Pre-University - Social Sciences The University of Edinburgh

Overview

The course aims to introduce Pre-University students to the study of Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh has a long and proud history in the social sciences, including through the contributions of key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, such as Adam Smith and Adam Ferguson, who produced ground-breaking work in economics and sociology.The course also aims to provide an immersive experience of what it is like to be an undergraduate student at a leading UK university. Students will be introduced to popular forms of learning and teaching and will be taught through a mix of lectures and tutorials. These will be complemented by educational visits to, for example, the Adam Smith special collection or the Scottish Parliament, which will help to get to know the university and city.

University lectures will be delivered by subject specialists and focus on four subjects: Economics, Social Policy, Politics and Social Anthropology. The introductory talks on these subjects will be followed by tutorials, which focus on working in small groups and students learning from each other, guided by a course teacher. Tutorials will provide an opportunity to check students’ understanding of the lectures and to work on key academic skills, including writing, reading, and group discussion. All reading material and lecture slides will be provided by the teachers in an accessible style. Teachers will ensure students can learn in an inclusive, supportive environment that challenges them to reflect on their basic assumptions and prior knowledge.

The focus on introducing students to common forms of academic learning and teaching at undergraduate level means that lectures and tutorials will be relevant for people interested in other social science subjects, such as Psychology, Sociology, or Business. In addition, participants in the summer school will receive information on and have opportunities to ask questions about how to apply to a UK university from the University of Edinburgh Admissions team.