Compulsory modules

Making Sense of Politics
How do we make sense of studying politics and the changing nature of politics? This module addresses the contestable nature of politics and its relevance in contemporary society. You will explore the concepts of power, democracy and terrorism, applying these concepts to contemporary issues to better understand the political world. You will engage with external actors to reflect on how current national and/or world issues are framed from diverse perspectives and angles, working in small groups to develop your ideas. 

Philosophy as Reason and Wonder 
This module opens your mind to philosophical questioning and gives you a logical toolbox to answer your new questions. You'll delve into core metaphysical and epistemological issues, emphasizing independent thought and philosophical relevance. Formal logical skills will be introduced, enhancing your academic and professional abilities. Additionally, you'll attend a Royal Institute of Philosophy session and report on it, offering an experiential learning opportunity that showcases philosophical debate in action. 

Becoming a Social Scientist 
This module transitions you to university scholarship and introduces the employability and professional skills that a social science degree provides through a range of action-focused activities, e.g. analysing local council budgets and making decisions about where to invest money. Overall, the module introduces you to vital academic and professional skills and competencies that will allow you to thrive in the first year of your undergraduate studies.  

Optional modules

Ancient Global Wisdom 
Ancient philosophy with a twist, for although Greek philosophy is discussed in depth, ideas from traditional Indian, Chinese and African philosophy are given prominence too. By seeing how similar philosophical concerns arose, you will come to a better understanding of how the past has shaped our thinking. You will write dialogues and empathetic monologues, in the spirit of ancient philosophy. For an unforgettable Experiential Learning, you will have an opportunity to perform these in the perfect setting: The Keele Amphitheatre. 

British Politics: Welfare, Economy and Society 
How did we get to the state we're in? This module focuses on the domestic and international dimensions of British politics, presenting an overview of the key debates that have shaped post-WW2 British politics. You will develop an understanding of key events and the importance of ideas such as welfare, decline, immigration, governability and populism. You will enhance your critical reading and analytical skills, developing a better understanding of how the past can help us make sense of the present. 

Exploring Political Inequalities 
How can we better understand the unequal world around us? This module explores the concept of (in)equality through the lens of political thought, focusing on economics, religion, gender and race. You will be introduced to classic texts and thinkers, developing an understanding of the foundations of political thought. You will critically reflect on your own perspectives relating to economic, religious, gender and racial inequalities through real-world political examples, exploring how these inequalities can be overcome.  

Nietzsche’s Death of God 
Few philosophers hold more fascination to the beginning student of philosophy than Friedrich Nietzsche, the prophetic and iconoclastic 19th-century philosopher who predicted a coming age of nihilism, which many think has now arrived; Nietzsche’s final lapse of sanity is often connected to his uncompromising path of thought. The excitement of reading Nietzsche provides a perfect introduction to close textual reading and analysis, which will prove useful as the degree progresses, and which is another of philosophy’s key transferrable skills. 

What Does It Mean to Be Good? 
You will be introduced to the ethical, practical concerns of philosophy, centring on the ancient question “how should we live?”. Religious belief and doubt usually had a role in these reflections, so this module makes an excellent link from Religious Studies, which you may have engaged in prior to university. You will have the opportunity to think philosophically in religious spaces through field trips and site visits.

Compulsory modules

Global Democracy under Threat: Resilience or Retreat? 
In the face of challenges from above, below and within, democracy around the world is under threat. From challenges posed by populism and autocratic leadership to increasing political mistrust and declining levels of participation set against a backdrop of the threat posed by AI and misinformation, global democracies face numerous different threats. You will develop your data handling and analysis skills, exploring whether global democracy is resilient or in retreat and complete diverse assessments designed for an external audience.  

Environmental Philosophy and Technology 
This module is about applying philosophy to pressing issues such as environmental degradation and technological progress, particularly Artificial Intelligence. You'll evaluate leading philosophical perspectives on these topics, supported by site visits. Building on skills developed previously, you will tackle a contemporary local challenge set by Stoke City Council, a local business, or a third sector organization. Through vlogs and podcasts, you’ll engage with the community, understand local philosophical challenges, and devise philosophy-led solutions that are presented for external feedback. 

Social Science at Work 
This module begins to introduce you to possible careers for social scientists and links to the work you are doing in your subject core and option modules asking the question ‘how can we mobilise academic study into the real world?’ You will also be encouraged to prepare for placement work that you may pursue and reflect on your social media footprint; developing your personal/professional brand and digital networking platforms.  

Optional modules

Elections, Voters and Public Opinion 
This module introduces you to practical political research, through the study of elections, voting and public opinion. You will explore voting behaviour and examine why people vote the way they do. You will also work with elementary numerical political data and learn how to produce and interpret basic descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and cross-tabulations. This module provides you with a wide range of data analysis and report-writing skills necessary for success in a range of private and public-sector careers. 

Enlightenment Philosophy   
It is impossible to properly understand the rise of modern science and decline in the cultural influence of religion in Europe without understanding the rise of modern philosophy, and thus the great metaphysical and epistemological theories of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant. A module such as this is essential to any serious study of philosophy. Transferable skills are developed through close textual reading and analysis, and through assessed group presentations, which develop presentation and teamwork skills.  

Environmental Politics and Policy 
This module introduces some of the key historical, theoretical and practical dimensions of environmental politics and policy. You will explore the political nature, and historical context, of environmental problems and controversies and the roles that countries, political institutions and social groups play in effecting environmental policy change. You will develop the skills you need to become as effective changemaker in society, developing the argumentation and communication skills necessary to analyse contemporary environmental problems critically, and thus respond to them effectively.  

