Undergraduate Studies

Programme scheduling (semesters; years; whether includes inter-semester breaks or not; etc.):

Semester system

What are the intended aims of the programme? 

The Honours programme in Sociology aims to develop students’ critical awareness of the relationship between self and society and to question common sense assumptions about their everyday world. Over the course of three years, the program aims to impart a layered understanding of the socio-cultural, institutional and interpersonal processes through which caste, class, gender, sexuality, ethnic and other inequalities have been produced historically and are being re/produced contemporaneously.

How does the programme link with the vision of AUD?

In keeping with AUD’s overall mission and focus on social justice, the programme aims to cultivate this reflexive orientation by introducing students to the social through the twin lenses of social inequalities and marginalizations, creating socially aware democratic citizens. 

How is the proposed programme positioned vis-à- vis the programmatic scheme envisaged for the School at its inception? How does the programme link with other programme(s) of the School? 

The BA program in Sociology is located in the School of Undergraduate Studies (SUS), which is the academic location for AUD’s undergraduate programmes: BA Honours with majors in English, Economics,Sociology, History, Psychology, Mathematics, and Social Sciences and Humanities. The SUS has a broad interdisciplinary philosophy of exposing students to a combination of foundational, core disciplinary and interdisciplinary elective courses over three years. To that end, the Sociology     program links with the above mentioned programs in SUS through its interdisciplinary vision. By offering core courses that are electives for other programmes in SUS, and by opening up students to other courses offered in SUS, through the option of electives, Sociology connects to diverse courses that are meant to support liberal arts education by preparing students to be critically conscious and aware of their socio-political, cultural, and economic environments. 

Does the programme connect to, build on or overlap with any other programmes offered in the University? Is it offered in collaboration with any School/Centre at AUD (if yes, please specify the nature of collaboration)?

The core courses of Sociology are electives for other programs at AUD. Similarly, Sociology students are encouraged to take electives from other disciplines as well. Hence the entire thrust is to offer certain relevant theoretical, methodological and topical matter to students graduating in sociology; at the same time, opening them up to other theories, methods and themes in interrelated fields. At AUD, since all faculty members are expected to teach SUS courses, the expertise and vision of faculties in other schools such as School of Liberal Studies, School of Human Ecology, School of Development Studies, or School of Culture and Creative Expressions are useful for students exposed to an interdisciplinary education. Students therefore benefit from being exposed to diversely experienced faculty with their own areas of research and teaching. As a result, just as sociology students in SUS are benefited from faculty expertise in other disciplinary areas, sociology faculties contribute to the intellectual growth of SUS students in other disciplines as well. 

How is it positioned in relation to other similar programmes in the field? 

Sociology sits along with English, Economics, History, Psychology, Mathematics, and Social Sciences to offer unique perspectives in social issues that range from questions on social movements, culture and identity, gender/sexuality and caste based marginalizations to law and the workings of the Indian state.

Is there a sufficiently defined body of knowledge and literature to support the programme?

Yes. The discipline of sociology is well established, with an existing and ongoing body of knowledge that speaks to topical, methodological and theoretical issues around India as well as other parts of the globe. 

What are the program specific graduate attributes? 

Graduates of BA Honours in Sociology from AUD will have a well-grounded theoretical knowledge on the core sociological courses as offered at the BA Programme. They will learn the application of disciplinary knowledge through the inter-disciplinary lens that AUD allows from the basket of electives offered to students. Given the variety of pedagogical and assessments methods that each of the BA Sociology core as well as elective courses offer (as appended) will enable students to also develop strong communication skills (writing, oral presentations, field work/visits) as well as research skills since most of the assignments are developed in a manner that enable students to engage in some research and data collection work. Courses such as on Social Research help direct the graduates to this level. Development of critical and reflective reading, thinking and writing has always remained the essence of learning at AUD. Class room discussions, group discussions, presentations, quizzing and Q and A sessions are some of the assessment methods through which graduates develop skills on analytical reasoning, cooperation and team-work, self-directed learning, sensitive to socio-cultural realities, qualities of leadership readiness and so on. Since AUD has a system of continuous assessment, it definitely assists the graduates during their entire 3 year programme to sharpen their skills and equip them to address issues sensitively as well as rationally. Importantly,  usage of ICT tools and e-learning mechanisms as illustrated in most of the courses will armour graduates with digital literacy and skill. Such a comprehensive programme would ensure that graduates do have the ability to adapt and adjust with the changing work and socio-cultural situations. Thus, graduates from the BA Sociology programme would have the following attributes:

• Enabling students to have discipline specific knowledge, as well as the ability of connecting the discipline of sociology to other disciplines 
• Developing communication skills in students both verbal and written  to describe and analyse the social world that they study through sociology 
• Emphasizing the ability to think, argue, analytically reason, critically taking cognisance of local contexts and broader social frameworks
• Creating research skills in students—to ask research questions from any social phenomena that they would want to study, equipped with the tools of doing ethical research through multiple sociological methods 
• Nurturing a sense of collective and team spirit as social beings, being able to appreciate and be respectful to diversity as well as work collegially 
• Generating the sensibilities toward both reflexive thinking and self directed learning towards engaging with questions of self and society 
• Understanding with humility the skills towards the need to be sensitive to social conditions and people in everyday lived experiences 

What are the professional trajectories that the graduates of the programme may pursue?

Graduates of BA Honours in Sociology from AUD will have sound training in the discipline and a good grasp of interdisciplinary scholarship, enabling them to pursue graduate studies and beyond in a number of related fields in the social sciences, whether in Sociology, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Economics or Political Science. They will also be well placed to take up employment in affiliated professional fields such as media and journalism, human resources related management or urban planning. Alternatively, they will be equipped for a career in the non-governmental and governmental sectors.

Are there sufficient in-house faculty resources available for the programme? If not, please provide an estimate of additional faculty resources required.

The Sociology programme currently has seven full time faculty members. Additional requirement - 2 permanent faculty members. Occasionally contractual/adjunct faculty members contributes towards classroom transactions.

Rationale for the nomenclature of the programme

Sociology as a programme is widely accepted in India and abroad, recognized by different official bodies that are disciplinary as well as governmental.

Teaching-learning: 

Instructional strategies:

Primarily lecture based with occasional field visits and visits to Non-governmental organizations.  

Special needs for the programme (instructional space: studio, lab, clinic, workshop, etc.; equipment, software, any other – please specify):

NA

Linkages with external agencies (e.g., with field-based organizations, hospital; any others):

Depending on the courses taught, instructors will connect students with non-governmental organizations