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SSC-10001 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 16 September 2026

SSC-10001 - Becoming a Social Scientist
Coordinator: Gemma Loomes Room: CBA1.038 Tel: +44 1782 7 34236
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

This module transitions you to university scholarship and introduces the employability and professional skills that a social science degree provides. You will learn vital academic and professional skills and competencies that will allow you to thrive in the first year of your undergraduate studies and throughout your degree.

Aims
To introduce new undergraduate students to university as a learning environment and support them in identifying and developing the skills necessary to succeed in higher education and beyond.
To introduce students to the difference between active and passive approaches to learning and encourage them to become active learners and owners of their own education.
To enable students to develop strategies for managing a range of different forms of information, approaches to weighing evidence, and synthesising these materials in a range of forms of assessment.
To encourage students to begin to think reflexively about their university experience as a project focused upon achieving positive educational outcomes, working towards employment and career goals, but also a balanced life and wellbeing more generally.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Identify the difference between active and passive forms of learning and how these relate to the practice of being a student.: 1,2
Demonstrate the ability to manage their time in order to meet deadlines and maintain balance and wellbeing in the context of developing increasing independence and living in a world of distraction.: 1,2
Demonstrate the ability to use key academic conventions, such as citation, and understand why these are important skills.: 1,2
Outline the value of analytic problem solving skills and how these relate to academic work, and apply these beyond the context of higher education.: 1,2

Study hours

19 hours of interactive lectures
7 hours of seminars
6 hours of asynchronous learning activities
80 hours of preparation for portfolio
38 hours of preparation for reflexive essay

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Portfolio weighted 70%
Portfolio of Skills
You are required to write a skills portfolio. The portfolio contains the following elements: 1. Reading summary (150 words) 2. Critical review (500 words) 3. Oral presentation (2 slides; approximately five minutes) 4. Reflection on note-taking (250-300 words) 5. Reflection on writing (250-300 words)

2: Assignment weighted 30%
Reflexive Essay
You are required to write a 750-word reflexive essay, focused on academic skills development over the course of the module. You are asked to reflect on the skills that you have developed throughout your first year at university, not only in this module but also in your other taught modules. Writing reflectively involves critically analysing an experience, recording how it has impacted you and what you plan to do with your new knowledge. On this occasion, we would like you to critically reflect on your first year at university, reflect on how it has impacted you and think about how you can use the skills you have developed during your first year positively as you continue your university journey. You may wish to consider questions such as: • What were your main strengths and weaknesses when you started university in relation to your skills? • How have you developed your skills throughout your first year? • Are there are moments / events / teaching sessions that have been particularly influential in terms of developing your skills? • What type of a learner are you and how has your learning style impacted on your skills development? • How successfully have you managed your time and wellbeing and achieved a good work-life balance during your first year? And what can you do to improve? • Looking forward to your second year, what areas do you still need to improve and how do you plan to do this? Everyone’s journey will be different, so please highlight and reflect upon whichever of these elements have been most relevant for you.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 16 September 2026