Level 1

This module investigates some of the major challenges facing the world today. Packed with engaging teaching material, thought-provoking interactive tasks and engrossing examples, it explores how social science helps us understand and respond to the climate crisis, the legacies of colonialism and enslavement, and the challenges posed by digital technology. Whether you take it as your first or second module, it is designed with you in mind. You'll have lots of support and be introduced to or have a chance to recap basic study skills.

What makes a revolution? Why does the world suddenly change, and what are the consequences? In this module you'll examine four periods of swift and radical change: the Reformation, the French Revolution, the aftermath of World War I, and the 1960s. You’ll look at each from the perspectives of History, Music, Philosophy and Religious Studies, discovering how these disciplinary approaches complement each other and enhance your understanding of continuity and change. In the final part, you'll return to the discipline that most interests you and study a topic or period in greater depth.

This module enables you to continue to build on your academic skills, while beginning to study in a more specialised way. How are cultures produced and encountered, and why does it matter? These questions are examined in A112 through the key themes of place, power, literary ‘classics’, and journeys. You'll learn about contemporary cultures and relationships between cultures throughout history, discover how and why cultural identities emerge, and explore how they are expressed using words, objects, and images. After exploring a range of case studies from art history, classical studies, English literature, and creative writing, you'll investigate these themes with specific reference to your choice of one of these subject areas.

This module is an ideal introduction to one of the key areas of social sciences as it offers you an informed understanding of how criminal law is applied and its connection to social order/disorder, as well as criminal justice. On a week-by-week basis, you are introduced to different case studies encouraging you to think critically about the relationship between state, power and crime and the factors influencing the definition, contestation and deconstruction of crime in modern societies.  Your studies are integrated with a range of skills that'll also provide a solid basis for progression to an OU level 2 module in this subject.

Why are markets so powerful in most economies today? And since when? What is the role of the government in different economies, and how does this role shape opportunities of different people and firms? What explains global inequalities? Why is economic growth such a key economic goal in most countries today? Are there other goals economies could pursue? DD126 Economics in Context, our new level 1 module in Economics, being presented for the first time in September 2019, will unravel some of these questions, using insights from recent history, and from key economic thinkers, and drawing on a plurality of economic perspectives and examples. DD126 will allow you to engage with how economies work, what lies behind government choices, and with how these choices are a result of a particular ideology, and a particular school of thought. It is a building block towards the development of an informed critical perspective on the consequences of economics and economic choices for our daily lives.

Are you interested in making more informed decisions about your personal finances? You and your money is a practical module that will develop your financial skills and improve your understanding of the constantly changing social and economic environment in which financial decisions are made. You’ll explore questions such as: Why do people borrow so much? How can I plan for my retirement? By the end of this key introductory OU level 1 module, you’ll have a detailed understanding of some key personal finance issues that affect people’s lives, and the skills and knowledge needed to improve your own financial capability. 

Drawing on a wide range of studies and some classic pieces of psychological research, this key introductory course provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the study of psychology. You will explore the different ways in which psychologists investigate the human mind and behaviour, and find out how psychological research addresses real-life issues with an opportunity to conduct a psychological study of your own. You will be provided with two textbooks and access to a comprehensive website containing an online study guide, audio-visual material and interactive activities which are designed to help you develop your knowledge and skills.

This OU level 1 module provides an ideal introduction to the social sciences –  social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology. You’ll explore a wide range of topics which shape the nature of contemporary UK society; from questions of identity, inequalities and differences to consumerism and environment, and issues of social order, disorder and governance. Using a blend of text, audio, video and online materials, you’ll be equipped with a range of skills for independent study and for your personal and working life.