PI121: Introduction to Social Sciences
ความรู้เบื้องต้นทางสังคมศาสตร์
Instructor
- Prof. Thanes Wongyannava
From the Faculty of Political Science staff directory. Teaching assignments can vary by term.
Course description
This course explores different sub-disciplines in the field of social sciences. Its main focus is concerned with the understanding of the social world through different disciplinary lenses. The course invites guest speakers with a wide array of expertise to discuss challenging contemporary issues and share their experiences. This course thematically covers different aspects of social sciences with a relevant introductory overview.
Student review
Example content, not a real review
Everything in this section is made up to show how a finished course review will look. The ratings, workload notes, tips and quotes below are not real student feedback, so do not use them to decide whether to take this course. BIRSA will replace them once it has collected actual reviews.
Based on 27 student reviews
What the workload is like
Light. There's no textbook to keep up with. Most weeks involve attending the guest lecture and writing a short reflection afterward. Budget about an hour per reflection for more than a summary.
How it's assessed
Graded on short reflective write-ups submitted after each guest lecture, plus in-class participation. No midterm, no final exam.
Tips from past students
- Go to every lecture in person. Reflection prompts usually reference something specific the speaker said, and are difficult to write from the recording alone.
- Keep reflections short, specific, and tied to that week's speaker. Generic essays about social science tend to score lower.
- Suitable as a first-semester course for a low-stress option while adjusting to university workload elsewhere.
In their words
“Genuinely one of the more relaxed courses in year one, a good way to ease into how Thammasat expects you to write.”
· 2nd-year student
“The guest speaker lineup changes every year, so ask around for who's coming this semester. Some sessions are much more engaging than others.”
· 3rd-year student