Undergraduate

Introducing the social sciences - part one

On this page

• What you will study
• Entry
• If you have a disability or additional requirement
• Study materials
• Teaching and assessment
• Students also studied
• Future availability

This key introductory Level 1 course provides an approachable and contemporary introduction to the disciplines and subjects that form the social sciences, as well as the questions and issues that social scientists investigate and explore. Together with Introducing the social sciences – part two (DD132), it presents the same study materials as the 60-credit Level 1 course Introducing the social sciences (DD101), but allows you to work at a more gradual pace. Both parts tackle everyday issues in an approachable way, so that you can build on what you already know and gain a solid grounding in study techniques and social science skills and debates.

Course facts

Register for the course

This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

This course is an ideal introduction to the social sciences – psychology, social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology – through study of contemporary UK society. Using a blend of text, audio, DVD and online materials, you’ll explore a wide range of topics, including questions of society’s relationship to the environment, questions of identity and issues of social order and governance – all considered in their national and international contexts – that will equip you with a range of skills for independent study and for your personal and working life.

The course-wide questions are: How is society made and repaired? How are differences and inequalities produced? How do we know? Social sciences answers to these questions are explored by looking at three strands of study materials called: Material Lives, Connected Lives and Ordered Lives. The course is introduced by a DVD and has an integral virtual learning environment (VLE) throughout that complements the text-based materials.

Material Lives considers how the making of society involves not only relations between people, but also relations between people and things and their environments; how society shapes and is shaped not just by humans but by material objects and the environment; and some of the consequences of the fact that our lives are influenced by both the human and material worlds. This strand is developed through an examination of consumption and consumer society, questions of power and markets, and issues of waste and sustainability.

Connected Lives also considers people’s connections to material places but the focus is on the people themselves and how they are connected and disconnected from one another, how they see themselves and others, where they live and the mobility of things and people involved in making and breaking connections. This strand is developed through examining questions of identity in relation to personal and social lives, issues around our connections to place and the natural and built environment, and the social life of neighbourhoods or communities.

Ordered Lives explores some of the different ways in which social life is ordered and governed through the rules, norms and expectations people have of one another in day-to-day interaction, and how these arise and are sustained; how social order and ordering vary in time and place; and how social order is contested, challenged, sometimes broken and repaired, including by institutions that claim various kinds of expertise and authority. This strand is developed by an examination of day-to-day ordering in daily lives, through the issue of the anti-social as a certain kind of challenge to normal ways of ordering and by looking at aspects of how governments seek to assemble and regulate their populations.

You will learn

You will learn about the nature of social sciences and the ways they develop through a process of questions, arguments, evidence and evaluation. You will also learn about some key issues and debates at the centre of life in the contemporary UK. You’ll develop an awareness of a range of different disciplinary approaches in the social sciences. You will gain confidence and skills in studying and accessing information from a range of sources; constructing arguments; reading, interpreting and evaluating evidence; and presenting and communicating ideas and information in a variety of formats. You will also practice how to:

• manage your time effectively
• organise and complete a programme of work
• learn from feedback and reflect on your own learning, and be given an opportunity to plan a study pathway leading to personal and/or career goals.

Vocational relevance

After this course, further study in the social sciences could open up employment opportunities in a wide range of occupations in business, banking, insurance, education, health professions, administration, law, social services, voluntary and campaigning organisations, the media, public relations, public service organisations and government (national and local), planning and environmental management, criminal justice system, and social welfare organisations. The course builds a strong basis of vocationally orientated skills that are transferable to the job market: clarity of written communication; critical thinking; ability to analyse, reflect on and present arguments, evidence and theories; problem-solving; evaluating issues; time-management; self-motivation; and basic numerical skills.

Entry

This is a key introductory Level 1 course. Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, to help you progress to courses at Level 2.

You are strongly advised to start your OU social science studies with a Level 1 course – either the 60-credit course Introducing the social sciences (DD101) or this course Introducing the social sciences – part one and Introducing the social sciences - part two (DD132). The two 30-credit courses are an excellent choice if you want a gradual entry into the social sciences. They cover all the material of DD101 over two five- to six-month periods, and offer help with refreshing and improving your study skills such as taking notes, writing essays and other necessary skills for study at more advanced levels. You must complete DD131 before going on to DD132.

If you are new or a less confident learner, start with either Starting with psychology (Y183), Understanding children and young people (Y176) or Understanding society (Y177). These are Openings courses, also at Level 1 but worth 15 credits. Designed with lots of support and no examination, they will give you a gentle introduction to this subject and to OU study. If you successfully complete one of these Openings courses, you’ll be ready to study DD131 or DD101.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Preparatory work

If you register for the course we will send you Preparing for study, which will help you to get ready for study. It offers guidance on how to plan your studies and offers insight into the skills and techniques for study at university level. It also contains material and exercises that will indicate whether your reading, note-taking and other study skills are sufficient to cope with the early parts of the course.

If you have a disability or additional requirement

Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Large print versions of the study materials can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Course book, other printed materials, DVD, audio CDs and course website.

You will need

Audio CD and video DVD playback facilities.

Computing requirements

This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.

You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. If you are new to the OU, you will find that your tutor is particularly concerned to help you with your study methods. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where tutorials are held depends on the distribution of students taking each course.

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.

You can choose whether to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper or online through the eTMA system. You may want to use the eTMA system for some of your assignments but submit on paper for others. This is entirely your choice.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Discovering psychology (DSE141)
• Introducing the social sciences - part two (DD132)
• Exploring psychology (DSE212)
• Child development (ED209)
• You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123)

Future availability

The details given here are for the course that starts in May and October 2012 and February 2013. We then expect it to be available twice a year, in February and October.

Fees 2012

See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.

Study explained

Financial support

- find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.

Study explained

- all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.

Student Reviews

I really enjoyed the course. It was my first attempt at a H.E. course. It covered a broad curriculum in ...
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Your questions

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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35

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