Threshold Learning Outcomes for Sociology

1. Could TLO 2 under 'Knowledge and Understanding' add the words 'diverse and contested' before history? This might go some way toward indicating that, contra the way that it is often taught, 'Sociological history' does not simply consist of a lineage from Marx, to Weber, to Durkheim and beyond (to Bourdieu, Beck etc.)?
2. Feedback from Alan Scott, Convenor of the Applied Sociology Thematic Group
3. The Discipline of Sociology and Criminology at the University of New England discussed the Draft Learning Outcomes for Sociology Consultation Paper at its retreat day on 9 February 2012. The collective response was very positive: the proposed learning outcomes are broad enough to cover many different approaches to sociology and specific enough to make it easier for sociologists to “tell their story” to prospective students, to outside bodies, and to internal university administrative instances. There was, however, a suggestion that some consideration be given to incorporating a mention of the comparative elements in sociology. This might be done by, for example, altering TLO 1 to read:

“Demonstrate a sociological understanding from local, national and global perspectives of the nature of social relationships and institutions; the patterns of social diversity and inequality; and the processes that underpin social change and stability” .

There may, of course, be other ways of incorporating this idea.
We congratulate the TASA Sociology Discipline Reference Group on its excellent work.
Peter Corrigan (on behalf of the Discipline at UNE)