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Crossing Borders: Studying in SSHP

Overview

  • Credit value: 30 credits at Level 3
  • Convenor:
  • Assessment: a 600-word critical reflection (40%) and a 1000-word critical reflection (60%)

Module description

This module will provide you with an introduction to disciplinary approaches within the School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy, exploring how the theme of ‘borders’ can be seen and understood in the different disciplines within the School.

This module is divided into six units. Each unit takes one topic related to borders and approaches it from a specific disciplinary perspective, so you can understand and experience the different approaches offered in the School.

In each unit, you will have a chance to hear lectures on current research from within the departments of the School that explore the theme of ‘borders’. These will be followed by seminars focused on readings or activities designed to deepen your knowledge of the content of the lecture and to help you think about the different disciplinary identities represented in the School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy. In these sessions you will also have chance to practise and strengthen the skills learnt in other modules.

At the end of this module, you should be able to make (or confirm) your choice of BA/BSc programme to progress into at the end the Foundation year at Birkbeck.

Indicative module syllabus

  • Introduction to History, Classics and Archaeology
  • Introduction to Applied Linguistics
  • Introduction to Politics
  • Introduction to Psychosocial Studies
  • Introduction to Philosophy
  • Introduction to Geography
  • Reflections on disciplinary approaches: similarities and differences

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • identify the different departmental and disciplinary units that make up the School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy
  • understand how to reflect critically using several disciplinary approaches
  • understand what is meant by critical thinking and practise it
  • engage effectively with different kinds of learning format (e.g. lecture, seminar, workshop)
  • practise skills required for university-level study (e.g. pre-class preparation, note-taking, information gathering, critical thinking)
  • understand and engage with a range of digital literacies and blended-learning practices
  • practise writing skills and learn from the feedback provided on them.