Social Policy and Social Research Methods MSc

Modules

• Social policy analysis
  This module will help you understand the policy making process and the factors that influence the formation and implementation of social policy, for example, demographic changes or policy transfer. You'll discuss current debates about policy making and delivery, including user involvement, localism and sustainability.
• The voluntary sector and the state: protagonist or partner
  You'll explore the contemporary role of the voluntary sector in the delivery of social welfare, and the challenges they face in terms of management, capacity building and funding. You'll examine the role of the voluntary sector as partner or protagonist to the state, as well as its relationships with the private sector.
• Methods for social research and evaluation: philosophy, design and data collection
  This module is an introduction to core concepts in social research and how they can be used to address social scientific questions and practical issues in policy evaluation. You'll engage with central topics in the philosophy of social sciences and the effect they have on research choices and explore the different ways research can be designed, and the way design affects permissible inferences. You'll also be introduced to the theory of measurement and sampling. The final third of the module focuses on acquiring data ranging from survey methods through qualitative data collection methods to secondary data.
• Approaches to social change: equality, social justice and human rights
  In this module you'll explore a number of different goals, and the theoretical underpinnings which aim to achieve social change. These goals include: equality, diversity, social justice, social inclusion, multiculturalism, social cohesion and human rights. You'll examine a range of different initiatives to promote these goals in both employment and social welfare delivery. Finally, the module will explore strategies: to identify inequality, injustice and forms of discrimination; to monitor policy development and implementation; and to evaluate outcomes and 'success'.
• Family policy
  This module is taught by internationally recognised researchers from the Weeks Centre for Social and Policy Research. You'll be introduced to demographic changes in families and changes in State-family relationships and developments in 'family policy'. You'll explore early intervention into families, child welfare including adoption, fostering and child maintenance, child poverty, and childcare. Finally, cross cultural perspectives in family formation will be discussed.
• Data analytic techniques for social scientists
  In this module you are introduced to a range of analytic techniques commonly used by social scientists. It begins by introducing you to statistical analysis, it then moves to techniques used to analyse qualitative data. It concludes by looking at relational methods and data reduction techniques. You'll also be introduced to computer software (SPSS, NVivo and Ucinet) that implements the techniques. You'll gain both a conceptual understanding of the techniques and the means to apply them to your own research projects. An emphasis will be placed on how these techniques can be used in social evaluation.
• Dissertation
  The aim of the dissertation is to enable you to expand and deepen your knowledge on a substantive area in social policy, whilst simultaneously developing your methodological skills. You'll choose an area of investigation and apply the research skills of design and process, modes of data generation and data analysis techniques to undertake a 15,000 word dissertation.