MA Social and Public Policy (online)

Course content

This Masters course will explore four themes:

• The social policy process: how are social policies made within nation states? What is the role of institutions, interests, ideas and evidence in this governance process?
• Social policy in a globalised world: how do global, international and transnational influences filter through the national policy-making process, and how do they impact on the design and the effectiveness of social policies?
• Social policy, politics and society: why is social policy making a conflicted process? How do social policies shape society and impact on specific social groups?
• Social policy and research: how can social policy be analysed? How can research improve the design and implementation of social policies?

In your second year you'll start to prepare for your independent dissertation which will allow you to explore an area of particular interest. You'll have support from a dedicated dissertation supervisor.

You can also study for a shorter period of time and graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma.

Modules

To graduate with a Masters degree you will need to take a total of 180 credits - 120 credits of taught modules and a dissertation as a part of your Independent Study Project, worth 60 credits.

You'll study these modules to a schedule. This will allow you to participate online with academics and fellow students from around the world.

Year one: foundation

In your first year you'll study 70 credits with these modules:

• Social Policy Analysis (20 credits)
• Globalisation and Social Policy (20 credits)
• Social Policy: Evidence, Ideas and Institutions (20 credits)
• Digital Capabilities for Global Citizenship (10 credits)

Year two: specialisation and dissertation

In your second year you will explore an area of interest by choosing to study one of these modules:

• Comparative Social Policy (20 credits)
• Housing and Social Justice (20 credits)
• Work, Welfare and Citizenship (20 credits)

You'll study this combination of taught modules to help prepare you for your dissertation:

• Introduction to Research Methods (20 credits)
• Dissertation Workshop (10 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)

Dissertation

• Dissertation (60 credits)

Supported by your dissertation supervisor, you will work on your 18,000 word dissertation from April to mid-September.

Your taught modules will help prepare you for your dissertation. The first year modules and your optional module from the second year will provide a firm theoretical foundation for your dissertation work. Other second year modules introduce a range of methodological approaches, helping you plan and implement your individual research project. With the help of your dissertation supervisor you'll identify an appropriate topic and develop a structure. You'll also select, review and critically examine relevant literature and sources.