THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies)

Postgraduate Course: Happiness: Cross-Cultural Perspectives (PGSP11063)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course will review the extent to which the social sciences have engaged with the topic of happiness from the Enlightenment to the present day. 'Happiness' will be broadly conceived, encompassing all subject appraisal of the quality of life and related matters such as aspiration and moties for this-worldly and other-worldly outcomes, and ethical judgements. Students will also address the literatures and policies relating to unhappiness and suffering and discuss the pathologism of the social sciences as a cause for inadequate explicit analysis of social and cultural dimensions of happiness. The course will review cultural concepts and philosophies relating to happiness (such as utilitarianism and ascetiscism), as well as looking at the evidence of real-world differences in the achievement of happiness in diverse contexts and life stages.
Course description Course delivery includes 10 weekly 2-hour lecture-seminars which include substantial time for not only lecturer and student group presentations, but also plenary discussion of key concepts and debates, plus small group discussion.

There will also be at least one small group meeting of an hour each week for thematic group learning projects that run throughout the course and help students explore specific chosen themes in culture and happiness, and to prepare for coursework, class presentations, and long essays.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  40
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 176 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0%

Students will be assessed by a combination of his(i) 'course work', in this case presentations and short accompanying text of up to 500 words (see below); and (ii) an assessed essay (maximum 4,000 words) at the end of the Semester. The 'course work' carries a weighting of 30% towards the final overall mark for the course as a whole, and the essay carries a weighting of 70%.
Feedback Written feedback on Long essay and short written assignment.

Weekly verbal group feedback on progress in group learning projects which are linked to both coursework assignments.

Verbal feedback on group class presentation at end of course.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. show better appreciation of the importance of happiness as a topic in social analysis, social policies, and ethical debate
  2. show stronger awareness of the importance of evaluative judgement in social analysis, and of the deficiencies in evaluation that result from (a) inadequate cross-cultural perspectives, and (b) inadequate explicit attention to happiness as a criterion for judging social quality and quality of life
  3. show better awareness of the evidence concerning the achievement of happiness in diverse contexts worldwide, and of the gaps in understanding and evidence that that need to be addressed
  4. show an enriched understanding of the evolution of the social sciences through appreciating the ways in which happiness has been foregrounded in the past and backgrounded for the past 100 years
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Neil Thin
Tel: (0131 6)50 3880
Email: N.Thin@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Morag Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5122
Email: morag.wilson@ed.ac.uk
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