LIB-20006 - Module Specification
School of Social, Political and Global Studies
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

`¿Wicked problems¿ are those that are complex, intractable, open-ended, and unpredictable.¿
Alford & Head (2017) Wicked and less wicked problems: a typology and a contingency framework. Policy & Society 36(3):397-413
In this module, you will develop your understanding of how the Liberal Arts, the Natural Sciences, and interdisciplinary practice relate to the broad range of complex challenges faced by society - and be able to communicate that effectively. This includes engagement with the Grand Challenges lecture series at Keele¿s Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences and is underpinned by conceptual frameworks such as ¿wicked problems¿ that formalise how we think about major societal challenges.

This module aims to develop students¿ understanding of how the Liberal Arts, the Natural Sciences, and interdisciplinary practice relate to human society and the complex challenges faced by the world and the people in it. Exploration of a broad range of societal challenges involving interdisciplinary approaches will include formal engagement with the Grand Challenges lecture series at Keele¿s Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This will be underpinned by explicit engagement with conceptual frameworks such as ¿wicked problems¿ that formalise how we think about difficult and complex problems considered major societal challenges. Students should therefore be able to communicate their understanding of societal challenges effectively using explicit reference to conceptual frameworks and evidence.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Evaluate how interdisciplinary practice in the Liberal Arts relates to complex societal challenges: 1
Discuss academic conceptual frameworks on societal challenges and interdisciplinary practice: 1
Critically evaluate information in evidence-based arguments: 1,2
Effectively communicate evidence-based evaluations: 1,2

Study hours

20x 1hr lectures or workshops (= 20 hours)
Attendance at Grand Challenges lectures and receptions 5x ~1.5 hours (= 8 hours)
Lecture preparation - 20 hours
Seminar preparation - 20 hours
Assessment preparation - 82 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment