that students will receive a comprehensive education, based upon the professional responsibility of the police service and all who work within it to serve and protect the public in the most effective ways possible. The curriculum demonstrates the candidate’s learning and development through 5 key areas of policing practice, these key areas are informed by 18 specific areas of knowledge, skills and professional awareness that have been identified as critical to the performance of the role of a police constable.

This module explores the foundations of political analysis and the concepts, approaches and methods through which we understand the subject.  It will critically examine the core ideas central to the study of politics. It is a building block which will enable students to understand key elements of POL1002.

RATIONALE

The module offers a strong grounding in the key, foundation concepts essential to any study of politics.  In addressing issues such as democracy and politics in their philosophical and abstract forms, students will develop a greater understanding of the subject.  In addressing the nature of the state and sovereignty, students will come to have a deeper, critical understanding of power, systems of governance and political legitimacy.  Finally, by addressing ideology, students will gain a deeper understanding of the key traditions of political thought and belief that have shaped western democracy since the Enlightenment.

Making policy in the modern public sector is complex. Public policy makers do not operate in a vacuum and their policy-making autonomy is bounded by a number of considerations including knowledge, law, power, resources and public opinion. The module seeks to demystify policy-making by systematically introducing students to the key policy-making stages, theories, methods and key debates and locating these in practical ‘real world’ contexts.

Policy is of course often justified by reference to research.  This module will focus on key research methods, enabling students to understand the research needs of policy makers as well as to be equipped to carry out some of their own research.

RATIONALE

At EU, national and local levels, public policy remains a significant influence over our lives. As citizens, graduates should have knowledge of how the policy-making process works and how it can be influenced. As individuals entering the labour market, they should also possess the knowledge and skills to either work within the public sector, or to work in organisations that routinely seek to influence public policy, such as NGO’s, campaign groups or other private entities including multi-national organisations.

Students also require a firm grounding in research methods in order to not only provide the underpinning for policy decisions and lobbying, but also to carry out their own academic research.

The module will introduce students to key aspects of the criminal justice system, primarily in England and Wales but with some reference to other UK and international jurisdictions. The module will critically analyse official responses to ‘crime’ and deviance through an examination of fundamental criminal justice agencies including the police, criminal courts and prisons as well as probation and youth justice services.

RATIONALE

Fundamental to this module is the application of analytical skills to an in-depth examination of the criminal justice system. Whilst not vocational per se, this module could enhance future career and employment opportunities. A critical understanding of the administration of criminal justice is essential grounding for more specialised study in Level 5 and Level 6, but also has vocational relevance for students wishing to pursue careers in the criminal justice system, social work, youth work and other related fields. Acquisition of subject-specific knowledge is complemented by the development of a range of transferable skills, from essential research and information retrieval through to critical evaluation of contradictory and competing accounts.

This module provides students with an opportunity to gain an integrated understanding of the key policy, practice, and societal drivers which currently direct responses to addictions and offending. The relationship between punishment, rehabilitation, addiction and the individual actor and the State will be a key focus. This module will draw on the paradigms inherent in criminological, psychological and sociological representations of crime, punishment, rehabilitation and addiction.

RATIONALE

The Government strategy (Ministry of Justice, 2010), ‘Reducing Demand, Restricting Supply, Building Recovery’ recognises the impact that addictions (e.g. drug and alcohol dependence) has on societal harm and crime. The strategy sets out to tackle dependence on all drugs including prescription and over the counter medicines, this is a significant shift as previous strategy focused largely on heroin and crack cocaine. Furthermore, the impact of alcohol misuse on crime and the harm generated by severe alcohol dependence has been recognised together with the fact that the UK has high rates of binge drinking among young people (Hibell et al; 2009).The need for changes to the sentencing framework is acknowledged in the Ministry of Justice (2010) policy, ‘Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders’ as it is known that 50% of adult offenders re-offend within one year of completion of sentence, as do 75% of those sentenced to youth custody. Changes to the sentencing framework have the themes of protecting the public and punishment and rehabilitation of offenders at their core.

Transparency, accountability, and payment by results are viewed as effective processes to increase positive change in local communities. Alternatives to custody, which promote punishment and pay back as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of those with addictions (e.g. drug and alcohol dependency, pathological gambling) is a key strand of contemporary policy. The themes of employment and health are also considered central to contemporary strategy; however, the challenges are immense, particularly when considered against a background of financial austerity in public sector services.

The news media plays a primary role in the  construction of social problems, crime, deviance  and to an extent, reality and as such, the relationship between crime, media and criminology is long established. The module will critically explore the representation of ‘crime’ and criminal activity within various types of media forms incorporating: traditional print, online news domains and social media forums. The module will develop a critical theoretical framework to examine the criminological and wider societal significance of the production and reproduction of dominant images and discourses around ‘crime’ criminalisation and the construction of victims, perpetrators  and events.

RATIONALE

While this module is not directly aligned to vocational imperatives, the transferable skills and knowledge gained may be applied within criminal justice agencies and key media related and third sector posts. The critical analysis of news manufacture and examination of the significance of dominant ideologies communicated as the ‘norm’ through discourse, language and power will enhance their understanding of its impact on key policies and practice within professional institutions.

In line with QAA benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) the module will enable students “to develop a critical understanding of the construction and influence of representations of crime and victims, and of responses to crime and deviance, as found in official reports, the mass media and public opinion” (2.4.). Further, the module will promote representations of crime, deviance, offenders, victims and agents and agencies of control in the media, popular and high culture and official discourses, whether these be public or private” (3.3).

The purpose of this module is to highlight and explore the production of identities, reputations and stereotypes and the impact these have on particular social groups. A key focal point of the module will be the role of the media in shaping reputations and perceptions. It will consider ways in which determining contexts can effect societal perceptions of individuals and groups, and the impact of stereotypes, reputations and ‘common sense’ thinking on criminal justice policy and responses.

RATIONALE

Benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) note the significance of ‘using criminological theory to elucidate representations of crime and victimisation, and responses to these, as presented in the traditional and new media and in official reports’. This module reflects this area of criminological study. The module provides an academic ‘‘link’ between the Level 4 module CRI 1123 Histories of crime, policing and punishment and the Level 6 module CRI3113 ‘Expanding the Criminological Imagination’ although all three modules could be studied independently.

The module is not directly committed to vocational imperatives or the specific needs of employers. This being said, Benchmark statements point out that criminology supplies a necessary knowledge base for a number of vocations, each of which will supplement the topics with units at an appropriate level relevant to their own professional and technical areas of expertise. Therefore, this module will provide theoretical and applied knowledge likely to be of vocational value.

This module provides a thorough grounding in understanding and undertaking criminological research. It considers the development of criminological research and explores different qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The module considers the theoretical context of approaches such as positivism and interpretivism. The module will explore the skills necessary to evaluate criminological research, particularly in terms of research ethics and politics. The module will also explore the practical skills necessary to undertake the research process. Students will produce a research proposal.

RATIONALE

This module is guided by relevant QAA benchmarks for criminology (2014). The benchmarks highlight that criminology includes knowledge and understanding of “the different sources of information about crime and victimisation, both quantitative and qualitative, and how they are produced – including their location in particular legal, political, social and ideological frameworks – and how they can be interpreted”. Furthermore, criminology also includes knowledge and understanding of “how to use empirical evidence – both quantitative and qualitative – about the distribution of crime, deviance, offending and victimisation of all kinds to explore relationships between these and social divisions and social change.”

The module develops cognitive abilities and skills of direct relevance to students entering professions or further study where analysis, interpretation and evaluation are necessary. The skills involved in producing a research proposal will enhance career opportunities. In line with the QAA benchmarks for criminology, the module develops abilities and skills in “locating, retrieving, managing and analysing appropriate secondary data and evidence; describing, summarising and interpreting quantitative data; reporting the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses, including using appropriate graphical methods; making ethical judgements about methods and published research; and interpreting qualitative evidence and texts” (QAA, 2014, 5.2).

In line with the QAA benchmarks (2014, 5.3) the module also develops the following subject-specific abilities: “using empirical evidence about crime, victimisation and responses to crime to evaluate and elaborate criminological theory; analysing, assessing and communicating quantitative and qualitative empirical information about crime, victimisation, responses to crime and deviance, and representations of crime; and recognising a range of ethical problems associated with research and taking action in accordance with the guidelines of ethical practice developed by the British Society of Criminology and cognate professional bodies”.

Migration is widely recognised as one of the most pressing issues facing Europe today. However, public debates around migration are often characterised by ignorance and fearmongering. Even where responses to current waves of migration are positive, they often involve decontextualization, and the recycling of mythologies about past waves of migration. There is therefore an urgent need for better public understanding of the historical context behind migration. This module aims to equip students as citizens to be part of that better informed public debate. By viewing current issues both within a longer-term historical perspective, and within contemporary debates in critical migration studies, students will be able to critically examine claims made about, for example, the exceptionalism of current waves of migration, and situate them within a broader history of people on the move within, beyond and into Europe. By placing current debates within such a context, they will be enabled to understand political and social issues ranging from refugees to migrant workers, from cosmopolitanism to immigration controls, and from anti-racist activism to anti-migrant backlashes within a longer term context. 

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Interdisciplinary teaching on this module will enable students to relate and make associations with other disciplines such as Social Science and Geography. This approach will enable students to be exposed to more theoretical and contemporary approaches to critical migration studies, at the same time as retaining the best of historical approaches. The chronological content will be limited to the period since 1918, with the majority of the period since 1945. This module will enable students to develop their knowledge of migration issues and apply that knowledge to patterns in migration occurring in the twenty-first century and the problems and opportunities that poses.

The purpose of this module is to explore the concept of violence and the various forms it can take, ranging from intrapersonal violence (e.g. self harm) to interpersonal violence, institutional and state violence, and violence on a global scale. Students will be encouraged to look beyond established understandings of what constitutes a violent act to explore more abstract forms of violence such as harm, denial of rights, and poverty. Criminological theory will form the basis of considerations of aspects of violence, and the structural relations of class (production), ‘race’ (neo-colonialism) and gender/sexuality (reproduction) will be highlighted as the determining contexts in which such violence occurs and is legitimated. Power, dominance, legitimacy and hegemony will be the key themes of the module.

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Benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) highlight the need for the discipline to take a reflexive approach to understandings of crime and deviance, and processes of criminalisation and victimisation. This module seeks to take a key feature of these processes – violence – and examine it from a variety of perspectives. It is concerned with encouraging students to critique the notion of violence, and challenge perceptions of what makes an act violent. Benchmark statements further refer to the need for students to consider “ the local, national, and international contexts of crime, victimisation, and responses to crime and deviance” (para 2.4). Thus this module seeks to locate violence within processes of globalisation and as a function of international conflict and re-ordering.

This module  will provide students with a critical knowledge and understanding of the nature, functions and justifications for the use of punishment, specifically incarceration, in modern society.  It will consider the philosophical theories that are used to legitimise the state’s use of imprisonment and the sociological theories that explain historical developments in the purpose of state punishment. The various divisions and functions of the prison estate will be examined within their historical, structural, political, social and geographical contexts. Related methods of state punishment, such as the death penalty, will also be considered. The module will take an international perspective and explore penal theory and practice in a range of countries. The relationships between power, legitimacy and justice will be explored throughout.

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In line with QAA benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) this module will provide an opportunity for students to: develop their knowledge and understanding of ‘the philosophy and politics of criminal justice and modes of punishment’ (S4.2); examine the prison system in light of human rights and civil liberties (S2.4); and explore the relationship (or lack thereof) between criminal justice and social justice. The module will be useful for those students who wish to work within the criminal justice sysetm or related professions. It combines theoretical analysis and its application with an understanding of how the penal system is organised and administered.

This module will examine the development of the discourse about rights and justice. Taking a national and international approach, the module will consider the development of rights historically and the new discourses of rights. Students will evaluate statutory policies and responses to the issue of rights and justice. Students will consider how States respond to issues of justice and rights, including where States themselves uphold or violate citizen’s rights.

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The Human Rights Act (1998) came into force in the UK enshrining the European Convention on Human Rights in domestic legislation. This signified a fundamental shift in the conceptualisation of rights in the UK, establishing new rights enshrined in law. The QAA benchmark statements for Criminology (2014) state the importance of ‘assessing the merits and diversity of objectives of competing responses to crime, deviance and harm, including the protection of human rights’.

The module is not directly committed to vocational imperatives. However, the module will consolidate students’ understanding of the area of human rights and justice which is a significant area for employers, particularly public bodies. The module will expand oral communication skills which will be of direct relevance to students entering professionals or further study. The skill involved in producing, presenting and writing about a rights and justice-based issue will enhance career opportunities.

This module introduces the students to one of the seven foundational subjects of legal knowledge. It provides a clear map through the different torts, while at the same time identifying the common underlying themes and uniting principles.

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The Law of Torts is a core and dynamic subject, occupying a central position within the law of obligations.  The subject is largely based on the case law of England & Wales, but it also includes important statutory provisions and, increasingly, demands an awareness of the impact of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. The Module will provide students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge of a core legal subject. It is also designed to enable students to develop their research skills, problem-solving skills, and independent study skills. Finally it is designed to enable students to develop the key skills of oral and written communication and information technology.

This module introduces students to a number of the practical aspects of seeking and being employed in the legal professions. It will introduce students to a number of aspects of the practical curriculum delivered on a Legal Practice Course and a Bar Professional Training Course. The level of complexity of this module is designed to be foundational and introductory.

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In essence, this module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to lay the foundations for the development of a number of skills and competences related to working in the legal professions. It aims to begin the process of equipping students with some of the practical lawyers’ skills that should enhance employability. It is the first of three optional modules on our  programmes that are important aspects of our employability strategy.

This one semester module examines the Constitutional and Substantive Law of the European Union. While the United Kingdom is not a Member State of the European Union, it maintains a close relationship with the Union. As such, law students are required to be familiar with the powers conferred to this supranational organisation and the substantive rights granted to those subject to EU law. This module explores the principles, legal instruments, competences and rights recognised and conferred by EU Law and the rules regulating its Internal Market.

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The professional accrediting bodies require all qualifying law degrees to include European Union Law as part of the compulsory curriculum.  The reason for this requirement are is that European Union has been the source of the majority of the laws effective in the United Kingdom until recently, and the UK and EU will maintain a close relationship after Brexit. The principles regulating the action of the EU and the four freedoms are still relevant for UK students, as they apply in some areas covered by the Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and the UK. Laws on subjects as varied as anti-discrimination free movement of persons, goods, capital, services and establishment or anti-competitive behaviour originate at European Union level. Indeed, the study of national law would be incomplete without a detailed understanding of the institutions, key constitutional principles, and the  core rules of European Union Law.

This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the key principles of property law which underpin the day to day management and control of land ownership, use and transactions and to enable students to place those dealings within a social context. The module will concentrate on certain key areas and principles in property law. The key areas studied in this module will allow students to see the breadth of the subject and also how these key areas fit together to form a coherent whole.

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This module will guide students through the principles of contemporary land law. The module is arranged to facilitate the growth of a steady understanding of key property concepts and principles which will enable students to place those concepts and principles within a practical context. The module is also designed to require students to further develop their legal research skills, their problem solving skills and to encourage them to become independent learners.

This module provides students with the opportunity to further develop a number of the practical aspects of being employed in the legal professions. It will  build on some of the skills and competences acquired in LAW1006 and cover, in a more advanced way, a number of aspects of the practical curriculum delivered on Legal Practice Courses and Bar Professional Training Courses.

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In essence, this module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to further develop a number of skills and competences related to working in the legal professions. It aims to equip students with a number of the core practical lawyers’ skills that should enhance employability and lay solid foundations for students who may wish to embark on the LPC or BPTC. It is the second  of three optional modules on our  programmes that are important aspects of our employability strategy aimed at the legal professions.

Judicial review is a way of challenging how an organisation carries out a public function. It is a specialised type of legal proceeding.

Unlike private law which involves a dispute over a person’s rights and obligations, judicial review has a wider public importance because it is about ensuring the state does not exceed the powers given to it by law. This difference means that special rules apply to judicial review. The court’s role is to look at whether a decision was lawfully available to the body which made it. 

This module will provide you with a good understanding of the process involved in bringing a claim for judicial review. It will also provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills of locating learning resources, case and statute analysis, legal reasoning, criticism and oral presentation and argument.

The subject may be broken down into three parts: pre action protocol, the permission stage and the substantive stage.

The level and complexity of this module is designed to be advanced

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To provide understanding of judicial review and practical experience of bringing and managing a claim in accordance with Civil Procedure Rules. This module will form part of the legal practice pathway which is endorsed by the Law Professional Advisory Panel.

The module includes a practical examination of company formation and decision-making, together with the respective roles of shareholders and directors. The module also considers corporate insolvency, and choice of business medium.

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Company Law is a topical and expanding subject, concerned with companies as legal institutions and the law regulating them and their activities. This module will concentrate on the key features of the company as a legal institution and cover a selection of topics addressing some of the main legal issues relating to companies and business activity. The subject is based on legislation, now largely consolidated in the Companies Act 2006 and the Insolvency Act 1986, supplemented by case law .

Public International law is the law governing relations between States and the activities of international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union. It is concerned with questions such as the settlement of disputes, title to territory; diplomatic relations; human rights; the law of the sea; legal restraints on the use of force, and the law governing international commercial/ trade agreements.

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When we ask what “what is international law?”, we want to know what is its nature. Is it a body of rules? Who does it apply to? Who ‘regulates’ the application of international law? Why should anyone comply with it? Where is international law to be found? The Public International Law course addresses and examines these questions. International law has been derided or disregarded by many of the world’s foremost jurists and legal commentators. They have questioned the existence of any set of rules governing inter-state relations; its entitlement to be called ‘law’; and its effectiveness in controlling states in ‘real life’ situations.

Globalisation has brought into sharper focus the importance of this body of law and has indeed contributed to its growth, increased visibility and general significance and relevance.

The Family Law course will examine the main areas of substantive law and social policy pertaining to the family. The focus will be on the ‘family’ and the rights and obligations of the adults within it, with the more specialised area of regulation of parents and children forming a separate course.

Family Law will introduce the concept and nature of marriage (including same-sex marriage). It will consider the extent to which marriage remains an instrument of social, moral and economic regulation in society. This will require an examination of the formation and function of marriage, its legal moral and social effects, and the legal means devised by the State to protect it. This will include the legal effects of marriage, void and voidable marriages and the law of annulment.

Equally it is relevant in today’s society to compare and contrast the growing emergence of law relating to cohabitation as more and more people choose cohabitation instead of, or as a preliminary to, marriage.  The course will also examine the law pertaining to parenthood and proof of parenthood including blood testing and DNA samples. It will also discuss reproductive technologies and surrogacy, and the legal consequences of parenthood as recognised by the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Act 1990/2009.

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The word ‘family’ is one which is difficult to define. In one sense it can mean all persons related by blood or marriage or since 2005, civil partners. It may include all the members of a household, including parents and children with perhaps other relations, lodgers and even servants. Family law is normally seen as the law that governs the relationships between children and parents, and adults in close emotional relationships.

Unlike other branches of law, such as equity & trusts or tort law, which are clearly legal creations, family law relates, in many ways to an entity – “the family”. This law has developed through common law and statute to allegedly “improve” the relationships between parents, children and the state. More often family law concerns itself with the break down of family relationships.

The course will examine marriage and divorce. With respect to financial provision the course will look at family property, the division of property after divorce, orders for financial relief on divorce and relationship breakdown and orders for financial support of children.  It will consider the law pertaining to parenthood and proof of parenthood – this means blood testing and DNA samples. Students will be expected to understand the social policy and philosophical implications of the law.  Family Law will also introduce and examine the concept of parental responsibility and discuss how the law intervenes when a relationship breaks down and issues can not be resolved regarding the living arrangements and contact with a child of the relationship. It will examine the issues surrounding matrimonial home rights, regulation of the rights of occupation, ancillary relief and the protection offered by the civil law in relation to domestic violence. The domestic violence provisions of the Family Law Act 1996 will be discussed alongside the wider social and policy implications of violence in the home.

The module critically examines the key principles of intellectual property (IP) law, the nature and scope of IP rights, procedures, national, regional and international, for the granting and recognition of the rights, mechanisms for enforcement, as well as defences against the enforcement. It critically reviews the role of international institutions concerned with IP, namely the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the European Union and other regional bodies. The module focuses on the protection of copyright and related rights, patents, trademarks, designs, and geographical and other denominations of origin. This includes the study of the WIPO Treaties, the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPs Agreement), as well as the relevant European legislation.

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The module aims to provide students with systematic knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of substantive intellectual property law in its international context, and to equip students with the theoretical and conceptual framework necessary to analyse critically the international intellectual property law regime.

Intellectual property plays an increasingly important role in international trade and economic development. Many businesses are engaging in international commerce on some level. A significant number of companies have foreign subsidiaries or affiliates, and even purely domestic entities can become involved in international transactions in a variety of ways. Often, intellectual property assets will be a component of such international transactions. In addition, with fast development of new technologies, and widespread use of the internet and other cross border communications and commercial technologies, intellectual property rights need to be protected and regulated at an international level. As globalisation increases and national boundaries become more penetrable, there is a corresponding need for well-developed knowledge regarding international intellectual property law.

The module is thus designed for students who wish to develop a specialist knowledge of the increasingly important field of intellectual property and related areas in a global commercial setting. It is suited to those involved with international business organisations and law firms, as well as to students who wish to deepen their understanding of international intellectual property law in preparation for a research degree, or teaching and research in Higher Education.

This module examines the complex pattern of international regulatory frameworks affecting sport. It explores the role of sport in society and assesses claims that sport should be self regulating as a consequence of its unique characteristics which distinguish it from other industries. The key sources and institutions of international sports law are explored, with particular emphasis given to the role of the international sports governing bodies, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU). National patterns of state sports law and policy throughout Europe are also considered and contrasted with the US model of sport. The impact of these bodies on sports broadcasting, the rights of athletes and wider issues of sports governance is explored.

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As sport has commercialised and legal disputes arise, two constituencies require a greater understanding of the nexus between sport and the emerging international regulatory environment. First, the sports sector has needed to professionalise in order to address the increasing occurrence of litigation within the sector. Second, law practitioners require greater understanding of the subject so that they can appropriately advise clients. This module therefore appeals to those students with ambitions of becoming sports administrators or sports law practitioners. The module will also appeal to students who simply wish to further their understanding of this rapidly developing field of enquiry.

The Module concentrates upon the Law of Criminal Evidence in England and Wales. It initially focuses upon a number of types of criminal evidence, and examines the procedural safeguards which govern the decision to admit these types of evidence at trial. It then widens its focus to include an examination of the operation of the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

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This Module examines how the Law of Criminal Evidence in England and Wales categorizes and defines a number of types of criminal evidence. This examination is combined with a detailed consideration of the common law and statutory criteria for the admissibility and exclusion of evidence of these types of criminal evidence. The purpose of this examination is to enable students to focus upon the basic analytical framework underlying the Law of Criminal Evidence.

This basic analytical framework will then be set within the wider context of the institutions of the criminal justice system of England and Wales. This wider context will initially be developed through an understanding that prosecution evidence is essentially dependent upon pre-trial practices of evidence gathering; and that its admissibility at trial will be determined by the extent to which common law and statutory criteria regulate these police practices.

This initial understanding will then be supplemented by consideration of the regulation of decisions regarding the admissibility of evidence at the criminal trial, together with the capacity for a wider reconsideration of the case. This will be examined through a detailed focus upon the operation of the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Criminal Cases Review Commission. This will enable students to comprehend the relationship between the law of criminal evidence and the appellate function of the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

In studying this wider context of the criminal justice system, through this focus upon the two levels of regulation, students will examine the broader relationship between the law of criminal evidence and the underlying institutional dynamics of the criminal justice system.

This module examines the international legal aspects of the international community’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. It explores the ‘law before war’ known as jus ad bellum, including the prohibition of force, the principle of non-intervention, and the powers and role of the relevant United Nations organs in settling or responding to international disputes and situations. It will also give students an insight into States’ rights to self-defence, and the international community’s roles and responsibilities to responding to mass atrocity crimes under the ‘Responsibility to Protect’.

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The maintenance of international peace and security is one of the most topical and controversial areas of international law, with many of the world’s current crises at the forefront of the development of this area of law today. This module will give students an opportunity to understand the key framework of international law that regulates international conduct relating to international peace and security, and it will also introduce them to the key actors and international organisations that have the powers and responsibilities for responding to situations that threaten peace and security. This includes an in-depth examination of the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly.

