Course unit details:
Mitchell Centre seminar series
| Unit code | SOCY60360 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Full year |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
The unit takes advantage of the weekly seminar series organised by the Mitchell Centre for SNA, where national and international scholars are invited to present their most recent research projects and outcomes. The ratio between national and international scholars will depend on the Mitchell Centre funding (note that the Centre has been independently funded from summer schools and workshops income for the last 10 years). Students will attend the seminar, discuss it with the teaching team, and write a final compendium overviewing the content of the presentations and of the analytical strategies of a selection of attended seminars.
Aims
The unit aims to introduce students to the most recent theoretical and empirical advancement in SNA, in a variety of substantive fields and with different methodological tools. Students will become familiar with a variety of substantive and methodological areas of research in SNA, learn how to present empirical results, and critically discuss research projects and scientific outputs.
Teaching and learning methods
Attendance of 15 1 hour weekly seminar, followed by 1 hour discussion.
Students will have the opportunity to discuss the weekly presentations with the invited speakers and the teaching team. Blackboard will be used to enable students to access seminar slides, published and working papers related to the presentation, and other materials week by week.
Knowledge and understanding
A1. Critically engage with the theoretical foundations of SNA and use them to formulate robust and coherent SNA empirical questions.
A2. Design and develop network studies and intervention that can be used in private and public sectors.
A4. Assess the feasibility and applicability of a wide range of analytical techniques to social network data
A6. Critically understand and evaluate SNA research, and reflect upon methodology in a theoretically informed way.
A7. Understand research questions in multidisciplinary contexts, and efficiently operationalise them.
Intellectual skills
B1. Reflect upon and evaluate theoretical ideas, and construct theoretical arguments to support their work.
B3. Critically discuss the most recent network literature applying complex statistical models, and identify the most appropriate statistical model for a given research problem.
B7. Write social network analysis scientific articles and reports.
Practical skills
C1. Master verbal and written presentation of arguments, and summarise and evaluate complex ideas.
C2. Design and develop tailored research projects and interventions to a variety of real-world problems.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
D1. Develop new or enhanced skills to identify and use diverse social network data, and use such data to inform cutting edge research projects and interventions in a variety of contexts.
D2. Understand and mediate multidisciplinary environments and liaise across different intellectual and practical contexts
Assessment methods
Written assignment (3000 word essay) 100%
Feedback methods
Written assignment (3000 word essay) 100%
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 30 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 120 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Elisa Bellotti | Unit coordinator |