SOCIOLOGY/CRIMINOLOGY
MODULE OPTION BOOKLET
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BSc (Hons) Criminology
BSc (Hons) Criminology and Sociology
BSc (Hons) Sociology
BSc (Hons) Sociology with Criminology (level 6 only)
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Academic Year
2014-2015
General Notes on the Booklet
FOR ALL STUDENTS
All undergraduate students currently in Level 4 and Level 5 must now choose their module options for
next year. This booklet gives you a brief description of the modules planned for 2014-15. Not all of
these modules will be available to you. The list of modules available to your particular degree
programme is given on the module option form for your particular programme, which will be made
available on Blackboard. The date and mechanism for submitting your option forms will be made
available as soon as possible. This booklet is a generic guide, which should be consulted alongside your
particular module options form.
Modules in this booklet are provisional, and may be subject to change. Students will be notified if this
happens and will be given their next module choice.
Please note that modules which do not attract a sufficient number of students
will not run and some modules will be capped. If you are not able to take your
preferred modules due to ‘caps’, you will default to the next available module
on your list; and given priority allocation when your preferred module runs
next year, as the majority do.
Information regarding the modules on offer is contained in the following pages. If you require any further details,
please contact either your Personal Tutor or the module tutor specified.All students take six modules per year;
usually three modules per semester unless a University-Wide Language module is chosen. In this case, please see
the information below.
Please see the Module Options online forms for the optional choices
available to your programme.
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Sociology,Criminology &Cultural StudiesModule Descriptions
Semester 1
CONNECTED LIVES
Dr Gaynor Bagnall, Dr Andrew Clark, Dr Victoria Gosling
This module looks at the ways in which our lives are socially connected, in particular, it explores the sociological significance
of family and kin relations: What are families for? What does it mean to be a member of a family? How are families
changing? What are some of the implications of the changing nature of families? Can sociology help us to understand our
own families? Who are we connected to, and in what ways? How has this changed? How does globalization affect families?
Taking everyday experiences of family practices as its base, it aims make sense of how we ‘do’ families in the real world,
exploring such issues as communicating with family, obligations of care, the sociological implications of IVF and adoption, the
politics of family resemblances, and the significance of celebrations and rituals such as holidays, weddings, birthdays and
Christmas for reproducing our social connections and kinship structures. These practices and processes are situated in their
wider economic, social and cultural context, as well as considered in relation to theoretical literature and political ideologies.
Indicative reading:
Bauman, Z. (2003) Liquid Love: On the Frailty of Human Bonds, Cambridge: Polity
Charles, N. et al. (2008) Families in Transition: Social Change, Family Formation and Kin Relationships, Policy:
Bristol
Cheal,D. (2008) Families in Today’s World: A Comparative Approach, London: Routledge/Taylor & Francis
Dench, G. et al. (2006) The New East End: Kinship, Race and Conflict, London: Profile
Karraker, M, (2013) Global Families, London: Sage
McKie, L &Callan, S, (2012) Understanding Families, London: Sage
Parkin,R. and Stone,L. (2004) Kinship and Family, Oxford: Blackwell
Shaw, A. (2000) Kinship and Continuity: Pakistani Families in Britain, Amsterdam: Harwood
Smart, C. (2007) Personal Life, Cambridge: Polity
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: 3hr hour SEEN exam (worth 100%).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: 3hr hour SEEN exam (worth 100%).
GENOCIDE
Dr Jo Milner, Prof Chris Birkbeck
Genocide – the intent to destroy all or part of religious, ethnic, racial or national group - is undoubtedly the most serious of
crimes, and one which leaves indelible effects on the societies and individuals that suffer (or commit) this act. Using several
case studies, from the holocaust in Nazi Germany to the massacre of 800,000 people in Rwanda in 1994, this module will
explore the causes, characteristics, representations and consequences of genocides. It will also look at the responses to
genocide, focusing on truth commissions and criminal tribunals. Can there be any justice for the victims?
Indicative reading:
Hayner, Priscilla (2011) Unspeakable Truths: Transitional Justice and the Challenge of Truth Commissions. London: Routledge.