With this background, the module is designed to develop students’ independent research, critical discussion, and problem-solving skills, with an opportunity to debate and discuss some of the most pressing issues in international law.

The Criminal Justice system in the UK controls the behaviour of citizens and helps citizens understand the effects of their actions through punishment and rehabilitation of those who violate the laws.

This area of law is regulated by the Criminal Procedure Rules and legislation including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984. PACE regulates the power of police and sets out rules regarding the detention and interrogation of suspects. The role of the Criminal Defence Duty Solicitor is to help suspects when detained at the police station.

The Duty Solicitor is an advocate who ensures that the offender’s legal rights are observed and that proper legal advice is given. The Duty solicitor explains what is likely to happen in the case, discuss the evidence that the police have, the strengths of the evidence and whether the evidence is strong enough for the suspect to be charged. The Duty solicitor advises the suspect at the police interview and provides the suspect with legal advice.

This module will provide students with a good understanding of the vital service provided by the Duty Solicitor. Students will learn how to conduct interviews and to request disclosure from police. Students will also learn PACE rules that regulate police interviews and application for bail. Students will learn about Criminal Procedure Rules and how the service they provide must be in compliance, obligations to the client and to the court.

The module provides students with the opportunity to develop the skills of locating learning resources, case and statute analysis, legal reasoning, and advocacy.

The level and complexity of this module is designed to be advanced.

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This module will provide students with an understanding of the role of the Criminal Defence Duty Solicitor and the service they provide suspects at the police station and at a hearing in compliance with Criminal Procedure Rules.

This module will form part of the legal practice pathway which is endorsed by the Law Professional Advisory Panel

This module has been designed to introduce the students to the concepts of Evidenced Based Policing, Problem Orientated Policing and Problem Solving.

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Students will look at the professional concept of evidenced based policing, explore the rationale for its approach, discuss the benefits and constraints of of its uses and identify examples of good practice. They will also explore the sources of research and evidence for evidenced based policing such as What Works, POLKA, Global Policing Database, HMICFRS etc.

Students will engage with the principles of problem solving and problem orientated policing, looking at the various theories and models such as SARA, Problen Analysis Triangle, Routine Activity Theory, Rational Choice Theory etc.. They will also look at the various tools that can be used for effective problem solving, whilst analysing the benefits and barriers to this approach to policing.

The new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) provides three entry routes into the policing profession at the rank of police constable, one of which is the pre-join undergraduate Degree in Professional Policing (pre-join Degree).

This module forms part of a suite of 20 credit modules designed to ensure coverage of the national curriculum for the pre-join degree in professional policing (as prescribed by the College of Policing as the professional body for policing) which is professionally transformative, in that there is comprehensive, modern and up-to-date coverage of areas of knowledge, skills and professional approaches that have been identified as critical to 21st century policing role of the constable.

The national curriculum for the police constable has been developed so that students will receive a comprehensive education, based upon the professional responsibility of the police service and all who work within it to serve and protect the public in the most effective ways possible. The curriculum demonstrates the candidate’s learning and development through 5 key areas of policing practice, these key areas are informed by 18 specific areas of knowledge, skills and professional awareness that have been identified as critical to the performance of the role of a police constable.

The module will examine on a comparative basis the government and politics of a small number of European countries including France, Germany and Italy.  It will explore in a systematic manner through the application of a number of theoretical models the nature of the systems of government and politics in the States.

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To extend the study of  government and politics to a range of European countries beyond the United Kingdom by looking at France, Germany Italy and others and  to enable  students to consider and evaluate some of the key political science theories and models. In essence therefore, to broaden and deepen students’ knowledge of government and politics and develop  their theoretical and analytical skills and understanding. There are frequently live issues in the politics of the countries studied and this module allows students to consider these in real time.

Students will be presented with a number of case studies on substantive topics of current interest and importance and will undertake systematic examination of some of the major changes that are occurring and their implications for British society and other societies across the world. Phenomena such as the economic crisis, the environmental crisis, the increasing religiosity of politics and problems in the developing world are looked at to foster an understanding of contemporary society and some of the key issues it faces. Aspects of social and criminal justice, harms and rights, and the role that the media plays in shaping social perceptions, will be examined throughout.

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As the QAA Criminology Benchmarks (2014) state, criminology and social policy have never been discrete and separate areas and there are advantages for students’ understanding of the modern world by exploring common ground. Further, the benchmarks particularly stress ‘the principles of human rights and civil liberties’ and ‘the dimensions of social divisions and social diversity in relation to criminological topics’ (p9).Issues such as government, immigration, food, poverty, transport, social exclusion and technology and the media are important issues for consideration. Developing a deeper, contextual understanding of these issues will assist students in developing their knowledge and application of theories and concepts. Exploring these phenomena through the lens of the mass media further fulfils the call within the benchmarks to be cognisant of ‘mass media, new medic. Official reports and…public opinion’ (p11, para 4.2).

The aim of this module is to provide a broad contextualisation to current issues and the making of the modern world. The reflective elements and links to PDP will strengthen the student’s study skills and ability to self-direct their learning and work in groups. The PDP element seeks to make transparent the academic and intellectual skills that are brought to bear in examining ‘current issues’, and to have students both use and reflect on these skills.

This module looks at the relationships of States to each other and to international and supranational institutions.  It also looks at the role of non state actors, such as NGOs.

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This module introduces students to the key topic of International Relations.  It is difficult to understand politics today without having an understanding of how States relate to each other, of international and supranational institutions and of the global trends and pressures which impact on and influence politics and policy making.  The grounding in this topic will enable students to choose modules at level 5 and 6 with an international dimension.

This module looks at Politics in the US today and in the recent past.  It focuses on major trends and key developments while exploring in some detail the key institutions relevant to US Politics.

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Studying Contemporary US Politics will give students an understanding of one of the major “theatres of politics” in our world.  While Edge Hill already offers a range of US related modules in the History Department, this module effectively fills a gap by concentrating on the political events and issues in the US today.  Current experience shows that there is a demand from students for more on current politics in America.  Given that this nation provides considerable news coverage in the UK media, this module could also help boost student employment prospects by giving them the tools to talk knowledgeably about developments.  The module will build on the compulsory Level 4 module on Systems and Institutions. It will also enable students to be better prepared for certain options at Level 6.

This ‘shell’ module is designed to enable a student to acquire 20 credits at Level 5 towards their final award through self-directed learning. It allows students to focus on a particular agreed topic or focus and explore it, with tutorial support, to produce particular research project based piece of work that comprises the agreed focus of the assessment, and a learning diary that demonstrates a reflective approach to executing the study. The self-directed learning focus allows for a sense of both leading on the learning taking place and reflecting on its progress, problems and problem-solving.

The choice of subject matter must conform to the following criteria: It must fall within the scope of Politics and International Relations topics, it must be capable of being supported by existing staff expertise, it must involve not only desk research such as library searches but information retrieval from a range of primary sources (such as for example UN Security Council meeting notes or Hansard transcripts). This focus on self-directed learning allows for a valuable learning experience and through a reflective diary gives students a valuable sense of developing reflective skills focused on how they have conceived, managed and executed their project.

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This ‘shell’ module provides an opportunity for students to draw out and develop their self-directed learning skills and build on the foundations of their academic studies in a focused, applied and reflective fashion. It provides a learning experience that focuses on a particular topic of interest or potential use to the student.

The flexibility of the module also makes it ideal as a module to be taken by incoming international students or other students who have disruptions to the normal pattern of study.

This module looks in depth at political communication and how it is used by various players in the political arena.

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It is impossible to understand modern day politics without understanding how politicians and campaign groups communicate.  This module builds on students’ understanding (from levels 4 and 5) of political systems and practices and analyses pieces of communication in a critical way.

This module aims to give students a thorough and deep understanding of the workings of the UK Parliament, and Parliamentary systems and of the issues affecting them.  It will explore the history, culture and possible future of Parliament while also examining in-depth aspects of Parliamentary process and issues of regulation and ethics. Module tutors will aim to provide opportunities for students to meet those working in Parliament, such as MPs and staff members.

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The decisions of Parliament, and the workings of the institution, are highly relevant to most aspects of modern life.  Knowledge and understanding of how Parliament works is increasingly key to jobs in a wide range of professions.  This module seeks to give students the understanding which will benefit them as citizens while also providing ability to better compete in the jobs market

This module addresses new forms of grassroots protest movements, often linked to equality movements, and inspired with a collective scepticism for modern democracy and connected by the internet and new forms of online communication.

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The rise of many high-profile grassroots protest groups globally has been linked to crises in democracy and governance resulting from the outplaying of cold way ideologies and the restructuring of the global geopolitical landscapes.

This module examines the activist practices of modern political movements, identifies the role of communication and technology and evaluates how successful they have been.  It asks the most important question: whether the role of communication technologies has been overplayed in these debates and whether it is changes in the political structures of  nations that are more important.

Animation is fundamentally concerned with the ability to effectively create the illusion of movement using inanimate forms. Through the investigation of a range of animation process and techniques this module introduces key animation principles that can be applied across various formats and media. This module is designed to build a strong practical animation foundation from which students can explore and develop essential animation skills and techniques. Examples may include pixilation, rotoscoping, sound production, 3D CGI, Stop-motion, model-making and 2D animation production techniques.

Practical workshops will develop an essential practical and contextual foundation from which to establish connections and relationships between various animation processes and motivations, as well as the techniques and procedures that underpin them; such as sound, editing, cinematography and a range of practical skills.

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Animation as an expressive visual communication method is most effective when combined with a thorough knowledge and mastery of the techniques for its production. To achieve this, students will be required, from the very beginning of the programme, to understand, develop and practise key principles of timing, movement and framing for animation.

For students entering into the field of animation today it is similarly important to be aware of the expansive range of current production processes, the potential animation communication opportunities offered by a diverse digital landscape and the ability to recognise synergies emergent between these processes.  Through gaining practical experience with current and emerging animation techniques married with a thorough contextualisation of these processes students will gain a flexible and transferable skills base, one that reflects the changing methods within a constantly shifting marketplace.

Bringing together shared theoretical principles from film theory, media studies and animation analysis students will be asked to question the meaning of animation as a mode of communication, an art form and cultural phenomenon. Discussions and topics include montage, anime, animated documentary, gaming and adult sitcoms.

This module places animation within an historical and contemporary context, exploring the concept of animation as a form of communication within today’s creative and interdisciplinary visual environment. Via both written and practical-based work students will investigate a broad range of animation styles and approaches in European and International animation texts. Also, this module aims to develop students’ understanding and knowledge of animation production as a method to place their own animation production design work within an appropriate contemporary context.

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The subject of animation exists within a unique environment which draws upon aspects from fine art, graphics, illustration, film and TV production to name a few. Traditionally this rich source of influences that surrounds animation as a discipline has made the subject difficult to contextualise within contemporary media practice. Moreover, the introduction of digital production methods, particularly within CGI animation, can provide levels of photorealism indistinguishable from the photographic image, furthering the debate about our understanding of Animation. This module seeks to address some of the fundamental questions relating to Animation as both a practice and an as area for academic study.

This module studies the complexity of factors that shape the relationship between media, culture and society. Students become aware of media representations of reality, identity constructions and the relationship between media producers and users. The module will also look into how reality is produced, reproduced, maintained and transformed by the media. A key focus is the interplay between the various roles of the media: civic role in a democratic system, media as business and media as public service provider. Students will consider the linkages between media forms and production, and issues such as access, inclusiveness, marginalization, knowledge, power and information. Students will analyse media organizations, the way media content is produced, distributed and received by audiences, as well as its contribution to culture and social progress.

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In the first year students need to understand how meaning is produced and derived in the relationship between producers, the medium and the audience. This allows students to make the shift from media consumers to media producers and analyse the consequences of their media practice. It allows students to acquire knowledge about the multifaceted role of the media: representing race, ethnicity and gender; helping groups and individuals construct identity; providing a communication channel between media producers and users; mediating between decision-makers and the public; informing, persuading and educating; and especially positioning itself at the heart of any democratic society. The module also needs to engage with the phenomenon of deep mediatization, which now defines the relationship that cultures and societies have with technology. This module supports students’ theoretical understanding and development of analytical tools, which they can build upon at levels 5 and 6.

MED1458 is a module that charts the growth of social media since the development of Web 2.0 and the role that it has had in the development of fan and DIY media, and how these have come into conflict with traditional gatekeeping elites of the corporate mainstream media. Students are asked to critical evaluate how far social media has become a controversial space for the discussion of politics and political and social debates. It is interested encouraging students to analyse of the shift from the media of the masses to the media of the self and encourages them to explore the potential of social media platforms as a means of developing global profiles for individuals and groups previously given limited access to the mainstream media.

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Social media has, arguably, been the single greatest advance in personal and group communication globally since the development of the printing press and pamphlets. While individuals once relied entirely upon the mass media to be able to express themselves to large groups, now social media gives people a potentially global audience. From YouTube and Instagram influencers, to controversial Twitter figures and the fake news of Facebook memes, MED1458 asks students to develop a deeper online literacy and  a keen understanding of the power of social media to influence political, social and economic debates.

Good stories are at the heart of all film and television. This can be the story of the sloth (who ideally wants to stay put) making their painful way through the Madagascan forest to find their mate as Planet Earth II (BBC One, 2016) gave us, or the story of a mafia boss whose job is making him increasingly anxious (The Sopranos, HBO, 1999-2007). What these short summaries indicate already is that often, at the heart of the stories themselves lie key conflicts that are developed around key oppositional pairs. These conflicts are often played out in central characters, or sometimes in opposing ones or groups such as the Starks versus the Lannisters in Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011-2019) or Willy vs the Chocolate Cartel in Wonka (Paul King, 2023). In this module, students will learn the basics of how stories on film and television work and learn to apply them by developing their own idea to treatment plus scene level.

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In order to develop their creativity, students need to understand the central mechanisms of how stories work and what specific forms they take on film and television. Thus, they need to learn about universal narrative concepts such as oppositional pairs, conflict, character, etc., but also about specifics for film and television such as the three-act structure, notions of segmentation, serialisation, series versus serials, etc.

In addition, it isn’t enough for students to understand how the narratives themselves work, but they need to understand that narratives are always developed for an audience – and nowhere is this more important than film and television that functions as a business and spends a lot of time examining and learning about their audience. The module therefore introduces students to the more prosaic side of script development as well, namely understanding production companies, broadcasters/platforms and other logistical elements of script preparation.

This module will enable students to gain a better understanding of the cultural and ideological constructions associated with representation, as well as the politics of representation and systems of power. It will ask: What is representation? How does representation function within contemporary media and culture? What role do stereotypes play in the construction of ‘reality’ and identity? These are some of the questions that students will have the opportunity to explore on this module.

Each session will analyse a key representational issue linked to themes such as gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality and national identity, in order to gain a better understanding of the cultural and ideological construction of and politics associated with representation. This module aims to give students the opportunity to study cultural representations across a range of different media forms. At the end of the module students will have knowledge and understanding of various representational systems and theories in a variety of different contexts.

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All media messages are representational constructions and it is important that students of Media develop a knowledge and understanding of the construction of representational systems, and are able to critically engage with issues of naturalisation, marginalisation and exclusion.  More broadly, students must understand a range of representational forms and practices and be able to identify links between representational systems and the production of meaning/identity. Moreover, students of Media must learn how to express these understandings with persuasion and cogency in their written and oral work. 

The module examines the development of transmedia storytelling within digital environments. The convergence of media, technologies and culture has heralded in a new age of audience engagement within media franchises. The module will reflect on this enhanced two-way communication and will engage students in new and innovative ways of connecting to the audience with extended narrative and content, thus allowing their knowledge to impact on their practice.

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Marketing and audience engagement with films and television programmes has changed dramatically over the last decade. Audiences, who are constantly connected through smartphones and second screens expect to connect with content outside of the core film/television programme, when they want, where they want and on their own devices.

This convergence of modern technologies and the flowing of media content across multiple platforms has allowed content producers to connect with audience at multiple entry points within a film/television franchise. This has allowed for a new form of audience participation that encompasses the current trends in digital platforms and social media including websites, podcasts, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook,etc. This offers the audience a chance to be immersed in the narrative outside of the schedule program.

The module will investigate the current transmedia trends within film and television to analyse the underpinning strategies used for developing a transmedia ‘world’ where the central narrative of a film or television programme is extended through different delivery platforms and protracted narratives.

Through investigative research into up-to-date studio practice, industry masterclasses, studio visits and taught sessions this module focuses on students’ abilities to understand and apply current animation production processes and techniques. Through this module students will be presented with opportunities to develop specialist skills relating to a range of 2D, 3D CGI and Stop-motion animation practice that might include VFX, rigging techniques, motion-control and sound production techniques.

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In the increasingly specialist field of animation it is important that students are conversant with current animation design, process and technical craft skills and are abreast of sector trends that might influence their career options and employability within this competitive market.

It is also important for students to recognise points of technical convergence and to possess the ability to capitalise on current trends and practical advancements to inform their own work. The Animation Studio Skills module operates as a complementary production module where knowledge gained can directly influence work developed elsewhere on the programme at this level.

This module provides the opportunity to engage with the complex nature of lighting and cinematography in both physical and virtual environments whilst exploring the equally critical role of performance and its staging.

Within the framework of the module you will explore the synergies between animated performance and the dynamic effects of cinematography, and the related design sensitivities required for, 3D CGI, Stop-motion and 2D animation, across a variety of production contexts through both group and individual work.

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Creating mood and atmosphere or establishing a specific situation or time within the animated image is largely dependent on both the artistic performance of the animator through their characters and creative staging of this with an effective cinematographic sensitivity.

Digital animation processes often require the animator to have an in-depth appreciation of the tools, methods and strategies used for lighting situations in a real-world environment. For example, in 3D CGI animation the use of light is crucial for defining materials and setting the scene. A poor understanding of lighting techniques can have implications not only on the aesthetic success of the animation but may also impact heavily on aspects of production, development and rendering.  

This module encourages students to engage directly with a range of performance approaches and lighting techniques and situations by providing studio-based training and using the latest lighting equipment. Through undertaking a series of dedicated projects students will gain a broad base of transferable skills and knowledge in areas of performance and its lighting, shadow and colour for the use within animation projects.

This module will see students critically evaluate the cultural, economic and political importance of sport to the global media landscape in both their historical and contemporary contexts. Students will evaluate and articulate the centrality of sport to media industries, such as television and video games, and the role that it plays in the regulatory, political and cultural lives of peoples, nation states and in global geo-politics. In this respect the module aligns these key issues to the study of media: production and consumption and the increasingly complex relationships that exist between producers and consumers, governments, governance and regulatory bodies and participants and fans.

Using the vastly increasing body of scholarship emerging from Media Studies, Sports Studies, Football Studies, Sociology, Political Science, and Political Communication, students will research and critically evaluate the role that sport has played in the development of contemporary conceptual issues like celebrity culture, gender and sexuality, and the articulation of nationality and nationalism at a time of widespread ideological transformation globally.

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Sport is an essential element of the global media landscape with billions of dollars being invested in mega events like the Olympic Games and World Cup, and in the selling and buying of rights for football, in particular, the English Premier League which has become the richest sporting league on the planet. Sport was also central to the popularising of television in the second half of the 20th Century, with boxing, American Football and baseball in the USA; football, rugby, and horse racing in Britain and cycling France.

Sport on television helped create days and moments of historic national importance, e.g. England’s football World Cup win in 1966, and provided occasions when nations came together to focus on sporting events, the Super Bowl in the USA, the FA Cup final in England, the Tour de France, and the All Ireland GAA finals in Ireland.

As ‘terrestrial’ television is changing thanks to the development of streaming and On-Demand television, sport remains of vital importance to the industry. Rights traded across the world in boxing and MMA, the EPL, the Champions League, World Cup and Olympics now cater to a mosaic of different outlets with different audiences watching on a multitude of platforms: on websites, streaming and PPV services, and on old fashioned terrestrial TV.

Sports media has also been one of the central spaces in which the modern concept of celebrity was created with figures like Muhammad Ali, Martina Navratilova, David Beckham, Megan Rapinoe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan transcending their sports culturally and economically allowing us to re-evaluate nations of race, gender, and sexual identity and how they exist within contemporary power structures.

The advent of the Internet has also seen the development of a highly active and prosperous fan media milieu, where billions of spectators use social media, blogs, websites, YouTube vlogs, and podcasts to have their say about their favourite sports stars, clubs, nations and events. They have created a contemporary world which co-exists with the old cultural gatekeepers of the mainstream media and which reflects how the Net has empowered a generation of non-professional sports fans to have their voices heard globally where once they didn’t. This new online world is one where the old rules of consumption and production have been rewritten and which have transformed cultural and economic relationships.  

An analysis of the role that sport plays economically, socially and culturally is essential if students are to fully understand the dynamic changes in the modern globalised media landscape.

This module develops students’ historical and critical knowledge of telefantasy, a TV genre that is typically speculative and has taken a variety of forms predominantly since the 1950s in Britain and America. Dramas are studied in their historical, socio-political and industrial contexts, extrapolating thematic and ideological preoccupations. Students are introduced to conventions of visual storytelling in, and formal or industrial constraints on, televisual production. They are also given the opportunity to critically consider telefantasy’s common function of reflecting upon the popular zeitgeist and so students can interpret how social, political and cultural movements have been re-constructed through a speculative lens. Key conventions in the dramas will be explored as well as dominant themes in critical approaches.

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Telefantasy reveals much about the society, culture and conditions of its production context. Science fiction and speculative dramas often proliferate at times of political trauma or change, such as the Cold War or the post-9/11 era. This module enables students to develop knowledge of post-Second World War history onwards and recognise the impact of context upon such speculative products in terms of production practices, themes and interpretations.

Character and narrative represent the two main drivers for the production of an animated product. This module will introduce strategies and skills for developing and presenting character designs, animating and extracting effective performance to create appeal, emotion and convey narrative.

This module establishes key aspects of analysing and understanding acting and performance for underpinning character development design and movement.

Students will explore aspects of acting for stage and screen, analyse human movement, gesture and pose, form and anatomy through workshops and practical assignments. Students will learn how to adapt live movement into convincing animated timing and investigate potentials for audio to enhance performance.

Identifying professional formats and standards for production design and presentation, students will learn to research, plan and articulate their solutions for application across a range of animation concepts, essential in working across CGI, stop –motion and 2D animation processes.

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Successful character animation is determined by the abilities of the animator to apply a broad range of interrelated skills and associated disciplines. This includes design, acting, movement analysis, anatomy, timing and understanding of the role and synergy of the character within the scene and production, driven by the concept, treatment or script. Students will be introduced to essential skills expected in the professional environment for the development and presentation of designs through to the mechanics and processes of animating character movements and expressions.

With this focus the module encourages individual creative responses into workable and communicable production, develops confidence in pitch and presentation and identifies core skills for key vocational areas in the animation industry.

Within today’s visually dominated culture animation exists as a principal mode of communication across a range of media formats. In this module, through a series of focused research/animation projects students will engage with global contexts for animation and apply their findings to generate commercially/experimentally oriented animation-based products. Application of animation might include, projection-mapping projects, VR simulations, augmented reality or animations for mobile devices.

Research, imagination and exploration will drive the ideas within this module and students will be asked to stretch the boundaries around traditional animation production/communication, break the constraints of the rectangular frame and find experimental solutions for commercial problems. Practical workshops, research tasks and site visits will assist the development of skills and knowledge required to complete an original animation response.

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Animation is a multi-functional, diverse format for communicating ideas. As such, students studying animation are required to develop a flexible, critical understanding of the complex relationships that exist in animation media within an increasingly global context. This module supports such development and provides students with opportunities to research and apply, current and emerging practices within the rich historical lineage of experimental animation.

At this level it is essential for students to gain an appreciation of the full stylistic range and approaches to their subject in order to effectively deconstruct, design and discuss an animated product. As such, the module will introduce students to contemporary, emerging and traditional concepts, practices and processes and discuss the potential for animation to provide inter-medial approaches to problem solving within independent and commercial animation practice, and to evidence this learning through their outputs.

By emphasising the importance of innovation in the development of the animated form students on this module will be asked to redefine and re-apply conventions to contemporary animation practice as well as to identify and study key elements and tools unique to each process.

This module is designed to give students practical experience and understanding of how to identify and promote the ‘newsworthy’ elements of a potential story or feature and present it in the format and structure that journalists use. The writing techniques used by journalists are of a major advantage across a range of online and offline media platforms and the module aims to develop these core communications skills. This module is based around frequent writing exercises and feedback on style and content.

