Human Development Studies - Overview of LA2 (Level 2) courses

Human Development Studies - Level 2 Modules

In year 2, the contents of Human Development Studies are divided into two modules for administrative and assessment purposes. Both modules are taught throughout the academic year. Students study the modules as an integrated learning experience.

In “Changing Structures of Work and Society”, students will examine some of the key roles played by individuals in modern social settings. The individual interacts with a changing world in a variety of ways: as citizen, as worker and as consumer. The units grouped in this module will explore the place and contribution of the individual under these categories. Our involvement in the political sphere is often described in terms of citizenship. This first unit makes a study of citizenship, of the connection between models of citizenship and models of democracy, and of the relationship between citizenship and human rights. In the economic environment, the individual has the opportunity to be both a worker and a consumer, engaged at all points of the process of the creation and use of wealth. The second unit is a study of the changing perceptions of individuals in the economic environment and as consumers in society, with a particular emphasis on entrepreneurship. In the second semester, students will engage with the ideas which enable individuals to influence and modify the roles they fulfil in society. The module offers a study of contemporary experiences and understandings of the human person in relationship with others. The first unit of lectures will involve a study of Relationship Marketing. This represents a move away from the traditional emphasis on ‘transaction marketing’ and instead has the aim of building long-term, mutually satisfying relations between organizations and their stakeholders. The second unit of lectures will have a focus on value systems. A study of fundamental ethics will explore the frameworks used to make moral choices based on these values systems.

In “Managing Change in the Learning Society”, students will have the opportunity to develop those skills which will enable them to manage the changes they encounter in work and society. As our society places more and more emphasis on knowledge as a key resource, those skills which enhance the learning experience become more critical. In this module, students continue to develop their key skills and to apply them in contexts typical of the learning society: in study and in the workplace. Emphasis is placed on communication, career development and self-management in the work-place. Students are encouraged not only to develop these skills but to become reflective in their practice. They will continue to develop their writing skills for academic and professional purposes. They will have the opportunity to extend their competences in ICT. And they will also have the opportunity to study the role of debate and rhetoric in bringing about change through modification of ideas and opinions. A key area of focus will be career and personal development. Linked to this, the students will have the opportunity for further reflection by means of a period of work-related learning.

ERASMUS MOBILITY

Students may choose to participate in the ERASMUS programme in Year 2 of the LA degree. Students will be registered for a separate module of Human Development Studies in semester 1. This module will contain a menu of the units taken by other LA2 students in semester 1. In semester 2, students follow a Learning Programme in the host institution. The learning programme is equivalent to three modules and results will be transferred into the student's academic record on return to St Mary's.