Jones, A (2011) Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction. London: Routledge
Roht-Arriaza, N. and Mariezcurrena, J. (2006) Transitional Justice in the Twenty First Century: Beyond Truth Versus Justice.
Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.
Sluka, Jeffrey (ed.) (2000) Death Squad: The Anthropology of State Terror. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Teitel, Rudy (2000) Transitional Justice. London: OxfordUniversity Press.
Wilkinson, Paul (2012) State Terrorism and Human Rights: International Responses Since the Cold War. London: Routledge.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: TWO 2,250 word essays (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: TWO 2,500 word essays (50/50 weighting).
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INTERSECTIONALITY AND CRIME
Dr MuzammilQuraishi, Dr Tina Patel, & Prof Neal Hazel
Students taking this module will explore the construction of deviant labels based on the variables of ethnicity, gender and
youth. It will ask how ethnicity, gender and youth intersect with crime, and shape the response of the criminal justice
institutions; and what difference these categories make to our understanding of the offenders and victims. Topics will include:
racist victimisation and racially motivated violence; female offending and the causes of youth crime.
Indicative Reading:
Belknap, J. (2006). The invisible woman: gender, crime and justice. New York: Wadsworth.
Bowling, B. & Phillips, C. (2002). Racism, crime and justice. Harlow: Longman.
Muncie, J. (2009).Youth and crime. London: SAGE.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: 2,250 word essay; and a 2hr exam (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: 2,500 word essay; and a 2hr exam (50/50 weighting).
MEDIA, CRIME AND JUSTICE
Prof Chris Birkbeck
This module will explore the role of media in crime and justice. Students will explore the ways in which news media report
crime; and fictional representation of crime and criminal justice. The module will also consider the role of media technologies
in the commission of crime, notably cybercrime. Indicative topics moral panics and copycat violence; reporting sex crimes;
news reporting and contempt of court; symbolic violence; photojournalism; cinema and violenec and the role of media in
campaigns for justice.
Indicative reading:
Carrabine, E. (2008). Crime, Culture and the Media. Oxford: Polity.
Greer, C. (2009). Crime and Media. New York and London: Routledge.
Jewkes, Y. (2004). Media and Crime. New York and London: Sage.
Marsh, I. and Melville, G. (2008). Crime, Justice and the Media. New York and London: Routledge.
Rafter, N. (2006). Shotsin the Mirror: Crime Films and Society. New York: OUP.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS:TWO 2,250 word essays (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: TWO 2,500 word essays (50/50 weighting).
MODERNITY: CITIES AND STATES
Dr Carlos Frade
This module will provide an understanding of major perspectives on modernity and its disputed meaning, its promises and its
dark sides. Students will also explore the modern/postmodern city and life in the modern metropolis, focsuing on utopian
and dystopian visions of the urban 'site', as well as the processes of urbanisation and the paradoxical experiences of urban
life.
Indicative reading:
Blumenberg, H. (1983). The Legitimacy of the Modern Age. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press.
Manuel, Frank E. and Manuel, Fritzie P. (1982[1979]).UtopianThought in the Western World. (New Edition). Oxford: Blackwell.
Polanyi, K. (1957 [1944]).The Great Transformation: the Political and Economic Origins of our Time. Boston: Beacon Press.
Simmel, G. (1997).Simmel on Culture: Selected Writings. Eds D. Frisby and M. Featherstone, London: Sage.
Wilson, E. (1991). The Sphinx & The City: Urban Life, the Control of Disorder & Women. Los Angeles and London: University of
California Press.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS:1,800 word review; and 2,700 word essay (40/60 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS:2,000 word review; and 3,000 word essay (40/60 weighting).
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THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS: FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS ONLY
Prof Chris Birkbeck & Dr Muzammil Quraishi
Located in the final semester before graduation, this module is jointly delivered by academic staff and partners from the
criminal justice system. It aims to take the student through the criminal justice process, from the initial investigation, through
arrest, charging, sentencing and sanctions to post-release supervision. Two hypothetical cases (a burglary and a rape) will be
followed. At each stage, selected criminal justice partners will talk about the decisions that they must make and the concerns
that they must address. Academic staff will focus on several themes-for-reflection, such as justice vs. efficiency, individual
rights vs. criminal justice, decisions and discretion, and inter-agency cooperation and conflict. By the end of the module,
students will have gained a good overview of the criminal justice process and will have reflected on some of its inherent
tensions.