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Clear writing is essential to a career in print and online journalism as well as Public Relations, Marketing and other forms of modern communication. It is however difficult for students to find space and time to practice this. This module is designed to enable repeated practice so that skills can be developed to complement other areas of their media work. An understanding of journalistic writing is vital for this and the module will be led by academics who are practicing journalists. Students will learn the structures of writing news articles, features, reviews, press releases and other forms of written communication designed to broaden their skills and express themselves more precisely.

Is television finished? Are we all streaming Netflix now? Why are so many people concerned about the BBC potentially becoming a subscription service? And why are there calls to regulate streaming services better? This module might be a history module – but it gives answers to the questions that affect what is happening now. Looking back into where television started and how it was shaped over the years allows us to more fully understand why things are the way they are now. It allows us to understand reactions to current developments, and it allows us to evaluate the developments from a more informed, and perhaps more critical, stand point.

We will investigate the early beginnings of broadcasting under John Reith, move into the post-war development of television, examine the ‘cosy duopoly’ that existed until the 1980s between the BBC as licence fee funded and ITV as commercially funded broadcasters, look at the explosion of channels from the later 1980s onwards into the current so-called ‘multiplatform’ age. Whilst we focus on what is happening in the UK, we need to acknowledge two things: the close relationship between British and American broadcasting, the role British broadcasting has in the rest of the world, and the increasing convergence of the industries of broadcasting (radio and television), film and new media.

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Television is a creative medium, but it asks its makers to develop their creativity within quite strict boundaries. The reasons for that stem from its history – how public service broadcasting was imagined and developed, how commercial television was regulated (or de-regulated) and how competition led to risk-avoidance (Hesmondhalgh, 2013). This module gives students the background to these boundaries so that they can understand them, evaluate them and develop their creativity within them. In addition, as the first analytical module that the students encounter on their degree, this module introduces them to key academic skills, such as referencing, written and oral communication, research and other skills to lay the groundwork for their academic development.

A critical evaluation of the production processes of citizen media in the age of the internet. The module will challenge students  to think critically about the role of the platforms like Youtube, podcasting, blogs and social media. It will concentrate on an analysis of key theoretical frameworks including participation, disintermediation, fandoms and non-mainstream media.

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The internet has fundamentally challenged the gatekeepers of old mainstream media, in the creation, production and distribution of media texts.  For example the internet has destabilised the publishing industry with rise of social media, and Youtube and Netflix has challenged the  primacy of broadcasting networks. These platforms have also put production and distribution into the  control of  ‘people formally know as the audience’ (Rosen 2008).

The access to new audiences by grassroots media producers has developed ‘many to many’ modes of distribution, which subverts the traditional broadcasting model of ‘one to many’.  Students wishing to work in modern media industries must be cognisant with the opportunities offered by technologies like podcasting and video blogging and how they are now part of the media ecosystem.

The animated frame provides a blank canvas from which to generate, explore, and manipulate concepts of space and place. With a focus on environment, this will be an introduction to methods designed to help you develop believable and engaging animated spaces. Sessions include spatial narrative, architectural research observation, and construction and soundscapes – all of which can help to establish the location of your animation. Animation assignment/s with a focus on environment/place.

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This Module examines the importance of the art and skills of constructing and developing environments within animation production. With the advent of 3D CGI environment work, animation production has increasingly moved away from creating just 2D backdrops of landscape and cityscape to include working with geometry in 2.5D. In this module, the student explores different contexts and techniques and their role in creating environments.

The technological and economic imperative for 2.5D often needs to be accompanied by an informed understanding of 3D projection. That includes an awareness of how an environment works to the narrative. With an imperative for understanding about environments for animation production work being the way a setting supports the narrative.

The commercial application for an animated product is no longer confined to a single screen, 16:9 format, instead animation output today embraces small-screen formats, large-elongated multi-screen side-of-building-advertisements as well as game-based environments, all which sit alongside more traditional platforms for TV or film. Through the investigation of real-world contexts such as festivals, VR, projection for theatre venues, art projects, as well as TV and commercial advertising, Animation and the Real World examines the diverse range of possible screening opportunities for animation outputs today. Also, through this module students will consider and develop professional approaches to project-management, pitching, concept research, working to client specifications and delivering a final product.

Assessment will be via live and simulated creative industries/animation briefs, which will provide students with opportunities to develop the skills, techniques and processes to respond effectively to commercially orientated products in creative, imaginative and exciting ways.

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In an environment where pervasive visual communication dominates information flow, animation (now more than ever before) plays a key role in our understanding of the world around. Therefore, students entering the animation industry beyond graduation will need to adopt strategies for developing/adapting concepts to suit a broad spectrum of possible visual communication formats and audiences using a variety of technologies and delivery types. Similarly, students working within the animation industry will be required to understand and be conversant with methods for pitch presentation, working with a client and delivering a project on time and to specification. Through this module and via working where possible with live briefs and/or simulations students will hone their skills in these areas.

Placing animation in real world contexts ranging from festivals, commercial briefs, multi-platform outputs, VR and projection for theatre will provide a foundation on which students can build an understanding of a range of the specific core skills and processes, as well as the creative challenges associated with this form of visual communication.

Fantasy film and media can span a wide range of texts and genres. As a broad category, fantasy and the fantastic incorporates horror, science fiction, the Gothic, the supernatural, surrealism, fairy tales, myths, legends, magical realms and musicals.  It can facilitate discussions relating to socio-political contexts, allegory, ideology, industrial contexts, franchises, adaptation, aesthetics, gender, identification and representation. This module, drawing upon a broad range of critical and contextual approaches and theories, such as theories of the uncanny, abjection, the ‘other’, will allow students to explore and interrogate the design, function and impact of fantastic film and media.

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Given the proliferation of fantasy-based fiction and media, which incorporates a diverse range of popular culture products, including feature films, television, games, comics, graphics novels, novels and internet content, this module offers a timely opportunity to engage with the texts and contexts. This module will equip students with critical and analytical skills, as well as providing insights into contexts of production and reception.  Analysing fantasy texts using a range of approaches, theories, and relevant vocabularies, including psychoanalytic and cultural theories, will enable students to engage with questions that may, but are not restricted to, include; representation, the body, monstrosity, the uncanny, enchantment, estrangement and visual design.

This module provides a critical and historical approach to various forms of animation, encompassing movements such as mainstream, political and avant-garde styles, and encouraging critical appreciation of diverse animations from around the globe.

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Being both a popular mainstream form in a variety of media including television, film and game, animation provides a rich field for study. Furthermore, the subject of animation exists within a unique environment which draws upon aspects from fine art, graphics, illustration, film and TV production to name a few. Having a history at least as long as live action cinema, animated forms have been at the centre of a number of critical debates from those around its use in political propaganda to the relationship of art to the everyday and the real. A range of critical approaches will be evaluated in the light of animation as a form that shares so much with live action cinema, yet formally proclaims its dissimilarity with it.

Throughout television history, the medium has been used to entertain, enlighten and move audiences through drama. In its early years highly influenced by theatre, radio, and film, television drama soon developed into a distinctive and striking form of its own. Its unprecedented reach to large audiences has attracted talented and important writers, producers, actors and directors to the medium over the course of its history. Developments in television technologies and industries – in terms of production and distribution – have produced an explosion of television drama in the 21st century, and, with it, a huge variety in genre, style and representation.  This module will explore the television drama’s history, generic variations, style and narrative forms. Students will gain knowledge and understanding of the social, cultural and industrial importance of television drama, as well as a deeper appreciation of the creative culture from which it emerges.

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Television drama has become a highly influential global cultural form, dominating cultural conversations and becoming a flagship form in the media industries. Students are often highly motivated to study television drama because of their enthusiasm for particular series. In many cases, this translates to a career ambition to write or produce television drama. Given the global popularity and cultural importance of television drama in the UK, there are significant employment opportunities in its production. Knowledge of drama’s place in television history and the ability to analyse texts is therefore not only a worthy intellectual pursuit but also a marker of a mature and rounded individual that is more employable in this field.

This module introduces students to the concepts of regulation and censorship, their history, the theoretical debates surrounding the subject, and several key case studies from popular culture (which may include films, television, print and digital media and the internet) that have been sites of contention. In this way, it provides students with historical, contextual, academic and theoretical knowledge which will inform and develop their own opinions and attitudes towards censorship and regulation.

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Popular culture, and particularly mass culture, has consistently been subject to controversy, regulation and censorship. In order for students to understand better how popular culture has been, and is, shaped in various contexts by a variety of regulatory organizations and principles, this module follows a broadly historical structure after introductory sessions intended to assist students in developing independent and autonomous responses to the subject. Initially, students are encouraged to debate the issue of censorship, its activities, the targets of its processes, and its desirability under the guidance of their tutor. The main programme of the module develops this new awareness by examining the institutions, modes, and practices of regulation and censorship that might include (but is not restricted to), the Hays Code, the MPAA’s Code and Ratings Office and the British Board of Film Classification, self-regulation, state censorship, web blocking and relevant legislation. The module also engages with specific case studies in relation to the key subjects and areas of censorship (for example, violence, obscenity and politics) thereby offering both a revision and a development of the students’ knowledge and understanding.

Non-fiction television encompasses a broad range of content, including news programming, investigative journalism, natural history documentary, popular factual competitions, reality television, quiz and game shows, and satirical sketch shows. In this module, students will explore the rich variety of non-fiction on television, considering aesthetic, ethical and industrial analytical dimensions. Students will be encouraged to adopt a historically informed and global view of non-fiction programming, accounting for the social, cultural and political contexts from which it emerges.

 The module will combine academic analysis with professional practice. Students will learn about the history of non-fiction television, its industrial importance, issues of ethics and regulation, and some of the ways in which non-fiction forms have been analysed by television scholars. This knowledge will then be applied in a treatment for a non-fiction television programme in a genre of the student’s choice, produced to a professional standard. Students will produce an academically-informed commentary alongside this project, tying together practice and theory.

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While television drama might occupy much of our cultural conversation, hour for hour non-fiction programming dominates the schedules. Put simply, most of what is watched on television falls under this category. Unsurprisingly, then, many of the employment opportunities afforded to graduates of Media Studies programmes will be in the production or dissemination of non-fiction content. Many students are highly intellectually invested in non-fiction television, keen to learn more about its production, and to critique it on aesthetic and ethical grounds. This module will provide opportunities for them to do this, and to apply the knowledge they have developed to their own short-form non-fiction project.

This module engages with the way human mobility and migration are represented on screen. Screen is understood as any type of mediating visual device, able to support any type of media content, such as film, television, animation, advertising, social media, video games, tourism and urban displays, video art. Mobility refers, in this instance, to transnationalism, the liquidity of contemporary life, migration, cosmopolitanism, tourism, transmedia. Transitions, change, movement and in-betweenness, as aspects of mobility, will also be considered. The module will thus use a range of theories (e.g. globalization, post-colonialism, cosmopolitanism, tourism and place, network theory, transmedia production and consumption, prosumer theory, diasporization etc.) and will analyse contemporary media representations of human mobility, as well as media industry contexts and consumer/fan behaviour.

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The module starts from the premise that human mobility is a major defining aspect of contemporary life and one that both media producers and media consumers engage with in a variety of ways. In other words, mobility has become the paradigm of being in the world and this affects the creative industries, media content, media production, media circulation and media consumption. It is therefore important to understand and analyse these new worldviews and acquire a critical arsenal to represent these fast-paced changes in media theory and practice, as well as to reflect upon personal experiences of mobility/immobility.

This module will introduce students to the theory and practice associated with film sound, and particularly post-production sound design. Students will be subject to both relevant theory and the technology necessary for successful capture of audio suitable for film. The module will be assessed by two pieces of interrelated coursework. Students will record all of the sound for a short digital movie, using only one microphone and a digital recorder. They will then have the opportunity explore the perceptual properties of sound and manipulate it for dramatic effect with industry standard software. They will also keep a production dairy which reflects their knowledge and comprehension of the subject as gained over the duration of module.

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Film sound is often a misunderstood process, given that, in most cases, it is common for the sound to be recorded separately, and often after filming. Although this is a flexible technique, it does however, make it one of the more complex techniques in the film making process. For this reason, students need to gain experience of the technology and techniques associated with film sound early on in their careers. This module, then, aims to introduce students to such techniques, with a view to successful film making. Relevant  underpinning theory associated with audio capture and manipulation will be considered throughout.

This module provides the student with the opportunity to research and explore the concept of social and political change and their effect on animation production content in global audience contexts. Using contemporary Disney production output and its global media company contexts the student will explore both changing character design and story content guidelines for audiences in the light of social change and the implications of the increasing control of of these major players in a global media world. 

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In an increasingly global media world it is imperative that students engage with the changing landscape of socially responsible content creation and the ever increasing guidelines and conventions that are now effecting the design of international production products.

Through the investigation of the drivers and processes of the American studio system and Disney corporation the aim here is explore there effect on modern trans global media product design alongside the growing effects of recognised changes in social responsibilities and national and international identities in a world increasingly controlled by a few global media corporations.

The module critically analyses some key developments in media in relation to film and television fictions, within the context of larger developments also in non-fictional forms. It will examine how convergence, new distribution technologies, multi-platform environments and aspects of global/globalisation impact on film and television drama. The module will give the students a chance to analyse the impact these environments have on the design and production of content and production, the planning of marketing strategies, the relevance of global and diasporic audiences, and the way serial forms communicate with their audiences.

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Both fiction film and television drama continue to dominate budgets and audiences in the film and television industries, and enjoy particular popularity with students. The module will allow students to gain detailed insight into contemporary developments in the production of film and television drama, whilst also allowing them to study the workings of film and television fiction.

This module will allow students to study contemporary media practices, the impact of technology on creative industries, developments in global and local media, and changing paradigms of media production and audience consumption. This module aims to engage students with the dominant themes which are present within media and culture industries. It is designed to be flexible in order to accommodate contemporary developments. Students will develop a critical awareness of a number of key themes including social experience and shaping of media forms, access, participation and engagement and the relationship between private and public spheres. By considering these themes through a range of different theory and research, students will discover a variety of approaches to gaining understanding of what is a rapidly expanding frontier of creative and cultural practice, and media knowledge.

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It is essential for media students to be able to demonstrate to employers that they understand contemporary working practices and have an awareness of future developments.  Contemporary media develop rapidly as new technologies are tested, explored and marketed and old ones gain new functions. Media employers highlight the need for students to be aware of these developments and to remain well-informed. The module is designed to inform students about contemporary developments and teach them the skills to learn about, conceptualise and evaluate new developments.

This module examines global cinema(s) beyond Hollywood,  from significant national and regional cinemas, diasporic, and ‘minor’ cinemas, and/or associated filmmakers and film practitioners that have either helped to establish a national cinema or have played an influential role in the industry globally. It will explore the industrial and political contexts and the institutional players that affect the production and circulation of films produced around the world, outside Hollywood. Students will examine a range of key texts within their cultural, social, political and historical contexts, learning about significant developments and influences within and across cinema cultures.

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The 20th century established the economic and stylistic dominance of mainstream cinema produced in North America, popularly known as Hollywood cinema. Because of its profusion and economic stability in the industry, Hollywood films tend to be the most familiar cinema to audiences, particularly in the west. This lends a bias to those who study film, endorsing the Hollywood product as the stylistic ‘normal’ or ‘mainstream’.

This module introduces the student to films produced outside of the dominant ‘Hollywood’/US media industries, encouraging a broader knowledge of global cinema, significant national cinemas and cinematic cultures.  It allows for a historical, economic, political, contextual, aesthetic and cultural analysis of cinema, thereby enabling students to enhance their knowledge of world film.

DAN1300 introduces Level 4 students to a range of dance practices within historical western and global traditions. Students will develop their knowledge and skills though regular studio practice-based sessions which are contextualised by relevant contemporary cultural discussions. This experience will be underscored and widened through the study of experiential anatomy and holistic approaches to the moving body.

RATIONALE

At Level 4, students will be introduced to a range of dance techniques alongside their contemporary cultural context. This will allow students to develop their physical vocabulary and broaden their understanding of contemporary dance practices and ways of working within higher education. A combination of performance lectures and studio practice workshops will enable students to consider content through embodied inquiry of their practice. This module also looks to foster the importance of the responsive and reflective practitioner and support knowledge development of safe dance practice within a studio environment.

Making Dance: Choreographing Worlds develops the students’ skills of devising and creating dance in a collective and in collaboration with others. The students will engage in the making, rehearsal, and performance of a small-scale dance piece under the facilitation of a tutor undertaking the role of choreographer. 

The module focuses on areas developing performance and technical ability as well as considering intentional points such as: creating choreography from an improvisational, conceptual, or thematic based stimuli. Throughout the devising period, the students will explore approaches to movement making and composition in preparation for public performance of the dance work.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DAN1301 is to enable students to realise their potential as dancers and performers through the creative processes of making a contemporary dance work. The module aims to expand the student’s understanding of choreographic approaches, styles, and structures and enhance their capacity to work within a collective and to contribute in the creative, choreographic arena. Students will develop their compositional dance skills through response-ability towards problem solving. They will be expected to contribute with professionally orientated levels of conduct, engagement, and practice.

Choreographing Worlds also introduces the student to positionality and dance as an open space for negotiating otherness, which they will encounter as part of their collaborative performance making processes. Choreographing Worlds encourages the student to recognise differences within the work they are making, and how these may offer readings of differences within choreographic practice and beyond, especially when work is taken into the performance context. To support this, students may engage in choreographic workshops led by artists and companies visiting the Arts Centre. These experiences open up the field of dance, choreography and performance and allow networking opportunities beyond the parameters of the university.

Focused studio practice is essential to this Level 4 module as it allows students to identify relationships between theory and practice within current working processes. It allows the students to gain embodied experience and hone their technique skills thus informing in a reflective manner their compositional and experimental dance making approaches. 

The module identifies and explores the dynamics between the key elements of live performance practice, and considers what trainings are fundamental to the twenty-first century drama student. The module places the study of drama, theatre and performance within a contemporary context and explores the vocal, physical, and creative processes required by a contemporary performer.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA1300 is to provide a focused practical opportunity for Drama students to develop and hone their theatre making skills. Through workshop practices, students work towards the development of essential practical skills and technique that will proves useful, both throughout their degree programme, and also in the context of work within the creative industries and fields of employment (such as teaching). The students engage in tutor-led workshops, but are also expected to lead workshops themselves in order to develop their workshop facilitation skills. The module seeks to integrate practice and theory, with practical exercises alongside discussion, debate and research tasks which are designed to inform, and to be informed by the practical engagement taking place throughout the module. In bringing theory and practice together the module is therefore concerned to encourage the students’ emerging perception of themselves as thinking practitioner / artists. Although a module with a distinct approach, it connects DRA1301 and DRA1303 by developing the necessary skills to support the student’s development across the programme.

The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 4 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their future employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

The module is an introductory practical exploration of the fundamental skills required by the theatre actor in a number of different historical and cultural contexts, ranging from ancient times to the dawn of the modern age of drama. The module provides a creative environment in which the individual student’s own performance awareness of the art of the actor through theatre history can be developed. By providing an overview of the historical development of acting from ancient times to the dawn of the modern period of drama, the module provides the performing arts student with an introductory knowledge and understanding of the socio-cultural role of actors in different historical contexts and the range of acting techniques developed in response to the establishment of the English theatrical canon. The module focuses broadly upon the development of Western performance traditions, but draws on contextual examples and theoretical perspectives from around the world.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA1303 is to begin the drama and musical theatre student’s process of uncovering and examining some of the techniques and skills employed by actors working in a range of live performance contexts.  The purpose of the module is to provide a practical workshop environment in which students explore the performance skills and awareness required by actors in a range of different theatrical contexts. It is through these personal encounters that students in this module will come to a deeper recognition and appreciation of the complexity and longevity of the theatre actors’ art thereby enabling them to build a foundation knowledge and understanding of not only the historical development of acting, but also the historical role the actor has played in the cultural creation and communication of meaning. This module is in explicit and deliberate dialogue with canonical practices in order to make clear the existing relationship between historical methodologies and the contemporary theatre industry. This relationship will thus be challenged and interrogated. 

The module contributes to the foundation development of the Level 4 student’s employability skills by offering students the opportunity to take responsibility for facilitating regular warm up workshop activities, alongside tutor-led workshops.  In this way the module offers to initiate the development of essential areas of practical skill and technique that drama students will always find useful, both throughout their degree programme, and also in the context of work within the creative industries and fields of employment (such as teaching). The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

In this module, students will explore key moments, practitioners, and repertoire within the contextual framework of the emergence and development of Musical Theatre as a genre.

RATIONALE

Through a study of key moments, practitioners and works that have shaped the genre, students will develop a broad, historically informed understanding of Musical Theatre as a distinctive form. Thinking practitioners require a firm grounding in the history of their discipline and its development to make informed, thoughtful, ethical, and innovative decisions as creators and performers. Academic study of musical theatre as a distinctive form requires the contextual groundwork laid by the content of this module.

MTH1301 Musical Theatre Dance Techniques introduces students to the cultural and performance aspects of Dance within the Musical Theatre genre studying the historic context of the form within focused studio practice. The module outlines the origins of the development of concert dance and its development to current Musical Theatre choreographic trends. Practical and theoretical approaches are used to identify and discuss the work of key artists in relation to historic practices, concepts, and contexts. Identifying and introducing the vaudeville, musical comedy, jazz dance techniques within a practical framework.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of MTH1301 is to offer students the opportunity to focus on the physicality and basic technical dance skills that are required of the Musical Theatre performer. The overall purpose of the module is to introduce a variety of movement styles from pedestrian movement, basic jazz dance, and contemporary dance practices, offering experiential learning through focused studio practice. MTH1301 contributes to that element of the Musical Theatre programme philosophy which encourages students to reflect on the range of possible dance techniques used within Musical Theatre and how they can be developed to engage within a broader performance portfolio as a Musical Theatre performer. This addresses the PDP philosophy of the programme which encourages students to focus their study with a view to emerging as future employable practitioners.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 4 programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge, understanding, and the embodiment of knowledge in performance. The module also contributes to the development of the Level 4 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the Musical Theatre student is enhanced with this module, in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills. This is in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ‘Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’  (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4, p.6).

DAN2300 focuses on the practical exploration and interrogation of contemporary dance making as an interdisciplinary and collaborative art form. The module explores choreographic and creative strategies and the acquisition and development of embodied knowledge and skills through the context of a tutor-led production that is informed by focussed studio practice. Relevant historical, theoretical and socio-cultural perspectives will be considered, and students will be required to engage with these themes in relation to their own creative and practical experiences. Students will document their contributions to the creative process and explore the significance of archive in the history and future of dance and performance.

RATIONALE

The module broadens the students’ knowledge and understanding as creative artists and practitioners through collaborative engagement in an extended tutor-led choreographic project. Alongside focused studio practice, which feeds the choreographic process and maintains students’ core skills and technical discipline, the module requires students to contribute to the generation, analysis and refinement of creative content towards summative performance. It also explores how students can record and archive their work, adopting different digital, written and presentational methods to reflect on their contributions to the process journey.  

The module is a practical and theoretical interrogation of the cultural significance of acting within the context of a range of theatrical genres and styles which rose to prominence in the modern era of theatre and that still exert significant cultural influence on live performance styles and genres today.  DRA2300 provides students with a developed level of practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of the skills, technique and socio-cultural role of the actor in modern era theatre.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA2300 is to offer students with a vocational or professional interest in the art and role of the actor in the theatre, the opportunity to deepen their focus under the guidance of tutors who are professionally experienced in the theatre. The module seeks to deepen the student’s practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of what actors do, and how they do it. The module is designed to contribute to the student’s theoretical and practical pursuit of developed insight into the nature of theatrical performance, from the perspective of acting for live performance.  The module seeks to integrate practice and theory by supporting practical exercises with discussion, debate, and research tasks created to inform the practical investigations that take place throughout the module.  This integration of theory and practice, coupled with opportunities for personal reflection, is designed to encourage the students in developing a perception of themselves as theatre-makers.

