Courses and structure

The programme is divided into three progressive levels, and is made up of core course units – taught by the Department of Professional and Community Education (PACE) – and option courses. Learning support is available if you need it, offering assistance with essay writing, research skills and study skills.

At level 1 you choose from a selection of core courses. Those currently on offer provide an understanding of the structures of society, and of the nature and evolution of social relationships, groups and cultures; introduce you to the methods and practices of history and historical approaches to literature; prompt you to discuss study skills and research methods; provide a critical introduction to the study of politics and contemporary political processes; and introduce you to social psychology and some of its main topics, including group behaviour, social conformity, and the concept of 'the self'. You also choose an option course – you could decide to take an introduction to creative writing, learn more about African world studies, develop your skills in journalism, or investigate screen thrillers.

At levels 2 and 3 you start to choose from the wide range of course units from the Anthropology, English and Comparative Literature, History, Media and Communications, Politics, PACE, Sociology and Visual Cultures Departments at Goldsmiths. At this stage you will begin to discover where your individual interests lie, and with help from your personal tutor you'll be able to construct a programme of study that responds to these subject areas. You could, for example, create a programme around a vocational interest, such as health studies, or you could choose courses according to particular themes – such as ethnicity studies, gender studies, or regional studies.

Assessment

The course-units on the programme are assessed by a variety of methods including formal written papers, take-home papers, presentations, continuous assessment and extended essays.

Skills and careers

Skills

The programme will enable you to develop the following skills:

• Academic writing
• Communication skills
• Organisation
• Problem solving
• Information gathering and retrieval
• Research skills

Careers

While this programme is not specifically vocational, successful completion will demonstrate levels of critical understanding and research/communication skills that are highly valued in a wide range of career areas, including the media, local government, teaching and research, and commercial fields.

• Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths
• Our alumni

About the department

The Department of Professional and Community Education (PACE)

The Department of Professional and Community Education (PACE) offers a broad range of programmes and courses ranging from vocational and professional training, undergraduate and postgraduate, certificate and diploma programmes, as well as courses designed to encourage returning to study.

Subjects include:

• Community and Youth Work
• Cultural and Social Studies including Anthropology, Computing, Creative Writing, Design and Technology, Historical Studies, Literary Studies, Media and Communications, Politics, Psychology, Research Study Skills and Sociology
• Languages and Language Studies including English as a Foreign Language
• Performing Arts, including Drama, Theatre and Music
• Psychotherapeutic Studies including Art Psychotherapy, Therapeutic Cultures, Dance Movement Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Psychodynamic Studies
• Social Work

At Goldsmiths, we aim to work closely with local communities. For over a hundred years we have been committed to lifelong learning and to bridging the gap between theory and practice, through professional and continuing studies. PACE was formed to provide a focus for this work.