Indicative syllabus: Incident/report/enquiry. Arrest/custody/interview. Charging Decisions. Early court appearances. Trial.
Sentencing. Intervention and supervision. Release from prison. There will also be a session devoted to youth justice.
Assessment
Essay, 2,500 words (50%)
Adversarial Diary, 2,500 words (50%)
VISUAL REPRESENTATION
Prof Greg Smith & Dr Andrew Clark
Visual Representation considers a range of themes and issues in the use of visual materials in accounting for social
phenomena. These include the use of photography and film as evidence, the interpretation of visual imagery, methods of
analysis of visual data (content analysis, semiotics, ethnography, ethnomethodology), and the relationship between words
and images. These matters will be addressed through a range of work in sociology, anthropology and cultural studies.
Indicative reading:
Ball, M. &Smith, G. (1992).Analyzing visual data. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
Emmison, M. &Smith, P. (2000).Researching the visual. London: SAGE.
van Leeuwen, T. &Jewitt, C. (2000).The handbook of visual analysis. London: SAGE.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: 1,800 word critical review (worth 40%); and 2,700 word essay (worth 60%).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: 2,000 word critical review (40%); and 3,000 pictorial project (worth 60%).
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Semester 2
BODIES: BIOLOGY AND BLUSHING
Prof Greg Smith
Students taking this module will gain a distinctly sociological conception of the body, biology and human emotion. Key topics
may include the gendered and racialised body; reflexive embodiment: sport and exercise; diet, obesity and eating disorders;
cosmetic surgery and self-inflicted violence; cyborgs, clones, genetic modifications and organ transplants; everyday emotions;
shame and violent criminality; love and the transformation of intimacy.
Indicative reading:
Barbalet, J. (Ed). (2002).Emotions and Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Crossley, N. (2006).Reflexive Embodiment in Contemporary Society. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Fraser, M. and M. Greco (Eds). (2004).The Body: A Reader. London and New York: Routledge.
Pilnick, A. (2002).Genetics and Society. Milton Keynes: OUP
Turner, J. and J. Stets (Eds). (2005).The Sociology of Emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS:ONE 1500 review; and ONE 3000 essays (33/67 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: TWO 2500 word essays (50/50 weighting).
CONSTRUCTING GUILT AND INNOCENCE
Prof Chris Birkbeck
The typical criminal trial is primarily a contest between the prosecution and the defence over whether or not a crime was
committed and whether the accused is guilty. Each side uses narrative, rhetorical and argumentative strategies to construct
its own version of the events and to present claims about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Judges and juries must
also do the same when they pronounce on a case, and third parties such as the public or the media often engage in a similar
exercise. This module examines the strategies used to construct guilt and innocence, paying particular attention to their
sociological underpinnings. Case studies will be an important part of the module’s content, and there will be presentations by
prosecutorial, defence and judicial professionals. There will also be an opportunity to stage some mock trials in a local
courtroom.
Indicative syllabus: The requisites for assigning guilt; “Facts,” disputes and visibility in legal cases; Strategies for constructing
guilt: evidence, confessions and guilty pleas; Social capital, criminal defence, innocence projects; Judging guilt and innocence;
Credibility; Advocates and oratory; Images of guilt and innocence in the media and literature; Strategies for constructing
innocence: insanity, immaturity, accounts, techniques of neutralisation.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: ONE 1,500 word CLOSING STATEMENT (worth 33%); and ONE 3, 000 word CASE-STUDY (worth 67%).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: ONE 1,500 word CLOSING STATEMENT (worth 30%); and ONE 3, 500 word CASE-STUDY (worth 70%).