The overall purpose of the module is to examine the role of the actor, experiment with the diverse processes of acting strategy, and offer experiential learning through a variety of approaches to the analysis, rehearsal and realisation of text-based dramatic work. Though a freestanding module, DRA2300 offers students the opportunity to develop essential areas of practical skill and technique that drama students will find useful in the context of work within the creative industries and fields of employment.  The module also provides an essential preparation for further, specialised study in contemporary acting available optionally at Level Six.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 5 programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge, understanding, and the embodiment of knowledge in performance. The module also contributes to the continuing development of the Level 5 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students is enhanced with this module, in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills. This is in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ‘Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

Developing on from approaches in Performance Contexts 1, this module seeks to position performance practice as the product of its own specific cultural setting. Through a consideration of examples drawn from dance, drama, and musical theatre, delivery will offer students an alternative to historical Euro-American centred approaches. 

RATIONALE

Performance Contexts 2 is a Level 5 module that seeks to explore dance, drama, and musical theatre as cultural product. In so doing, it will offer students examples of performances from a wide range of different cultures in an attempt to provide both a context for, and an awareness of, the key debates connected to cultural diversity (including inter / cross / trans-cultural, gender-based, and intersectional theory and practice). It explores how performance traditions can communicate and appropriate cultures and ideologies. The module seeks to foreground discussions of the politics and challenges presented by cross-cultural contact and exchange, and help the students to understand the complex relationship between performance, culture, politics, and ideology. In addition, the module will encourage students to recognise and value cultural diversity in performance practice, and develop the necessary skills, understanding and sensitivities to reflect these complexities in their practical explorations.

Students will study the work of notable composers and song-writers working in a wide range of styles and genres. Case studies will uncover the compositional techniques and forms used by select composers. Students will subsequently adapt and apply these approaches to composition in their own creative work. Following analytical studies of form, harmony, rhythm, melody and texture students will be guided in devising musical structures in which a broad range of production techniques can be applied.

RATIONALE

By focusing on compositional forms, structures and song writing techniques the module complements existing provision which focuses on music production techniques and technologies. The module will draw upon knowledge and skills developed in several level four modules devoted to developing knowledge and skills in creative music technology, music literacy and recording studio practice. Importantly, this module expands the scope of the programme to consider not only how we make and capture musical sounds but how we might arrange them within the conventions of diverse compositional styles and genres.

This module explores songwriting via notable examples from pop, rock, folk, country, etc. It provides students with the opportunity to further develop their composition skills, whilst at the same time perfecting studio recording technique. The module demands that students explore the works of contemporary artists, by means of analysis, discretisation (segmentation), dissection, etc., of their works. Students will synthesise a new original composition using the same chord palette, rather than an arrangement. The module will culminate in the capture of an original song, performed and recorded in a high quality studio setting. 

RATIONALE

The ability to be able to master the art and science of songwriting is fundamental to the independent producer of music. To be able to capture this to a high degree of quality, using modern professional recording tools, also offers a distinct advantage. It requires multiple skills, demonstrates dexterity, and is a must in a competitive market. This module fertilises the creativity needed for both of these areas, by providing students with the opportunity to compose an original song and record it. 

This module offers the student the opportunity to develop their techniques movement skills, and expands their potential as emerging dance professionals. A combination of sessions relevant to historical, current, and future dance practices are studied in-depth with an awareness of how these are informed by multicultural forms and contexts. These experiences will be underscored and widened through anatomically related approaches to the dancing body.

Students will analyse the current job market within the sector and will use this information to identify gaps and trends within the current market to gain further understanding of what skills and knowledge may be required to successfully work within the dance industry.

RATIONALE

At level six, the students will approach their practice with insights drawn from the perspective of the independent dance artist. The student will reflect upon their progression in each dance practice studied.

Providing a range of overlapping approaches to movement and dance will give students a rich palette from which to source their work. Underpinning this with analytical approaches to movement will enable the graduate to self reflect and develop their unique potential as a dancer and practitioner, and develop a greater understanding and critical awareness of where they might locate themselves within the dance profession. Students’ practical progression will be assessed and fed back on throughout by way of on-going tutorial support.

Alongside their practical development, students will receive information on key employability topics such as, self-employment, business planning, self-promotion and application writing and will work towards creating their own portfolio. This will allow them to begin planning their route into the sector upon graduation and provide them with the skills required for entering the profession.

The module is concerned with reconsidering and re-evaluating contemporary conceptions of the art and cultural significance of the actor in live performance. The module also introduces contemporary theories and practical strategies relating to the art, craft and role of the theatre actor in contemporary cultures, in an investigation and interrogation of their respective identities, and their working relationships, in the context of live theatrical performance today.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA3300  is to offer students with a potentially vocational or professional interest in the art and role of actors working in live performance the opportunity to focus that interest on the contemporary context. The module seeks to provide advanced practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of what contemporary actors do, and how they do it. The overall purpose of DRA3300, therefore, is to interrogate theoretically and practically the diverse contributions contemporary live theatre has made to the development of the art and role of the actor. DRA3300 also enables students of drama to pursue their special interest in a specific area of the field of theatrical performance through independent study, research and group creative work. 

DRA3300 is a free-standing module, but does relate to the specialised study of the actor available compulsorily at Levels Four and Five, offering a logical progression to the student concerned to focus on the skills of the contemporary theatre maker. The module offers to students advanced experiential learning concerning the analysis and realisation of contemporary text-based dramatic work. But the module specifically provides the opportunity for potential professional practitioners to take artistic risks in the pursuit of an independent and autonomous acting aesthetic. The module encourages students to reflect on the complexities of possible practitioner identities and vocations that the study of drama and musical theatre can lead to, either via specialised training after graduation or by the creation of their own, new work following graduation. This addresses the employability philosophy of the programme which encourages students to focus their study with a view to emerging as future theatre-makers.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 6 programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge, understanding, and the embodiment of knowledge in performance. The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 6 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

This module will deepen the student’s performance, devising and dramaturgical skills necessary to work in a successful ensemble context. This module starts from the perspective that all bodies are culturally inscribed, and thus seeks to interrogate how the performing body can offer a resistance to established norms and hierarchies. Through a consideration of how the performing body can be read, the module will support students to explore what performance makers can do to account for, and intervene into, these readings.

RATIONALE

As a level six module, DRA3301 Devising & Dramaturgy: Artivism, negotiates explicitly the politics of the body in performance. Through a reconsideration of the cultural position of a wide range of performance materials, students will be encouraged to explore how performance practices carries ideological connotations and ascriptions. In so doing, the module will pay special attention to the problems, debates and discourses surrounding the issue of ‘representation’, paying specific attention to under-represented voices.  Students will engage in those debates through the development of their own practice. By considering gendered, racialised, and class-based narratives, students be encouraged to interrogate and question the culturally inscribed readings they are heir to, and find ways to offer resistance to said readings. Although this module shares some superficial similarities in content to DRA3303, its approach extends beyond gender, and thus looks at significantly different performance materials

Through a range of performance strategies (which will include practices from mainstream theatre through to direct action and protest), students will be supported to:

• consolidate their understanding of the relationship between performance, culture, and ideology;
• develop an awareness of the issues surrounding representation. develop an understanding of performance imbricated in wider theoretical and contextual concerns.
• apply their practical and conceptual understandings of, and develop a reflective approach to performance-making.
• to foster an integrated approach to the theory and practice of contemporary performance.

The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 6 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

This module allows students to examine and evaluate methods by which to optimise opportunities for employment, commissions and interventions such as ‘clean-up’ tasks. Comparative methods of planning, networking and campaigning will be studied and workshopped. Industry professionals will offer narratives and explain what their own grounds for selection are. Students will acquire strategies of how to plan for sustainability, maintain relations with institutions, and gain sources of finance for projects.

RATIONALE

As ‘Enterprise’ forms one-third of this course’s title, it is only right that, apart from its presence throughout the schedule, entrepreneurship should have its own module of study and scrutiny. Music as an academic subject is often criticised, or thought to be problematic, because its profile as a career is blurred and fragile. This charge against the subject has to be tackled directly, as it is the case that composition and production can provide for long-term security as well as vocational pleasure. This module attempts to clarify the course’s objective by offering coherent evidence that a more positive view is justifiable.

Writing Dance Landscapes introduces students to approaches to writing about dance, which facilitates their skills in observing, describing, researching, and interpreting dance. Practical and theoretical approaches are used to identify and discuss the work of key artists in relation to a broad range of dance practices, concepts, and contexts. Students watch and write about live and recorded dance performances using a range of practical, observational, and textual frameworks to support analytical description and interpretation. Throughout the module, focus is given to the socio-political and cultural landscapes that shape dance practices. This module, therefore, initiates an understanding of dance practices as historic processes, providing a foundation for cultural and critical analysis, to be developed at Levels 5 and 6.

Studio practice is key to the module as it offers fundamental skills for developing movement competence and for informing written texts, with embodied epistemologies. Students are thus introduced to the interweaving relationships of embodied and written practices. Students may also investigate wider processes of dance documentation, such as writing reviews and maintaining a reflective journal.

RATIONALE

The aim of Writing Dance Landscapes is to introduce the students to writing about, and from current dance practice, by introducing frameworks for close observation, research, and interpretation. The module seeks to provide a basis for writing and analysing dance, understanding primary and secondary sources, and reading dances as text and practice. Students are thus introduced to the interweaving relationships of embodied and written practices that prepares them for their Level 5 and Level 6 projects.

Students will also investigate wider processes of dance documentation, such as writing reviews and maintaining a reflective journal.  In doing so they will be able to identify the reach and different contexts where writing about dance is relevant, important, and connected to employability skills and outcomes. Employability practices are implicit in the module content and assessment through encouragement in development of written communication skills, individual decision making, time management and use of relevant technologies. In parallel students maintain a reflective journey in order to gauge their learning journey in relation to contemporary dance landscapes.

The research skills developed on this module support further study of historical, cultural, and critical contexts that students will encounter at Levels 5 and 6 of their degree studies. At level 4, tutors work closely with the students to develop an informed understanding of dance through analysis and historical contexts. Students at Level 5 broaden understanding of current dance practice through examination of more complex cultural and global contexts, methodologies, and concepts. At level 6, students assume greater autonomy on independent projects which apply and synthesise a range of critical paradigms and methodologies. The theory modules progressively build breadth, depth and range of critical practice and increasing independence.

DAN1303 is a practice-based module that introduces students to creative and disciplined independent approaches to dance making and movement enquiry. It investigates the application of compositional tools and structuring devices towards the generation of new artistic products, and it experiments with contemporary dance practices and performance. Students will have the opportunity to explore interdisciplinary approaches to dance making, and in do so will gain experience in creative processes for solo work that engages with other.

RATIONALE

DAN1303 Making Dance 2: Choreographic Cuts allows students to build on their experiences of  DAN1301 where they create work collectively in a tutor-led production. Students are supported in developing confidence in their compositional voice and the performance skills to enable them to effectively communicate their own choreographic work – it’s intentionality, musicality, and individual qualities.

Choreographic Cuts places an onus on decision making, editing of choreographic materials, and sharing of process as a means to generate a forum for discussion and to develop peer-reviewing skills. The module widens students’ perspectives of current practice and expands their capacity for larger scale projects and creative enquiry at Levels 5 and 6. The workshops on the module provide further foundational approaches to the key areas of dance composition and performance. Students are introduced notions of making work in an interdisciplinary manner, whereby composition of solo work happens in dialogue with others, and possible scenographic considerations such as light, sound, and costume

DRA1302 is a Level 4 module that addresses at an introductory level such fundamental questions as: What is drama? How did it originate and develop? How does it work? What is it for? Why do we need it? Throughout, the module confronts the Euro-American focus of the conventional canon, and interrogates the intersecting global histories of theatrical practice. The module considers the practice of canon formation—who decides what is considered ‘canonical’, and why—as a way for students to begin their essential theoretical and historical study of drama.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA1302 is to begin the student’s critical and theoretical engagement with the nature and history of drama, and to account for the rise of the theatre and the idea of the play by addressing the interchanges between global theatre histories and performance practices. DRA1302 begins by defining and questioning the terms ‘canonical’ and ‘conventional’, encouraging students to develop their skills in critical thinking, analysis, and engagement. The module interrogates the conventional Euro-American focus of the study and practice of drama, in order to broaden the range of texts, practices, and histories drama students are able to draw on their for studies and future careers. 

DRA1302 begins the process of broadening and deepening the drama student’s intellectual framework for theorising, criticising, and analysing the practice of making, showing, and doing that they engage in throughout the programme. At the same time the module helps to develop a wider intellectual basis for the practical and theoretical research that necessarily goes on in all the other drama modules at Level 4.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 4 drama programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge and understanding. The module also contributes to the foundation development of the Level 4 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The emerging graduate employability of the drama student begins a process of development and enhancement with this module, in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills. This is in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ‘Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4, p.6).

This module will focus on developing the performance, devising and dramaturgical skills necessary to work in a successful ensemble context, exploring the practice and examines the creation of performance work. Through workshop practice, a creative understanding of the physical and conceptual processes necessary in the construction of contemporary theatrical presentation will be established.

RATIONALE

Drawing upon the creative methodologies employed by twentieth and twenty-first devised theatre companies, and contemporary approaches to dramaturgy, this module will introduce students to the physical, vocal and technical skills required to work in a performance ensemble. An explicit engagement with a range of creative strategies will be employed, with particular attention being paid to the importance of the body in space, the manipulation and shaping of material, the application of rhythm and dynamics and an understanding of the importance of intention and motivation in relation to collaborative processes. By developing an embodied understanding of contemporary devising and dramaturgical processes, this module will help students find their own critical and creative voice, and introduce them to ways in which they might apply improvisatory techniques in the devising process, and consider how the structuring or ‘scoring’ of materials can work towards the development of meanings.

The module aims to:

to investigate contemporary approaches to dramaturgy and devising methods; to develop the ability to work creatively in collaborative situations; to develop a critical understanding of the inter-relatedness between creation, performance and reception; to develop the ability to select, manipulate and shape materials and achieve structural coherence; to foster an integrated approach to the theory and practice of contemporary performance, placing the students own explorations within the wider context of contemporary practice; to support students to consider, interrogate and challenge their practical and conceptual understandings to performance-making.

The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 4 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their future employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

Singing techniques explored will include:

Basics of breathing, alignment, phonation, registration, acoustics, harmonics and formants. Exploration of styles pertinent to musicals theatre such as traditional legit, contemporary legit, contemporary commercial music styles including belt, mix-belt, rock, pop, and jazz styles. The different techniques used to perform these different styles will be explored through a mix of lectures and workshops/ practical sessions.

The module will touch on points of learning contributing to ensemble technique, such as aural skills and staff notation. It will provide a foundation for students’ vocal development at levels 5 and 6. The module will be delivered via lectures and small group workshops.

RATIONALE

To develop students vocal technique through ensemble singing in preparation for further vocal development at levels 5 and 6. Demonstrate technical voice control and agility. Show evidence of using a range of thinking skills that recognises sensitive musical performance decisions across a range of musical styles. Demonstrate effective use of the integrated dramaturgy and technical and musical skills, through which the various components of the musical (book/lyrics/music) maybe combined to create an integrated performance, clearly connected to acting process

Ensemble Performance assists students in developing skills and confidence in musical performance. Practical workshops allow students to develop their skills in composition, arranging, performance strategies and improvisation. Through a series of collaborative small-group projects students  develop arrangements of existing or original material to be performed in a public setting at the end of the module. Students produce all aspects of the final performance (e.g. staging and stage management, live sound, etc.) thereby gaining knowledge and understanding of this key area of musical practice.

RATIONALE

For many students at this level of study, instrumental skills are often developed in isolated, individual or one-to-one settings. Individual virtuosity is of considerable importance to performers, yet equally important is the ability to work with, communicate and interact with other musicians. This module is designed to enhance students’ skill in the latter area. While not all music students will specialise in performance all students should have an experience of musical performance during their studies. This module ensures that students have that experience, allowing them to develop knowledge and understanding of music as a social practice.

Body Matters in Performance examines theories and practices of performance that are concerned with the dialogue between self and the environment. Students will expand their knowledge, understanding, and experience of the body in relation to studio practice and embodied research, where sense-based information and perception are understood to be a dynamic system of interaction with the world. Underlying this is the principle that as students develop their sense of self awareness and their working environments, they are more able to adapt artistic practice to a variety of diverse settings, that may include those associated with health and well-being. The approaches to learning and teaching on DAN2301cultivate an awareness of response-ability and the need for promoting sustainable practices in our age of climate emergency.

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This Level 5 module explores holistic and sustainable approaches to embodied research. It allows students to understand how and why the body has been objectified in performance contexts and in doing so raises questions around Cartesian dualism and its implications in the writing of knowledge paradigms. Body Matters in Performance introduces deeper explorations into sustainable ecologies of dance practice and allows the student, through embodied experiences of postmodern dance traditions and Somatic Practice, to experiment and develop their own personal approaches to dance research in relation to other, matter, and ‘being in the World’. It places emphasis on kinaesthetic empathy, and engaging with an ethos of acceptance and care. Students are introduced to exploring dance through the lenses of Phenomenology and New Materialisms in order to develop theoretical frameworks for their research. The module extends on concepts introduced at Level 4, offering students learning environments to investigate their own perception, body movement and the application of those in their own choreographic, applied, and performance work at Levels 5 and 6.

The approaches to study and embodied explorations in Body Matters in Performance cultivate an awareness of response-ability and the need for promoting sustainable practices in an age of climate emergency. In doing so it aligns with UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for Good Health and Well Being (SDG3) and Climate Action (SDG 13).

On DAN2302 students will build on the experiences gained at Level 4 on the choreography modules DAN1301 and DAN1303 and will be supported in their development of an individual creative voice, as they expand their creative and technical skills. From the initial group focus of exploring dance practice in relation to a range of cultural and socio-political frameworks, this module offers students space to investigate their creative and contextualised ideas in the process of devising choreography. With access to tutorial support, students will work in the role of choreographer to engage in a process of synthesising research into practice to create choreography for a public performance. As a collaborative group, the students will be responsible for in-house promotion of their performance events, and scheduling their technical and dress rehearsal. The choreographic workshops happen in focused studio practice settings to allow continued development of the individual’s dance practice.

RATIONALE

DAN2302 enables the student to explore how dance and movement practices make manifest intricacies of social and power relations. Through a short series of introductory lectures, analysis of live or filmed performance and practical workshops, students can draw from insights observing processes and practices applied by key professional dance makers as well as research on the social and traditional functions of dance in various cultures and traditions. Underpinned by ongoing independent research, students will from this point, embark on independent choreography projects. They will be offered space to work individually or as a partnership in the role of choreographer  and will engage in the process of synthesising their research into practice. This allows students to create choreographies which will culminate with a public performance of the work.

The module allows students to consider and explore choreographic decision making in conventional and non- conventional performance contexts. They will also hone their creative skills and artistic strategies for connecting the aesthetics, intentionality and meaning of the work that they produce. Key to the module is focused studio practice where detailed development of embodied dance techniques will inform the student’s decision making in developing their own choreographic language.

This module will build the performance, devising and dramaturgical skills necessary to work in a successful ensemble context. DRA2301 provides a performance laboratory environment in which students can experience the creation of small-scale devised projects. The practical work is informed by student research into and study of various strategies and methodologies employed by practitioners creating original work from a variety of sources, and framed through approaches to site-responsive performance. In this context site responsive is used as a generic term relating to work that arises from and responds to its immediate environment and surroundings outside of the traditional theatre context, and the various forms and categories of response to site will be addressed. The module culminates in practical devised site-responsive work plus viva, enabling students to demonstrate embodied and articulated understanding of the form.

RATIONALE

This module interrogates devising performance, a major mode of twentieth and twenty-first century performance, in the context of performance in non-traditional sites which has been a concern of some contemporary performance seeking to de-centralise the theatre building as the hitherto preeminent site of performance. This module therefore makes explicit and interrogates the relationship between performance and its environment.

The principle aim of the module is thus to investigate the dynamics of performance devised in response to a host environment, and to activate and explore the relationships invoked between performance and non-traditional sites, and where appropriate, to investigate performance with, for and by the communities that inhabit them and/or use them.

The module thus aims to encourage a critical and interrogative approach to the creation of site-responsive performance, and engagement with the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of work which is often at the centre of thinking and practice in the field of visual theatre and site responsive performance. As such this module aims to encourage and facilitate the students’ awareness of the potentials of performers and makers of performance; and the performance potential inherent in a site in terms of its synchronic and diachronic presence, its histories, functions and narratives.

The module also aims to foreground the responsibilities and ethics of using non-traditional sites and public spaces as performance spaces and skills gained here in negotiating access will enhance employability.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 5 drama programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge and understanding. The module also contributes to the foundation development of the Level 5 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The emerging graduate employability of the drama student begins a process of development and enhancement with this module, in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills. This is in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ‘Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

The module is an investigation of the processes underpinning theatre making, and an interrogation of strategies for the transformation of text into dramatic action. With embodied reference to practitioner case-studies, students critique the rehearsal and staging process of rehearsal with a director from rehearsal text to production. The module culminates in the presentation of a production to an audience.

RATIONALE

The aim of DRA2302 is to facilitate students’ exploration of the nature of responses to text, rehearsal processes, in ways that develop and refine their practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of the creative process of staging a play. The purpose of DRA2302, therefore, is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of approaches to the rehearsal process, and the creative working relationships necessary to that process.  This module aims to contribute to the continuing development of the students’ process of understanding the nature and role of the dramatic text in theatre production, through the investigation, here, of exemplary play-texts in the rehearsal room and is designed to lead to the creation of practical production projects. Through the exploration of the making of theatre, the students’ practical and theoretical understanding of production strategies is broadened and deepened. 

Through its concerted engagement with professional strategies in the rehearsal room, and its expectation of developing professionalism on stage when dealing with the translation of script into performance, DRA2302 contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 5 drama programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge, understanding, practical skills, and the embodiment of knowledge on stage. It thus contributes significantly to the development of the student’s potential professional employment and/or self-employment in theatre and/or community arts.  DRA2302 also contributes to the continuing development of the Level 5 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019

In this module, students will explore examples of critical theory, applied to Musical Theatre.
Requiring students to think about musical theatre canon using different critical approaches or ‘lenses’, the module content also encompasses analysis of the ways in which musical theatre has articulated social concerns and discourses, and encourages students to ask questions around efficacy, responsibility and ethics.

RATIONALE

Emerging from a post-modern view of theatre and performance, as exemplified in Performance Studies, the need has arisen to familiarise students with a range of critical approaches and theory, to provide them with a toolkit of methodologies with which to analyse the variety of meaning in works, performances, and recordings of musical theatre in context.

Such conceptual frameworks are introduced, but students are then asked to apply them in a written assignment to pieces of musical theatre, as they see fit. This serves to enhance research skills and critical thinking, the facilitate application of gained knowledge.
The module is designed to promote the interconnectedness between distinct disciplinary approaches to identify new or useful paths for further enquiry.

The module develops fromMTH1300 deepening understanding of critical approaches, and feeds into Level 6 modules such asPAR3302where students begin to choose their own areas of study and write their own research questions.

This module develops and refines the fundamentals of styles used in Musical Theatre singing and allows for the development of a personal vocal style. In addition, the student will explore elements of Musical Theatre performance through the study and understanding of stagecraft, the musical score, and libretti. These essential skills will be developed further through the preparation and performance of a piece of Musical Theatre. Music/musical traditions underpinning module An overview of methods of teaching vocal technique such as Estill, Cross-training, somatic voice work. Recognition of mind-body connection in singing – holistic approach. Dealing with performance anxiety. Introduction to anatomy and physiology of mechanisms of voice (larynx, mouth, lungs, ribs, abdominal and pelvic muscles)  Exploration of other traditions of singing such as Gospel, Chinese theatre (guest lecturers), and what these methods can teach us about Western Musical Theatre technique This is a compulsory one semester module for Level 5 BA(Hons) Musical Theatre students. This module will build on the Level 4 Voice and Musicianship module exploring the fundamentals of style and techniques for Musical Theatre singing. This  module will continue to develop essential skills such as music theory, aural skills, lyric writing and exploring libretto and work towards an integrated performance with Dance and Drama.

 This module will be delivered using a mix of lecture, workshops and (individual) singing lessons to give students the opportunity to develop their vocal skills and establish the groundwork for rehearsal and performance work.

RATIONALE

This module develops and refines the fundamentals of styles used in Musical Theatre singing and allows for the development of a personal vocal style. In addition, the student will explore elements of Musical Theatre performance through the study and understanding of stagecraft, the musical score, and libretti. These essential skills will be developed further through the preparation and performance of a piece of Musical Theatre.

