Arts and Law Pathway modules

CAL modules

Modules	Credits
Academic English and Study Skills (Term 1)	20
Academic English and Study Skills (Term 2)	20
The European Heritage	20
The Country and the City	20
Colonial Encounters	20
Politics, Policy and Protest	20
Social Policy, Welfare and Society	20
How to Learn, Earn and Be Happy	20
Business and the Market	20
Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics	20

Module descriptions

Academic English and Study Skills modules are detailed here

The European Heritage

In this module you will learn about the history of the classical and Christian traditions that underlie European civilisation, as well as some of the most significant artistic and literary works that these traditions have inspired. You will examine the development of European society, culture and its philosophical and religious underpinnings in the Classical, Renaissance and Modern eras, focusing on key ideas and artefacts as examples.

The Country and the City

In this module you will be learning about industrialisation, the rise of the modern city, and its subsequent interaction with a rural – or environmental – discourse. You will engage with such topics as industrialisation, with particular emphasis on the city of Birmingham, the representation of provincial and metropolitan life in French and English literature, the development of a pastoral movement in the late 19th century, and the practice of contemporary environmental law.

Colonial Encounters

Here you will be looking at the overseas expansion of European powers and the legacies of imperialism. Initial sessions will establish a chronological and thematic outline, exploring the roles of slavery and anti-slavery in the establishment of empire, governance and violence in the maintenance of empire, and the role of anti-colonial nationalism in ending imperial rule. Later, you will encounter key concepts in the study of colonial encounter and its cultural legacies. You will explore orientalism, postcolonialism and hybridity through sessions on the representation of colonised peoples in metropolitan cultures (exhibitions, literature, ethnography and film), postcolonial challenges to these ways of knowing ‘the other’, and the place of English as a global language.

Politics, Policy and Protest 

This module will introduce you to the main issues and debates in contemporary international and global affairs. The module will comprise four sections. The first section will focus on conceptual debates surrounding the nature of international and global politics. In the second section the development of the nation-state and its changing role and position in an increasingly globalised world will be considered, and this will be followed in the third and fourth sections by consideration of patterns of regional integration as a response to globalisation and questions surrounding global security governance and co-operation. The key focus will be on how states are changing, and how they influence and are influenced by regional integration and international organisations.

Social Policy, Welfare and Society 

This module explores the potential to create the societies in which we would want to live through the development and implementation of policies, which include health, social care, housing and criminal justice. Focusing on the British setting, this highly contemporary and dynamic module analyses current social issues and asks questions about the role and contribution of the individual, the family and the state in constructing societies for the future. 

How to Learn, Earn and Be Happy: An Introduction to Education  

Learning, and processes of formal and informal education, are widely held to be crucial components of a successful and happy life. This module introduces you to theories of learning, teaching and assessment, explores their impact on life chances in different areas of the world and reviews philosophical and empirical research on the relationship between education and happiness.

Business and the Market 

This module focuses on the relationship between firms and markets. It looks at how markets work, how they differ and why these differences matter to the firm. It begins by introducing you to some underlying ideas that will help you think about the subject, before moving on to describe the operations of the market itself. After learning about the laws of supply and demand, you will also study the different types of market and how firms set about maximising their profits under different competitive conditions.

Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics 

While this module has a mathematical foundation, it is not simply about developing your mathematical skills. Rather, the purpose of the module is to show you how you can use these skills to improve your understanding of business problems and to help you make business decisions more effectively.

As a Birmingham student you are part of an academic elite and will learn from world-leading experts. From the onset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner, capable of formulating your own ideas and engaging critically with their subject. A key benefit of this approach is that you gain the skills that employers are looking for, such as intitiative, teamworking, problem solving and time management.

To begin with you may find this way of working challenging, but rest assured that you will be guided and supported to make the transition to becoming an independent and self-motivated learner. You will have access to a comprehensive academic support system that will assist and encourage you, including a tutor in your college who will provide help and advice with any study-related issues, and will help you to monitor and reflect on your progress. 

Your learning will take place in a range of settings, from scheduled teaching in seminars, lectures and small group tutorials, to peer group learning in which may, for example, be asked to prepare and deliver a presentation with your classmates.

For more information, please visit Learning at Birmingham