| Unit name | Work, Employment, and Society |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL30087 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Paskov |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Work is the cornerstone of the economy, the society, and individual and family lives. This unit explores the central issues and trends in the world of work and employment. This includes looking at what types of work, employment, and occupations people engage with and why. We consider quality of work and work conditions, and how those differ across various contexts. We explore how work influences individuals’ place in society and shapes their living standards but also the impact work has on health and wellbeing. Importantly, we discuss work as a source of inequality, and how access to different types of work differs by factors like gender, race and ethnicity, and class of origin. The overarching theme of the unit is how policy in shaping work and employment, and the inequalities therein. While the unit is focused on work and employment issues in the UK, we draw on international literature. This unit will help students gain an in-depth understanding of the key issues in the world of work today, what the future of work might entail, and the role of social policy in shaping work and inequalities in work.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit analyses a key theme in Social Policy and is strongly linked with the most fundamental contemporary social issues related to human wellbeing, standard of living, and inequality. This unit complements and builds on other Social Policy modules, including Key Concepts, Theories and Ideologies in Social Policy (SPOL10033), Social Policy Past and Present (SPOL10034), Segregation and Inequality in International Perspective (SPOL10038), and Poverty, Social Exclusion, and Social Policy (SPOL20019).
Overview of content
We begin this unit with the meaning of concepts like work, employment, occupations, unemployment, labour market, before exploring different types of work and theories that attempt to group workers or types of work into different categories, including social class theories. We proceed by looking at quality of work in terms of pay and work conditions, and how quality of work differs across countries and what are the key changes over time. Then we look at the consequences of work for individual and family lives, including their social and economic standing, but also health and psychological wellbeing. What will follow is an analysis of inequality in work, including how access to different types of work differs by gender, race and ethnicity, and social class of origin. The overarching theme of the unit is how policy in shaping work, quality of work, and inequality in work. We discuss a range of policy measures that influence work and employment, including minimum wage policies, active and passive labour market policies but also family and welfare policies.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Work is a cornerstone of the economy, the society, and individual and family lives. This unit will allow you to recognise some of the key challenges and contemporary debates in relation to work and employment, including the future of work. The unit is closely linked with the topic of inequality as we discuss which groups in the society are most at risk to take on low quality and low paid jobs, and how that contributes to overall levels of inequality in society. You will develop skills to critically discuss the role of policy in influencing the world of work and the inequalities therein.
Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit you will be able to:
Teaching will consist of weekly lectures, independent and group learning activities, and seminars. Independent activities will involve structured reading, engagement with audio/visual resources and a range of interactive data sources. Lectures will cover the more conceptual and theoretical aspects of the unit, whilst applied learning will take the form of independent self-study, group-study, and interactive seminars, the latter involving elements of tutor feedback and peer-assessment. Feedback will be provided for formative assessment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Each week you will work individually and within groups to deepen understanding of the issues discussed in the unit. Weekly seminar exercises and seminar discussions help you prepare for the summative assignment by developing ability to build an argument, critically assess academic articles, and interpret evidence from wide range of sources. As a formative assignment, you will do a group presentation on an assigned topic, which will develop your ability to effectively communicate and critically debate complex issues related to work, employment, and policy. You will receive both individual and group feedback, which will support your preparation for the assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (3000 words maximum, 100%)
This assessment covers all of the unit ILOs.
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL30087).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
