Year One
Making of the Modern World
We live in the here and now But what got us here? This module studies the string of major social political and cultural developments that established our modern world Radical (and not so radical) ideas from the Enlightenment the industrial revolution’s structural transformations of how we work build and buy things and the struggles and stumbles of imperialism capitalism and globalisation have gone far to set terms of life in the twenty-first century The module will also help you develop your critical voice as a historian while asking comparative questions about historical difference across the world
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Sociology of Gender
Through case studies from the gender pay gap to the politics of Christmas this module will transform how you see gender and its impact on the world You will explore the origins of gender ideas and analyse their effects on areas of social life including language; media and popular culture; science; work; family relationships; sexuality; violence; education; politics; and feminist movements
While gender is the focus of this module you will also consider how gender connects to other dimensions of social difference and inequality such as sexuality race class or disability
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or
History of Sociological Thought
What holds societies together? How do societies change? And how is politics in the conventional sense affected by factors such as class status ethnicity or religion or the state of the economy? These are some of the questions with which you will engage with when you consider the history of sociological thought You will gain skills of research analysis and debate by considering the extent to which sociology may be considered a science and how the evolution of sociological thought has been shaped by events and the cultural economic and political problems of the day
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Sociology of Race
What is 'race' and why does it matter? This module answers these questions by drawing on the wealth of expertise within Warwick Sociology and is taught by experts who research and write about race and racism from a range of perspectives Students will learn about both theoretical concepts and real-world examples that will help them to understand how race and racism shape the social world
Read more about the Sociology of Race moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
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Class and Capitalism in the Neoliberal World
Protest and anger characterise the contemporary era – young people taking part in militant politics protest parties gaining more votes and even NHS doctors taking to the streets
In this module we will explore the social consequences of the economic and political transformations associated with neoliberalism that have taken place in recent decades We will ask why these changes might be responsible for the global rise in urban unrest and dissatisfaction
Topics will include growing inequality and elite power militant policing consumerism anxiety debt the destruction of industrial communities class identity the marketisation of education and the diminishing spaces of public life
Read more about the Class and Capitalism in the Neoliberal World moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Introduction to Social Analytics in Social Inequalities Research
In the age of ever-increasing data availability which is paired with a growing sophistication of statistical techniques the opportunities for social science research are vast This module will give you an understanding of the basic elements of core descriptive statistics which will allow you not only to critically engage with quantitative findings in existing social science research but also conduct quantitative analysis yourself The module covers the topics of conceptualisation operationalisation and measurement as well as the principles of sampling and the basics of research design You will be introduced to the process of social science research and quantitative methods in one hour lectures and then explore these in extended seminars (2h) both through readings and the statistical software SPSS We will be working on real data sets such as the European Social Survey
Read more about the Introduction to Social Analytics in Social Inequalities Research moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
Researching Society and Culture
What is society and how do you study it? Is human behaviour governed by rules similar to the natural world that you can study objectively? Or do human beings consciously act upon their environment and change the world through creativity and intelligence driven by their own understanding and motivations? These are some of the questions that this module will explore
You will be introduced to the core ideas behind sociological research and the practical tools to undertake research yourself As well as looking at some of the key qualitative methods (for example interviews ethnography and discourse analysis) you will also examine the political ethical and practical issues that social research inevitably entails
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Year Two
Designing and Conducting Social Research
This module will teach you the core concepts and practical skills to undertake qualitative social research in academic and professional settings These include research design ethnography in-depth interviewing documents and discourse As well as practical skills you will investigate how social research has changed in recent decades considering
ethical questions when researching life online
how (and whether) you should study Twitter
effects of social media on social interactions
how to engage diverse audiences
You will also gain analytical skills to critically evaluate previous research and develop your ability to collect and analyse data using a range of qualitative methods
Read more about the Designing and Conducting Social Research moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Modern Social Theory
This module will introduce you to the main thinkers and movements in critical social theory Topics include Marxism post-structuralism class and culture The changing conceptualisation of power and class is a focus throughout the module This helps you to see how the different theoretical approaches relate to each other and to historical and political events
Read more about the Modern Social Theory moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
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Practice and Interpretation of Quantitative Research
Quantitative methods can help you answer questions such as
Is income inequality in the UK growing?
Does marriage improve health?
Does growing up in a poor neighbourhood affect your life chances?
Analysing representative large-scale social surveys is crucial for sociologists to understand social processes This module will introduce you to quantitative methods and how to analyse large data sets using SPSS Statistics software It will help you engage with published quantitative sociological research and to undertake your own basic quantitative data analysis
Read more about the Practice and Interpretation of Quantitative Research moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Year Three
Pathway 1 (25% History 75% Sociology)
Pathway 2 (75% History 25% Sociology)
Pathway 3 (50% History 50% Sociology)
Optional modules
At Warwick we encourage you to go beyond simply studying history We can guide you towards developing the worldview and analytical capabilities that mark out the most talented historians
Our options allow you to devote attention to an area of history that really fascinates you while providing you with demonstrable skills development Those options can take you into unexpected and surprising areas For example we offer modules on ‘A Global History of Sport’ and ‘War Sex and the US Military from Cold War to "War on Terror"’ alongside modules on the Holocaust the History of China and 20th-Century Britain and many other topics We cover most of the globe and many many different themes and subjects
Your assessments will reflect the sorts of activities undertaken by professional historians in their everyday working life as well as the many ways in which history features in the world around us By engaging with these tasks you’ll acquire a level of critical and imaginative thinking that’s well-suited for today’s challenging working environment
Optional modules can vary from to
Examples of Sociology optional modules may include
Life of Media Past Present and Future
Gender and Violence
Punishment Justice and Control
Race Resistance and Modernity
Postcolonial Theory
Explore a full list of Sociology modulesLink opens in a new window
For examples of History modules please see History
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