Core Competences
Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
Students know how to apply their acquired knowledge and problem-solving skills in new or unfamiliar settings within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study.
Students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgments based on incomplete or limited information that includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
Students know how to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and the reasons behind them to both specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
Students possess the learning skills that will enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
General Competences
To be able to evaluate and compare the different contributions to the important debates in the social sciences from an analytical, methodological and empirical point of view.
To evaluate the internal logic of a scientific publication, examining the consistency between theory, analytical strategy, indicators, results and conclusions.
To understand and know how to synthesize the main theories into one or more contemporary debates in the social sciences.
Specific Competences
To employ the core concepts and methodologies of social theory in the analysis of the main determinants of social change and its mechanisms at the micro level.
Learning outcomes
1. Mastery of the relationship between social structures and personal situations as the central axis of sociology. Identify the different types of social structures.
2. To know about the theoretical models of main authors in classical sociological theory (Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Tocqueville).
3. Mastery of analytical approaches of these classical authors
4. Knowledge of the main differences in the three main approaches of contemporary sociological analysis: socio-demographic research, macro-sociological analysis, and relational approach.
5. Familiarity with the debates in some of the main substantive topics dealt with within the socio-demographic approach. Among other topics, this approach includes family demography, studies on occupational achievement and educational attainment, migrations and social mobility.
6. Knowledge of the debates in some of the main substantive topics dealt with within the macro-sociological approach. Among other topics, this approach includes the analysis of institutional change, public policies, social movements, European integration and globalization.
7. Knowledge of the debates on some of the main substantive issues dealt with within the relational approach. Among other topics, this approach includes the analysis of social networks, the influence of culture or social conflict.