What can I study?

Audio Podcasting (ISSU9AP)

Let’s be honest. You probably aren’t going to read this whole article. But what if it was read to you out loud while driving to work, working out at the gym, or completing chores around the house? Better yet, imagine listening to a smooth, relaxing voice like Morgan Freeman’s. You’d be hanging on to every word, and ready for the next episode immediately after...welcome to the world of podcasting.

This module will give you an insight into developing, proposing, pitching and producing audio content to be distributed as podcasts. You will work on creating a short factual podcast using the power of your voice, soundscapes that transport the listener and seamlessly blended music to create that moment. We will guide you on scripting, voice technique and narrative construction so that your podcast has an impact on your audience. This will taught by an industry professional using industry-standard equipment and software. 

Royals and Rascals: Contemporary Studies in British Journalism (ISSU9JO)

The relationship between the British Royal Family and the UK media - in particular the tabloid press - has evolved and transformed over the course of recent decades under the reign of the longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and in the early years of King Charles III. 'Royals and Rascals' looks behind the headlines at the mediation of stories and controversies that have threatened the authority and future of the monarchy itself. It considers critiques of the news media's Fourth Estate role in relation to the monarchy - exploring how it has, at times, over-celebrified (and uncritically celebrated) the institution, rather than holding the Royal Household to account and promoting transparency. Conversely, it will examine the long tradition of singling out individual figures and framing them as rogues, rascals, 'black sheep' and charlatans.

Video Editing (ISSU9VE)

Post-production is the phase in the film production process where stories come together. Images and sound are combined to build the narrative and craft what the viewer will experience. Editing involves technical skills, but crucially it is a creative process, in which each decision will impact the style and substance of the completed film.

In this module, you will learn both the creative and technical aspects of editing. You will be taught by an experienced industry professional, who will guide you through the art of post-production. You will be taught in a small group, using industry-standard software and equipment, and working with material both from broadcast shows and award-winning student work. By the end of the module, you will have a confident grasp of technical skills, the techniques of visual storytelling and how sound and pictures come together to create an impact for a viewing audience.

Education and Learning: a UK perspective (ISSU9EL)

Within this module, you’ll explore the purposes of education and how this translates into curriculum offerings within the Scottish Education system in the context of the UK. The module will also consider the issues of learners’ identities within pre-school, primary, secondary and further education. You will look at the policy that informs this and gain knowledge on how identities impact learning. 

Aliens and Earthlings: Science Fiction Literature (ISSU9SF)

Fears of extra-terrestrial invasion and nuclear apocalypse, of seemingly strange and alien civilizations, and of social, economic, and cultural collapse belie SF’s trash label. This course introduces you to the genre’s deep philosophical dimensions, tracing its progress through the pulp magazine during the late-Nineteenth century fin de siècle and early Twentieth-century inter-war periods in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively, and its later development across the so-called Iron Curtain during the Cold War. This course will also challenge the traditional conventions of Science Fiction – interstellar conflict with alien races – and explore the genre’s diverse progressions: into Ecocriticism, Feminism, sexuality, and the near-future ‘Post-SF’ of the urban and suburban present. 

Brief Encounters: An Introduction to Writing Short Stories (ISSU9BE)

Realise your creative potential by producing an original and stimulating piece of short fiction. In addition to engaging with practical aspects of craft and technique, you will learn how to create believable, compelling characters and how to make them live (and die!) on the page. The course encourages the reading of short stories to help shape your work, and how to be inspired by the environment around you. Your technique of writing will be honed as well as expanding the scope and range of your writing.

Literature and the Body: c. 1550-1900 (ISSU9MH)

This module will provide you with a general introduction to central medico-literary concepts, and their evolution, surrounding the body between 1500 and 1900 in Britain. After taking this course, you will be familiar with a wide range of literary works that centre the body, as well as key theories in Literature and Medicine Studies: accompanying primary historical and literary materials will be secondary sources which examine conceptual frameworks of both the body and the practice of medicine. In this module, you will critically analyse literary representations of the early modern humoral body, bodily blazons, doctor-patient relations, and Gothic medicine. Primary readings will introduce you to various historic literary genres, such as Renaissance drama, metaphysical poetry, Elizabethan sonnets, medical life writing, and the Gothic novel. Indicative texts include works by William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Donne, Edmund Spenser, Samuel Warren, Mary Seacole, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Scotland in the 18th Century: Union, Rebellion, and Enlightenment (ISSU9TW)

This module examines the four major events which shaped eighteenth-century Scotland: the Union with England in 1707; the Jacobite Rebellions; the Scottish Enlightenment and the Age of Revolutions. It seeks to deepen historical and transferable skills already acquired or to assist students coming to history as a discipline for the first time. It will introduce you to some of the historical literature for the period, ask you to examine the key historical sources used by historians in its study and to evaluate sometimes conflicting historical interpretations.

