INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THINKERS - 2019/0

Module Overview

This FHEQ Level 4 module will look at some of the major theorists and schools of thought in the history of sociology over the last two hundred years. We will begin with an overview of the development of the idea of ‘society’, before moving on to look at the work of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim.   Each of these theorists was living at a time when the world was undergoing dramatic – and often bloody – change.  As we encounter each theorist we will ask a series of questions: i) what do the offer in terms of a methodology for sociology?; ii) how do they conceive of ‘society’?; and iii) how do they explain the history of society and the changes going on around them?  Towards the end of the course, we will begin to explore some critical issues. 

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

SEAL Alexander (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

NONE

Module content

Indicative content includes:

1. The Enlightenment and ‘society’

2. Durkheim, Marx and Weber – with each thinker we initially discuss their approach and then focus on a core aspect of their work.  Recurrent themes include (i) the development of capitalism; (ii) class/division of labour within capitalist society

3. Critical Issues – where are the female thinkers? Contemporary relevance?

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding of the core classical thinkers and can ‘think critically/reflect’ with this knowledge.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

·         One seen exam (1 hour)

·         One unseen exam (1 hour)

Formative assessment and feedback

The move from a seen exam to an unseen exam is deliberately designed to ensure that the first assignment has clear formative links with the second. Students receive written feedback after the first exam and are also welcome to book individual one-to-one sessions.  This provides formative feedback for the second assessment.

Module aims

• To introduce students to the ‘founding fathers' of sociology/sociological theory
• To encourage students to critically engage with these theories
• To begin to explore what it means to ‘think sociologically' and to be ‘reflexive’ about the world around us (and the discipline itself).

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: introduce students to these core ideas and encourage them to think about and explore these ideas.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Weekly lectures (1 hour per lecture x11 weeks + a revision session)


• Weekly tutorials (1 hour per week) where ideas are explored in a more informal setting


• The provision of core readings on SurreyLearn (1 per week)


• An open door policy


• At the end of each week, students are ecouraged to reflect on their notes from lectures, tutorials, readings and notes about how they link.  They are encouraged to ‘drop-in’ at the end of the week if things are unclear.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC1023

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.