Social Sciences Undergraduate Prospectus

SOCIAL SCIENCES U NDERGRADUATE PROSPECTUS

2019

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Bangor University has achieved a Gold Award, the highest rating possible, in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). Bangor was amongst the first set of universities, and the only one in Wales, to be awarded Gold in 2017. This means our teaching is of the highest quality in the UK. Š Iwan Williams

@BangorSocSci Facebook.com/BangorSocSci @bangor_university youtube/bangortv 2

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n Williams

SOCIAL SCIENCES AT BANGOR At Bangor University, we offer you a wealth of challenging and lively degrees that are relevant to the changing needs of society. These include Criminology and Criminal Justice, Sociology and Social Policy – courses which will prepare you for a wide variety of career opportunities.

All our courses provide a thorough training in the principles of social science and the practice of social research and enquiry.

Our staff undertake national and international research, which ensures they are aware of the latest knowledge and contemporary debates, and our courses draw on this expertise to equip you with a deep and critical understanding of your field of study.

From the beginning of a degree with us, you will be challenged to look at things from different perspectives, to question taken for granted facts and to construct your own theoretical view of the subjects you are studying.

By the time you graduate, you will have developed research skills that will enable you to interpret complex patterns of social life, evaluate policies and propose creative solutions to problems. You will be able to apply these skills in the world outside university as well as within it.

We place emphasis on friendly and informal relationships between students and staff. Under the personal tutor scheme, a member of academic staff will monitor your academic progress and will offer help, advice and support on an individual basis.

Bangor is ranked among the Top 10 universities in the UK - and top in Wales for Social Policy according to the Complete University Guide for 2019 3

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Bangor students are amongst the most satisfied in the UK Bangor University’s outstanding results in the National Student Survey, published August 2018, saw us ranked in the Top 10* in the UK for student satisfaction *excluding specialist institutions

WELSH-MEDIUM STUDY • The School offers Welshmedium undergraduate degrees: BA Cymdeithaseg gyda Pholisi Cymdeithasol and associated joint honours programmes. Full details are available on our website: www.bangor.ac.uk/gc or email gwyddoraucymdeithas@bangor.ac.uk to request a brochure.

• Students registered for Englishmedium programmes also have the option of studying individual Welshmedium modules as part of their degree. Students who study part of their degree through the medium of Welsh may be eligible for funding from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

For further details: www.colegcymraeg.ac.uk/myfyrwyr

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COURSE STRUCTURE In each academic year you will register for modules valued at 120 credits.

The academic year is divided into two 15-week semesters. Usually 60 credits are taken in Semester 1 (September – January) and 60 credits in Semester 2 (February – May). The final three weeks of each semester is set aside for revision and assessment. Most modules offered are valued at 20 credits.

For most degrees in each year, there is a combination of compulsory and optional modules.

YEAR 1: There is the opportunity to choose optional modules from either within the School of Social Sciences or from other academic schools.

YEARS 2 AND 3: Within all single and joint honours degrees within the School, you will undertake a piece of independent study leading to a dissertation under the supervision of a member of academic staff.

Modules are taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You will be expected to undertake library-based research and background reading.

You will have around 6 hours of lectures and 6 hours of seminars each week. You will be expected to spend at least twice this amount of time reading, preparing for seminars, preparing for and writing up assignments and on revision for examinations.

SUPPORT You will be allocated a member of academic staff as your Personal Tutor, who will be on hand to advise you on academic and personal matters during the whole of your three years at the University.

You will be urged to develop a good relationship with your Personal Tutor throughout your course, ensuring that your individual needs are recognised and that you receive the necessary support to achieve your full potential.

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WHY STUDY

SOCIAL S

CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE Crime is always in the news. Hardly a day goes by without a major incident or debates relating to the way the criminal justice system is run in this country. Crime and deviance and the way society deals with those who break the law are at the heart of our understanding of societal structures, power relations and community cohesion.

In the study of Criminology and Criminal Justice you will examine questions such as: • What exactly is crime?

• Do we have a ‘crime problem’?

• Have we entered a period of escalating violence and lawlessness?

• Can the media be considered sensationalist, providing a distorted image of crime, criminals and those who are victims?

• What is ‘justice’?

• How effective and fair can we expect our criminal justice system to be?

Criminology is concerned with why individuals and/or organisations break rules and regulations and how this impacts on victims and wider society. In contrast, Criminal Justice focuses on how societies decide to control crime, from legislation, policing, and forms of punishment and sentencing.

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L SCIENCES? SOCIOLOGY

SOCIAL POLICY

Sociology is the study of the social nature of human existence, how societies are organised and how we experience life.

People are always involved in social relationships with one another.

Social Policy entails the study of the social relations and systems that maintain and promote human wellbeing. It addresses the provision of shelter, the promotion of health and the avoidance of discrimination. Social Policy requires an understanding of the processes through which social policies are articulated within society and the theoretical and ideological environment within which these policies are formulated. International issues are becoming increasingly important in social policy, such as world poverty and post-colonialism.

Relevant to every aspect of organised life, Sociology asks challenging and exciting questions such as: • How does your occupation still affect how long you will live?

• How do gender, religion and ethnic background affect your chances in life?

• Is conflict inevitable?

• What gives a person ‘identity’?

• Where do beliefs and values come from?

• Does the media affect personal lifestyle choices?

• Has technology outrun our capacity to control it?

Students find that Sociology makes them look at the world in new ways.

Social Policy at Bangor is ranked 6th in the UK for graduate employment within 6 months of graduating (Guardian University Guide 2019)

Among the many things of interest to Social Policy students are the following questions: •W hy provide welfare?

•H ow should health services be paid for?

•W hat should the balance be between rights and obligations?

