Social Research and Sociology of Professions

The exam consists of a written test. There is no oral examination. The written test is divided into two parts, one for social research and one for sociology of professions; students have two hours to complete all the test. From the end of the first trimester to February 2021, it's possible to do only the part of sociology of professions; since the end of the 2nd trimester (March 2021), both the parts can be done. If a student has already passed the part of sociology of professions, he/she will do only the part of social research. Otherwise he/she will do all the test.
Final mark will be the average of the marks obtained in the part of social research and in the part of sociology of professions.
In the part of social research, the test includes three open-ended questions (available time: 1 hour). The test is aimed at assessing the ability by students to illustrate the metodological approach and discuss the empirical researches presented in the course. In the part of sociology of professions, the test comprises ten questions (7-8 open-ended questions and 2-3 multiple choice questions; available time: one hour). The test is aimed at assessing the knowledge of the theories and approaches illustrated in the course and the ability to use them in the analysis of case studies.
In more detail, the whole test is aimed at assessing:
- the knowledge and comprehension of theories and methods illustrated in the course and in the reference books, in order to make students able to grasp the importance of professions and of the methodological tools used to study them, with particular regard to the method of the interview;
- the ability to recognize and analyze the action logics of professional groups in social, economic and political phenomena, as well as the ability, by students, to independently provide his/her own interpretation of the professional behaviors, by using theories and concepts from the field of the sociology of professions;
- the development of skills, allowing students to manage the three main phases of an empirical research (the study design, the work on field and the analysis of collected material), as well as to implement the main methodological tools, which are considered useful to analyze social phenomena (especially, those regarding professions);
- the ability to define the goals and elaborate the research questions, choosing the research techniques, collecting and elaborating data and analyzing the results, in an autonomous way;
- the development of adequate communication skills, with particular regard to the specific language related to the sociology of the professions, showing the ability, by students, on one hand, to describe professional behaviors in social and political arenas, in the labour market and in public and private organizations, on the other hand, to discuss and argue personal opinion and theses on topics suggested by the scientific literature or empirically observable;
- the development of learning abilities, both in the analysis of the forms of collective action exercised by the professional groups and in the definition and implementation of the three main phases of an empirical research, which we have previously mentioned.
Moreover, both in social research and in sociology of professions, attending students can carry out an optional work, to be performed individually or in groups, which will be evaluated and can contribute to the final mark of the exam (see below the sections on the teaching methods).