Through a series of lectures, seminars and tutorials, this modules introduces students to a range of key concepts, approaches and theoretical paradigms deployed in the study and criticism of contemporary music and culture. Key concepts related to the cultural understanding of contemporary music will be discussed and critically interrogated in relation to musical examples. Through this process students will learn how to locate, interpret and understand music in relevant cultural contexts, drawing upon key terms and theoretical frameworks in the construction of critically informed arguments. In addition to this theoretical content students develop practical skills for identifying, planning and executing an independently structured research project.

RATIONALE

The module is designed to equip students with theoretical knowledge and research skills in preparation for undertaking a dissertation project at level six. Focusing specifically upon musical content and examples throughout, the module addresses the need for creative practitioners to be able to identify and describe key aspects of their work and locate this within a relevant cultural context. Students are provided with examples of how to reflect in a structured and critical way upon creative practice, a skill that is essential for maximising potential at level six. A principal focus of the module is on consolidating and extending academic skills in support of written and theoretical work. In addition to this academic focus the module supports musicians in identifying and communicating culturally significant aspects of their practice in preparation for professional work beyond university. In identifying and studying key theoretical frameworks and concepts the module also supports students who may wish pursue post-graduate studies, where understanding of such concepts is readily assumed.

DAN3301 offers students the scope to refine their dance and movement skills and to reflect on their potential applications as they become emerging independent dance professionals. A combination of practical classes and workshops will focus on enhancing students’ understanding and confidence with respect to their own dancing body of knowledge, emphasising command and authority over individual artistry and resilience.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of the module is to support the student in efficiently and reflectively implementing anatomical and technical engagement to embody a range of diverse dance practices. By providing a range of overlapping approaches to movement and dance, the module will give students a rich palette from which to develop their unique potential as a mover and practitioner and offer a greater understanding and awareness of where they might locate themselves for future employment within the dance profession.

DRA3302 is an examination and analysis of practical applications and critical concepts of digital and intermedial performance, with particular focus on the interaction and intersection of presence and absence, live-ness and mediated performance, and the dialogues between human and technology in intermedial performance.

RATIONALE

The use of digital technologies is becoming more and more prevalent in contemporary performance, as evidenced in the rise of virtual performance, zoom performance, or app based performance during the pandemic, which complements the increased use of digital scenography and performance combining with live and mediated performers which prior to the online revolution of the pandemic had already become much more prevalent than ever before. The principal aim of DRA3302 is therefore to facilitate a more developed scope of practice and research in the student’s consideration of the foregrounded use of digital technologies with, in and as performance.

Students are required to engage with a range of critical commentaries and case histories detailing notions of absence and presence, virtual and actual performance, and technology’s intersection with the human or cyborg performer. The purpose of the module is thus to enable the student to build a detailed knowledge and understanding of the role technology has played in the cultural creation and communication of meaning in contemporary multimedia or virtual or online performance. 

The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 6 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6)

PAR3301 Live Art explores and interrogates live art practices, including avant-garde histories, performance art, installation art and experiential, participatory, socially-engaged practices. The module is concerned with political implications and aesthetic sensibilities of live art study and practice, and spans a wide range of disciplines and artforms. The module develops an advanced knowledge and critical perspective on areas of focus selected by the student within the subject area, and provides students with the opportunity to create live art work manipulating their own creative relationship between ‘body’, ecologies, visual imagery, political intent and live performance. It challenges conventional definitions and boundaries of current understanding of what constitutes theatre and contemporary performance.

RATIONALE

This principal aim of PAR3301 is to interrogate the impact of live art practice in current political and ecological contexts. The module concerns itself with interdisciplinary aspects of live art, as the practice originates from both visual art and avant-garde performance traditions. The module therefore aims to develop the student’s practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of techniques, conventions and ideas upon which live art practices are premised; and to offer the student the opportunity to select an aspect of such practice on which to focus.

The overall purpose of this module is to bring students interested in live art into a learning environment where defined performance roles break down and are replaced with the concept of the performance artist or live artist. The module encourages experimentation, process and participatory practice, and is deeply invested in artists’ experience of creative and aesthetic possibilities. By building on the knowledge and understanding acquired through the study of various art forms, live art practitioners and performances, the module provides an opportunity to extend the students’ experience in a challenging art form.

This module will build on vocal skills built up over the previous two years. Using vocal technique and sophisticated engagement with an extensive range of musical theatre styles, students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of representative examples of the musical theatre repertoire.

A developed understanding of vocal anatomy and physiology will underpin the development of individual style and promote good vocal health.

RATIONALE

To develop and embody the skills and techniques that are required to be an independent performer/ practitioner, students are required to be vocally flexible and understand the need for diction, phrasing, projection, and vocal and bodily gesturing within the use of spoken and sung text. Knowledge of vocal anatomy and physiology will support the student to understand the techniques required to be a flourishing performer

This module builds upon Convergent Digital Media and the Artwork of Music via engagement with the information and communications technology currently underpinning download culture. Students will consider the impact of Internet and World-Wide-Web based sharing tools, specifically in relation to the on-line distribution and consumption of music. They will also devise a strategy for how this can best be exploited for a band or solo artist.

RATIONALE

Digital technology has transformed the music industry, and particularly the way we consume music. In recent years we have seen a plethora of Web and mobile technologies come to the fore. Social networking and micro-blogging technologies, for example, are now commonplace. The ability to be able to exploit these for the purposes of music distribution and consumption offers immense potential, particularly for the unsigned. This module, therefore, provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the melting-pot of Web and mobile apps, with a view to using these as tools for digital marketing.

This module surveys the key elements of dance, drama, and musical theatre contexts and histories. While not intended to offer an exhaustive account of all performance histories, it will highlight shared terminologies and significant discursive strategies, while also offering students an introduction to appropriate modes of study (including research, performance, and workshop skills). To ensure focus does not become to diffuse in this introductory module, key themes (e.g. representation, modernism, postmodernism) will be used to anchor the discussion, and in each instance tied to specific examples across all cognate disciplines.

RATIONALE

This module aims to help Performing Arts students develop a critically engaged practice, and so starts from the position that dance, drama, and musical theatre are interconnected forms, with shared histories, and overlapping critical understandings. The module explores the shifting understanding of key elements of dance, drama, and musical theatre from the 20th and 21st centuries, and includes a survey of contemporary and historical theories and debates. In order to support the development of critically engaged practitioners who work in dialogue with the evolving needs of the creative industries, the module will consider topics including intersubjectivity, framing, space, meaning, liveness, embodiment, audience, text(s), and culture. This approach will enable students on dance, drama, and musical theatre degrees to locate their emerging practice within the context of contemporary performance. Themes under discussion will include the nature of performance and how it is perceived, ‘traditional’ and ‘non-traditional’ crafting traditions, training processes, and the constant expansion and development of definitions of performance itself.

Through an interrogation of appropriate critical vocabularies, students will be supported to:

develop an understanding of the key elements of dance, drama, and musical theatre, including practice located at the interstices of these areas;

• establish a knowledge of the close relationship between theory and practice in the study of dance, drama, and musical theatre; discuss themes and issues relevant to their specific cognate discipline. 
• develop an attendant cognisance of aligned disciplines.
• discover key contemporary performance theories.
• build appropriate study, research and presentation skills.
• develop enterprising attributes such as creativity and resourcefulness.

PAR1301 is a project-based module where students are guided through the creation of a performative outreach  project focusing on a range of community settings, via the study of performance interventions, their histories and practices, consequences and meanings. 

Students will study performance intervention projects, then identify and devise an appropriate project for a chosen setting. 

In this module, at Level 4, the students will not implement the project in the community, but present their plans and deliver a workshop to peers with key illustrations of practice in the controlled setting of the university.

RATIONALE

PAR1301 enables students to study, devise and plan creative artistic practice and outreach in diverse cultural, social and political contexts. The module focuses on applied practice that takes place in a range of settings, including with community groups and in formal education, and explores a range of current and historical practitioners whose work has contributed to the development of this field.

The module develops students’ intellectual and transferable skills, in analysis, devising and planning an applied performance project.

Students can work individually, by agreement with tutors, but emphasis is placed upon the skills of team working, including how to embrace divergent thinking, maintaining positive interpersonal communication, problem solving and collective decision making.

Arts Council England’s 10 year strategy Let’s Create (2020-30) focuses on community involvement – public art works and participation. This reveals a zeitgeist of public arts organised and rationalised centrally, and thus indicates future employability potential for the applied theatrical arts and outreach work.

DAN2303 expands and explores in-depth the students’ movement skills and techniques. Students will receive key workshops which look to prepare for professional engagement. Extending on the study of experiential anatomy and holistic approaches to the moving body, under the supervision of the tutor, students will devise an independent ‘care-of-self’ study plan, as well as mapping a ‘me-reel’ to enhance confidence towards becoming a portfolio practitioner.

RATIONALE

Alongside the development of contemporary dance and movement techniques, the students will be supported to consider their own interests and skill sets in relation to specific roles within the dance sector. This will encourage students to explore different areas as they also begin to understand what a sustainable career within the sector may look like for them personally. Providing a variety of over-lapping approaches to movement and dance will give students a sense of adaptability and range of skills which might apply to different job roles or specialisms

Students will consider a community or education setting and devise a project for a selected client group. Prior to commencement of projects, students will submit a summative proposal document that considers ethical concerns and other safety risks. Projects can draw on pedagogic and teaching practices, or applied creative and artistic enquiry, or can be a synthesis of those approaches.

RATIONALE

PAR2301 enables students to experience and interrogate creative artistic practice in diverse cultural, social and political contexts. The module focuses on applied practice that takes place in a range of settings, including with community groups and in formal education, and explores a range of current and historical practitioners whose work has contributed to the development of this field.

The module adds to the continuing development of the Level 5 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, not least in the specific areas of devising, planning, implementation and evaluation of a ‘real world’ project. 

Students can work individually, by agreement with tutors, but emphasis is placed upon the skills of team working, including how to embrace divergent thinking, maintaining positive interpersonal communication, problem solving and collective decision making.

This practice-based module explores dance making and movement enquiry with respect to Musical Theatre styles.

Students will investigate choreographic concepts from popular musical theatre forms such as narrative, character, storytelling, influences of key practitioners, and approaches drawn from contemporary dance such as the role of abstraction, improvisation, and chance. Studio practice techniques will explore safe dance practices (warm up, cool down), developing fitness and aerobic capacity, and movement influenced both Musical Theatre and Contemporary Dance styles.

RATIONALE

This module develops and refines the student’s practical awareness of dance styles used within the Musical Theatre choreography and allows for further exploration of personal choreographic strategies and approaches to creation and performance.

The module also enables students to pursue special interests in areas of dance and performance through independent study, research and technical and creative work.

Through a creative exploration of sound synthesis techniques students will gain knowledge and skills that can inform the production of distinctive and highly flexible sounds for use in a variety of applied musical contexts. This will require students to develop an understanding of fundamental concepts or relevance to digital audio. Through an introduction to relevant musical concepts and repertoire students will identify and analyze synthetic approaches to composition and sound design within contemporary digital and electronic music. The acquisition of technical and theoretical knowledge will be demonstrated through the completion of a number of compositional assignments and original compositions.

RATIONALE

To fully exploit the capabilities of digital audio systems composers require knowledge of the fundamentals of digital audio; creative exploration of sound synthesis will provide students with this knowledge. The detailed sound design skills developed within this module are essential for those looking to pursue professional work as composers and electronic musicians. The emphasis placed upon creative exploration and innovation will require students to critically reflect upon their creative impulses and habits, thereby developing essential academic skills and providing an introduction to the concept of practice-based research.

This module gives students the opportunity to gain experience of performing live in different environments and in front of different audiences. Students will have the opportunity to gain credit for playing live on the street, or at a venue, such as a local open-mic event or other specialist music venue. Students will also have the opportunity to perform in the Creative Edge TV studio, and to play and have their music streamed over the EHU Student Union radio station. The module is ideally suited to performing musicians and will give them the opportunity to engage with the planning and organisational elements necessary for successful live performance.

RATIONALE

The ability to be able to perform live, in front of different audiences, and at different event locations, is of utmost importance to modern musicians. Indeed, due to the impact of falling record sales, even established artistes are dependent on gigging and touring as a main part of their income. It is important, therefore, that musicians develop the ability, and the confidence, to perform live in front of an audience early on in their careers. Whether this be at the simple level of street busking, or in front of larger and more critical paying audiences at more dedicated venues, etc. The module also encourages collaboration between students within the module and between students on other creative programmes, thus nurturing confidence and experience in live performance.

Jazz Dance Routes for BA Hons Dance and BA  Hons Musical Theatre students, explores and expands on the cultural and performance aspects of jazz dance. This year long module interrogates the role that critically informed artistic jazz dance, as a multicultural and multifaceted genre, can play in recognising narratives of decolonisation. Students research through embodied practice with a critical lens on the historical context of the form, looking at its origins, its development in New Orleans, and the Harlem Renaissance, to its emergence as concert dance in New York, and its impact on American theatre dance. Practical and theoretical approaches are used to identify and discuss the work of key artists in relation to historic practices, concepts, and the contextualisation for future practices. 

RATIONALE

The module seeks to provide advanced practical knowledge and theoretical understanding of what jazz dancers do, and how they do it. The overall purpose of DAN3302, therefore, is to interrogate theoretically and practically the diverse contributions the form has made to the development of dancer in musical theatre and some commercial contexts. DAN3302 also enables students to pursue their special interest in a specific area of the field of jazz dance or musical theatrical performance through independent study, research and independent and/or group creative work.

The module specifically provides students an opportunity to take artistic risks in the pursuit of an independent and autonomous dance performance aesthetic, that will enhance their future employability as professional dance artists. The module therefore encourages students to reflect on the range of possible practitioner professions and vocations that the study of jazz dance can lead to, usually via specialised training after graduation. This addresses the students’ Level Six PDP by asking them to focus their study with a view to emerging as future employable practitioners.

The module contributes to the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of a number of Level 6 programme outcomes, particularly those concerned with knowledge, understanding, and the embodiment of knowledge in performance. The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 6 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ‘The transferable skills of graduates in this domain are those much sought after in other environments such as business and commerce. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation.’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4, p.6).

The module explores a range of different types of dramatic text and theatrical experience linked to the fundamental themes of gender and sexual politics.  The module interrogates themes of gender and sexual politics, examining ways in which playwrights and practitioners have sought to use theatre as a forum to challenge gender roles and sexual ideology.

RATIONALE

The principal aim of DRA3303  is to enable students to engage critically and practically with the role of the ‘dramatic text’, in the specific context of the many different ways in which it has dealt with the themes of gender and sexual politics. The module centres on ‘the idea of the play’, providing an intensive practical and theoretical interrogation of the ways in which scripted plays work to produce and communicate meaning. But in recognition of certain contemporary movements away from the orthodoxy of the idea of the play, the module also investigates other forms of performative explorations into the themes of gender and sexuality that seek to challenge the play-text’s role in reinforcing heteronormativity and the patriarchy. Although this module shares some superficial similarities in content to DRA3301, its approach is text-base and thus looks at significantly different performance materials. Building on work begun in DRA1302, and DRA2302 and their exploration of canonical practices, the purpose of DR3303 is to explore how theatre has functioned as a setting for challenging gender roles in the specialised context of a range of contrasting dramatic texts that deal explicitly with gender identity and sexual politics. The module therefore brings a specialised focus to the study of the relationship between the theatre and our quest to understand who we are and to theatre’s dual function as a site for debating gender identity and sexuality.

The module also contributes to the advanced development of the Level 6 student’s intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability. The graduate employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

Students on PAR3302 will plan and conduct a research enquiry relevant to the application, practice and study of performance (including dance, drama, musical theatre, live art, and cross-form practices). Through lectures, workshops and tutorial support, students will develop the skills necessary to collect, analyse, document and organise materials to present and evidence their research process and findings. Students will be encouraged to develop autonomy in their approach to learning, and position themselves and critically engaged, emerging artists. Students apply their research to the creation of a Dissertation, which may take the form of Performance, Creative, Applied or Written project.

RATIONALE

The aim of PAR3302 is to engage students in expanding their specific interests within the areas of performance and related studies and practices, to develop an independent project that cultivates professional expertise and critical perspectives. This module introduces and develops skills and methodologies appropriate to research in dance, drama, and musical theatre. Coursework content is determined by each participant in negotiation with supervisors and based on the aims and research questions guiding the research project. This will include: individual research (including library-, practice-, placement- and archive-based research as appropriate); regular tutorials with a supervisor; attending and participating in appropriate group fora; the presentation of findings (in written and/or other appropriate formats). Students may also choose to work collaboratively in the development of their research projects.

The module enables students from all programmes to develop as artist / scholars, and apply to their own practice the critical and practical interrogation of their subject area that they have developed over their course of study at Levels 5 and 6. Through individual initiative, autonomous learning and independent research the students have the opportunity to examine relationships between current practices, research methods, and theoretical perspectives from critical discourses across a range of disciplines. 

Performance Research is the opportunity for students to demonstrate professionalism and professional potential. Its focus on creative independence and autonomy is key, demanding of the student initiative, self-motivation, organisational and managerial aptitude, and an understanding of how to accomplish a research or practice as research project under supervision. The module thereby enables students to show that in the course of their degree programme they have acquired not only subject-specific knowledge, intellectual and transferable skills, which are essential to their employability, but also the graduate attributes required of employers. The employability of the students on this module is enhanced in terms of both subject-specific and generic skills, in line with the Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP 2019: ’’Graduate-ness’ in this domain cannot be defined in the singular but will involve a range of both subject-specific and generic skills. Skills and attributes of dance, drama and performance graduates are highly sought after by non-cognate industries. These skills include those of communication (written, oral and performance), of research and analysis, the ability to work independently, interpersonally and in groups, to deadlines and under pressure, with flexibility, imagination, self-motivation and organisation’ (Subject Benchmark Statement for DDP, 3.4: 6).

In PAR3303 students will are expected to demonstrate capacity to work effectively and creatively as a developing independent artist within a collective to generate a professionally orientated performance project.

Students will utilise skills of an independent practitioner such as enterprise, project management and evaluation in the creation of a collective performance piece and its distribution/touring activity. The students will then evaluate their work, demonstrating awareness of their immediate arts contexts.

Students will work collaboratively with a choreographer/dramaturg/director to create a full length performance work in the first semester. In the second semester, students will take ownership and responsibility of further performance dates around and beyond campus, generating a small-scale tour. Students will be encouraged to adapt work according to a market/performance setting, and work in cluster groups to promote and their work.

RATIONALE

The aim of this module is to nurture the student’s development as an artist through authentic experience of cutting edge practice and the processes involved in realising collective performance work.  As an independent dance, drama or musical theatre artist the graduate will build a portfolio career, responding to opportunities and the political, social and economic climate. The module will examine the current performance landscapes in which students will explore key questions such as: What performance work is being made? How is it being made? Who is it being made for?

There is also the opportunity to consider and engage in processes that underpin the making and performance of dance, drama or musical theatre work such as costume, lighting, tour development and management, locating and assessing settings for site work.  This will provide the students with the expertise to develop collective performance work within the financial constraints of emerging artists as they will gain diverse knowledge and experience which will act as a resource for them in the future.

Introduction to Biological & Cognitive Psychology provides foundation knowledge for subsequent levels. It introduces students to approaches and concepts central to the study of behaviour, exploring how processes underlying behaviour work (such as perception, sensation, and memory) and how human beings are embedded in their world (e.g., by way of their shared biology, learned knowledge). In this way, the module aims to equip the student with a broad understanding of basic theories and concepts in psychology and of the range of interrelated approaches towards the psychological study of human behaviour

RATIONALE

The module unifies the grounding for subsequent levels and modules such as those that cover Cognitive Psychology, and Biological Psychology. In particular, the module provides key grounding in topics required for British Psychological Society accreditation. As well as providing students with a good general background in the basic theoretical concepts of psychology, the module aims to provide a basis for more applied psychological work in Level 5 and Level 6 modules, and a basis for understanding and evaluating the different approaches within the discipline. The module aims to provide not only knowledge about psychological phenomena, but also practical experience and discussion, and ways of thinking about behaviour and how the mind works.

This module encourages students to develop their scientific analysis and communication skills regarding core psychological topics and to examine their own assumptions and practices in relation to those of others around them. It provides potentially empowering awareness of basic psychological issues (e.g., behaviour change, the basis of how drugs work, influences on memory, personality, etc.). The work in this module should help students to develop a basic awareness of relevant psychological concepts and theories and to have some awareness of their potential application in contemporary society and the study of behaviour.

The module aims to demonstrate the key approaches to research in psychology and develop skills in experimental design, data analysis, and data interpretation.

RATIONALE

This module will provide students with background and training in the skills necessary to plan, conduct, analyse and report psychological research. This course will provide the necessary background for the more complex research methods module undertaken at Level 5, and their final year dissertation. An important aspect of this course is the experiential nature of the learning. Students will learn about the key approaches to research in areas of Cognitive, Developmental, Social, and Biological psychology and will be provided with the opportunity to learn and practice these approaches themselves. As part of this course students will receive a substantial level of training, support and practice in the use of SPSStm to examine psychological research and learn the skills necessary to produce descriptive and inferential statistics, which will provide the building blocks for the more advanced level research methods they will encounter at Level 5.

This module provides an understanding of the current theoretical issues within developmental psychology. It will also include many of the key research findings within this area and highlight the cognitive development of children from infancy to early childhood.

RATIONALE

Developmental psychology is a fundamental area within psychology, with a knowledge in this being required by the British Psychological Society for an accredited degree in psychology. Developmental psychology provides a knowledge base that is utilised in many areas of psychology, including psychological research and educational psychology. This module provide an understanding of psychological theory and research within this core area, examining how theory can be used to understand children’s development, and how this relates to developmental disorders.

This module will study the human nervous system, including its structure and functioning. There will be a particular focus upon the brain. Students will learn in detail the processes by which messages are passed through the system, and the way it interacts with other bodily systems. The methods by which the brain is commonly researched will also be explored in order to provide a basis for understanding much current research and theorising in psychology.

RATIONALE

The human nervous system provides a basis for psychological processes associated with cognition, and for overt behaviour. A detailed understanding of its structure and functioning is, therefore, necessary for the study of psychology as a scientific discipline. By implication the module introduces students to a reductionist perspective on psychology, and the limitations of this will be examined. The module also provides students with coverage of how the brain’s structure and functioning is currently studied, and will provide an opportunity for students to gain practical experience of obtaining biological measures (e.g. blood pressure, electrical skin resistance – via Biopac).

An understanding of the factors that influence student learning and achievement is fundamental to education and great many psychological explanations, theories and concepts have been used to this end. This module will examine the role of several psycho-educational factors which influence, and in turn are influenced by, learning and achievement which are relevant to contemporary educational psychology including competence beliefs, academic motivation, academic emotions, fear of failure and academic self-handicapping. These various constructs, approaches and models have their roots in social psychology and are underpinned by a common socio-cognitive framework.

RATIONALE

The understanding of student learning and achievement has both theoretical and substantive importance. From a theoretical perspective, the various models and constructs based on the socio-cognitive framework which have been applied to education and/ or developed in an educational context make predictions about student learning and achievement, about their experience and actions, their aspirations and their obstacles. A great deal of psychological research has been conducted and reported on the accuracy, limitations and worth of these constructs, and continues to be conducted and reported. This module will, therefore, allow students who have studied the major approaches to psychology in their second year of study to examine in detail, how such approaches (particularly the socio-cognitive framework) have been used, evaluated and developed in an educational context. From a substantive perspective, the theories and their evidence base provide a range of tools which can be utilised by the educational practitioner; the teacher, the school counsellor, the educational psychologist, policy makers and educational managers. This module, therefore is of particular relevance to students following the undergraduate programme in Educational Psychology, many of whom chose this course specifically because of their aspiration to work in the field of education.

This module will examine various aspects of substance misuse (including the misuse of alcohol) from a psychological perspective which will also be informed by other academic perspectives, such as those of brain science and sociology, respectively. In this way students are helped to develop a more complete understanding of the role of learning and reward in the development of substance misuse than would be possible with one academic perspective alone. A broad range of psychological consequences of substance misuse, such as memory impairments, will also be studied. Psychological interventions for substance misuse will also be examined.

RATIONALE

As this module is concerned with pharmacologically based misuse and addiction, students will be introduced the neurobiological effects of commonly misused drugs, including alcohol, with particular reference to implications for the positive and negative reinforcement of their use arising from this. In turn, this will provide a basis for the appreciation of the psychological dimension of such phenomena as the opiate withdrawal syndrome, and memory impairments arising from the neurotoxic effects of drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis. Furthermore, it will also provide a basis for exploring the nature of the concept of addiction, as distinct from substance misuse, from a psychological perspective and from other perspectives which may be seen as either competing or complementary to it. The importance of viewing neurobiological and psychological processes as being embedded in a social context will be emphasised by reference to social psychological and sociological perspectives which have sought to explain substance misuse and addiction.

