Pathway in Social Sciences
(Please note: this course is subject to approval)
For students starting in September 2019, we hope to offer a route through this programme that prepares you for study on degrees in some social sciences. This is subject to approval in April 2019.
If approved, the course will provide a route into study on an undergraduate degree in Education, Policy Studies, Sociology, Politics and International Relations, and Law. Please follow the links to see the degree programmes that are available in these areas at the University.
Course Structure
(Please note: these details are preliminary and subject to change)
On the course, you will take four compulsory units and choose one optional unit. The course structure is similar to the structure for the existing Foundation in Arts and Humanities, but with two differences. You can find the course structure for the Foundation in Arts and Humanities here:
If you take the social sciences route:
- Instead of Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities, you will take a new unit called Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences, which introduces you to the skills needed for studying the social sciences.
- Instead of What Does It Mean To Be Human? II: From Modern to Ancient, you will take a new unit called Global Bristol, which looks at the lessons we can learn about our global world from exploring our own local experience.
Period of Study
| Duration of course | Attendance | Taught seminars | Independent study | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One year, full-time only | Normally two days per week at the university | Up to eight hours per week | Minimum of ten hours per week | Maximum of 22.5 hours per week |
How to Apply
Applications for the social science route through the Foundation in Arts and Humanities will open in April 2019 if the programme is approved. If you would like us to contact you with more information at that time, please email mature-students@bristol.ac.uk.
If you are interested in the existing Foundation in Arts and Humanities as well as the pathway in Social Sciences, you can apply to the Foundation in Arts and Humanities and indicate on the application form that you are interested in the Pathway in Social Sciences. All the information you will need to apply is available here.
Who will be teaching?
Everyone who teaches on the course will be a specialist in one of the course’s subject areas. In addition, experts on key skills, such as essay writing and library use, will also contribute sessions.
Assessment
During the Foundation, we aim to introduce you to the different types of assessment you might find on an undergraduate degree. Lots of support and guidance is avaiable, and we'll talk you through every stage of the process, from planning an essay to sitting an exam.
- For the 'Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences', you will be assessed through a portfolio of work responding to different assignments week-to-week;
- For 'What Does it Mean to be Human? I: The Modern World' and 'Global Bristol', you will complete three assessments, which may include essay plans, essays, reports, a presentation and an exam;
- For the 'Individual Project' unit, you will complete one essay in a subject area of your choice, as well as giving a short presentation;
- For the 'Representations' unit, you will have the option of a standard essay, a piece of creative writing, or a reflective assignment that draws on research undertaken with a community organisation