Core modules
Having spent the first and second of your degree developing core sociological and legal skills in your third and fourth you can choose from a wide range of modules tailored to your academic interests
Year One
Law State and the Individual
You will study the sources of law (Acts of Parliament common law rules conventions) and foundational concepts (such as the legislative supremacy of Parliament the rule of law and separation of powers) through the critical reading and understanding of academic material and legal texts We will consider the role of politics and economics and the institutional and theoretical aspects of the law alongside the law’s relationship to the state and individuals You will also become familiar with the purposes limits and possibilities of legal language and methods The module consists of a mixture of participatory and problem-based exercises workshops and more orthodox lecture and seminar work through which you will develop and test your knowledge and practical legal skills
Read more about the Law State and the Individual module including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Tort Law
You will examine the law of civil liability for wrongfully inflicted damage or injury the law of tort We emphasise the processes and techniques involved in judicial (as opposed to legislative or administrative) law-making; the relevance and responsiveness of doctrines thus developed to society’s actual problems; and the policies and philosophies underlying the rules As well as acquiring knowledge of the application of these technical areas of law you will develop skills of legal reasoning and critical judgement with particular reference to insurance loss spreading developing medical knowledge professional standards and consumer protection Work is undertaken independently and in debate and collaboration with your peers
Read more about the Tort Law moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Introduction to Social Analytics 1
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 and inferential statistics that will allow you not only to critically engage with quantitative findings in existing social science research and 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 statistical inference You will be introduced to the statistical methods and process of social science research in one hour lectures and then explore these in extended seminars (two hours) through both readings and the statistical software STATA We will be working on real data sets such as the World Development Indicators but you will also conduct your own short surveys amongst other students and analyse the data in class afterwards
Read more about the Introduction to Social Analytics 1 moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 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
Read more about the Researching Society and Culture moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Optional Cores
You are required to select one module from each of the following sets of options So two in total
History of Sociological Thought OR Sociology of Gender
AND THEN
Class and Capitalism in the Neoliberal World OR Sociology of Race
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
Read more about the History of Sociological Thought moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
or
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
Read more about the Sociology of Gender moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
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)
or
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
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Year Two
Social Theory of Law
The module is jointly taught by members of the School of Law and the Department of Sociology You will be equipped to critically analyse and debate contemporary theories and disputes about the role of law in society This includes consideration of significant theories of law justice and jurisprudence and recognition of their origins and their limitations in contemporary society You will be expected to conduct self-directed learning and research into primary and secondary sources to arrive at your own considered position and to express this through relevant arguments in writing and in debate
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Criminal Law
You will develop an understanding of the general principles of criminal law and its operation within society coupled with an awareness of the social and political forces that influence the scope of the law and its enforcement You will encounter basic concepts of the structure of English Criminal Law and some knowledge of procedures theories and historical and political contexts so as to understand and debate legal arguments and policy In your studies you will be expected to assess and present arguments for and against in open debate and also work collaboratively with your peers on specific tasks
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Contract Law
On this module you will learn to understand and explain the fundamental principles of contract law one of the building blocks of the common law and which underlies commercial and consumer law Using primarily a case-law approach you will have opportunities to study the relationship between case law and statute and to tackle specific problem-solving tasks that will help you develop both your theoretical knowledge including your understanding of the social context and function of the courts and your legal writing skills
Property Law
On this module you will focus on the role of law in relation to the ownership use and development of land Starting with the basic principles of English land law you will learn to apply these to hypothetical cases and analyse evaluate and critique individual cases and statutory provisions using a series of linked materials on a discrete topic Working both independently and collaboratively you will also acquire research skills and be able to speak and write about property law accurately and using appropriate terminology
If you are thinking of becoming a barrister or seeking qualification as a lawyer in other jurisdictions which recognise the Warwick law degree you will be advised to take the Foundations of EU Law module (subject to Bar Standards Board requirements)
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)
Optional Cores
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)
or
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
If you are thinking of becoming a barrister or seeking qualification as a lawyer in other jurisdictions which recognise the Warwick law degree you will be advised to take The Law of Trusts and Foundations of EU Law modules either in Years Three or Four (subject to Bar Standards Board requirements) Otherwise you may choose optional modules so that no more than 60 CATS are taken from the Law School (including the Law of Trusts and Foundations of EU Law) and no more than 60 CATS from the Department of Sociology
Year Four
In your final you will be required to complete the Supervised Project either as a half or full module The remainder of your modules will be selected from the range of optional modules available in the Law School and Sociology Department
Supervised Project
The supervised project allows you to undertake independent study to complete one of a range of outputs These may include a researched dissertation; reasoned policy briefing; a piece of investigative journalism; a video documentary or podcast; or other creative piece of work The exact form will be agreed with each student The module aims to provide you with a high degree of responsibility for the learning process and will require you to manage your own learning reflect on it critically and seek and use constructive feedback There is no set syllabus given that each project is individual to the student However general skills-based workshops will be provided to introduce you to research methods research ethics managing a supervision relationship and writing to enable you to commence independent project work early in the term Individual supervision meetings will be focused on substantive issues and on improving quality of the work
Optional modules
Sociology of Knowledge Science and Intellectuals
Media Audience and Social Change
Crime and Society
Sociology of Gender
Racism and Xenophobia
International Criminal Law
Climate Change and Law
Introduction to Competition Law
Human Rights in Practice
Medicine and the Law
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