Fast Track Social and Environmental Sciences
| Module title | Fast Track Social and Environmental Sciences |
|---|---|
| Module code | INT0080 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 15 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 8 |
|---|
Module description
Social and Environmental Sciences combines elements of sustainability, sociology, geo-politics, development studies, and environmental studies to look at the dynamics within and between human societies and the relationship between societies, cultures, economies, and the human-made and natural environment.
This module focuses on four areas of study: social structures and demographics (understanding population change, industrialisation, rising affluence and changes to family units); the management of natural resources (food, water and energy) and their relationship to planetary systems and the biosphere; reasons for continued environmental degradation including the concept of environmental crime and political influences; and how global power dynamics have shifted and the roles of different stakeholders. Throughout the module, students will examine the impacts of these processes and phenomena on environmental, political, economic, and social systems, and evaluate possible methods of mitigating these issues as well as obstacles (political, technological, social, economic) to their implementation.
This is an introductory module and there is neither a requirement for prior knowledge, pre-requisites or co-requisites.
Module aims - intentions of the module
- To introduce an inter-disciplinary exploration of how societies operate and the relationship between humanity and the environment.
- To enable students to understand and effectively deploy key terms and concepts related to social and environmental sciences.
- To provide an understanding of how and why today’s environmental issues have emerged and to evaluate factors which may mitigate these issues.
- By achieving 1-3 above, to provide students with a foundation for a degree programme in a broad range of disciplines.
Feedback will be provided throughout this course. All students are encouraged to think critically, reason logically, communicate clearly, and read, listen, and watch carefully. These are valuable skills throughout the academic environment.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate awareness (appropriate to this level) of key issues, terminology, and theories within sociology and environmental science such as the family, changing ideas of tradition, risk society, principles of pollution control, global development theories.
- 2. Show understanding (appropriate to this level) of processes in the natural environment (for example, water and carbon cycles) and their roles in supporting life.
- 3. Be able to describe the causes and effects of human action on the biosphere, including pollution and the effects of pollutants on living beings, intensive food production, and water insecurity.
- 4. Critically evaluate technological/political/social solutions to environmental degradation.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. To a standard appropriate to this level, analyse and evaluate materials set for the module.
- 6. To a standard appropriate to this level, show awareness of relevant issues in the wider context of cultural, geographical, scientific, and intellectual history.
- 7. To a standard appropriate to this level, demonstrate basic statistical and data management skills.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. With tutor support, take responsibility for your own learning.
- 9. Communicate effectively using conventions appropriate to the discipline.
Syllabus plan
A 30-credit module, this module features a range of study methods which typically include lectures, seminars, and self-study. This module considers the living environment, the formation of human society and the relationship between humans and all aspects of the natural world. These topics typically include consideration of their political, social, cultural, technological, and economic elements. By the end of the module, students will be able to demonstrate the intellectual, transferable and practicable skills appropriate to this level of study. Students will be able to:
- understand key terms, ideas, and concepts related to the subject of study.
- engage with several disciplines within the social and environmental sciences.
- distinguish between fact and opinion, between what is relevant and what is not, and between opposing views based upon conflicting evidence.
- extract and synthesise information and formulate a response.
- practice the skills of independent learning and time management.
Topics typically studied include:
- Population growth theories/Earth’s ‘carrying capacity’.
- The impacts of the rise of the consuming classes in emerging economies.
- Impacts of intensive agriculture techniques.
- Water insecurity and hard/soft management strategies.
- Energy insecurity, political factors and potential solutions.
- Factors contributing to environmental degradation.
- Endangerment of species; ‘green crime’ and the politics of environmental management.
- Evaluation of possible solutions to environmental degradation including the role of Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs).
- Theories of development and changing patterns of global power (financial, political, cultural).
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | 230 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Formal lectures | Lectures pre-recorded | |
| Seminars | 70 | Seminars - a mixture of class discussion, tutor mini-lectures, and individual and group tasks |
| Guided independent study | 230 | Reading and preparation for class discussion, research for assignment, exam revision, use of web materials |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam-style practice tasks and questions; Case Study draft and/or outline sections | 1-2 hours a week | 1-8 | Written and verbal |
| Practice exam | 2 hours | 1-9 | Written and verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam 1 | 50 | 2 hours | 1-9 | Written |
| Case Study | 50 | 2,500 words | 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 | Written and verbal |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam 1 | Exam 1 (deferral) | 1,2,5,6,7,8, 9 | As soon as possible after assessment period |
| Case Study | Case study (See details of summative assessment) | 3,4,5,6,7,8, 9 | As soon as possible after assessment period |
| N/A | Exam (Referral) | 1-9 | ASAP and before pre-APAC |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs, there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e., a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to take a referral exam. Only your performance in this exam will count towards your final module grade. A grade of 40% will be awarded if the examination is passed.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic Resources:
- Beck, U. (1999). World Risk Society. Polity.
- Cohen, R., & Kennedy, P. (2017). Global Sociology. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- David, D. (2018). The Almighty Dollar: Follow the Incredible Journey of a Single Dollar to See how the Global Economy Really Works. Elliott & Thompson.
- Giddens, A. (2009). Politics of Climate Change. Polity.
- Klein, N. (2015). This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate. Simon and Schuster.
- Monbiot, G. (2021). This Can’t be Happening. National Geographic Books.
- Pearce, F. (2011). Peoplequake: Mass Migration, Ageing Nations and the Coming Population Crash. Eden Project Books.
- Pickett, K., & Wilkinson, R. (2010). The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone. Penguin UK.
- Rosling, H., Rönnlund, A. R., & Rosling, O. (2020). Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think. Flatiron Books.
- Sky News – Daily Climate Show: Daily Climate Show - The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Web based and electronic resources:
ELE provides an integral part of this course; further reading and links to related material are available there.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 3 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | November 2021 |
| Last revision date | 03/03/2025 |
