Overview
On our four-year BA Social Change (including foundation year), we work with you to develop your subject-specific knowledge, and to improve your academic skills. You receive a thorough grounding in these areas during your foundation year (known as Year Zero) to prepare you for a further three years of undergraduate study at Essex.
After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our School of Philosophy and Art History.
On this flexible degree, you’ll broaden your knowledge whilst acquiring the tools required to address today’s pressing social problems, transform society and make a positive change in an increasingly globalised world. Through social action projects and by participating in group community projects, you’ll gain practical experiences and develop the high-level transferrable skills required to make a real-world difference. Along the way, you’ll build the skills needed to take on global challenges as an effective social change leader.
BA Social Change will equip you with the theoretical and practical skills required of a future change-maker. Throughout the course you’ll cover key areas including but not limited to:
- Community engagement
- Sustainability
- Human rights
- Social justice
- Individualism
Based within our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre (ISC), this course enables you to explore social change across multiple disciplinary perspectives. The flexible structure of this course allows you to choose a range of optional modules across sociology, philosophy, history, politics, human rights, literature and more.
Our expert staff
Our courses are taught by world-class academics and over three quarters of our research is rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014), which puts us fifth in the UK for research outputs.
Specialist facilities
Take advantage of our extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies:
- A comprehensive student support system which will direct you to the best source of advice and support in the case of personal or academic difficulties
- Access a variety of textbooks and journals in the Albert Sloman Library
- Attend an exciting programme of events
Your future
Through BA Social Change you’ll gain an all-round education, acquiring a diverse set of skills and a wide range of knowledge. As a flexible and creative thinker and doer, you will be able to adapt to a rapidly evolving world of work.
Our course provides you with an excellent basis for going onto a career in charity, fundraising, PR and the media, law, government and more.
We also work with the university’s Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.
Why we’re great
- You can tailor your degree to suit your unique interests and goals by choosing from a range of modules.
- Our courses can also be taken as a four-year option including a year of study abroad or a work placement.
- You are taught by a team of international experts in a range of subjects.
Structure
Course structure
We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.
Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore all modules listed are subject to change. Your course structure could differ based on the modules you choose. To view the compulsory modules and full list of optional modules currently on offer, please view the programme specification via the link below.
Teaching and learning disclaimer
Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.
The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently approved for 2022 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.
Teaching
- Taught mostly through lectures plus seminars of fewer than twenty students
- You take a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar for most of your modules every week
- Other teaching methods will depend on your individual combination of subjects
Assessment
- Assessed through a combination of coursework and end-of-year examinations
- Other assessment methods will depend on your individual combination of subjects
