BA (Hons) Social and Political Studies

This is a three-year full time, or six-year part time, undergraduate course.

This degree course aims to equip students with a critical understanding of the core concepts, theories and approaches underpinning the study of society and social change. Students will develop the skills and knowledge necessary for social analysis and active engagement – as critical citizens – with social, political and economic issues. The course will be of particular interest to those who want not just to understand and analyse society, but who also want to work towards changing it for the better. Many students are involved in social and political activism of various kinds. If you are a full-time student you will study two subject modules per term. There are 5 taught contact hours per module per week. We normally teach each module over one day. For example Module 1 Monday 10.00-1pm and 2-4pm and Module 2 Wednesday 10.00- 1pm and 2-4pm. If you are a part-time student you will study one module per term.

Overall Course Aims

• Develop your depth of knowledge and analytical skills appropriate to each level of study, building progressively from level one through to level three.
• Equip you with the personal and professional skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed in graduate employment or at postgraduate study.
• Develop your capacity for independent judgement, particularly in undertaking independent study and research.
• Develop your comprehension and capacity to analyse social, political and economic issues and to appreciate the relationship between theory and practice in research, policymaking and social/political activism.
• Enable you to apply different theoretical perspectives critically to the analysis of social, political and economic problems and debate in widely different contexts.
• Empower you with the motivation and independent thinking and learning skills to enable you to become a lifelong autonomous learner and active citizen.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All candidates must be able to satisfy the general admissions requirements for Ruskin College.

If you have a Certificate of Higher Education or 120 credits in a relevant subject you may be eligible for direct entry onto Level 5. Please contact Hannah on 01865 759604 for further information. Similarly, if you have a Diploma of Higher Education or 240 Credits in a relevant subject you may be eligible for direct entry onto Level 6 of this course.

COURSE DATES

This course starts in September. Applications close 15th August.

CAREERS

• Destinations and Progression
• Opportunities
• Work for NGOs such as Oxfam, Asylum Welcome, Age Concern
• Return to previous careers in care, housing or social services in advanced (managerial) positions
• Embark upon postgraduate research
• Pursue careers in teaching (via PGCE) and lecturing
• Work for NGOs such as Oxfam, Asylum Welcome, Age Concern
• Return to previous careers in care, housing or social services in advanced(managerial) positions

Progression Opportunities within Ruskin College

• MA ILTUS
• MA Women’s Studies
• MA Public History

Tuition Fees 2015/16

Access to HE Programmes, Level 3, Full Time: £3,358

Why study at Ruskin?

Individuals like you who want to make positive changes to their lives and have the determination to secure the education, qualifications and opportunities that we offer.

As a Further Education College based in Oxford, Ruskin offers educational opportunities, to adults with few or no formal qualifications in an informal setting. Our curriculum starts with the students, their enthusiasm, needs, ambitions and skills and we offer our applicants potential progression routes from foundation courses, through to Access to Higher Education, Degree Programmes up to Masters level.

Whether you are about achieving qualifications, pursuing a forgotten enthusiasm or simply learning to enjoy education. Our friendly residential college attracts students from our local communities, across the UK and the world to help each other learn.

We’ll help you find a level of study that suits your skills and experience.

Ruskin College has a proud history of supporting individuals to realise their potential. We’re a small college, with big ideas – and the programmes we offer mean your learning can also make positive changes to the lives of others. Ruskin welcomes students who not only want to develop themselves but want also to put something back into society.

All of our courses feature the same high-quality teaching and support and there is a range of options for you to explore, from short courses through degrees to masters programmes.

What’s special about Ruskin?