DAN2300 focuses on the practical exploration and interrogation of contemporary dance making as an interdisciplinary and collaborative art form. The module explores choreographic and creative strategies and the acquisition and development of embodied knowledge and skills through the context of a tutor-led production that is informed by focussed studio practice. Relevant historical, theoretical and socio-cultural perspectives will be considered, and students will be required to engage with these themes in relation to their own creative and practical experiences. Students will document their contributions to the creative process and explore the significance of archive in the history and future of dance and performance.

RATIONALE

The module broadens the students’ knowledge and understanding as creative artists and practitioners through collaborative engagement in an extended tutor-led choreographic project. Alongside focused studio practice, which feeds the choreographic process and maintains students’ core skills and technical discipline, the module requires students to contribute to the generation, analysis and refinement of creative content towards summative performance. It also explores how students can record and archive their work, adopting different digital, written and presentational methods to reflect on their contributions to the process journey.  

This module will examine psychological underpinnings and experiences associated with a range of different virtual environments. These include videogaming, Internet use and social networking. There will be a particular focus on the application of recent psychological research, and how it provides an insight into the technological experiences which comprise a substantial part of modern-day life.

Rationale

New technologies are increasingly becoming a key part of our everyday lives, and so understanding our psychological experiences when engaging in virtual environments constitutes an exciting new area of enquiry. This module provides an understanding of psychological theory and research within the study of aspects of cyberpsychology.

The module aims to provide students with an understanding of how research in cognitive neuroscience has informed our understanding of cognitive processes in the brain.

Rationale

Cognitive Neuroscience aims to understand the mechanisms of human thought, by asking how mental processes such as perception, memory, language and emotion are implemented within the brain. Only a few years ago the techniques for answering such questions were very limited. An explosion of new methods dependent on computers and brain imaging has led to enormous progress and allows an array of new problems to be tackled directly. Cognitive Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary subject, integrating neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and artificial intelligence. The module will be taught by neuroscientists, cognitive scientists and experimental psychologists in the Department of Psychology

The expanding field of Forensic Psychology aims to understand human behaviour and its underlying thoughts, feelings and motivations, with reference to criminal behaviour. In this module students will develop the expertise to assess evidence about human behaviour and students will develop a wide range of skills in relation to forensic investigation. Across the module students will be introduced to some of the skills that forensic psychologists use when investigating eyewitness reports and offenders, together with related theories and research evidence.

RATIONALE

This module specialises in the area of forensic psychology and is distinct from all other modules available at level 6.This modules covers a range of areas from cognitive, developmental, social, as well as design and methodology research issues in the area of forensic psychology. Due to the key topics covered this module will suit the vocational and academic goals of those students interested in pursuing a career as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. In addition, knowledge and skills gained from this module will also equip students for a range of careers in areas such as law enforcement, probation, Home Office, and a wide range of private and public industries.

This module will introduce three of the core areas of psychology: personality, social and developmental psychology. These areas are fundamental to an understanding of how an individual develops and operates in a social context. The goal of this is to equip students with a broad understanding of the nature of research, theory and the methodologies employed in these disciplines. This will be achieved by explaining the ‘classic’ studies in the context of the appropriate theoretical frameworks.

RATIONALE

Personality, social and developmental psychology are three of the cornerstones of psychology and are fundamental to our understanding of how an individual develops and functions in society. Social psychology is focused on the way that the social context impacts on the individual, interaction within groups and interactions between groups. Developmental and personality psychology not only looks at how development takes place but also addresses the key principles and mechanisms underlying these changes. An understanding of these areas is key to any psychology degree as these areas affect every element of our daily life, for example, in terms of prejudice, emotions, intelligence and crowd behaviour.

This module seeks to develop students’ knowledge of social psychology from the introductory course given in first year. The two keyways the module will seek to do this is by introducing more critical analysis. Concrete examples of this are putting more emphasis on the levels of analysis that characterise social psychology and focusing on the applications of social psychology in an applied setting.

RATIONALE

Social psychology is driven by a desire to make an impact on real-world problems rather than simply developing theories to understand how and why social behaviour occurs as it does. As a result this module will put an emphasis on using social psychological theories to interpret real-world events, e.g. discussing the London riots in the context of social identity theory and collective behaviour. This module will also focus on the levels of analysis in social psychology as this is essential to having a critical perspective on the discipline in terms of its direction and the questions it seeks to answer.

Cognitive Psychology is a branch of Psychology that investigates internal mental processes such as perception, memory, problem solving, and language production. Researchers in this area examine issues such as how we recognise (and forget) the faces of people we know, how we remember (and why we forget) where we left our house keys, how we are able to solve (or sometimes fail to solve) crossword puzzles, and how we learn new languages. This module will explore both classic and contemporary research that has led to the development of theories explaining how such mental processes function.

Rationale

This module presents students with topics in Cognitive Psychology that are recommended by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for an accredited undergraduate degree. Specifically, these topics are attention, perception, learning, memory, thinking, language, and consciousness. The module provides students with a critical understanding of classic and contemporary research conducted in these topic areas, in addition to the theories that have been developed from this research, to explain how the aforementioned mental processes function. In addition to this, the BPS recommends coverage of cognitive neuropsychological research techniques, so reference to this style of research method will be made throughout the module. The module offers knowledge relevant to students wishing to pursue professional careers within Psychology. For example, an understanding of how memory functions is vital for a career as a Clinical Psychologist. The module also offers knowledge relevant to students wishing to pursue careers outside of Psychology. In particular, the understanding of language is essential for careers in Speech and Language Therapy, an understanding of clinical neuropsychology is helpful for a career in nursing, whereas an understanding of problem solving is useful for careers in software design.

This module provides an understanding of the current issues within Special Educational Needs. This ranges from the legislation and policy information regarding SEN, issues surrounding inclusion and specific developmental disorders that are considered to be associated with SEN. It will include key policies and research findings in this area, and highlight the mechanisms employed to support SEN within a school.

RATIONALE

Educational Psychology is a valuable applied area of Psychology which draws upon key aspects of multiple areas of psychology. Many of the students completing a degree in Educational Psychology have a desire to work within an educational setting, whether as a teacher or educational psychologist. Thus, a grounding in SEN and the policies and procedures associated with this will allow students to development a greater understanding of how schools are able to reduce barriers to education relating to SEN. This module provides an understanding of two developmental disorders.

This will enable examples of how SEN can be supported within an educational setting in relation to these relatively well known disorders. In doing this, research from many areas of psychology, including developmental psychology, educational psychology and neuropsychology will be drawn upon, demonstrating the valuable links between these areas. The efficacy of using this research to develop interventions and inform the development of SEN specialism in schools will be considered.

This module will introduce students to the study of abnormal psychology and psychiatric disorders. It aims to provide them with a thorough understanding of a variety of perspectives in psychology and how they apply to specific mental disorders. Students will develop their understanding and the relative merits of a medical/clinical model (diagnosis, and treatment) of specific disorders, which will include schizophrenia (and other personality disorders), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, Bipolar-mood disorders and Cognitive disorders related to aging and autism. This module has been designed to encourage students to critically analyse the medical model of mental disorders, as seen from the historical, social, psychopharmacological (neuroscience/neuropsychological) and medical perspectives.

RATIONALE

This module aims to provide students with strong academic skills useful in a variety of vocational roles (for example, teaching counselling, clinical psychology, mental health professionals etc), and as such provides a foundation for further training in professional psychology. The specific aim of this module is to develop students understanding of Clinical Psychology, and Medical the models of mental health.

Social interaction is a critical aspect of day-to-day life, crucial to how we perceive each other, how we interpret behaviour and intentions, and then plan and react accordingly. This module will explore the different processes and abilities that together make social interaction possible, as well as the impairments and deficits that can occur.

RATIONALE

Social interaction is key in human life and is an ever-expanding area of research. Processes involved have been linked to nearly every area of psychology (social, cognitive, evolutionary, health, clinical, substance use, personality) and use a variety of methodological techniques (neuroscience, behavioural, observational) with different populations (animal, human (across the lifespan)). Student will gain an understanding of how we and other species interact with others, and the underlying processes involved. This will give them a grounding in social cognitive neuroscience, as well as comparative studies and different methods, potentially in preparation for a postgraduate degree. This module will work in conjunction with the proposed Cognitive Neuroscience module (PSY3143), providing a more in-depth exploration of social cognitive neuroscience.

This module will examine psychological underpinnings and experiences associated with a range of factors that influence decision making in the courtroom. These include; jury decision making, expert witness testimony, witness credibility, defendant appearance, and cross-examination techniques. Across the module there will be particular focus on how psychological theory and research has aided our understanding of real-world issues in an applied context.

RATIONALE

This module specialises in the area of ‘applied’ forensic psychology. This module will allow students to develop their interest and knowledge in the field of Forensic Psychology. The module aims to provide students with an understanding of psychological theory and research as applied to multiple aspects of the courtroom. These will range from examining how psychology has been applied to aid our understanding of jury decision making, and witness credibility to an examination of the persuasive techniques that lawyers often use to manipulate the facts in a case. This module will provide students with a strong basis for them to pursue postgraduate options in the field of Forensic Psychology.

This module will examine the mechanisms by which drugs, both legal and illegal, exert their effects once consumed. Examples of illegal drugs to be covered include cannabis, ecstasy (MDMA), and cocaine, whilst coverage of legal drugs will include alcohol and caffeine. Consideration will also be given to some common food ingredients such as polyphenols. The mechanisms examined will largely be neurobiological in nature, although some consideration of the social context of use will be included. The effects of drug consumption examined will largely be psychological in nature, concentrating upon changes in mood, cognitive performance, and behaviour. However, some consideration of broader health matters will also be included. Given the strong presence of systematic reviewing and meta-analysis in this field, students will also be familiarised with this methodology.

RATIONALE

This elective module will allow students to develop their interest and knowledge in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of drugs. A number of basic relevant concepts will be presented, such as agonistic and antagonistic effects, drug affinity with neuronal receptors, and the inhibition of neurotransmitter re-uptake, and this new module will begin with a summary of these. This will then serve as a basis for new material concerning specific groups (or ‘families’) of neuronal receptors with specific drug affinities (e.g. for cannabis, for alcohol, etc.) In turn, this will be linked with an examination of the dispersion and actions of specific drugs (i.e. pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics), and their consequent effects on mood, cognitive performance, behaviour, and health. The opportunity for students to learn about the neurobiological knowledge of drug effects will provide a stronger basis for them to pursue postgraduate options for both study and employment in fields related to substance misuse, and in the field of health generally. This will also be the case with regard to their familiarity with systematic reviewing and meta-analysis. The content of this module is also consistent with research into substance misuse taking place within the Department of Psychology, and this research will be drawn upon in teaching.

Learning to Thrive’ is designed as a ‘capstone’ module, putting together all the key aspects of the multiple psychological approaches in pursuit of students’ life opportunities. It takes a 360 degree approach, including both blockers and enablers for personal development, from foundations in neuroplasticity to applications in positive psychology, with the aim of helping every student to acquire the necessary self knowledge, the psychological knowledge, and the experiential learning required to thrive in the 21st century. Key topics include Positive Psychology, goal setting, understanding stress, twenty-first century skills, and self actualisation. A further distinctive component is the opportunity to undertake the  first stage of the Zing Performance neurodevelopmental programme, which will be provided free of charge. Students who complete further Zing Performance activities will be eligible for accreditation for personal neurodevelopment via Zing’s BAC accreditation.

RATIONALE

The five disciplines of psychology tend to be taught independently, owing to BPS requirements and the modular degree structures. This module combats this fragmentation by attempting to rebuild the disciplinary components into a coherent whole. It introduces psychological principles from self determination theory, neuroplasticity, skill acquisition and attitude change, and gets each student to apply them to a life goal of her/his choice. Assessment is via both performance and reflection in order to optimise the benefits of then learning processes, and to embed the learning such that it can be applied to the key task of learning to thrive during and after university.

The module will introduce students to the idea that childhood is a social construction dependent on the history, cultural values and power structure of the society in which children live and explore the way in which the social, cultural, economic, political, scientific, legal and institutional context in which children have lived and live today shapes their experience of childhood. This will afford opportunity for students to explore their personal beliefs, assumptions and expectations about childhood, youth, family and society, and the ways in which these are developed, reinforced and perpetuated by dominant ideologies and the roles of social institutions in contemporary Britain. Embedded in the module is the foundational personal development element of the Childhood and Youth and Early Childhood (single and joint honours) programmes which provide students with a grounding in essential study skills, while fulfilling institutional requirements.

RATIONALE

The ability to understand and assess the processes that shape childhood and children’s lives in a way that fosters a critical view of the contested and changing nature of childhood is central to the study of children and young people and to the subsequent pursuit of professions that involve work with them and their families. It is argued that what a society expects of children, the way that children are perceived, what is seen as good or bad for them and what they are deemed capable of and competent to do depends upon particular concepts of childhood that society has constructed.  This module provides a conceptual framework to explore what might be understood as a child – and what childhood is – in context. It will allow students to make the link between historical and contemporary understandings of childhood and powerful ideas have shaped and continue to shape a child’s experience of being a child in the modern world. This forms the foundation for knowledge and skills that are vital for enhancing employability in the children’s workforce.

In addition to its subject specific purpose, the module will introduce students to the key components and theoretical foundations of critical thinking and to a wide range of transferable skills, from essential research and information retrieval to critical evaluation of contradictory and competing accounts and the construction and presentation of argument. The module requires students to work independently and in collaboration with others and also to develop effective organisation, planning and time-management skills.  Students who successfully complete this module will meet all the criteria for personal development and planning at level  four. Whist not vocational per se, these skills will enhance future career and employment opportunities.

This module provides the student with an introduction to sociology and sociological theory. The module is designed to provide a foundation for study in levels 5 and 6. The module accommodates students who have little or no previous experience of studying sociology, whilst consolidating and developing the understanding and skills of students who already have some grounding in the discipline. The module starts by addressing the question: what is sociology? and then provides an introduction to classical sociological thought and some foundational thinkers. The module traces the historical development of the discipline through to key contemporary sociological theorists. The module is not intended to be comprehensive in its coverage, but rather to ensure that student’s develop confidence in their general understanding of the discipline and some of the key moments, individuals, and ideas associated with the trajectory of the discipline. It will outline the development of early sociological thought in the context of 19th and 20th century modernisation, and discuss the contribution and continuing relevance of major theorists in Sociology such as Karl Marx, Emilie Durkheim and Max Weber. Early feminist and postcolonial theoretical developments will also be explored through the works of, for example, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and W.E.B Du Bois. Students are encouraged to apply their conceptual and theoretical learning to the subject matter of their programme where appropriate.

RATIONALE

This is a compulsory module for all students on single honours programmes ie. Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology. According to the QAA (Subject Benchmark Statement: Sociology, 2019) ‘sociologists have a lasting commitment to core concepts, along with a number of overarching issues and concerns, such as the social classifications of gender, sexuality, social class, race, ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, religion, age, and disability.’ As such, courses should address ‘key concepts and theoretical approaches that have been developed and are developing within sociology’. Therefore, students are expected to develop ‘competence in using major theoretical perspectives and concepts in sociology, and their application to social life’. In order for the student to develop such competence, it is important that they are introduced to the foundational ideas and approaches of sociology as early as possible. This will develop their appreciation for the contentious nature of much (sociological) knowledge, assist them to identify the limits of binary thinking, and encourage them to identify and consider the relative strengths of theoretical perspectives and concepts. The module will assist students to develop an awareness of their own values by providing learning situations where they can rehearse and revise their own ideas and weigh the merits of their ideas alongside others. The module will prepare students to meet the learning and assessment requirements at levels five and six, where they will be expected to apply theoretical concepts to social issues and problems in an increasingly critical and reflexive manner. 

This module provides a foundation of knowledge and understanding of political sociology – the study of power, the state, authority and domination, ideology and the roles, functions and participation of institutions, organisations and groups in the political world. It will provide a conceptual model of the way in which the political world operates and how powerful interests and demands for democratic participation are engaged with. Students undertake a general spine of lectures that provide a foundation of knowledge, and then follow particular case studies to exercise that knowledge in depth. Case studies align with the indicative content (see below) and focus on a range of issues including, amongst other things, the power of the state, democracy and political participation, conceptions of citizenship, the role of civil society and the challenge of social movements.

For single honours Sociology students the module also includes an additional seminar focusing on developing higher education study skills (Uniskills). Joint honours students do this in their host department (if they are external joints) or in SPY1127 if they are internal joints).

RATIONALE

Political sociology represents an important part of the sociology curriculum and the module provides a broad theoretical overview and a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding of key themes and issues in political sociology. The module meets the following QAA (2019) benchmarks for Sociology Honours degrees, enabling students to:-

• describe and examine a range of key concepts and theoretical approaches within sociology, evaluate their application and creatively use concepts in analysing social phenomenon or addressing social problems
• provide an analytical account of social inequality addressing key dimensions and sites of power, inequality and stratification.
• analyse social processes shaping individuals, groups, social practices, social institutions and social structures
• examine the processes that underpin social change, conflict and social stability.
• evaluate the relationship between sociological arguments and evidence

In terms of employability, the module will help to equip students with generic and transferable skills, which include the ability to research, collect and analyse data, use a range of software, conduct comparative and policy analysis, administer, organise, plan and time manage, write and edit, present evidence and argument, and question and debate (QAA benchmark for Sociology – 7.1).

This module provides students with an important grounding in social research methods. It gives students an overview of the fundamental aspects of social research including philosophical approaches to knowledge production, literature searching, sampling and ethics. It also introduces students to real researchers and encourages them to reflect on and develop the many transferable skills and personal qualities required for excellent research. It introduces foundational knowledge of a range of research epistemologies, methodologies and methods. In addition to this theoretical grounding, students are given the opportunity to apply their newly acquired knowledge. They will be expected to design, conduct and report on an empirical research project. Students will choose their own topic and this will be approved by a module tutor before commencing the project. Students will be required to employ a qualitative and quantitative method of data collection, such as questionnaires and interviews. The project will be carefully supervised through seminars/workshops, but will allow students to develop skills and understanding that will enable them to effectively carry out research for their final year dissertation and potentially for postgraduate level study. The module learning and assessment will also enable students to develop a range of transferable skills that are highly valued in the graduate labour market and will be an asset in students’ future careers.

RATIONALE

This module is compulsory for single honours students at level 5. Knowledge in the social sciences derives from social research. For students to gain a deep understanding of their academic discipline it is essential for them to not only understand the theoretical concepts associated with it, but also the methods used to conduct the research that informs these theoretical concepts. Therefore, students graduating with an honours degree in sociology should be able to ‘examine a range of data sources, research strategies and quantitative and qualitative methods and assess the appropriateness of their use’ (QAA Sociology Benchmark Statement, 2019). Specifically, students should be able to: construct appropriate sociologically informed questions and pathways to answers; summarise and explain the findings of empirical sociological research, including a critical assessment of the methodological frameworks used; select and use appropriate research tools for collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, including software and basic statistical and interpretative procedures; demonstrate skills in information gathering, analysis, communication and presentation; assess and analyse the ethical implications of research and enquiry; work independently and manage their time; and demonstrate some ability to plan and develop an independent project with a clear outcome (QAA, 2019).

The module will provide students with an understanding of  the key themes, concepts, issues and debates in the field of youth studies. Starting from an historical perspective the module will look at the broader social, economic and political factors which have shaped understandings about youth and the so-called ‘youth question’ from early to late modernity. The module will then turn to contemporary debates about youth, including themes such as transition, risk, culture and social policy.

RATIONALE

The module will adopt a primarily sociological framework to explore the relationship between theory, policy and practice as these both reflect and impact upon the changing experiences of young people. In so doing the module will provide a strong theoretical framework of knowledge and understanding necessary for developing practice and policy in working with young people. 

The sociological study of armed conflict and political violence is an important and growing field of inquiry. Wars and conflicts within and between states are key problems facing the contemporary global community, rooted in the complex character of modern societies. A central concern for sociological theorists since the founding of the discipline, the study of armed conflict therefore does more than allow students to become familiar with the particular dynamics of specific wars. It also allows a series of key concepts, theories and issues in the social sciences (of power and authority, gender, ethnicity and class) to be investigated and applied to real world situations through the prism of organised violence by, between, against and beyond the state today.

RATIONALE

The module will allow students to examine the analysis of conflict in the work of a range of contemporary social theorists and through key sociological concepts concerning the relationship between conflict and political violence, social structures, institutions and forces in modern societies. They will become familiar with the sociological analyses of ethnicity and nationalism, the role of political economy and the impact of globalisation, the place of the state and debates around international global governance, engendered forms of violence and the representation of conflict. The strong international dimension of the module is exemplified in the use of a range of case studies from various parts of the world which will provide concrete instances of conflict through which students can explore the key conceptual issues.

This module has been guided by the following QAA benchmarks concerning: ‘developing knowledge and understanding of human life and human interactions from a distinctively social perspective’ ‘historical, cross-cultural and transnational comparative studies of changing forms of human life and engagement with physical and natural worlds’ ‘to understand how and why societies, institutions and practices of all kinds are organised as they are, change over time, and the likely impact of this on life and the environment in the future’ ‘the experiences and perspectives of silenced or secretive groups to be known, shows the unintended consequences of social actions, and exposes the distortion of debates introduced by the politicised manipulation of research’ (QAA, 2022)

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and those in London, Madrid, Paris and beyond, terrorism and political violence have become ever more pressing contemporary issues. But, what is ‘terrorism’; what does the term itself actually mean? What causes political violence, how is it represented in modern multi-mediated societies and how does the issue of ‘counter terrorism’ impact on the lives of people today? How has the ‘fear’ of terrorism come to affect our society? These are the sort of questions this module is designed to address. Students will be invited to employ and develop their understanding of critical sociological theories, concepts and approaches in order to investigate these matters of great contemporary social importance.

RATIONALE

The sociological study of terrorism and political violence, an important and growing field of inquiry in its own right, is also designed to build on the insights and perspectives introduced to students in the year two module ‘States, Conflict and Political Violence’. Understanding the nature, causes, dynamics and impact of terrorism and political violence has never been more important than it is today. The module will adopt a critical sociological line of inquiry into some of the key questions surrounding this important area of social life and policy concern. These include: debates around the definition of what ‘terrorism’ is; vying explanations for the causes of terrorism and political violence; the role of the state as well as non-state actors in ‘terrorism’; media representation, terrorism and political violence; the law and counterinsurgency and gender and political violence.  The module is also designed to allow a series of key concepts, theories and issues in the social sciences to be investigated and applied to real world situations. The rationale of this module is therefore to introduce students to the sociological analysis of the conceptualisation, character, representation and policy-making of terrorism, political violence and counterinsurgency. 

The module will take a critical analytical approach to the contemporary ‘Youth Agenda’ and the wider social, economic and political factors shaping work with young people. The module will address issues concerning such subjects as citizenship, education, training, young people’s health, housing, youth justice, employment, transitions etc. The module is intended to provide a forum for students to engage with research, services, theories and practice in work with young people.

RATIONALE

The key feature of this module is its emphasis on the inter-disciplinarily of theoretical and empirical understanding of young people’s experiences and life contexts. It is designed to enable students to critically examine work with young people from theoretical, policy, legal and practice perspectives.

This is an introductory level 4 module specifically designed to provide students with a broad based introduction to social policy and welfare. This will contribute to a sound academic basis for the study of early childhood, childhood and youth and sociology .

RATIONALE

This module seeks to introduce students of Early Childhood, Childhood and Youth and Sociology to the broad issues within social policy – its various key concepts, underlying ideologies and its scope to impact the lives of individuals and groups in society. Knowledge of these issues is invaluable to students who hope to go on to pursue careers in a range of professions that relate to the caring, heath and educational professions and to other careers working with a range of individuals and groups in society. It has been developed with reference to QAA Benchmarking Statements and will introduce students to some of the recent relevant social consequences of aspects of social care and welfare policy. This module is intended to provide a broad focus of study that will contribute significantly to the basis upon which theory, policy and practice may later be studied, understood and subjected to critical reflection in a range of level 5 and 6 modules.