Knowing Minds 
This module introduces key issues in contemporary Anglophone epistemology, metaphysics and philosophy of mind. Largely focusing on issues within the naturalistic analytic philosophy of the last 30 years, when philosophers have worked alongside science to answer currently critical questions such as whether a machine can think, this module allows students to utilize the logical and analytic skills they have developed to understand today’s cutting-edge debates.

Public Policy and How To Make It 
To influence the policies that shape our lives, whether that's the failure of trains to turn up on time or deep inequalities in our society, you have to understand the system that makes them. This module asks 'Why do some policies change while others stay the same?' and considers how might you start to think about influencing that process. These are some of the big questions about politics and policy.

Meaning and Nihilism   
A module on our existential condition as mortal human beings: whether there is a meaning of life, or whether nihilists are right that there is not. For some, nihilism is a source of liberation – ‘Sunny Nihilism’ is a popular online movement – while the traditional view is that it is a source of despair. In studying this fascinating and personally engaging topic, students will gain sought-after skills in presenting and advocating, e.g., by preparing speeches and drawing up debate maps. 

Social Sciences Placement 
This module gives you, as a student in the School of Social Sciences, the opportunity to contribute to the world beyond the University, in any workplace where the specialist knowledge, research, analytical, and communication skills developed as part of your Social Science degree can be used and can make a difference. The chosen workplace or volunteering opportunity may be, for example, with a local government agency or third sector organisation, a charity, a community group, a criminal justice agency, a campaign group, a public service, a school or education provider, or another suitable opportunity identified by the student and approved by the module leader. 

Compulsory modules

Engaged Social Science 
Moving on from the previous skills modules, you will further consider how your degree can link to a range of life skills and careers through engagement with community groups, activists and people working in public and private sectors. You will be supported in your next steps either through transition to the workplace or postgraduate study.  

Optional modules

Philosophy Dissertation
You may write a dissertation on any topic in Philosophy that is of interest to you, and we will organize supervision from the most appropriate member of academic staff within the School. Completing a dissertation will enable you to develop key research skills, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, information handling skills, and written communication skills. It will also demonstrate that you have a clear ability to work independently and autonomously and to plan your activities and manage your time. 

Dissertation in Politics and IR
You may write a dissertation on any topic in Politics that is of interest to you, and we will organize supervision from the most appropriate member of academic staff within the School. Completing a dissertation will enable you to develop key research skills, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, information handling skills, and written communication skills. It will also demonstrate that you have a clear ability to work independently and autonomously and to plan your activities and manage your time. 

Building a Better Future 
How do we build a better future? And what is our role in leading and shaping the changes we want to see in the world? This module empowers you to become global, active citizens, reflecting on how we can shape the future. The module explores the importance of leadership in a changing world and how we can move towards a more just, sustainable future, as you take part in simulations to develop and reflect on your own leadership skills. 

Evaluating Science with Philosophy 
The philosophy of science is a central area of contemporary philosophy, as it should be in a world dominated by scientific understanding. However, not all attitudes to science are rational, with scientism generally regarded as an inappropriate, uncritical, almost religious trust in science. This module develops transferrable skills with an innovative video-making project for one of its assessments, showcasing how to channel your perspectives into engaging, audience-focused and interactive content. 

Parliamentary Studies 
This module provides an in-depth knowledge of how the UK Parliament works in both theory and practice. Taught in conjunction with staff from the Westminster Parliament, the module examines Parliament’s increasing prominence as a policy-making actor in the twenty-first century, particularly in the context of Brexit. The module gives you the tools to critically evaluate the role of Parliament in shaping policy and politics. You will engage with Parliamentary practitioners, visit Parliament and complete assessments set by Parliamentary staff. 

Practical Philosophy  
In this module, you will explore the practical application of philosophy through philosophical counselling or other practical approaches to philosophy. You'll learn how philosophical thinking can improve your life, in a manner similar to psychotherapy, for example. Assessments include practical tasks like role-playing exercises, developing transferable skills such as empathetic understanding. Additionally, the module offers a toolkit to enhance your mental health, benefiting you both during and after your studies. 

Religion and Metaphysics 
Mysticism and spirituality are of increasing importance to people in our technological, output-driven age, but few understand their roots in Neoplatonism, Sufism, the Kabbalah and other strands of ‘Perennial Philosophy’. Against the background of a rational philosophical tradition, today’s trends of mysticism can be critically assessed and improved, leading to clear practical applications. You will gain valuable skills for researching and reporting from close textual analysis and the need to collate information from a variety of difficult texts. 

The Dark Side of Politics 
The global political landscape is increasingly dominated by self-interest, violence, corruption, distrust, alienation, deception, polarisation and institutional failure. As citizens feel increasingly alienated from the political process, trust with political elites and satisfaction with democracy around the world, particularly in the face of technological advances such as AI, is in decline. In this module, you will focus on the dark side of politics, exploring issues such as polarisation, corruption and anti-politics from a global perspective, developing your critical analytical skills. 

Work Placement for Social Sciences Final Year Students 
This module gives students studying subjects in the School of Social Sciences the opportunity to contribute to the world beyond the University, in any workplace where the specialist knowledge, research, analytical, and communication skills developed as part of your Social Science degree can be used and can make a difference. The chosen workplace or volunteering opportunity may be, for example, with a local government agency or third sector organisation, a charity, a community group, a criminal justice agency, a campaign group, a public service, a school or education provider, or another suitable opportunity identified by the student and approved by the module leader.