Overview

What social forces shape our everyday lives? How can we understand, explain, and link local, national and global societies? What factors shape our opinions on and attitudes to social issues, society in general, and other people?

The study of sociology at Teesside University is framed in the local with a global focus, giving a grounded context of modern life. It addresses historical and contemporary issues and investigates topics such as work, social diversities, social inequalities, leisure and youth, and social exclusion.

This degree encourages you to think critically about the world in which you live. An understanding of people and their interactions equips you to explore our lives and our experiences, and ask whether governments and social policies can improve the lives of ordinary people. As well as acquiring a good foundation of knowledge of sociological theories, you can specialize in areas as diverse as globalization, gender, social media, and social policy in context. Many of the skills you gain as a sociologist are valued by employers, and the vocationally orientated modules on offer enable you to explain, analyze and intervene within contemporary social and political issues.

Course structure

Year 0 (foundation year) core modules

This module will assist you in developing the personal and academic skills that you will need for undergraduate study. It focuses on developing skills such as information retrieval, evaluation, critical thinking, note-taking, presentation skills, and group work.

Contemporary Issues in Social Science

This module will introduce you to the historical and contemporary development of social science disciplines and will provide examples of theoretical challenges and the ways in which research is applied in society. You will gain an understanding of the critical differences between disciplines and how interdisciplinary research is fostered through collaboration. You will also be introduced to academic standards, ethical guidelines and research protocols, personal development planning, and to a range of study and transferable skills relevant to your degree course and beyond.

Fake News: Propaganda and Polemics, Past and Present

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop your skills in thinking critically about the information and analysis presented in an array of media in today’s digital world, drawing on the methodologies of a range of disciplines within the social sciences, humanities, and law. You will explore examples of the debates over fake news in both the past and present, and look at how fake news can be used to both support and undermine the status quo, enabling you in the process to become more savvy and engaged citizens.

Historical and Popular Crime, Justice, Law and Psychology

This module introduces you to the history of crime and justice, using media representations and crime fiction as a way of exploring crime over time, including aspects such as changes in society, law, and education in this context.

Project

This module allows students to identify an area of interest related to their undergraduate degree and to explore this through a small-scale research project where students will be required to produce an analysis of an area of focus.

Teesside: History, Literature, Culture, And Society

Year 1 core module

Media Representations

This module offers a critical investigation into the role played by the media in contemporary society. In an 'information age' characterized by media representations and spectacle, our lives are increasingly mediated; we are surrounded by 24-hour news, social media, and advertising. How do we begin to explore the importance of media in contemporary society? How do we begin to consider the impact of mass media on our lives? By investigating the media from a sociological perspective, we can begin to consider how the news is created (including 'fake news'), the 'reality of reality TV and social media, the impact advertising has on our lives, hegemony, ideology, and manipulation, as well the role of media on behavior. Finally, can media content tell us something about the reality of contemporary society? Does it reflect as well as distract?

Principles of Criminology

The module seeks to provide an introduction to criminological theories and the way in which we understand crime and deviance in contemporary society. The module is designed to serve as a foundation to further criminological theory modules in levels 5 and 6. The intention is to provide a sound basis on which to explore debates about who commits a crime, why crime is committed, and why crime is seen as a social problem. Students will be introduced to a range of classic and traditional theoretical perspectives which will provide the foundations for more complex and contemporary theoretical perspectives later in the program.

Principles of Sociology

This module provides students with principles and issues related to classical social theory. The key theorists include Durkheim, Marx, Weber, and Veblen. Lectures and seminars will demonstrate the application of theory to relevant sociological concepts. This enables students to apply theoretical models to the study of everyday life. A key aim is to encourage students to begin to understand how one can synthesize, evaluate and compare competing theoretical approaches in sociology. In doing so, students will be offered a way of appreciating the relationships between classical sociological theory, empirical research, and applied policy and practice, and how such relationships have emerged historically. Furthermore, the module will provide students with the theoretical competence to argue whether classical sociological theory remains relevant when analyzing contemporary policy and practice.

Research in Practise

This year-long module introduces students to the concept of Criminology and Sociology in Practice. Through group projects, students will work on live practical problems and questions related to contemporary issues in Sociology and Criminology. Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, the module will introduce basic research skills, ethical considerations, data analysis, and dissemination of findings. This module presents an opportunity to contextualize subject learning in real-life examples that may include collaboration with external agencies, businesses, and organizations. Projects may include questions on drugs, mental health, housing, policing, victims of crime, domestic violence, fear of crime, austerity, and the night-time economy.

Sociological Approaches to Children and Young People

You are introduced to key theories about the place of children and young people in society, focusing on the relationship between the individual and society, history, and social change to develop an understanding of this area. You gain the skills to critically analyze the role of government and services and consider a variety of explanations for the different life chances experienced by groups of children and young people.

The Sociology Place

This module will introduce themes and concepts related to the sociology of place. The relationship between individuals, communities, and place reflects the complex dynamics of modern living. Urban life has long been a focus of investigation for sociology and criminology and this module will provide an overview of this historical development, as well as key themes and issues related to urban life today. This may include themes such as crime, health, gentrification, tourism, and community. The module aims to provide critical and analytical skills to consider place in context; understanding urban life from 'the ground up and from a wider perspective such as political economy of globalization. A practical aspect of this module asks students to describe and reflect upon urban life, drawing upon classroom teaching and direct observation to gain an understanding of the realities of 21st-century life.

How you learn

All modules are taught through a combination of lectures, practicals, workshops, and seminars. In lectures specific information is delivered to larger groups while in the smaller group sessions you can explore issues in more depth, supported by independent study. Examples of smaller group sessions include case study work, media analysis, poster presentations, discussions, debates, and field trips. You learn how to use all our extensive facilities such as electronic journals, virtual learning environments, and computer programs.

How you are assessed

Assessment is varied and includes essays, presentations, projects, case studies, examinations, and a dissertation. Some modules have several pieces of assessed work to help you develop your skills throughout the academic year.

Career opportunities

Expect opportunities in the public sector, journalism, social research, community development, non-governmental organizations, and postgraduate study or training.

All programs are designed to incorporate employability skills development alongside your degree course. Our staff utilize their extensive connections to provide many and varied opportunities to engage with potential employers through fairs, guest lecture sessions, live projects, and site visits. In addition, we offer a series of workshops and events in the first, second and third year that ensure all students are equipped with both degree level subject knowledge PLUS the practical skills that employers are looking for in new graduate recruits.

Our award-winning careers service works with regional and national employers to advertise graduate positions, in addition to providing post-graduation support for all Teesside University alumni.