BA (Hons)

Sociology and Psychological Studies

Teaching & Learning

Engage with both sociology and psychology to discover how we develop as individuals, and learn how institutions and social structures influence how we act. You will explore the key concepts and theoretical approaches within the discipline of sociology, as well as the interconnections between gender, sexuality, 'race', and class. With the psychology element you will focus on themes such as how different environments shape human behaviour, the interrelationship between the individual and broader social and cultural phenomena, and how psychology can be used for the benefit of society. The tabs below detail what and how you will study in each year of your course. The balance of assessments and overall workload will be informed by your core modules and the option modules you choose to study; the information provided is an indication of what you can expect and may be subject to change. The option modules listed are also an indication of what will be available to you. Their availability is subject to demand and you will be advised which option modules you can choose at the beginning of each year of study.

What you'll learn

Using an applied approach to sociological inquiries of and towards the city and urban contexts, you will develop your study skills, and focus in particular critical reading and thinking skills and both written and spoken communication skills.
The aim of this module is to provide students with an accessible historical account of the growth and changes to psychology over the last two hundred years and how this connects to older philosophical trends. Students will also be introduced to the main body of interdisciplinary psychological perspectives and their application.
Focus on sociological theories engaged with the emergence and development of capitalism and modernity.
What is 'Culture'? There are many answers to this question, which might refer to forms of behaviour, to the cultural heritage of a group of people, to belief systems, or to art and literature. This module focusses on how psychologists investigate culture, and on how it shapes (and is shaped by) mind, self and consciousness. We will also draw on approaches from related disciplines - sociology, philosophy, comparative theology, and anthropology. Themes explored on the module include; myths and legends, ritual and tradition, collective memory, sacred spaces, 'virtual worlds', and language, signs and symbols. You will also be introduced to a number of techniques used to investigate culture and its meanings, including participant observation, interpretation, reflexivity and 'auto-ethnography'.
Consider how individuals develop and change throughout their lives. This involves not only the exploration of theories concerning psychological development, but also considering the social and cultural context in which this development takes place. You will explore the entire lifespan from birth, through infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, into old age.
You will gain an understanding of both epistemological and methodological aspects of research process. The first part of the module introduces you to fundamental epistemological questions for the social and socio-psychological sciences. In the second part of the module you will focus on discussing key methods and techniques used in social scientific research, such as ethnographic method, semiotic and discourse analyses, and causal analysis.
Using an applied approach to sociological inquiries of and towards the city and urban contexts, you will develop your study skills, and focus in particular critical reading and thinking skills and both written and spoken communication skills.
The aim of this module is to provide students with an accessible historical account of the growth and changes to psychology over the last two hundred years and how this connects to older philosophical trends. Students will also be introduced to the main body of interdisciplinary psychological perspectives and their application.
Focus on sociological theories engaged with the emergence and development of capitalism and modernity.
What is 'Culture'? There are many answers to this question, which might refer to forms of behaviour, to the cultural heritage of a group of people, to belief systems, or to art and literature. This module focusses on how psychologists investigate culture, and on how it shapes (and is shaped by) mind, self and consciousness. We will also draw on approaches from related disciplines - sociology, philosophy, comparative theology, and anthropology. Themes explored on the module include; myths and legends, ritual and tradition, collective memory, sacred spaces, 'virtual worlds', and language, signs and symbols. You will also be introduced to a number of techniques used to investigate culture and its meanings, including participant observation, interpretation, reflexivity and 'auto-ethnography'.
Consider how individuals develop and change throughout their lives. This involves not only the exploration of theories concerning psychological development, but also considering the social and cultural context in which this development takes place. You will explore the entire lifespan from birth, through infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, into old age.
You will gain an understanding of both epistemological and methodological aspects of research process. The first part of the module introduces you to fundamental epistemological questions for the social and socio-psychological sciences. In the second part of the module you will focus on discussing key methods and techniques used in social scientific research, such as ethnographic method, semiotic and discourse analyses, and causal analysis.

