Graduate Attributes and the Concept of the Individual in Modern Society

Module Communications

Graduate attributes are the personal qualities and skills which the University of Bolton community values, and which a student is expected develop during their time at the University. Graduate attributes act as a point of reference for a student’s personal development and support the articulation of employability and transferable skills.

In total there are 10 graduate attributes. This module seeks to support the development of:

• Resilience
• Global Citizenship

Module Communications

The Module Tutor’s contact details are provided at the top of this page. You must check your University of Bolton email address and the Moodle area dedicated to this module regularly as many module communications are channelled through these media.

Your Module Tutor will normally aim to respond to your email messages within 2 full working days of receipt. However, responses will be longer in holiday periods.

Module Description

Arguably it is only with the emergence of modern society that “the individual” has become a meaningful concept.  In this module you will examine the concept of the individual, the nature of modern society and the relationship between them.  This will involve the examination of concepts such as knowledge, understanding, agency and identity.  Central to the module will be the examination of the question: What extent are individuals able to form their own experiences and identity, or are they constrained by social structures and institutions?  You will study a number of themes and issues within the module and these will be examined with reference to appropriate theories.

Bolton Values and Employability Skills: Taught (T), Developed (D) and Assessed (A).

This module also serves to develop employability skills with particular emphasis on the following: Communication Skills: (TDA); Team Working: (D); Organisation & Planning (TD); Problem Solving: (TDA); Self Awareness: (TDA); Personal Impact and Confidence (D); Social, public and ethical responsibility (TDA).

Description

1.The concept of the individual, the nature of modern society and the relationship between them; examination of key concepts such as knowledge, understanding, agency and identity.

2.Using the framework questions, “Biological or Social” (nature or nurture), the module will examine the following themes:

• The individual and identity: Identity and its construction in relation to sex and gender, race and ethnicity.
• Growing up in modern society: The child, childhood, family and society; adolescence and society; from youth to adult in modern society.
• Health and wellbeing in modern society: physical health and disability; emotional health; health in the social context.

Explaining modern society through the concepts of structure and agency.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment

LO1: Demonstrate an introductory understanding of key theoretical approaches used in the social sciences, in understanding modern society.

LO2:  Apply essential concepts and theories to social situations.

LO3:  Consider different sources of information and ways in which these are presented.

LO4: Demonstrate an introductory understanding of research and its application in practice.

Formative assessment is employed to support your learning on the module, allowing you to reflect on feedback on your progress from your tutors and peers. It takes a variety of forms including online activities, quizzes and group work and does not contribute to the final module mark. There are opportunities within this module for guidance on meeting the learning outcomes and learning from the taught components, which will be linked into the assessment strategy. There will be facilitated discussions around the key areas, with individual tutorial sessions to support this. Individual tutorials will enable you to gain advice, support and feedback on your academic abilities and assist the module tutor to plan future sessions and support. You will be required to submit an outline plan of essay, which will form the basis for your individual tutorial. This should be viewed as a formative assessment, aimed at helping you meet the needs of the summative assessment.