Introduction

Sociology is a science and community of scholarship whose endeavour is to utilise rational models to organise empirical data about social behaviour. Learning sociology means taking a step back from one’s personal interpretations of the world, to look at the social influences, which shape one’s life. Contemporary society is marked by crisis encompassed in marginality, conflict, poverty and discrimination. The power of sociology is to demonstrate just how strong the forces that organise society in very different ways are. The study of sociology helps one to recognise human differences and human suffering and to confront the challenges of living in a diverse world. The degree prepares students to take up careers in research, public health, human resources management, development, advocacy and activism, social welfare, conflict resolution and management among many others. Furthermore, the degree prepares students for graduate training in multiple disciplines like anthropology, development, mass media, public health and industrial sociology etc.

Preamble

Regulations for the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Sociology and Gender Development Studies shall apply subject to provisions for both the University and Faculty General Academic Regulations. Generally Faculty Regulations shall normally take precedence over specific degree special regulations where both are read together.

Aim

The overall aim of this programme is to train Social Science students in the application and utilization of sociological and gender development perspectives in the analysis of social processes.

The Specific Aims are:

to equip students with theoretical knowledge on social discourse in order to bridge the gap between theory and praxis.
to equip students with skills to research and critically analyse social phenomena focusing on how these phenomena correlates with social structures shaping social processes.
to intellectually empower students to effectively analyse the discourse on marginality, discrimination, exclusion and poverty in order to enhance their participation in community development and change; and
to enhance and promote the development of sociology as both an academic discipline and field of scientific application relevant to diverse human needs.

Learning Outcomes

• Interpersonal skills
• Team building
• Coping skills
• Guidance and counselling skills
• Social research skills
• Research and publication skills
• Data interpretations and analysis skills
• Organisational management skills
• Interviewing skills
• Report writing and presentation techniques
• Writing and publishing articles
• Understanding and streamlining gender issues
• Gender sensitisation and promotion skills
• Advocacy and activism

Entry Requirements

Subject to provisions of the University and Faculty General Academic Regulations for admission, the following entry requirements shall apply:

Mature Entry (25 years and above)

A minimum of 5 ‘O’ Level passes including English at grade C or better; and a professional qualification such as a diploma in a related field of study.
A minimum of 3-years relevant working experience.

Normal Entry (24 years and below)

5 “O” level passes including English at grade C or better and 2 “A” Level passes in Social Sciences related subjects.

Duration of Programme/Study

The Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Sociology and Gender Development Studies shall take four years full time to complete. It shall be offered on a semesterised basis.

Programme Structure

All BSc (Hons) in Sociology and Gender Development Studies students are expected to do a minimum total of thirty courses. To meet these requirements, students undertake twenty-eight courses and a project on an approved sociological problem (a project is worth two courses).

• the first year, students shall undertake ten courses on offer. For a student to proceed to second year, he/she should pass all the ten courses.
• the second year, students shall undertake ten courses.
• In the third year students shall go to Attachment for the whole year.
• In the fourth year, students shall undertake at least eight courses. In addition, students normally do a project (which is equivalent to two courses), except in extreme cases where the Faculty approves that the student does 2 additional courses instead of a project.
• In order to proceed to register for the project, a student must also have passed qualitative and quantitative research methods in the second year.
• All in all, a student shall normally require at least twenty-eight courses plus a project (equivalent to two courses) and work related attachment to graduate with an honours degree.