What you'll learn

One cannot meaningfully claim to be studying a 'social' psychology without an awareness of, and an appreciation of how, environments affect and shape human consciousness and human behaviour. You will study how individuals and groups both produce and are produced by their environments.
Study classical and contemporary social theory. You will focus on some important classical modern theorists such as Marx and Weber and then show how these theories have been developed by social theorists in the 20th and 21st century.
Investigate major topics and areas of debate in the sociology of gender. This will be achieved by considering feminist theories and theories of gender as well as by looking at key issues and debates around gender and work such as gender at work and family and work.
Explore the interrelationship between the individual and broader social and cultural phenomena. You will consider this relationship as a complex, ongoing, constraining and facilitating mutual interaction between a psychological individual, on the one hand, and a variety of interpersonal, political, cultural and historical forces and relations on the other.
Gain a deeper insight into and training in a variety of social research methods. You will first consider the impact of values, politics and ethics on sociological research before moving on to examine a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods through in-depth examinations of specific pieces of sociological research.
We are constantly being culturally inundated with, and surrounded by, commercials, jingles, and logos almost every moment of every day. In this module you will explore, and become familiar with, the various dynamics and mechanisms of persuasion within society.
One cannot meaningfully claim to be studying a 'social' psychology without an awareness of, and an appreciation of how, environments affect and shape human consciousness and human behaviour. You will study how individuals and groups both produce and are produced by their environments.
Study classical and contemporary social theory. You will focus on some important classical modern theorists such as Marx and Weber and then show how these theories have been developed by social theorists in the 20th and 21st century.
Investigate major topics and areas of debate in the sociology of gender. This will be achieved by considering feminist theories and theories of gender as well as by looking at key issues and debates around gender and work such as gender at work and family and work.
Explore the interrelationship between the individual and broader social and cultural phenomena. You will consider this relationship as a complex, ongoing, constraining and facilitating mutual interaction between a psychological individual, on the one hand, and a variety of interpersonal, political, cultural and historical forces and relations on the other.
Gain a deeper insight into and training in a variety of social research methods. You will first consider the impact of values, politics and ethics on sociological research before moving on to examine a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods through in-depth examinations of specific pieces of sociological research.
We are constantly being culturally inundated with, and surrounded by, commercials, jingles, and logos almost every moment of every day. In this module you will explore, and become familiar with, the various dynamics and mechanisms of persuasion within society.

What you'll learn

Conduct an independent piece of research in which you demonstrate the ability to search and evaluate relevant academic literature and data, to apply the necessary and appropriate research skills for the production of a scholarly empirical or conceptual piece of work.
Radical psychology examines the dominance of scientific approaches in current thinking about how the psychological individual is constructed and theorised. Mainstream psychological thinking is part of the way we understand ourselves and is therefore a very powerful set of ideas. Radical psychology recognises the political dimension of the scientific search for objective and universal knowledge about the self and how this promotes and replicates unfair relations between individuals in Western society. This module critically assesses the project of mainstream psychology, by examining its uses and abuses, and theorising alternative and more socially beneficial approaches to psychology. Many of these alternative frameworks derive from the experiences of individuals and groups excluded or negatively conceived by orthodox psychological models.
You will be encouraged to critically interrogate current social theory regarding the key features and characteristics of contemporary societies and their meaning and consequences. You will examine whether key social theories and models adequately describe contemporary societies or enhance our understanding of ongoing processes of social change.
Conduct an independent piece of research in which you demonstrate the ability to search and evaluate relevant academic literature and data, to apply the necessary and appropriate research skills for the production of a scholarly empirical or conceptual piece of work.
Radical psychology examines the dominance of scientific approaches in current thinking about how the psychological individual is constructed and theorised. Mainstream psychological thinking is part of the way we understand ourselves and is therefore a very powerful set of ideas. Radical psychology recognises the political dimension of the scientific search for objective and universal knowledge about the self and how this promotes and replicates unfair relations between individuals in Western society. This module critically assesses the project of mainstream psychology, by examining its uses and abuses, and theorising alternative and more socially beneficial approaches to psychology. Many of these alternative frameworks derive from the experiences of individuals and groups excluded or negatively conceived by orthodox psychological models.
You will be encouraged to critically interrogate current social theory regarding the key features and characteristics of contemporary societies and their meaning and consequences. You will examine whether key social theories and models adequately describe contemporary societies or enhance our understanding of ongoing processes of social change.

