Course Catalogue

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What does it mean to be critical in one's thinking, reading, or analysis? This course is aimed at Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and College of Social Sciences who wish to better understand criticality and who wish to improve their critical reasoning skills. On the course, students will have the opportunity to engage with criticality as a concept while also practising and reflecting upon their own critical reasoning skills. Students will also have the opportunity to choose material from their own subject areas for use in the assessed tasks, meaning they will be able to apply what they learn on the course directly to their academic practice in their main course(s) of study.

Course length: 5 weeks.

Lectures: 1 hour per week.

Seminars: 1 hour per week.

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A written critical analysis (1,000 words) of a piece of academic literature from the student's subject area. [75%]

A written critical reflection (300 words) on the outcomes of the course and how the student will apply these lessons in their academic practice. [25%]

This course will aim to:

■ Introduce Undergraduate students in the Colleges of Arts and Social Sciences to concepts of criticality, including critical thinking, critical reading, critical analysis, and critical reflection.

■ Encourage students to develop the skills required to be critical in their academic practice.

■ Provide students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of criticality as well as the skills and confidence to apply this in all aspects of their academic practice.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Demonstrate the level of criticality required to effectively critique texts, sources, and methods at an Undergraduate level.

■ Critically evaluate academic literature.

■ Critically appraise their own academic skills and practice.

Students must submit 75% of the course's summative assessment.