Enrolments for 2023 have closed.
Social Theory: Making Sense of Modern Social Life
Undergraduate | LTU-SOC2TCS | 2023
Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Social Theory: Making Sense of Modern Social Life
About this subject
- Apply a sociological perspective to local and global issues, considering the implications for economic, social, political and cultural systems.
- Apply ethical and cultural awareness to issues in sociology.
- Evaluate diverse arguments regarding a relevant topic in Sociology.
- Produce a well-researched and complex written argument relevant to a topic in Sociology.
- Articulate and evaluate key sociological concepts and debates.
- • Capitalism and consumer societies.
- • Gender, race and intersectionality.
- • Class, power and social inequality.
- • Modernity and postmodernity.
- • Key social theorists: Marx, Foucault, Bourdieu etc.
How do we make sense of modern societies? What is distinctive about the times we are living through? How does broad social change impact on our everyday lives? In this subject we consider some of the most ground-breaking explanations of the modern social world, including theories about capitalism, class, gender, race, consumerism, power, exclusion and community. This subject works its way from 'classical' social theories, that attempted to make sense of the massive changes brought about by industrialisation, through to contemporary theories about life in 'liquid modernity' or 'postmodernity.' Thinking sociologically goes beyond an attempt to understand societies as they currently exist, it also invites us to imagine 'alternative futures.' This subject addresses La Trobe's Sustainability Thinking Essential. Sustainability Thinking entails deep appreciation of how the choices we make affect economic, social, political and cultural systems - now and in the future.
- Research Essay (1600 words equivalent) Information on marking criteria will be made available on LMS. (40%)
- Concept Analysis-written assignment (1200 words) (30%)
- Online quizzes on the weekly readings (1200 words equivalent) Further information on assessment details provided on LMS (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed 60 credit points of Level one subjects.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
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