IDENTITIES AND INTERACTIONS
Dr Rob Philburn& Prof Greg Smith
This module introduces and explores a range of approaches to the study of human interaction. Instead of thinking about
society as a ‘thing’, these approaches conceive of social life as the product of people’s activities – what they do and how they
do it. The module will address three traditions in this perspective: the ChicagoSchool, symbolic interactionism and
ethnomethodology. As well as exploring these theoretical traditions, we will demonstrate how they can be applied in a wide
range of fields – including health care, education, deviance, gender relations, urban life and ethnic difference. Students will
be able to bring their own experiences and observations to bear in workshop sessions, where these approaches can be tested
and elaborated. Observational (ethnographic) methods will be explained and used, providing a good grounding for
independent study (e.g., a dissertation).
Indicative reading:
Dennis, A., Philburn, R., and Smith, G (2013) Sociologies of Interaction. Polity..
Manis, J.G., and Meltzer, B.N. (1972) Symbolic Interaction: A Reader in Social Psychology (second edition). Boston, MA: Allyn
and Bacon.
Rose, A.M. (1962) Human Behavior and Social Processes. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
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Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: ONE 2250 essay and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: ONE 2500 essay and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
POPULAR CULTURE AND MEDIA
Prof Garry Crawford
The students taking this module will gain a critical understanding of the role of popular culture, consumption, leisure and
media within contemporary society. Key topics will include the power and role of the media; sport; gender and popular
culture; consumer cultures; audiences and fan cultures; tourism; deviant leisure; new media: video gaming and the Internet;
celebrity; and tastes and distinctions.
Indicative reading:
Crawford, G. (2004). Consuming Sport: Fans, Sport and Culture. London:Routledge.
Crawford, G. (2012). Video Gamers.Routledge: London.
Longhurst, B., Smith, G., Bagnall, G., Crawford, G., and Ogborn, M., (2008). Introducing Cultural Studies. (Second Edition).
Pearson: Harlow.
Sandvoss, C. (2005). Fans: The Mirror of Consumption. Cambridge: Polity.
Savage, M., Bagnall, G. &Longhurst, B, (2005). Globalization & Belonging. London: Sage
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: ONE 2250 essay (Textual analysis) and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: ONE 2500 essay and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
POLICING AND SOCIAL CONTROL
Prof. Tim Hope and Dr Elaine Crawley
Students taking this module will be introduced to a range of issues and theories in relation to the policing and social control
in the past, in contemporary society and in the future, which will include a trip to a local police station. Topics will include the
investigation and prevention of crime; Community policing; policing disorder; ethnicity, surveillance and social control; young
people and policing; and security on post 9-11.
Indicative reading:
Ball, K. Haggerty, K.D. and Lyon, D. (Eds) (2012). Routledgehandbook of surveillance studies, London: Routledge.
Bowling, B. and Foster, J. (2002). ‘Policing and the Police’, in M. Maguire et al. (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology.
(3rd Edition.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lyon. D. (1994). The electronic eye: the rise of surveillance society. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Lyon. D. (2006). Theorizing surveillance: the panopticon and beyond. Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
McLaughlin, E. (2007). The new policing. London: SAGE.
Newburn, T. (Ed.) (2008). Handbook of policing. (2nd Edition.). Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Reiner, R. (2010). The politics of the police. (4th Edition.) Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: ONE essay (2,250 words); and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: ONE essay (2,500 words); and ONE ‘LOCAL CONTEXT’ essay (50/50 weighting).
PRISONS AND PUNISHMENT: RESPONSES TO CRIME
Dr Elaine Crawley and Dr Muzammil Quraishi
This module will provide students with an understanding of the evolution of the modern prison and its policies, practices and
regimes, help develop students’ understanding of the relationship between prisons, probation, and the courts; and of the
use and impacts of punishment with regard to age, gender and ethnicity. Students will be encouraged to reflect critically on
the nature, purpose and delivery of punishment as well as explore criminal justice attempts to rehabilitate, re-integrate
and/or resettle offenders. Topics will include: children in custody; the impact of imprisonment on women; penal responses to
young offenders; ethnicity and criminal justice; religion in prisons; punishment and the elderly; managing violent offenders;
alternatives to imprisonment; Restorative Justice.
