BSc Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities with Foundation Year

The contemporary world is awash in numbers, but many of us remain cautious in using them, if not actively scared. What does it mean to be literate in such a world? How can we learn to think with and about numbers in making decisions? How can we marshal the power of numbers in argument? This course aims to help you do this, strengthening your ability to reason with numbers. It is not a mathematics course and we will not spend our time in mathematical calculation. We will encounter some very basic statistical concepts, but most of our discussion will focus on how numbers are used in everyday life. By the end, you will be able to think more clearly, reason more sharply, and argue more effectively about the numbers that surround us—and even to enjoy yourself as you do so.

This module introduces students to key skills and practices for university study. Students develop a range of oral, written, visual, analytical and team-working skills. Key topics covered include critical thinking and reading, skills for independent study, academic writing, exam preparation and performance, and project-based learning.

In this module, students develop core skills and competencies relating to digital technology and media, including basic coding, website design, video production and editing, and sound recording and production. An introduction is provided to key contemporary concepts related to our digital age and the impact of digital technology on societies. Students apply the skills and competencies that they have developed in the creation of a digital portfolio. They are encouraged to think about their online self-presentation through social media and other networking tools. The skills and competencies developed during the module are used by students in other Foundation Year modules and during subsequent years of undergraduate study.

This thematic module introduces students to key issues and debates in the contemporary world, such as inequality, diversity and pluralism, migration, human rights, global justice, environmental change and democracy. The module develops critical thinking by challenging students to re-assess their pre-existing views and encouraging them to think critically about areas of the world in which SOAS specialises.

This module takes an interdisciplinary approach to the concept of cultural fluency, raising questions such as: What is culture? What does it mean to study other cultures? How do different cultures relate to each other? The importance of language learning and other aspects of communication in cultural understanding is stressed. Students consider the relationship between culture and globalisation: Is there such a thing as global culture? What does it mean to be a global citizen? They are encouraged to think critically about their own cultures and citizenships. Students develop the digital portfolio that they began in the Digital Skills and Technology module in term 1, incorporating content demonstrating their growing cultural fluency.

This module introduces students to the Social Science, Arts and Humanities disciplines taught in the School. Students develop an understanding of how each discipline approaches the study of major global issues such as migration, human rights, the environment and the nation-state. They consider how the disciplines relate to each other and gain an insight into the value of different disciplinary perspectives. Students are introduced to the key skills required for studying the different disciplines. The taster of each discipline that they receive helps inform their degree choice after the foundation year, while the module’s global focus provides a basis for later choices about regions and topics that students may wish to study in more detail. The different disciplines are organized into a series of broad thematic approaches focusing on History, Economics, Society, Politics and Culture.