The module will give students a basic of understanding of the complex web of systems and policy utilised by those who work with young children and their families. It will look at a range of service providers and include reference to the voluntary sector.

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The module establishes contexts for working with children and families where an understanding of the inter-relationship between different aspects of childhood is necessary in order to enable students to appreciate the importance of working in a reflective, multi-disciplinary and inter-professional way. The module will focus on the institutional contexts of working collaboratively with young children and their families and will introduce a variety of areas relating to provision for children and families for example education and care, health and well-being, safeguarding and child protection, principles of safeguarding, play and learning and incorporate such issues as equality and diversity, children’s rights and participation and principles of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

The key feature of this module is its emphasis on the inter-disciplinary understanding of childrens’ experiences and life contexts. It is designed to enable students to examine work with young people from theoretical, policy, legal and practice perspectives.

The module adheres to the 2022 Subject Benchmarks to ensure a career in a range of professions:

1.32 Undergraduate and postgraduate students in ECS courses recognise the political nature of the work in the field of early childhood addressing societal, historical and systemic inequalities, both in the workforce and among children and families. Taking social responsibility and acting as agents of change, they work within a philosophy of building and sustaining successful relationship with stakeholders and external agencies. As a part of their professional practice and advocacy, they challenge inequalities.

This module is an introduction to the art of thinking sociologically. Students will engage intensively with sociological theory in order to develop their ability to reflect on the challenges, choices and constraints that we all routinely face in our lives, and to explore the underlying assumptions and tacit expectations which structure our view of the world. The module will encourage students to defamiliarize their perceptions of their lives, to explore a range of sociological concepts and approaches, and to reason effectively about the relation of human agency and social structure. Students will gain an understanding of the main currents of sociological theory – classical and contemporary – i.e. how we create and sustain meaningful social relationships, organisations and systems, and how, in turn, those relations, organisations and systems impact on human agents.

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This 20 credit Level 4 module has three broad aims. First, to introduce students to the sociological ‘way of seeing’ as a combination of self-understanding, moral reflection and systemic analysis. Second, to provide a foundation of classical and contemporary sociological theories. Thirdly, to focus on academic reading skills and critical reasoning skills. Both are necessary in order to prepare students for level 5 work. A close reading of an accessible but demanding text, along with sustained shared-inquiry style seminar discussions will be used to support these goals. 

The module will introduce students to notions of professional work with children and young people including issues around interprofessional working, law and policy. It will introduce for discussion issues which may arise when working with young people as a professional and begin to unpick the contrasting notions of professionalism and managerialism.

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The module establishes contexts for working with children and families where an understanding of the inter-relationship between different aspects of childhood and youth is necessary in order to enable students to appreciate the importance of working in a reflective, multi-disciplinary and inter-professional way. The module will focus on the institutional contexts of working collaboratively with children, young people and their families and will introduce a variety of areas relating to provision for children, young people and families for example education, training work and care, health and well-being, safeguarding and child protection, principles of safeguarding, play and learning and incorporate such issues as equality and diversity, children’s rights and participation and principles of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

The key feature of this module is its emphasis on the inter-disciplinarily understanding of young people’s experiences and life contexts. It is designed to enable students to examine work with young people from theoretical, policy, legal and practice perspectives.

This module provides students with an overview of strategies  to promote equality and social justice for children in institutional settings. Those working with children and their families need to have an understanding of the social context of inequality and the relationship between equality and the undermining of rights. This module will explore and analyse processes of discrimination and oppression and focus on the ways in which practitioners and those working with children and families can promote equality in children’s settings as well as developing children’s awareness of issues relating to diversity and equality. It will also include focus on policy and practice with those children and their families who might be considered to come from some of the most marginalised sections of society. Although theoretically grounded, the module is cognisant of the importance of anti-oppressive practice in working with, children, young people and their families.

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At the core of the study of contemporary societies is the notion of equality and the movement towards a society that is more equal in the way in which rights are accorded and acknowledged. This has been extremely important in the development of welfare policy and provision in modern societies and it is also at the very core of equitable practice. It is therefore essential that those working with children and families have an understanding of how inequality is experienced on a personal level, but also how it is embedded at the cultural and structural levels of society, so they can seek to address it in their practice. Following QAA (2022) Benchmarks this module seeks enhance students’ employability in this respect, by exploring the concept of equality and associated concepts of rights and social justice, as well as examining what it means to work in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive way with children, young people and their families. Exploring different conceptions and theoretical critiques of equality, the module will consider the problems and contradictions inherent in the concept itself and the issues that arise when attempting to challenge discrimination and oppression when working with children and their families in institutional settings. 

From 2006 to the general election of 2010 the term ‘Broken Britain was used by the Conservative party to attack the New Labour government in describing a perceived widespread state of malaise and social decay in Britain. Tracing the origins of ‘Broken Britain’ discourse and examining the extent to which it can be applied in a contemporary context, the module provides a sociological and political analysis of current debates about the state of British society and whether aspects of it can be considered to be broken or not. Students will examine a range of different social and political issues to engage critically with the following kinds of questions: Is British politics broken? Was austerity necessary? What does it mean to be British? Is racism endemic in Britain? Is class still relevant in Britain? Does work pay for the poor in Britain? How broken is Britain?

RATIONALE The module follows on from SPY1110: Political Sociology at Level 4, to enable students to specialise in the sociological and political study of contemporary issues in British society. By engaging with competing perspectives and case studies exploring the forms of, causes, meaning, and solutions to the perceived  ‘brokenness’ of British society, the module will enable students to further develop skills in critical social, political and comparative analysis.

This module will provide the student with an understanding of the social work role in children and young people’s services. The module will examine the way that the needs of children impact on their position in family and society and how this impact affects their and their family’s/carers ability to navigate and articulate their experiences. The implications these features have for children and for family social work practice relating to both safeguarding and family support roles will be explored. 

Assessment, support, safeguarding and care are key roles in social work practice. A critical analysis will be provided of theory, policy and practice methods in these contexts. Looked After Children constitute a significant part of the caseload of children and families social workers and therefore the issues of fostering and adoption will also be critically explored in this module. There will be an emphasis on enabling the student to identify and acknowledge their personal beliefs and values in this area and those of the social work profession itself.

The module will reflect the current emphasis on inter-disciplinary approaches linking practice issues and theory across a range of settings, disciplines, legal and policy contexts. These contexts will be framed within the concepts of needs, rights and responsibilities as they apply to the state, the family, the child and the social work practitioner. 

With a necessarily vocational orientation, the module enables the student to develop reflective and analytical skills necessary to consider the challenges presented in the social work role of mediating the responsibilities of the state, the family and the individual. 

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The key feature of this module is its critical engagement with theory, policy and practice in social work with children and young people. There is an emphasis on the position of ‘the child’ and ‘children’s voices’. It is designed to enable students to examine the world of Children’s Services from a specifically social work perspective. A critical analytical approach will be taken to the contemporary ‘Children’s Agenda’ and concomitant organisational changes in service delivery.  Such an approach enables students to understand the importance of, and enhance their understanding of critical reflective practice and inter-agency working in modern children’s services, as well as how politics and the neo-liberal agenda impact on social work practice, policy and legislation.  

This module is designed to enable students to critically examine the world of children’s education. Lying at its heart is the claim that education is a political activity which confronts a range of issues to do with ideology, politics and values which in themselves function at a variety of different levels of power, status and influence. Topics include the marketization of education, the equal opportunities trap, educational philosophy and globalization and education. Students will focus on competing discursive narratives, which demonstrate the intensely political nature of education, teaching and learning. 

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A key aspect of the module is to critically explore the theoretical basis of educational provision and the manner in which educators both in formal and informal settings, are required to implement policies made elsewhere over which they may have little influence. As with the other level 6 modules in this programme the approach and the structure of the module enables students to understand the importance of, and begin to develop, reflective practice in modern children’s services. The module further develops prior understanding around educational philosophy and the political context of educational policy. 

It includes an historical dimension conveying the ways in which educational policy have evolved and changed according to broader ideological influences and political projects. A notable example here is a critical analysis of the marketization of education. The impact of such ideologies on important areas such as ideas of equal opportunities and inclusive education is also explored. Moreover the interrelationship between educational philosophy and the curriculum and forms of assessment is also explored.  The module also sets educational policy within the broader context of globalisation.  This includes how globalisation has informed educational policy and introduced new challenges for pedagogy. 

The module presents students with the opportunity to explore key social, political and cultural perspectives on children’s health and well-being. In recent years health promotion programmes have focussed on promoting good physical health, mental health and emotional wellbeing by encouraging children, young people and their families to develop healthy lifestyles and in so doing tackle health inequalities. This module provides students with the opportunity to critically analyse the knowledge base of what is commonly understood as children’s health and wellbeing as well as seeking to develop skills that will help develop reflective practice in this area. Opportunities will be provided to explore public health agendas and reflect upon current legislation, policy and the socio-political and cultural influences that impact on the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

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Appreciation and acknowledgement of the importance of health and well-being to children’s experiences of childhood is essential to the study of early childhood and childhood and youth for students who are hoping to enter the children’s workforce. Evidence suggests that there is a strong connection between health, inequality and poverty that begins at birth and continues throughout childhood into adulthood. This has been high on a policy agenda that has emphasised a need for a holistic approach to children’s health and wellbeing in practice with children and families. A clear understanding the issues that impact the health and wellbeing of children and young people is vital for those who work with children, young people and families. This module will provide that and encourage students to critically analyse approaches to children’s health and wellbeing by drawing on political and sociological theories. This will  enhance their employability by demonstrating their capacity to link theory to practice. and the theories, concepts and issues examined in the module allow students to understand and explore children’s health and well-being as a wide-ranging, complex and contested issue, socially, culturally and temporally contingent and thus open to question. 

Children and young people are constructed simultaneously as desexualised or pre-sexual beings and, therefore, in need of protection and, at the same time, young people, in particular, are portrayed as sexually ‘promiscuous’ or engaged in sexual ‘risk taking behaviour’.  This module will introduce students to the tensions between these contradictory constructions of youth sexuality and will explore the ways in which young people understand their sexuality and develop their sexual identity in a heteronormative society. Through the use of a number of case studies, students will critically explore the ways in which children and young people are ‘schooled’ into heterosexuality.

RATIONALE In recent years the idea of sex and sexuality as a natural and instinctual phenomenon has been challenged, at least in academia, if not in common-sense understandings. The ‘new history of sexuality’, known as social constructionism, began to challenge these assumptions about sexuality. Despite the challenges to the naturalised view of sexuality, common-sense understandings of sexuality persist – particularly the evolutionary model of sexuality – and viewing sexuality as something natural has important implications for the way we view childhood and sexuality. In other words, what we think is natural in terms of sex will, undoubtedly shape our view of what we think is natural for children with regards to sex. Are children naturally aware of sex or is it unnatural for children to be aware of sex at too young an age? Are children born with sexual feelings and the ability to experience sexual pleasure or is that something that develops over time and does it’s development coincide with the age of consent? The answers to questions like this will be shaped by how we view the period called childhood and youth and, in turn, will shape the way we respond to the very idea of childhood sexuality.

The module identifies and explores the major issues and debates of relevance to Sociology students within the discipline of psychology and sociology. In considering the importance and impact of developmental psychology on the study of childhood and youth the module focuses on cognitive development, attachment theory, personality theories and views of intelligence in psychology. It additionally addresses key perspectives in social psychology including theoretical perspectives concerning social identity and group processes, psychological explanations of aggression, attitude, and wider interpersonal influences.

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SPY1102 is an introductory module that provides a foundation and interdisciplinary wide introduction to those concentrating on Sociology. The module introduces students to theories and concepts central to the study of psychology and sociology and explores psychosocial explanations of many core issues. These include: childhood development and attachment theory, basic motives, attitudes, social and cognitive development in childhood, influences on behaviour, aggression, attitudes and attitude change. 

As graduates of Sociology may go on to work in quasi-clinical settings, (including the caring professions, teaching, childcare, the police, counselling, and social work), students need to be aware of the field of psychology as a whole. Some students also progress to post graduate study leading to full qualification for professional psychology. The psychological study of human behaviour will allow students to investigate the mechanisms and processes of how we perceive, think and attend to situations, relate to others and function in the wider world. 

The module aims “for graduates to be professionals who are critical thinkers, open minded, responsive, adaptable and can communicate, negotiate and influence decision making. Students are to be provided opportunities to develop: • creative problem-solving skills • negotiation and communication skills, including critical digital literacy • collaboration between children, colleagues, employers and students to develop knowledge and trustful relationships through mutual respect • open-mindedness through acknowledgement of diversity, capability, competencies, skills and knowledge, and support inter-dependent responsiveness in collaborative learning interactions

This module introduces Level 4 students to a series of important academic skills that will lay the foundation for successful study. The module requires students to explore their personal beliefs and attitudes towards a range of social issues. Visiting speakers will be invited to talk to the students about some of these issues and related social campaigns. The process will introduce students to the notion of reflective learning and practice which will be a crucial component of their future study and working lives. As well as self-reflection, the module requires that students work in teams. Again this builds important, transferable skills. Students will develop basic research skills in order to search for a range of sources related to a social issue of their choice. Working in teams, students will collect, describe and evaluate material and use their findings in order to inform the design of a leaflet and poster campaign in support of (or in opposition to) their chosen issue. This potentially enjoyable and creative process will furnish students with a foundational grounding in essential research skills: the ability to conduct research, evaluate evidence and analyse and disseminate findings.

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The rationale following QAA benchmarks for Sociology (2019) for this module is to furnish students with a wide range of transferable skills that will not only enhance their academic studies, but also contribute to their personal development and employability. Students will be introduced to a range of social issues and campaigns and, through this process, will be encouraged to question their personal values. The module will offer students the opportunity to develop foundational research methods and data evaluation skills. These are crucial skills in terms of their academic study thus the module provides a strong foundation for learning at levels five and six. Successful completion of this module will develop the following skills highly valued in the graduate labour market:  digital literacy, literacy, complex problem solving/resourcefulness, planning and organisation including project management, creative and innovative thinking, reflective skills, communication,  influencing/negotiating skills, teamwork, collaboration skills, adaptability and flexibility, resilience, confidence and accepting of responsibility, self-motivated, positive ‘can do’ attitude, professional (ie: appearance, time management, self-management, working under pressure), empathy, inclusivity, intercultural competence. Students will learn to work in a team and to apply the knowledge they have gained through the creative process of designing materials for a social campaign of their choice. They will be well supported in this process through a series of seminars and tutorials.

This module introduces students to sociological ways of understanding the everyday, the mundane and the often taken-for-granted topics or issues, which constitute our ‘ordinary and ‘normal’ lives. These include the domestic arena and the home, the street, love, sex and friendships, our emotions, shopping and consumption, leisure and hobbies, health and illness, and our understanding and use of time and silence, and are often lay interpreted in very colloquial and common-sense ways. This module concentrates theoretically on how micro sociological perspectives enable us to destabilise and disrupt our common-sense understandings of everyday issues, although links are made between the different levels of micro, meso and macro sociology, to enable students to comprehend their interactions and multidirectional. These micro sociological perspectives, such as symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology, which concentrate on proximal meanings, interpretation and symbolism, are explained at a comprehensible introductory level, which can be built upon throughout later years of the degree. They are then linked with sociologists whose interests are in conceptualising and theorising the everyday such as Dorothy Smith, Susie Scott, David Karp and William Yoels and Maurizio Ghisleni.

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This module introduces students to how they can understand and appraise normative everyday issues and occurrences, which they themselves are likely to have experienced directly or indirectly. The rationale for the module is to enthuse and incite curiosity in students about these typical events that they may have never thought about before in a sociologically informed way.  In essence the students will be supported to make the familiar unfamiliar or render the ordinary strange, and to conceptualise ordinary issues in novel and analytical ways. By drawing on micro sociological perspectives and showing their links to mesa and macro sociological perspectives, the discipline is studied from the bottom up rather than from the top down. This will enable students to see how small-scale interactions, which they themselves may often have been involved with, can impact upon broader social constructions and norms and vice versa.

The overarching topic and concept of this module is that of children’s cultural practices. That is, the kinds of practices and resources that children make use of in conducting their own activities and organizing their own social relationships. Critical to understanding the experience and attitudes of children is an understanding of them as social actors with a culture which is worthy of study in its own right. This module also seeks to retain the sense that adult participation in and regulation of children’s cultural worlds, whether for the purpose of enrichment of children’s lives or with the aim of protecting them from harm, is often perceived by children themselves as an imposition. Accordingly, the module seeks to encourage the development of an analytic sensibility and a sensitivity in the interpretation of children’s cultural worlds such that students come to recognise the need for reflexivity in their work with children. 

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Children’s cultural worlds are part of all our pasts, and yet are already alien and easily misunderstood once we are adults. Therefore, this module provides the space for an examination of the everyday experiences and cultural worlds of childhood. This is an important component of any programme of studies that has an interest in childhood. Accordingly, the module seeks to develop both the students’ substantive understanding of key dimensions of children’s cultural worlds, and also to develop a reflective approach to the study of them. By engaging with literature from key figures in the field who share a methodological commitment to understanding children’s cultural worlds from within, students are encouraged to reflect upon aspects of children’s cultural practices in order to gain an insight into how children experience the world and how aspects of it are constructed by them. Furthermore, in so doing, the module encourages students to reflect on the ways in which adult participation and regulation of children’s cultural worlds might be experienced by them as an imposition. In this respect, the module also has vocational value, since it encourages an attitude where students see themselves as participants in the processes whereby children’s worlds are governed and intervened in. 

This module is for students interested in children’s food practices, environmental issues and the links between the two. It introduces the analysis of children’s food practices and relations with animals and the environment under the rubric of understanding connections between children, childhood and nature. Topics include food practices in schools, food poverty, children and climate change and child-animal relations.  These topics provide rich areas for investigating important developments in early childhood studies including children’s agency, voice and rights; children’s health; childhood consumption and children’s ethical engagement with the natural world. The module also illuminates debates on educational philosophy and, following Moss (2014), exploring childhood as a time and space for democratic and ecological renewal.

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The relationship between children and food is currently high on the political agendas of many countries particularly in relation to matters such as school meals, childhood obesity and children’s exposure to marketing (media discourses) of various kinds. Food is frequently consumed in social contexts and, even when consumed alone, the meanings attached the food are socially and culturally mediated. Childhood is also now constructed as a time to change the societal relationship with food for example in terms of healthier nutrition and improved well-being, its relationship with childhood development and in addressing knowledge of where and how food is produced. Food practices are further important to power relations in the family and in a broader societal sense. We also perform various identities via the food we consume. It is, therefore, worthy of sociological investigation. 

Although often overlooked as mundane and everyday phenomena, food practices and the relationships associated with food in childhood offer important insights into children’s cultural worlds. This module explores the ways in which food practices and, especially, those in the family and institutions, operate as powerful mechanisms of socialisation. We will also consider how children are able to exercise agency and resistance through their use of food and, in particular through their rejection of particular types of food.

Our food relations are also inescapably part of our interrelationship and interdependency with the broader material world. There is much policy interest around the sustainability of our food habits and initiatives to ‘bring nature’ into childhood education often involve food as well as other ways to bring the experience of education in closer contact with ‘nature’. Thus this course also examines arguments for and case studies of the greening of education and the overall sustainability agenda for educational policy. Specifically the module also focuses upon the ethical import of climate change to the experience of childhood. 

This is a level 5 module designed to bridge the world of higher education with the world of work, providing an opportunity for students to apply theory and disciplinary specialist knowledge to practical experience within a work-based setting. In addition to undertaking a work-based placement students will explore the changing context of work and the labour market, theoretical perspectives of work-based learning and alternative approaches to graduate employability.

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Much that has taken place in higher education over the years has supported the promotion of employability – and this is a continuing feature of the higher education landscape. This module is intended to provide social science students with the opportunity to undertake a work-based learning experience, to explore the practical application of their disciplinary knowledge to the changing context of the work-place and to enhance and develop skills to increase prospects for future employability. In reflecting on their experience and activity within an approved setting and how sociological understandings and skills interpret and elucidate that activity, students will develop a deeper sense of the value of experiential learning and gain valuable experience for future employability.

This module focuses on how we understand, make sense and meanings of and act upon cultural understandings of the globalised world. We are increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of the local, national and global, through cultural and representational forms, commodities and discourses. How do we make sense of them? What traditional and often prejudicial discourses exist, and how far do more recent post-colonial cultural analyses act effectively to engage these prejudicial discourses? How do we gain a sense of what is global and what is local, and how do we make comparative and critical examinations of past and present, and begin to speculate on futures, on the basis of distinct and contrasting cultural analyses? This module will look at how both media and representational practices make meanings, generate understandings and act on them in contemporary societies, with a particular focus on recognising the importance of post-colonial cultural critiques and critical discourse analysis as means of looking below the surface of our globalised world.

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This level 5 module provides a strong basis for the use of cultural analysis to interrogate questions of global meanings and understandings and their representation in contemporary societies. From notions of imperialism, colonialism and post-colonialism, to notions of clashes of civilisations, to notions of multi-culturalism and living in diverse societies, this module provides both a global awareness important to any graduate in the 21st Century with the analytical tools to deconstruct and evaluate cultural texts. As such, it contributes to the skills, intellectual development and curriculum of programmes with cultural analysis at their core. Furthermore, the module incorporates the assertion from the 2019 Sociology QAA benchmark document that ‘sociological knowledge provides a basis for examining and evaluating all social constructions, including social, public, and civic policy. It informs interventions and strategies for dealing with social problems at the local and global level and enables innovative thinking about remaking social worlds’. For example it does this by underlining how everyday social experiences are informed by distant economic, political and cultural practices.

The module provides a critical examination of professions, professional identity and professional practice in the context of services for children, young people, families and communities (the so-called ‘people’ or ‘caring professions’). Particular emphasis is given to the relationship between theory, policy and practice, enabling students to critically engage with such ideas, concepts and issues as professional power, partnership, inter-professional and multi-agency working, and anti-oppressive, reflective and `critical practice’. Throughout, the aim is to provide opportunities for critical analysis of the links and relationship between theory, policy and practice and to encourage the use of learning from previous experience and earlier modules.

RATIONALE Many who undertake undergraduate degrees do so as a step towards professional status, but they do not always ask what a profession is or what professionalism and being a professional might mean or entail. The module provides students with the opportunity to consider and critically analyse discourses underpinning professional practice in work with children, young people and families in different settings and professional contexts including education, social work, health and social care, and youth and community work.

The module focuses on the study of education through the physical medium. Through theoretical input and practical sessions, the expectations and requirements of current National Curriculum and school sport provision will be investigated and developed. This practical teaching module emphasises and fosters links with the Core Competency Framework that may be further developed through postgraduate programmes such as PGCE or other related professional studies for those wishing to work in physical education, school sport or other related settings.

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The purpose of this module is to develop students’ knowledge, skills and understanding of their own pedagogic practice with regards to a range of practical activities. Prospective teachers need to become aware of a number of competencies that impact upon their effectiveness as a practitioner. This module will extend the breadth and depth of students’ knowledge and understanding regarding the practical application of teaching.

Overall, the module will help develop a secure foundation upon which to proceed towards more complex elements of teaching physical education/sport, explored and developed in level 5 and level 6 modules.

This module requires students to become familiar with the academic conventions of studying in higher education. They will be expected to become proficient with expected standards of referencing and submission of work, thinking and writing in a critically analytical manner, and identifying appropriate literature from books, journals and other appropriate sources to inform their work. Students will also be introduced to important ways of searching relevant databases inside and beyond physical education and school sports contexts. Key skills required within modules at all levels and beyond for effective learning, presentation and assessment will be introduced and developed.

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This module will help prepare students for their academic studies at university by familiarising them with important academic conventions and employers’ needs and expectations. These include, among others, specific tasks on: critical reading, writing for an academic and practitioner audience, searching for appropriate academic material, referencing, and evidence appraisal. It will also develop skills of working with others, in researching aspects of PESS and in presenting research findings. Advice on managing the transition from further to higher education will inform all aspects of the provision and students will be given the opportunity to explore potential career opportunities and pathways at the outset of their programme of study.

The module provides students with a basic understanding of the developmental processes that a child undergoes from birth through to physical maturity. This is further combined with an understanding of movement skills, their classification and the sequential manner in which they are achieved through to adolescence. To improve and develop their understanding, the module will provide students with the observational and practical skills necessary to assess the motor capabilities of young children. Reflecting on current research should enable students to rationalise the need for application of this knowledge to developing children, in order that their full potential as a physically literate individual is possible. Knowledge of the developing child, related influences and the impact such understanding may have on planning and teaching physical activity sessions should benefit those seeking to join most child-centred professions, particularly teachers and coaches.

