PHIL323 Philosophy of Social Science

Updated: 06 January 2010

Unit Information
Additional Information

Credit Points

Offering

Responsible Campus	Teaching Period	Mode of Study	Online Level
Armidale	Semester 1	Off Campus	C - Internet access required
Armidale	Semester 1	On Campus	C - Internet access required

Intensive School(s)

Start	Finish	Attendance	Notes
06 April 2010	08 April 2010	Non-Mandatory

Supervised Exam

There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.

Pre-requisites

any 24cp or 6cp in PHIL or candidature in a postgraduate award

Co-requisites

None

Restrictions

EnqSocSc223 or EnqSocSc224 or PHSS223 or PHSS323

Notes

None

Combined Units

None

Coordinator(s)

Arcady Blinov (ablinov@une.edu.au)

Unit Description

This unit is a compulsory unit for candidates in the Bachelor of Social Science degree. It addresses fundamental issues of methodology, epistemology, and value in the social sciences, drawing particularly on examples from sociology and psychology. The unit develops skills in critical thinking about social scientific practices, and examines the viability of major social scientific methodologies, such as empiricism, positivism, behaviourism, functionalism, hermeneutics, phenomenology, and critical realism. It develops skills in ethical enquiry into social scientific practices by means of selected case studies. The unit aims to teach students of the social sciences how to reflect on the epistemological rigour and ethical probity of the social scientific practices into which they are being inducted.

Recommended Material
Optional

Text(s):

Note: Recommended material is held in the University Library - purchase is optional

Philosophies of Social Science: The Classic and Contemporary Readings: ISBN: 9780335208845

Delanty, G. and Strydom, P. (eds), Open University Press 2003

Text refers to: Semester 1 , On and Off Campus

Disclaimer

Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Assessment

Title	Exam Length	Weight	No. Words
Assignment 1		50%	3500
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3 GA: 1,2 4-6

Final Examination	2 hrs	50%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3 GA: 1,2 4-6

Learning Outcomes (LO)

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

flexibly deploy of social science techniques and knowledge;
evaluate social science as a social institution;
evaluate critiques of the social sciences.

Graduate Attributes (GA)

	Attribute	Taught	Assessed	Practised
1	Knowledge of a Discipline Knowledge of the philosophy discipline will be taught through lectures and tutorials. It will be assessed in two assessments.
2	Communication Skills Students will be taught communication skills through written and oral feedback on the essay for the unit. Students studying on-campus will learn valuable communication skills through participation in tutorials (this will include debates and small group work). Students will be assessed on the style of writing, clarity of writing, expression and development of ideas, and referencing. Students will practice their communication skills through completing the assessment tasks (written through the essay).
4	Information Literacy Students will be taught, and directed, to relevant literature and how to assess its validity. Students will be assessed (through the essay) on their ability to identify relevant literature, and on their ability to critically analyse the literature.
5	Life-Long Learning Through completing the assessments, students will be provided with the necessary lifelong skills to be able to research, write and discuss social issues. These skills can be transferred to any discipline, and will be useful in any research positions. These attributes will be assessed in all of the assessments (written skills; analytical skills). In addition, students who attend tutorials will be provided with the skills to debate contentious topics and develop their understanding of a topic through group activities.
6	Problem Solving Students will be assessed on their ability to deconstruct the essay question and to integrate theory and literature into their answer. Students will need to work out how to address the question and where the most appropriate material is to answer the question.
7	Social Responsibility Students will be taught about their professional responsibilities as a researcher to provide balanced and accurate research. In addition, students will be taught that they have a social responsibility to question and challenge some 'facts'. This will be assessed and taught through their responses to the essay, exam questions and discussions in tutorials or online postings.
8	Team Work Students will practice their teamwork skills through participating in tutorials, or online discussion postings. They will be required to discuss the weekly topics with their fellow students in a thoughtful and respectful manner (practice).

Global UNE Links:

Course and Unit Catalogue 2010

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PHIL323 Philosophy of Social Science

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