Scottish History: The Jacobite Movement, 1689-1746 (ISSU9TJ)

From Killiecrankie to Culloden and beyond, this module aims to give you an understanding of the origins, main features and impact of the Jacobite movement from 1688 to 1746. It seeks to place Scotland’s experience of Jacobitism within its broader British and European contexts and will challenge some of the persistent myths associated with the cause. It also attempts to deepen the historical and transferable skillset already acquired or to assist you, if you are coming to history as a discipline for the first time, in acquiring such skills.

Celtic Religion (ISSU9CR)

From the Classical age to the 21st century, Celts have fascinated and frightened people. This course explores the evolving way Celtic people lived and died, what they believed and why, different ways in which Celtic peoples have been perceived by outsiders, the ways in which Celts have presented themselves to the world and considers why there has been a revival in the 21st century of Celtic faiths. You will also explore the impact of Christianity in different eras upon the Celtic religions, folklore and mythology through the recurring themes of freedom and independence, especially in relation to the warrior and druid types, signs and symbols and the materiality of the land. This will also enable you to pick up on broader themes and concerns such as gender, power, colonialism, race and migration.   

Issues in Moral Philosophy (ISSU9MP)

Many of our moral beliefs are acquired and held quite unthinkingly; they are products of our upbringing and socialization, rather than of our own reflection on the right and the good. But sometimes we are forced, by the circumstances or problems that we face, to think critically about our moral beliefs, and to 
reflect on what we ought to believe: we might have to ask, for instance, whether it is really right to use animals for food; or what kind of care we ought to take of the natural environment.
Even if such questions are not forced upon us by circumstances, we should anyway engage in some kind of critical reflection on our moral beliefs: if we are to be responsible and rational beings, we must think for ourselves about moral matters (as about other matters), rather than simply being led by conventional opinions or ruling orthodoxies. In this module we will engage in critical, philosophical reflection on morality by examining a number of difficult moral issues, including questions about our treatment of animals, environmental values, punishment, and world hunger.

Religion and Conflict (ISSU9RC)

In recent years the public and academic discourse and media engagement with religion and conflict has been predominantly focused on the relatively narrow field of violence, terrorism and fundamentalism. However, it is by no means the whole picture or conversation that religion and conflict should encompass. This course will focus on sources and case studies of conflict and it will specifically engage with Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions as well as secular traditions. It will examine issues such as nationalism, colonialism, international affairs and the role of those charged with reporting such conflicts.

Sport Management and Culture: A British Perspective (ISSU9SM)

The aim of this module is to teach you about how sport is managed in Scotland and in the UK more widely, and how it is incorporated into the thread of Scottish culture. This course is designed to provide you with an understanding that sport is a microcosm of society and is influenced by cultural traditions, social values, and psychosocial experiences. You will gain an understanding that sport professionals are immersed in the socio-cultural milieu, with sport as the focus as well as understanding the key components of sport management. You will look at cultural traditions, social values and economic factors which influence the provision and representation of Scottish sport. 

Eating Well, Living Well (ISSU9EW)

This module is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the significance of adequate eating habits for promoting a healthy lifestyle. The module will cover various aspects of nutrition, including macro and micronutrient contents in diet, energy balance, and the impact of age, physical activity, and dietary patterns on food choices.

The course aims to provide students with an understanding of the nutritional value of food and the benefits of making informed dietary choices. Furthermore, you will learn about Scottish traditional dishes and culinary culture, which will enhance their knowledge and appreciation of food culture.

An Introduction to Brain and Behaviour I

This psychology module is an introduction to the human brain, aiming to uncover how it is related to all aspects of your behaviour. In block 1 basic neuroanatomy and physiology will be covered as a starting point before exploring the nervous system in more detail, including how do our brains control our bodily movement? What happens when our brain is injured and how do we recover? We also investigate neurodegenerative diseases and their causes, and potential treatments. Lectures will be supported with practical laboratory sessions allowing you gain practical experience with state of the art equipment used to measure nervous system functioning.