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Students undertaking a physical education degree programme need to understand the way in which children grow and how this growth and their development is inextricably linked to the acquisition of motor skills. A knowledge and understanding of these factors will allow the physical education student and teacher to develop the necessary teaching materials to ensure the children learn the relevant skills at an appropriate time. The focus of the module is to enable students to acquire the necessary observational, theoretical, and practical skills to identify and understand motor skill ability in children. The module will build this knowledge by highlighting the sequential nature of growth and motor development and underpin this by relevant fundamental concepts. Additionally, observation and identification of motor skill development will be carried out using ICT software (utilised in sporting situations) and a variety of visual sources to enhance and improve observational ability. This module should underpin their knowledge of motor skill performance and therefore its’ application to learning throughout the degree, most particularly in practical situations.

This module will introduce students to the conventions of studying in higher education. Students will be expected to reflect upon their previous experiences of education whilst also thinking strategically about their future study and work in sport and physical activity. This will enable a facilitation of a new and more critical approach to thinking and study about sport and physical activity. Students will develop the ability to use academic literature, research, concepts and arguments to provide a more critical and reasoned assessment of sport and physical activity related issues and topics. They will learn to communicate their new critical thoughts about sport and physical activity using expected academic referencing and citation styles.

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Rather than taking sport and physical activity and their related issues and topics at face value, employers expect graduates to be critically minded, inquisitive and informed. Through the module, students will think differently about areas and topics within sport and in doing so, be able to provide reasoned and informed views about sport, the industry in which they hope to work. Doing so will allow students to appreciate the opportunities within the industry and connected careers whilst assisting them in understanding the expected standards of university study. The module is an important starting point for all student work and thus, the module will instigate new and interesting ideas about sport that could be pursued further in their future independent research.

This module will allow students to engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards several CIMSPA professional standards (Entry Manager, Working with Inactive People, Working in the Community Environment).This module develops in students a theoretical and empirically-based understanding of the policy process and the realities that emerge from it in sport and physical activity. Students are introduced to how sport is organised and administered in the UK using examples from community and elite sport and physical activity provision. The role of volunteers and volunteer managers is examined with regard to their role in policy implementation and the provision of sport and physical activity. The module also introduces students to the ways in which sporting programmes are expected to address wider government objectives and how sporting events might be leveraged to achieve broader social outcomes.

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To enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for the organisation and management of sport and physical activity and how these align to the relevant CIMSPA professional standards associated with the module (Entry Manager, Working with Inactive People, Working in the Community Environment), it is important students understand the nature of policy processes and decisions that underpin provision. Students also need to understand the relationship between evidence, policy and politics and how these interact with other decisions made by local policy actors ‘on the ground’, especially given this impacts significantly on graduates pursuing entry level jobs. The module provides students with an opportunity to understand the rather complex and changing sporting landscape in the UK. 

This module aids students in developing a theoretical understanding of models-based practice used in physical education and school sport. Through a focus on the pedagogical principles of sport education, cooperative learning, teaching games for understanding, social and emotional learning, inquiry-based learning and technology enhanced learning, students will critically analyse models-based practice to make informed decisions about how best to enhance pupil learning in physical education and school sport. Students will also be expected to plan, deliver and critically reflect on the use of models-based practice in physical education and school sport.

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It is essential that students develop the pedagogical content knowledge and skills that enable them to teach and engage learners in a variety of educational contexts. Models-based practices have been advocated as vehicles for overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches to teaching and learning in physical education and school sport, which place too much emphasis on the physical domain of learning and the development of sport-related technique. An exploration of the theory and application of models-based practice will allow students to ensure that the learners they work with will develop socially, cognitively and affectively, as well as physically.  

The module develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the anatomical, physiological and biomechanical principles underpinning Physical Education. Students will also explore concepts of training and adaptions that occur during prolonged physical activity. Students will be equipped with the knowledge, understanding and practical skills for developing scientifically informed practice within a physical education setting.

RATIONALE

Students require knowledge and understanding of the anatomical, physiological and biomechanical principles underpinning Physical Education so that they can plan, prepare and deliver suitably structured inclusive lessons for a wide variety of participants.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Entry Manager professional standard. Students will understand the interrelationships between sport management and marketing and develop a clear awareness of the strategic opportunities and challenges of designing and running a sports business. Building upon knowledge developed at Level 4 of key concepts, the module also introduces students to key theories and trends in sport marketing, sales and customer service, and makes clear how this insight enables them to understand and segment key sports markets and customers.

RATIONALE

Building upon the contextual and conceptual knowledge developed at Level 4, students need to be aware of the growing and changing demands of the sports industry in various contexts, particularly in relation to the marketing and performance of sports businesses. Students need to be aware of how businesses seek to gain a competitive advantage in the local, national and global sports marketplace and how, in these contexts, organisations seek to understand and engage their markets and customers. Understanding these issues is important to help enable students to further develop the knowledge, understanding and skills which underpin the CIMSPA Entry Manager professional standard.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Entry Manager and Health Navigator professional standards. The module introduces students to the key planning processes and procedures required in event management (human resource management, marketing and sales, finance and budgeting, health and safety, logistics and evaluation). Working as part of a group, the students will obtain valuable experience of planning and delivering events for local communities and will develop knowledge and skills relevant for a range of sports-related careers. Students will also gain experience of examining the effectiveness of planning a sporting event and the key management processes involved.

RATIONALE

To enable students to further develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for organising and managing sport and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Entry Manager and Health Navigator, this module develops key principles introduced at Level 4 and applies them to the planning and delivery of sport-based events in ‘real-life’ practical settings. This module meets the growing demands by the sports industry for graduates who need to be able to apply key theoretical ideas and concepts of event management planning in practical, ‘real-life’ settings. In doing so, students need to become familiar with the key processes and procedures involved in sport management and the ways in which these can be used in the planning, organisation and delivery of a sports event.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment professional standards. The module introduces students to health promotion theory in sport and physical activity. The module requires students to consider the complex biological, social and environmental factors that influence and explain participation in sport and physical activity. In doing so, students examine theoretical approaches to understand behaviour, and explore effectiveness of these theories and approaches in sport and physical activity contexts. Students will also begin to apply these principles to real-world settings.

RATIONALE

Building on the foundational knowledge and understanding of sport, physical activity and health students developed at Level 4, students are required to further develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for managing health through sport and physical activity and how this aligns to the CIMSPA professional standards for Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment. This module therefore provides students with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the use of theory in health promotion and sport and physical activity settings. The module broadens students’ understanding of health by moving beyond prevalence and the measurement of health behaviours and focuses on how to effectively change behaviour to increase participation amongst the general population and specific sub-groups.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Coach professional standard.  The module considers the preparation and continuing professional development of sports coaches. The module will consider the professionalisation of sports coaching, communities of practice, as well as their own experiences of learning in formal, informal and non-formal situations.  The module will address coach learning, the purpose of coach education, the role of the coach educator and how coach learners acquire knowledge about practice. Students will address existing coach education and continuing learning and development practices by reviewing policy and curricular documentation as well as empirical research evidence.

RATIONALE

To enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for coach learning and how this aligns to the CIMSPA Coach professional standards, learning for the profession, coach education and continual learning and development have all been identified as important means of raising the standard of coaching provision and professionalisation. A key feature of a coach educator’s work is to support the learning and development of coach learners and so it is essential that students give consideration to curriculum development issues such as course content, methods of delivery and related modes of assessment. Such demands require students to understand a variety of learning theories as well as the approach to the structuring and maintenance of the learning environment, as well as the assessment of coach learners. It is also important for students to reflect upon their own learning journeys and critical events with regard to how they have shaped their beliefs about practice, learning, and facilitation of their own, and others’, practice.

Informed by relevant academic theory, concepts and evidence developed at levels 4 and 5, this module enables students to obtain ‘real life’ experience to enhance their awareness and understanding of the needs of sport-related sectors by engaging students in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment professional standards. This module enables students to develop their understanding of how to design, deliver, evaluate and manage health-based programmes in sport and physical activity. Students will conduct their own independent research to assess the need for, and expected outcomes of, a health-based sport and physical activity programme of their choice. Students will be encouraged to make use of their foundational and theoretical knowledge developed at Level 4 and 5 to construct a theory for how their programme would seek to improve health. This programme theory should clearly inform the students’ design of a health-based sport and physical activity programme. The remainder of the module focuses on the issues associated with programme delivery and management, while also seeking to determine the effectiveness of sport and physical activity health promotion programmes.

RATIONALE

This modules enables students to apply their knowledge, understanding and skills required for developing health-based programmes in community settings and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment. Having developed their foundational and theoretical knowledge of sport, physical activity and health at Level 4 and 5, this module provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to a health-based sport and physical activity case study programme. Doing so requires that students develop a clear programme theory that informs the design, delivery, management and evaluation of a health-based sport and physical activity programme. This additional applied knowledge and understanding as part of this module will prepare students for a wide range of future employment opportunities in the delivery and management of health promotion programmes.

This module provides an introduction to Biomechanics in the context of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Sport and Exercise Biomechanics ultimately aims to improve sports performance, enhance the effectiveness of strength and conditioning exercise, and prevent sport- and exercise-related injury. Biomechanics is, in fact, a multidisciplinary science that encompasses elements of anatomy, kinesiology, mechanics, physics, and some mathematics. The module is divided into 5 parts: Underpinning skills; Biomechanics tools; Sports Biomechanics; Exercise Biomechanics; Injury prevention; and Applied Biomechanics. Students obtain hands-on experience in anatomy and kinesiology, video analysis and force plate analysis for the evaluation of technique in sport and exercise, and the measurement of the loads and forces that lead to musculoskeletal injury. In this module, students refine their scientific writing skills.

Rationale

This module aims to enhance the students’ knowledge of anatomy and familiarises them with fundamental concepts of mechanics and physics that apply to the study of human movement. Biomechanics tools such as qualitative and quantitative video analysis and the force platform are used in laboratory sessions for the analysis of technique in sport, the assessment of muscle function during strength training and conditioning exercises, and the enquiry into injury prevention. The module promotes the acquisition of basic research and scientific writing skills. Thus, this module aims to provide an introduction to such applications of biomechanics and to lay a solid foundation for more advanced modules in sport and exercise biomechanics.

This module introduces students to the discipline of sport and exercise psychology. It aims to provide students with knowledge of key concepts and theories. Key topics focused on within this module include an overview of fundamental psychological theories and perspectives, personality and motivational theory, and emotions in sport and exercise. Students will also be introduced to basic measurement tools and methods. This module will be of direct relevance to students wishing to develop an understanding of sport and exercise psychology.

Rationale

This module is designed to provide students with an introduction to the scientific study of sport and exercise psychology. It provides the knowledge of underlying concepts and principles within the discipline and introduces the student to the study of sport performance and exercise participation from a psychological perspective. This knowledge will provide a foundation of understanding of sport and exercise psychology necessary to underpin further study within this subject area.  Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate their knowledge of core areas, as well as present, analyse, evaluate and interpret data to develop sound lines of argument.

This module will provide students with an introduction to the essential pedagogical nature of PESS practitioners’ work. It will make students aware of the fundamental assumptions underpinning a selection of key learning theories, as well as developing their knowledge of how these theories could be applied to facilitate and assess learning in physical education and school sport settings. Students will also become familiar with the issues and practices surrounding the creation and maintenance of positive learning environments. The module not only requires students to examine and apply relevant theory to pedagogical practice in physical education and school sport, but it also encourages them to reflect upon its use in the quest to achieve the desired educational outcomes.

RATIONALE

As the fundamental premise of a physical educator’s work is to promote and support the learning of others, it is essential that students develop knowledge and skills related to the facilitation, management, and assessment of learning in physical education and school sport settings. This requires them to not only have a comprehension of a variety of learning theories and knowledge related to the structuring and maintenance of positive learning environments, but also an appreciation of the ways in which they might assess the understanding and skills of the learners in their charge. This module will provide the foundational knowledge for the subsequent analysis of contemporary and sociological pedagogical issues that will be explored at Level 5 and level 6.

This module provides an introduction to concepts and issues related to physical activity and health in the context of schools and young people. Students will be enabled to assimilate and apply policy and research evidence to further their understanding of the relationships between young people’s school-based physical activity and associated health outcomes.

RATIONALE

Physical inactivity, increasing prevalence of sedentary behaviours, and the continued rise in chronic health conditions linked to hypokinetic lifestyles are current global health issues. Students involved in Physical Education and School Sport may prospectively be involved in the delivery of physical activities with young people, and therefore could be in a position to influence their physical activity-related lifestyle behaviours. Knowledge and understanding of key concepts and issues related to the applied study of physical activity and health within the context of schools is therefore critical to enable students to positively impact on health and wellbeing. Moreover, to be able to evaluate physical activity and health initiatives and programmes, students require an understanding of the design, implementation, and evaluation of school-based physical activity interventions. This module aims to provide students with a clear understanding of young people’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and health concepts and trends, and how these are influenced and shaped at the school level by personal, organisational, biological, social, and policy-related factors.

The aim of this module is to facilitate student understanding of relevant psychological and sociological issues within the context of Physical Education and School Sport. By undertaking this module, students will develop an awareness of core psychological and sociological theories used to explain aspects of human behaviour related to physical education and school sport.

RATIONALE

The physical education experiences of children and young people are shaped by individual and social factors. These influence the ways in which pupils engage in physical education and school sport. By studying this module, students will develop the foundational knowledge and understanding of how psychological and sociological theories can be used by teachers and other educational practitioners to reflect on the construction of identity, and to create a physical education environment that is conducive to learner engagement. 

In this module, students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Entry Manager and Health Navigator professional standards. The module introduces students to key theories and concepts in studies of leadership in the public, commercial and non-profit sectors for sport. It will also enable students to become aware of the key leadership practices in sport management contexts with a particular focus on managing people and performance, and develop in students an awareness of how leadership theories connect to practice. Students will also be introduced to key principles of effective team dynamics and relations between leaders, managers and other employees. This will include the leadership and management of paid staff and the voluntary workforce (including board members).

RATIONALE

To enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for leadership in sport management and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Entry Manager and Health Navigator, students need to develop a foundational understanding of how to work in the sport and physical activity industry as an effective leader and manager. Students also need to develop an awareness of the context of leadership practices and organisational cultures which inform the management of communication, performance, risk, and how these underpin effective team working and decision making. This will be important in providing students with an introduction to modules at Level 5 which focus on the management of people and change, and how these are linked to current practice in sport management.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment professional standards. This module introduces students to the complex relationships between sport, physical activity and health. The first half of the module focuses on developing students understanding of health-related behaviours and markers of health (e.g. mental wellbeing, physical fitness, body composition) and how these can be measured. The remainder of the module seeks to develop students’ knowledge of the potential contribution of sport and physical activity to all domains of health (e.g. physical, psychological and social) and specific health conditions. In doing so, students are also required to reflect on how those working in the sport sector may seek to deliver sport and physical activity in a way that is inclusive and encourages participation among new and inactive groups.

RATIONALE

The use of sport and physical activity as a means of improving population health, particularly among those who are inactive, is an important priority for policymakers and practitioners in sport management and coaching and beyond. Accordingly, graduates need to be aware of the key measures of sport, physical activity and health, the potential contribution of sport and physical activity to health and specific health conditions, and how sport and physical activity can be made more appealing to those who are inactive and for whom the greatest health benefits can be achieved. This is particularly important at a time when boundaries being the sport, health and other sectors are becoming increasingly blurred and all sport workers are expected to have a basic awareness of prominent health conditions and, at a community level, to ensure that sport participation contributes to improvements in public health. This module will therefore enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for understanding sport, physical activity and health and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Working with Inactive People, Health Navigator and Working in the Community Environment.

SPT1932* Introduction to Kinesiology

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE

This module will introduce the base elements of Kinesiology, helping students understand the physical and mechanical principles that determine movement and interaction with objects during exercise and sports performance. The module will introduce students’ to key concepts such as force, mass, speed, velocity, acceleration, momentum and will explore how they enable us to describe and understand movement and musculoskeletal injury. Students will gain hands-on experience in video analysis and force plate analysis for the evaluation of technique and the measurement of loads and forces that lead to musculoskeletal injury.

RATIONALE

The module aims to enhance the students’ knowledge of the fundamental concepts of mechanics and physics that apply to the study of human movement, injury prevention and injury rehabilitation. Movement analysis tools such as qualitative and quantitative video analysis, force platform analysis, assessment of muscle function during strength training and conditioning exercises, and the enquiry into injury prevention will be introduced in this module. Thus, the module aims to provide an introduction to such applications in sports therapy practice.

SPT1933* Introduction to Exercise Therapy

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE This module will provide students with knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of implementing exercise, games, and activities for a healthy population. The environment used will be a mixture of gymnasium, pool, and outdoor practical spaces providing students with a wide range of practice-based settings in which they will begin to develop their exercise as rehabilitation skills. The key areas of focus for the module will be the initial personal characteristics of the student in terms of voice, manner, enthusiasm, reaction to situations and events to more organisational skills such as time management, planning and preparation of

certain tasks. Students will be expected to use their own initiative and imagination in developing game/activity plans for pairs, small groups and team related games and activities and to be able to reflect on the outcome of these tasks.

RATIONALE

This module aims to prepare and develop foundation knowledge from which students can utilise a more applied approach and strategy for the management of the injured athlete in terms of rehabilitation and the development of exercise programmes as they progress through more advanced modules in sport and exercise rehabilitation. This module will help develop students’ confidence and practical skills to initiate a progressive exercise rehabilitation programme.

This module builds on the foundations module at Level 4 and focuses on current issues relevant to children and young people’s physical activity and health. Students will become familiar with a range of contemporary issues relevant to physical activity, fitness, sedentary behaviour, and health indicators among children and young people. Measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour will be examined as will physical activity and health from the perspective of specific populations such as pre-school children and adolescent girls.

RATIONALE

Concerns about physical inactivity and prevalence of negative health indicators, such as obesity and diabetes among children and young people are widespread in contemporary society. This module provides students with an awareness of current issues pertaining to the study of youth physical activity and health. To better understand the issues articulated by the research literature in this area, students need a critical and applied understanding of how physical activity, physical fitness, and sedentary behaviours are measured. In addition to developing their knowledge and understanding of physical activity and health, students seeking employment in Physical Education or physical activity promotion should be able to translate their understanding into practice. This module aims to provide students with this capability through application of theory to real-world scenarios.

In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Entry Manager and Health Navigator professional standards. Students will apply knowledge of management and leadership in the sport and physical activity industry developed at Level 4 and use this to develop their competence in leadership. The module also develops in students’ further knowledge of human resource management processes and focuses on how sport and physical activity industry professionals manage change in the complex and challenging public, commercial and non-profit sector environments.

RATIONALE

Building upon the foundational knowledge and understanding of sports leadership and management developed at Level 4, it is important that students need to further develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they have for human resource management and organisational change and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Entry Manager and Health Navigator. It is also important that students develop the required skills and practices needed to manage people and organisational change. To this end, the module enables students to relate insight from studies of management practice in the sport and physical activity industry to real world experiences of management in complex and challenging environments.

In this module, students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Coach and Working with Inactive People professional standards.  The module builds upon the learning that took place at Level 4 and earlier modules undertaken at Level 5. In particular, students will consider the pedagogical complexity of coaching and understand how to apply this to their own practice. To this end, students will explore a number of topics related to motivational coaching climates, team cohesion, as well as the development of individuals via specific methods and behaviours within practice. The module will be underpinned by a problem-based approach that will encourage students to use both knowledge of theory and empirical research to address a variety of everyday coaching scenarios with individuals and groups. 

RATIONALE

To enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for coaching and how these align to the CIMSPA Coach and Working with Inactive People professional standards, overall approaches to the cultivation of team cohesion and the facilitation of athlete or client learning and development are outcomes that coaches, working across a range of populations, abilities and levels are expected to pursue. Students are required to develop an understanding of how they might develop an appropriate motivational coaching climate through the strategic management of practice conditions and approach methods via their coach behaviours and instructional feedback. In this module, students will explore how these outcomes might be pursued in relation to their chosen sport and applied to individuals and groups.

The module will look at how these organizations are managed, and how practitioners effectively engage with the populations they seek to develop, and for what purposes and with what outcomes.  In this module students will engage in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMPSA Coach, Coaching Assistant, Working in the Community Environment, Health Navigator and Working with Inactive People professional standards.  The module enhances students’ analysis and understanding of approaches to facilitating the development of differentiated coaching practice with individuals and groups in a range of delivery contexts. The module prepares students wishing to work in community and performance sport contexts, schools as well as club environments by providing them with opportunities to engage in real world coaching settings with participants. In doing so, students will become familiar with the existing policy context of community and performance (sport) development. 

RATIONALE

To enable students to begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for coaching diverse populations and how these align to the CIMPSA Coach, Coaching Assistant, Working in the Community Environment, Health Navigator and Working with Inactive People professional standards, it is important students are aware of the increased political interest and investment in elite and community sport development.  Students also need to be aware of the most effective practices used to identify and work with key target population groups, and how their different needs and experiences can be addressed in the real world such as school settings, community and performance environments. It is therefore vital that students are adequately prepared to work within these rapidly changing and dynamic area of employment via an understanding of the theoretical and empirical problems with which they will be faced.

Informed by relevant academic theory, concepts and evidence developed at levels 4 and 5, this module enables students to obtain ‘real life’ experience to enhance their awareness and understanding of the needs of sport-related sectors by engaging them in activities that will enable them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work towards the CIMSPA Coach, Entry Manager and Working in the Community Environment professional standards. This module enables students to consider the wellbeing of the sports workforce (from community to professional level sport, and in sport and physical activity organisations in the volunteer, public and private sectors), how this can be promoted and compromised, and how to manage this. Students will explore the working and broader social contexts of sports workers’ (e.g. participants, coaches, support staff, clients) lives and the associated implications for their wellbeing and organisational practice in relation to wellbeing, ethics and duty of care. More specifically, students will be explore the various demands and expectations placed on the workforce as well as how their networks of social relations can positively and negatively impact on a sports worker’s sense of self, felt emotions, and psycho-social wellbeing.

RATIONALE

This modules enables students to apply their knowledge, understanding and skills required for working with athletes and managing people and how these align to the CIMSPA professional standards for Coach, Entry Manager and Working in the Community Environment. Having developed their foundational and theoretical knowledge of coaching, leadership and management at Levels 4 and 5, this module provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to real-life case studies. Coaches, assistant coaches, entry managers, and strength and conditioning trainers are required to work in teams (as well as on their own) and interact with a range of key stakeholders (e.g. participants, coaches, support staff, clients) whilst enacting their respective roles. The quality of communication and associated social relations between workers and other people plays an important part in the day-to-day functioning of sport and physical activity organisations and in organisations which use sport to address wider social outcomes. It is therefore particularly important to prepare students for the everyday realities of sports work and employee welfare, and their implications for duty of care and ethics.

This module will allow students to critically consider the complexities of learning environments within the context of physical education and school sport. Underpinned by contemporary pedagogical theories, students will develop a critical understanding of the negotiated processes that practitioners face in developing and maintaining effective learning environments. Through an examination of socialisation processes, students will examine the opportunities, challenges, constraints and choices routinely faced by practitioners of physical education and school sport. They will be expected to reflect critically upon the interactions and micropolitics of cooperation, contestation and conflict routinely faced by practitioners in teaching and learning environments, and consider how this may impact upon their future praxis.

Rationale

Using a pedagogical perspective, the module will give students the ability to develop a critical understanding of the physical education and school sport world. It offers students the opportunity to scrutinise how the relations of power, authority and control are manifested within physical education and school sport environments, while continuing to broaden an understanding of the influences of social processes previously examined at Level 5. Therefore, it is anticipated that the module will provide an intellectual platform from which the student can extend their critical understanding of the constraints and challenges faced by physical education and school sport practitioners working in performative settings and offer insights into how they successfully interpret and manage social interactions. The module will give students the knowledge and understanding of these environments and develop their confidence in recognising and challenging taken for granted assumptions around practices of normalisation. This will allow students opportunities to critically examine differences between authoritative pedagogies of necessity and those of positivity and appreciative enquiry. Such knowledge and the criticality this will facilitate is crucial into developing autonomous critical thinkers who can operate positively and effectively across a range of vocational contexts while giving students confidence in successfully managing their future interactions within a range of educational environments.