Option modules may include

Explore how our identities, so often presented as a natural and eternal condition, are constructed for us by powerful forces of reproduction and representation, ones that blur the lines between fabricated and real, object and subject, outside and inside, in a process which at once helps to maintain social hierarchy and is largely beyond individual control.
Explore the development of the British welfare state and examine it in terms of the divisions between public and private provision and the conflicting moral judgements that are applied. The ways in which these State interventions build upon and entrench class divisions are studied.
Develop your knowledge of a range of different theoretical approaches to understanding masculinities. You will be introduced to a range of different ways of understanding masculinities and will develop your abilities in relating these theoretical approaches to a range of empirical topics.
Develop your understanding of the nature of work and organisations in the contemporary global economy. You will build the critical skills needed to understand key theoretical debates regarding new organisational and work-management techniques, new and emerging forms of labour and employment, and the complex and changing relationship between production, consumption and identity in an increasingly globalised economy.
Engage with the practice of either sociology or social psychology in a 'real world' setting and gain practical experience of a professional work area related to your study.
You will explore and critically reflect on the idea of madness. Situating psychiatric explanation as the dominant model in the construction and treatment of insanity you will examine the theoretical appropriateness and practical consequences of this narrow medical approach and suggest alternative perspectives for the study and treatment of the mad.
Social psychologists remain greatly interested in human relations and our various ways/modes of relating. Most of us will attempt to live our lives and relate to one another in ways that minimise our exposure to conflict and confrontation; yet we will almost certainly be unable to completely avoid it at either the intrapersonal (the way we understand and relate to ourselves) or interpersonal (the way we understand and relate to others) level. You begin to explore both where and how is peace made.
Gain practical and experiential approaches to consciousness studies, as you explore complexities and possibilities of the mind-body relationship.
Explore how our identities, so often presented as a natural and eternal condition, are constructed for us by powerful forces of reproduction and representation, ones that blur the lines between fabricated and real, object and subject, outside and inside, in a process which at once helps to maintain social hierarchy and is largely beyond individual control.
Explore the development of the British welfare state and examine it in terms of the divisions between public and private provision and the conflicting moral judgements that are applied. The ways in which these State interventions build upon and entrench class divisions are studied.
Develop your knowledge of a range of different theoretical approaches to understanding masculinities. You will be introduced to a range of different ways of understanding masculinities and will develop your abilities in relating these theoretical approaches to a range of empirical topics.
Develop your understanding of the nature of work and organisations in the contemporary global economy. You will build the critical skills needed to understand key theoretical debates regarding new organisational and work-management techniques, new and emerging forms of labour and employment, and the complex and changing relationship between production, consumption and identity in an increasingly globalised economy.
Engage with the practice of either sociology or social psychology in a 'real world' setting and gain practical experience of a professional work area related to your study.
You will explore and critically reflect on the idea of madness. Situating psychiatric explanation as the dominant model in the construction and treatment of insanity you will examine the theoretical appropriateness and practical consequences of this narrow medical approach and suggest alternative perspectives for the study and treatment of the mad.
Social psychologists remain greatly interested in human relations and our various ways/modes of relating. Most of us will attempt to live our lives and relate to one another in ways that minimise our exposure to conflict and confrontation; yet we will almost certainly be unable to completely avoid it at either the intrapersonal (the way we understand and relate to ourselves) or interpersonal (the way we understand and relate to others) level. You begin to explore both where and how is peace made.
Gain practical and experiential approaches to consciousness studies, as you explore complexities and possibilities of the mind-body relationship.