Indicative reading:
Coyle, A. (2005). Understanding prisons: key issues in policy and practice. Maidenhead: OUP.
Duff, R.A. & Garland, D. (Eds). (1994).A reader on punishment. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Garland, D. (1990). Punishment and modern society. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Jewkes, Y. (Ed.). (2006). Handbook on prisons. Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Liebling, A. &Shadd, M. (Eds.). (2006). The effects of imprisonment.Cullompton: Willan Publishing.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: TWO 2,250 words essay (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: TWO 2,500 words essay (50/50 weighting).
VIOLENCE AND SOCIETY
Prof Neal Hazel
‘Violence’ is a disputed term in our society, used to cover a wide spectrum of actions from playground name-calling to wartime genocide. Key questions will include what is violence? How should we research it? How and when is it justified? Who
are the perpetrators and victims? How might we prevent it? Specific case-studies may include violence involving children;
domestic and sexual violence; racist violence; sports violence; war and war crimes; terrorism; state violence; and policing
mass violence.
Indicative reading includes:
Ray, L. (2011). Violence and Society. London: SAGE.
Scheper-Hughes, N. &Bourgois, P. (Eds) (2004). Violence in war and peace: An anthology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Stanko, E. (2003).The meanings of violence. London: Routledge.
Stanko, E. and Lee, R.L . (2002).Researching violence. London: Routledge.
Assessment:
FOR LEVEL 5 STUDENTS: TWO essays (2,250 words) (50/50 weighting).
FOR LEVEL 6 STUDENTS: ONE essay (2,500 words); and ONE 2 hour exam (50/50 weighting).
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LEVEL 6: INDEPENDENT STUDY MODULES
At level 6 you must choose one of three Independent Study modules. Each of these
modules is worth 40 credits and each runs for two semesters.
DISSERTATION
The aims of the module are to:
 give students the opportunity to pursue an independent piece of research
 allow students to examine a Sociological or Criminological topic of their choice (subject to supervisor and ethical
approval), thereby exploring an area of their own academic, professional or personal interest
 give students the opportunity to consolidate and build on knowledge gained over preceding levels of study
 allow students to conduct an independent collection and critical examination of academic literature on the chosen
topic
 advise students in devising appropriate methodological and analytic strategies
 provide students with the opportunity to gather and analyse data or documentary evidence (drawn from primary
and/or secondary sources)
 give students the opportunity test appropriate hypotheses, generate theoretical propositions or present defensible
arguments around the chosen topic
 allow the students to demonstrate their grasp of and competence in the application of appropriate research
methods
 allow students to demonstrate their ability to organise and present the results of their research in an organised and
orderly manner (via a series of chapters and appending materials)
 provide scholarly supervision, feedback and guidance at all stages of the dissertation work
 increase employability by providing an opportunity for students to produce a piece of work which may use as a
platform for further workplace or postgraduate study.
Assessment: ONE Dissertation (10,000-15,000 words)
Before considering this module
The dissertation module allows students to pursue research in an area of particular interest (subject to tutor approval). Each
student will be assigned a supervisor, butthis module involves a great deal of independent study and requires considerable
self discipline. This option is only suited to students who are comfortable with long term independent study and it requires
constant detailed work throughout the whole of the academic year. Only those students who have a genuine research
interest and feel that they will be able to dedicate themselves to that research fully, should consider choosing this option.
If you have any queries about taking this module you should contact Dr Rob Philburn before choosing to take it.
Topic areas
Below are topic areas that potential Sociology/Criminology supervisors have particular expertise in:
Dr Gaynor Bagnall
Culture-led regeneration; sociology of culture; communities; consumption; gender;
museums and heritage (incl. audiences/social inclusion/exclusion).
Prof Chris Birkbeck
Moral panics; images of crime or criminal justice in the press (historically, currently,
and/or in different countries); comparing crime/criminal justice in the UK and (one or
more) other countries; sociology of ‘true crime.’
Dr Andrew Clark
Urban Sociology; social networks; space, place & everyday life.