•A re welfare systems becoming similar in Europe?

•W hat is to become of social housing?

•H as world poverty decreased in real terms during the last forty years?

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DEGREES OFFERED WITHIN THE SCHOOL Our undergraduate degrees have been designed to meet the interests of a wide range of students. You may choose a single honours subject or a combination of two to enable you to undertake a joint degree (please refer to our website for details of our joint degrees). The range of courses offered makes it possible for you to do your whole degree, whether single or joint, within the School.

DEGREE COURSES (3 YEARS) OFFERED BY THE SCHOOL

UCAS CODE

• BA Sociology

L300

• BA Social Policy

L402

• BA Criminology & Criminal Justice

M930

• BA Cymdeithaseg gyda Pholisi Cymdeithasol (Welsh medium programme in Sociology with Social Policy)

L3LK

• BA Sociology/Criminology & Criminal Justice

LM39

• BA Cymdeithaseg/Criminology & Criminal Justice

LM3Y

• BA Social Policy/Criminology & Criminal Justice

LM49

• BA Polisi Cymdeithasol/Criminology & Criminal Justice

LM4X

• BA Social Policy/Sociology

LL34

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS • 112 - 96 tariff points from a level 3* qualification •

We also welcome applications from mature applicants, individuals with European qualifications and international applications (subject to minimum English language requirements - IELTS 6.0).

* Level 3 qualifications include A Levels, BTEC, Access, Irish Highers, International Baccalaureate, Welsh Baccalaureate, Scottish Advanced Highers and others - for a full list, please refer to the new UCAS tariff at www.ucas.com

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A CHANCE TO STUDY ABROAD Bangor has strong links with a number of European universities. They include exciting opportunities for student exchanges which are financially supported by the Lifelong Learning programme of the European Union, known as Erasmus.

Study abroad attracts credits and is recognised as part of your degree. It will enrich your education, expand your horizons and be attractive to future employers.

The department of Social Sciences has international Erasmus exchange agreements with the following universities: • • • • • • • • • • •

Olomouc University (Czech Republic) Copenhagen City University (Denmark) University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (Finland) Otto-Friedrich Universität, Bamberg (Germany) Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg (Germany) Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences, Nuremberg (Germany) Freie Universität, Berlin (Germany) University of Bochum (Germany) University of Silesia (Poland) University of Lodz (Poland) Universidad Del Pais Vasco, San Sebastian (Spain)

Other opportunities exist for study abroad in North America, for example.

“Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity. You get to meet people from different backgrounds, learn about other cultures and experience life from a new perspective. If you have the chance to do it, then definitely go - regardless of when or where!”

Alexandra Wuergler BA Criminology & Criminal Justice with International Experience

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ASSESSMENT Most modules are assessed by mixture of coursework and examination.

The pass mark in all assessments is 40%.

At the end of Year 1 students must achieve marks of 40% or more in modules worth at least 80 credits (with no mark in any module below 30%) in order to progress to Year 2.

If you fall short of this overall pass requirement, it is normally possible to take supplementary assessments in July to bring you up to the required standard. However, there is a minimum threshold, below which supplementary assessment is not permitted.

At the end of Year 2, a similar set of rules determines progression to Year 3.

At the end of Year 3, your final degree classification depends on your overall mark: a weighted average of your Year 2 average mark (one-third weighting) and your Year 3 average mark (two thirds weighting).

HOW WILL MY FINAL DEGREE CLASSIFICATION BE DETERMINED? Your final degree classification is determined by your overall mark as follows: OVERALL MARK %

FINAL DEGREE CLASSIFICATION

70+

First Class honours or 1st

60 - 69

Upper Second Class honours or 2:1

50 - 59

Lower Second Class honours or 2:2

40 - 49 35 - 39

Third Class honours or 3rd Ordinary degree or Pass degree

“Studying at Bangor was life changing for me. My degree in Social Policy enabled me to pursue a career in education, which ultimately led to me heading up education companies with international clients. I am now a full-time novelist and my third book ‘Undressing Stone’ has just been published.”

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CAREERS Employers today need analytical and lateral thinkers who can play a part in almost any working environment.

As a result, the breadth and flexibility of a Social Sciences degree makes it attractive to almost any employer.

Social Sciences graduates have followed a wide range of career paths and some of these are listed here under the different disciplines offered.

Criminology & Criminal Justice There are a wide range of options open to students following graduation including careers in social work, the police force, probation, youth justice, the prison service and the legal profession.

Sociology Sociology graduates enter a full range of occupations including management, journalism, public relations, personnel, community development, public sector, teaching and research.

Social Policy Social Policy graduates enter a wide range of occupations within the policy field including public housing, health service, local government administration and the voluntary sector.

GRADUATE DESTINATIONS Some of the organisations that our recent graduates have found employment with include: • North Wales Housing • Bank of America • Armstrong Solicitors • Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru • British Council • Cheshire Home Care Services • Barchester Health Care • Pro Care Wales Ltd • Gwynedd County Council • Cancer Research UK • West Yorkshire Probation Service • Fairways Care Ltd • North Wales Police • Mencap • Conwy County Council • Social Services • Yr Urdd • Menter Iaith • Metropolitan Police • Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy Social Services • Foster Care Associates Many choose to stay at Bangor and register on one of our exciting MA programmes.

PREPARE FOR YOUR FUTURE BY MAKING FULL USE OF OUR WIDE RANGE OF EMPLOYABILITY AND ENTERPRISE SCHEMES 11

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School of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences Bangor University Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG Tel: +44 (0)1248 382 085 Email: socialsciences@bangor.ac.uk www.bangor.ac.uk/so Facebook.com/BangorSocSci @BangorSocSci Bangor University makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information in this brochure is correct at the time of printing (October 2018)

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