BA (Honours) Combined Social Sciences: Sociology standard pathway

Stage 1

You’ll start your degree studies with one of two options:

• Introducing the social sciences (DD101)Introducing the social sciences::This key introductory Level 1 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.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q69-15,module,DD101,,1 (60 credits): a broad, fascinating introductory module covering psychology, social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology; or
• Introducing the social sciences - part one (DD131)Introducing the social sciences - part one::This key introductory Level 1 module 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. It tackles everyday issues in an appropriate 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. Combining this with another 30-credit course – such as Discovering psychology (DSE141) – is an excellent choice if you want a gradual entry into the social sciences.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q69-15,module,DD131,,1 (30 credits) with Discovering psychology (DSE141)Discovering psychology::Drawing on a wide range of studies and some classic pieces of psychological research, this key introductory Level 1 course provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the study of psychology. Discovering psychology explores the different ways in which psychologists investigate the human mind and behaviour, and shows you how psychological research addresses real-life issues. You will be provided with a textbook and access to a website containing an online study guide, audio-visual material and interactive activities which are designed to help you develop your knowledge and skills.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q69-15,module,DSE141,,1 (30 credits): a shorter version of option 1, with an exploration of how psychologists investigate our thinking and behaviour – and how academic research can be applied in real-life settings. (This is the final year that we are offering this combination of two 30-credit modules, so if you choose DD131 and DSE141 you will need to study both modules at the same time.)

You’ll follow this with the compulsory interdisciplinary Level 2 module The uses of social science (DD206)The uses of social science::Making use of a blend of learning technologies, this interdisciplinary course investigates how social science is used to make sense of everyday dilemmas such as sustaining relationships, making a living, finding a place to live, being part of a community, or making one’s voice heard. The course explores how social scientists use evidence and data, theories and explanations, and norms and values to make sense of social life. By studying this course you will develop the practical skills and intellectual resources required to analyse the ways in which social science can be used both to understand and to shape our social lives.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q69-15,module,DD206,,1 (60 credits), which explores how social science uses evidence to describe the social world. You’ll ask how everyday personal troubles, such as obesity or smoking, become a basis for public concerns and how social sciences research makes claims about the links between the personal and the public. Its innovative assessment methods mean you’ll learn how to work collaboratively, write reports and create presentations as well as become confident in using ICT to find and evaluate a rich range of data.

Stage 2

Stage 2 comprises 60 credits from optional modules in social sciences and a further 60 credits from social sciences and complementary subjects – politics, social policy and criminology, economics, financial studies, environment, geography and international relations.

Stage 3

In the 60-credit module Making social worlds (DD308)Making social worlds::In order to survive, human beings live in social worlds which create security, foster stable attachment between individuals and things, and regulate behaviour. This accessible, vocationally relevant course demonstrates how sociological approaches can be applied to make sense of these processes – investigating how they work and how they sometimes fail. Through topics such as immigration, medicine, family, money and reality television, you will explore how social experience is shaped by nature and the material world, and made meaningful through culture and the media. The course is ideal if you have previously studied the social sciences or arts and want to consolidate your understanding of sociology.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q69-15,module,DD308,,1, you’ll focus on how sociological frameworks and explanations make sense of the need for security, attachment between people and things, and regulation of social behaviour. Your study will be based on a number of rich case studies investigating questions like how the passport became a means of ‘recognising’ individuals and constructing citizenship; how we learned to shop in supermarkets; and why we watch reality television. Through these and other topics, you’ll learn how sociology illuminates the habits, devices and tools by which social worlds are created, persist over time and sometimes fail.

You’ll complete your degree by choosing from a list of options giving you the opportunity to explore a range of social issues and topics while continuing to develop your skills as a social scientist. They include politics, social policy, sociology, and international relations.

By the end of your studies, you’ll be an independent social scientific thinker – confident at finding, evaluating and presenting complex data and information, and able to build robust, reasoned arguments backed up by appropriate evidence. You’ll also have a portfolio of critical, analytic and practical skills as well as specialist knowledge that you can apply to a range of workplace environments.

If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards an Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for your chosen qualification. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.