Social policy master’s

Last Updated on January 17, 2023

MA Social Policy

Start date September

Duration1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Course Type Postgraduate, Taught

Fees

2021 – 2022
£9,500 f/t (UK students)
£4,750 p/t (UK students)
£19,440 f/t (International students)

Human well-being can be delivered through a range of public, private and voluntary institutions. At the beginning of the 21st Century, welfare systems and other public institutions, seeking to fulfil human need face considerable challenges, presented by economic crisis, an ageing population, increasingly flexible forms of work, migration, and shifting ways of family life. Alongside these fiscal and demographic pressures that nation states face, rising socio economic inequality and austerity has begun to reverse a number of key social advancements in terms of health and social mobility, making it a fascinating and critical time to study these issues. 

The MA Social Policy will entail the study of a range of social problems, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, crime and health inequalities. In doing so, you will be encouraged to consider the underlying causes and to formulate policy solutions to address specific social problems. Alongside this, the MA Social Policy programme will examine contemporary and comparative developments within social policy, so that you will be able to consider the shifting nature of welfare arrangements in a broader political, economic and social context from both a UK and global perspective.

Inherent to Social Policy, as a field of study, is a normative focus that seeks to not only describe the state of a specific society in terms of the fulfilment of human needs, but to consider if our societies should be more effectively and justly organised. A key focus for the MA Social Policy programme, will be on the ways in which we might transform our societies to increase human well-being and to promote sustainable forms of living, and to encourage you to evaluate alternative forms of social organisation. 

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Modules

Core Modules

  • Philosophies of Welfare: creating new societies? (20 credits)
  • Poverty, Wealth and Inequality (20 credits)
  • Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional Modules* (80 credits from the list below)

  • The Third Sector and Social Policy (20 credits)
  • Migration, Super diversity, Policy and Practice (20 credits)
  • Policy Futures: Theories and Concepts in International Policymaking (20 credits)
  • Globalisation, International Migration & Citizenship (20 credits)
  • Crime and Social Harm (20 credits)
  • Sociology of Race and Racism (20 credits)
  • Applied Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis (20 credits)
  • Gendering Migration and Diaspora (20 credits)
  • Global Policy Institutions and Networks  (20 credits)
  • Migration and Development (20 credits)
  • Policy Evaluation (20 credits)
  • Changing Attitudes to Social Issues (20 credits)
  • Transforming Identities (20 credits)
  • Transforming Societies (20 credits)

The optional modules listed for this programme may unfortunately occasionally be subject to change. Where the module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you make other choices

Fees

£1,500 fees scholarships available for Masters courses starting in September 2021.Find out more

Fees 2021 – 2022

Code: 2227 £9,500 full-time (UK students)
Code: 2228 £4,750 part-time (UK students)
Code: 2227 £19,440 full-time (International students)

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

postgraduate loans system for Masters degrees in the UK will provide up to £11,222 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas.

Learn more about fees and funding

Scholarships and studentships

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. 

How To Apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

The mission of the  Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology in the  School of Social Policy is not just to ‘understand the world’, but to also ‘change it.’ Consequently we are at the forefront of cutting edge social science research that informs and influences public debate.

Our achievements

In turning this mission into practice, we are proud of our many achievements.  Our academics are recognised leaders in their field, working alongside UK government departments and supra national organisations, such as the European Commission and United Nations to bring about positive social change.  More than 2/3rds of our research is rated as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in terms of its rigour, significance and originality, and we have extensive international links with like-minded partners at Harvard, Melbourne, Peking, Vancouver, Seoul and beyond.

Why choose to study in the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology?

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