• Academic excellence - Ruskin offers highly qualified staff who provide a supportive and enriching learning experience
• A supportive environment - with our help you can realise your potential and overcome your own personal barriers to learning. Your tutor will help you to find the skills you need and handle the challenges you face
• A like-minded community - you’ll be joining a community of like-minded people, and studying alongside other adults like you who have chosen to make a positive change in their lives
• Clear progression - your learning journey is tailored to your ability and aspirations and that can mean direct access to a degree programme (subject to interview)
• An eye to the future - what you can achieve depends on the skills you have developed during your studies. Our longer courses can lead you directly into professional careers or on to further higher education.

Our story began 115 years ago, rooted in educating working-class adults. Today, we continue to offer opportunities and support to students who often face challenging circumstances. Students come to us from all walks of life, of all ages, some with family or caring commitments, many who are familiar with unemployment or part-time, low paid jobs, and many who have been denied education, qualifications and chances earlier on in their lives.

Why not make Ruskin College the next chapter in your story?

Accommodation at Ruskin

Ruskin College is located in Old Headington, an area just three miles from the centre of Oxford and rich in history. Ex-residents of Headington include CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Sir Isaiah Berlin and Elizabeth Bowen amongst others.

From Headington, there are regular and frequent bus services to the city centre and a regular coach service to London.

Once offered a place, full-time students can apply for a single study bedroom for the entire academic year (40 weeks). Accommodation for students on site is of a high standard, recently-refurbished and offering study/bedrooms in small blocks on the peaceful, semi-rural campus.

There is a choice of standard rooms with shared bathrooms or shower and toilet facilities or en-suite rooms at a higher cost, and subject to availability. All have shared kitchens, and there are three common rooms for use in the evenings.

The College occupies a beautiful site with lawned areas to the front, featuring specimen trees and an avenue of elms, a walled garden behind with opportunities to become involved, an orchard, a small wood and meadowland beyond. Above all, this provides a calm and tranquil environment in which to study.

Life on Campus

The College attracts students from all over Britain and many parts of the world. Within its residential community, students socialise, study and help each other learn in a friendly, supportive environment.

Up-to-date computer facilities are available throughout the week, including weekends, and the modern, purpose-built Callaghan library is well-stocked with over 40,000 volumes.

There is an active Students Union, called the Ruskin College Student Union (RCSU), which promotes and supports the interests of Ruskin students, co-ordinates activities and sponsors groups and societies within the College.

Students are also eligible to join the Oxford Union, and University of Oxford clubs and societies, which offer a wealth of sporting, theatrical, musical and political activities.

Ruskin College is one of the liveliest venues for literary and political meetings in Oxford. We have visiting speakers, music evenings and creative writing and poetry readings, in addition to hosting a variety of Platform events in theatre, law, gender and history.

Life in Oxford

The City of Oxford offers a wide range of cultural and leisure opportunities.

The Ashmolean was the world’s first public museum and houses collections from classical sculpture to impressionist paintings. The Museum of Modern Art offers the best of contemporary work. Within Oxford colleges, many fine collections of art are available for public viewing.

The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, counts among the most prestigious in the world, and Oxford’s Blackwell's bookshop is the flagship for one of the UK’s largest academic booksellers.

The Oxford Playhouse and the New Theatre showcase the best in touring performance – from classic drama, through opera and dance, to stand up and big name bands and singers. A variety of other smaller scale performance spaces cater for all tastes, many offering opportunities to participate.

A vibrant music scene also exists in Oxford’s pubs and clubs right across the city, from folk to funk, rock to reggae.

There are great sports and leisure facilities within Oxford. The University Sports Centre has squash courts and a gymnasium, and there are opportunities galore for individual and team participation. The city itself also offers an ice rink and a variety of sports centres and facilities.

University Access

Many of the facilities of the University of Oxford, its libraries, social life, and events, are open to Ruskin students through the College’s links. Students studying for the Foundation Degree in Business and Social Enterprise are able to access facilities offered by Oxford Brookes University, including the library, careers service and sports facilities.

Ruskin College also has established links with Universities to provide progression into higher education for those completing one of the Access to Higher Education Diploma courses or the first (CertHE) or second (Foundation degree) courses.