Prof Garry Crawford
Sport & leisure (incl. fans and audiences); consumption; video games; subcultures;
popular culture; media, space & place.
DrElaineCrawley
Prison and imprisonment topics, including the working lives of prison staff; the prisoner
experience; specialist prison regimes; elderly prisoners, prisons in international
perspective; use of force and prison privatization.
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Dr Carlos Frade
Social and sociological theory; social and political philosophy; sociology of rule and
political rationalities; studies (preferably theoretically grounded) addressing subjectivities,
identities & representations related to religious beliefs; political ideologies & vocational
practices.
Dr Victoria Gosling
Gender; the body; sexuality; leisure; poverty; social exclusion; communities.
Prof Neal Hazel
Youth crime; youth justice system; children and young people; parenting and discipline;
communities; family violence; family poverty and support; police engagement; prison and
life after prison; youth engagement; comparing criminal justice in different countries;
history of criminal justice; evaluations of interventions
Prof Tim Hope
Crime Prevention; Police and Policing; crime trends and statistics, including analysis of
crime survey data; rioting and public disorder
Dr Jo Milner
Human rights; Older and/or disabled people’s rights; equality & diversity; housing studies;
assisted dying.
Dr Rob Philburn
Stigma; gangs; conversational analysis work; ethnographic work in any setting.
Dr MuzammilQuraishi
Ethnicity and crime/criminal Justice; racism; homicide; legal processes, colonialism and
crime; Muslim populations and crime; imprisonment (especially race and religious
provision); surveillance and civil liberties.
Prof Greg Smith
Interactionist sociology; ethnographic studies; body projects; visual sociology.
You may, of course,decide on a topic area not listed here, but you should negotiate this with a supervisor before completing
the proposal and ethical approval forms (see below).
Ethical approval
All dissertations are subject to ethical approval.
EXTENDED ESSSAY
The aims of the module are to:
1.
provide students with extended word length to write on Sociological or Criminological topics, beyond that allowed
in conventional level 6 essays
2.
allow students to examine Sociological or Criminological topics of their choice (the precise topics and essay titles to
be agreed upon with the relevant supervisor), thereby pursuing their own academic interests
3.
give students the opportunity to work independently in the identification and presentation of published scholarly
material on their chosen topics
4.
allow students to conduct a more thorough review, in-depth exploration and critical examination of topics than
would be possible in conventional level 6 essays
5.
provide enhanced supervision by allocating a dedicated supervisor (in much the same way as the Dissertation
module provides)
6.
increase employability by providing an opportunity for students to produce a piece of work which they may use as a
platform for further workplace or postgraduate study.
Assessment: TWO Extended Essays (each 5,000 words)
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Work Practice and Reflection (work placement)
(Convenor: Dr Victoria Gosling)
Level 6, Semesters 1&2
Students on this module work in a voluntary placement of their choice, which they find independently.
The module will encourage students to make connections between academic knowledge and workbased experience, to engage in career planning and to manage their work independently. The core
activity for student learning is a voluntary work placement, typically lasting around 100 hours, across the
full academic year. The course tutors will provide support and guidance in finding and securing the
placement, but the ultimate responsibility for gaining a placement rests with the student. This
placement is normally with a voluntary or public organisation, which operates in a field related to the
student’s academic programme of study and is secured by the student. Students observe and
participate in the work of the organisation. They are supported in this activity by a series of timetabled
workshops that prepare them for the placement and for the assessments. Additionally, all students are
allocated a personal tutor for the module and regular meetings are held with individual students to
discuss their progress and to deal with any issues arising from the placement. Students with Student
Support Plans will be accommodated appropriately in learning and teaching strategies. Please note: for
those selecting this module there will a mandatory meeting after the Easter break to discuss finding a
work placement.
Assessment: The module is assessed by a portfolio of work (60%) (consisting of a reflective statement,
a CV and an academic report), and an individual presentation (40%).
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SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
University-wide Language Programme (UWLP)
HuLSS students in Level 5 and Level 6 may wish to take a foreign language module in place of one of
their usual options. The School of Languages delivers these modules.
