The Manchester Metropolitan University

Department Psychology and Speech Pathology

BSc Psychology; BSc Psychology and Speech Pathology

The course will be taught on Tuesdays 10.00-12.00. The format of the course is different from other courses as you will all be expected to attend the same 2 hour timetable slot every week. The sessions will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and practical activities. There will be a consultation session for all students during week of November 26th.

The first term covers basic concepts underlying Societal Psychology, and the second term extends these to consider contemporary issues in Societal Psychology.

Term 1: Anthropological, sociological and economic foundations of societal psychology. Key concepts: culture; community; social inequality, stratification and class; social institutions; social systems; power; social rules, roles and interaction rituals; symbolic interactionism; individuality and collectivity; empowerment; social exclusion; social change.

Term 2: Precise details to follow. Two weeks will be given to each of a number of topics exploring: social institutions and social experiences, e.g. family and caregiving; education and learning; work and employment; religion and belief; medicine and health; justice; social structures and social experiences, e.g. age, gender, nationality, class, kinship; social processes and social experiences, e.g. identity formation; power and empowerment; transition from modernity to post-modernity; social movements; developing and reconstructing nations.

Exemption is possible from the teaching sessions in the first term. There is no exemption from any part of the assessment. If you negotiate exemption from teaching in the first term, you will be assessed by portfolio in the same way as other students. The introductory session will help you decide whether or not to apply for an exemption, and your personal tutor will also discuss this with you. If you have done considerable amounts of, for example, Sociology, Social History, Social Anthropology, Economics or Politics before, you may like to think about applying for an exemption. Please note, though, that some of the assessments are based on class exercises, which must be completed as part of the portfolio. If you are following the portfolio only route, you will still be expected to complete these exercises: they are possible to do in your own time.

The assessment will be of a completed course portfolio (30%), which must be handed in on the date posted on the assessed coursework notice-board. You will get the portfolio at the start of the course, and you will see that it consists of class activities and independent study components. The class based activities will not be assessed, but should be completed. If you do not complete all sections you will lose marks.

In addition, there will be a seen examination (70%) in the summer term, and you will receive information about the exact form of the exam nearer the time.

October 1st Introduction: Social Facts and social

knowledge CK

October 8th Culture CK

October 15th Community CK

October 22nd Social Stratification and Class ER

October 29th Social Institutions and Power ER

November 12th Symbolic Interactionism PD

November 19th Student consultation (group divided into

two) PD

November 26th Rules and Rituals PD

December 3rd Social Capital CK

December 10th Social Change CK, PD

January 13th Disability DC

January 21st Disability DC

January 28th Gender DC

February 4th Gender DC

February 11th PD

February 25th PD

March 4th PD

March 11th PD

March 18th PD

March 25th Review and Examination Preparation CK, PD

April 1st

You should read as widely as you can. The key text is: Marsh, I. et al. (2000) Sociology: Making Sense of Society Harlow, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

In addition, you may find the following useful for background reading - they are on short term loan in the library.

• Birkitt,I (1992) Social Selves London, Sage
• Burr, V (1995) Introduction to Social Constructionism London, Routledge
• Sarage, E. (ed) 1998 Embodying the Social: Constructions of difference London, Open University Press
• Cochrane, R and Carroll, D (1991) Psychology and Social Issues London, Falmer Press
• Parker, I and Spears, R (eds) 1996 Psychology and Society London, Pluto Press

The relevant journals that you should scan regularly are: Community, Work and Family; British Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology; British Journal of Sociology; Journal of Community Psychology; Critical Social Policy; British Journal of Sociology; Race and Class; Signs; Ethnos; Disability and Society. Some of these journals will be held in libraries on other sites of the University (e.g. All Saints for Social Science; Didsbury for Social and Community work). Don't confine your browsing to these journals - look at any that sound as if they might be relevant.

We will be seeking feedback about the course at intervals during both teaching semesters and at the end of the course. As a result of the feedback, adjustments to the course can be made. If it is not possible to make changes immediately, your views will help us in planning for next year. We do take feedback seriously, so please do take part! A feedback sheet is attached to the back of the assessment portfolio.

If you have any problems with the course, please do not keep them to yourself. Come and see your tutor. Look at the notices on the doors of members of staff's rooms to see when they are available. You will be able to see your tutor during the student consultation sessions in Term 1.