SSCI10010 Societal Challenges in the 21st Century

Academic Year 2021/2022

This module introduces students to social sciences as the range of academic disciplines concerned with the study of human society and social relationships. Students are introduced to contemporary questions facing the social sciences including why social sciences matter and why we need social sciences. Students are also introduced to major societal challenges and priority research questions identified by leading scholars.

The module is delivered in a number of cross-cutting themes. Students examine the following topics: migration, globalization, inequalities; democracy and nation states; gender; social investment, aging and demography; employment and free movement; types and models of capitalism; voting coalitions and policies; the welfare states in everyday life; types and models of welfare states; meeting future challenges for care and welfare of families.

Student participation and learning is supported by tutorials, including information and library skills. By the end of the module students will be able to critically analyse the potential contribution of social sciences to societal challenges of the 21st century and use library resources to support their analysis and quality of writing.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the social sciences and their multidisciplinary nature.
2. Understand the key features of social science research and how it differs from knowledge that is not evidence based.
3. Display knowledge of how to source reliable social science evidence.
4. Demonstrate that you can interpret basic social science data.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the key societal challenges in the 21st century and how they are interrelated.
6. Display an understand of plagiarism and produce a piece of academic work in line with University policy on this important area.


Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

21

Tutorial

6

Autonomous Student Learning

80

Total

107

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures; active/task based learning; peer and group work; critical reading and writing. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Multiple Choice Questionnaire: Practice MCQ Week 2 n/a Other No

0

Assignment: Annotated bibliography Week 8 n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

40

Multiple Choice Questionnaire: End of term MCQ End of trimester MCQ n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

40

Multiple Choice Questionnaire: MCQ on plagiarism. Week 6 n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

10

Multiple Choice Questionnaire: MCQ to cover topics covered in the lectures on introduction to societal challenges, migration and global environmental change. Week 4 n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

10


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 1 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Iñigo Aldama Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Karen Anderson Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Cliodhna Bairead Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Clíodhna Bairéad Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Jack Bwalya Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Michael Byrne Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Matthew Donoghue Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Marta Eichsteller Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Bryan Fanning Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Liam Fogarty Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Thomas Grund Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr. Tobias Gunning Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Aideen Hayden Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Ellen Lambe Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Steven Loyal Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Alice Matthews Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Gerald Mills Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Karen Smith Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Dorota Szelewa Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Aecee Pana Tutor