All UWLP language modules are 20-credit modules. The mark obtained will contribute towards your
level mark and also your degree classification.
NOTE: Each language module runs as a ‘long-thin’ 20-credit module across both semesters of the
academic year, with assessments falling in both semesters. This will cause a credit imbalance (50/70 or
70/50) but for students wishing to study a UWLP module, this imbalance has been allowed by the
university.
In order to accommodate this, you must drop one of your optionalHuLSS modules in one semester. This
means that in one semester you will be effectively taking 2.5 modules, and in the other 3.5 modules.
If you wish to take a UWLP language option the process is simple: you should number your HuLSS
modules, according to your preference, on your module option form in the usual way. Then, enter the
name of the language module you wish to take (including the Stage) in the appropriate box on your
form. You must also specify in which semester you wish to drop a HuLSS module in order to take the
language option. Provided there are no timetabling clashes, you will take the language module in place
of your least preferred HuLSS option module in that semester (this does not include core modules).
In addition, you will need to enrol on the language module of your choice on the School of Languages
database by going to www.languages.salford.ac.uk/uwlp where you will find the application form.
Applications will be taken from April 2013onwards.
Please note that language modules run subject to availability
Why should I choose a language module?
Employability: Language learning enhances graduate employability as businesses increasingly compete
on a global scale, and employers place more and more value on language skills alongside another
specialism.Language skills can improve your career prospects by opening up your options, making you
more employable and giving you the potential to earn a higher salary.
Globalisation has led to a growing demand for language skills from employers and research shows that
rates of unemployment are lower amongst graduates with knowledge of a second language, even at a
basic level. It will help you stand out from the crowd!
What language can I study?
 French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese or Japanese
Language modules are taught at four different levels (called Stages). You can pick up a language you
have studied previously or start a new one entirely from scratch.
Stage 1 – Beginners: No previous experience or Grade D or below at GCSE (or equivalent)
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Stage 2– CEFR A1+/UK Grade A*-C at GCSE (or equivalent), or a pass at stage 1
Stage 3 – CEFR A2/UK Pass at AS level up to grade C (or equivalent), or a pass at stage 2
Stage 4 – CEFR A2+ or B1/UK Pass at AS level at grade A or B (or equivalent), pass at A2 level up
to grade D (or equivalent), or a pass at stage 3
If you have grade A – C at A2 (or equivalent) or have already completed Stage 4 in a particular language,
you are deemed to have enough knowledge of that language to cope quite well abroad, so please
choose a different language.
Please note that you cannot do the same Stage twice. For example, if you complete Stage 1 (b) in Level 5
and wish to carry on studying the same language, you must continue to Stage 2 (c) in Level 6.
How will I learn?
 The module content is very practical, preparing you for using the language in your future career. The
lower Stages will help you cope with everyday situations abroad or when dealing with visitors to this
country; the higher Stages aim to develop your ability to use the language more widely in
professional contexts
 Class contact is 2 hours a week, plus a further hour each week of directed self study in the Language
Resource Centre (in the MaxwellBuilding)
 Assessment is by means of short, practical tests based on your coursework (two per semester)
Which Stage should I join?
That will depend on what experience you already have (if any) of learning the language. As a general
rule, even if you last studied the language a long time ago, you should join the Stage that matches any
qualifications you have.
Are all languages available at all Stages?
Whether or not a language module is available will depend on how many students have signed up for it.
If there are insufficient numbers for a particular module to run, you will be informed in Week 1 and
offered an alternative module option.
I’m not sure which language I want to do or which Stage I should be in.
Can someone advise me?
For further advice, please contact the UWLP coordinator or UWLP administrator:
Miss Rosy Horton
Programme Assistant, School of Humanities, Languages & Social Sciences
Room 827, Maxwell Building, University of Salford, Salford; M5 4WT
T: 0161 295 0715
E:R.Horton@salford.ac.uk
Dr. Saihong Li
Room 812, 8th Floor, Maxwell BuildingUniversity of Salford, Salford; M5 4WT
T: 0161 295 3666 (with 24 hour voicemail)
E:s.rasmussen@salford.ac.uk
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