Sociology and Social Policy

This degree programme is an opportunity to study both Social Policy and Sociology within an interdisciplinary social sciences context.

Social Policy is the study of how societies respond to human need and seek to promote the wellbeing of their members. This includes debates about the goals of policy: how do we decide what human needs are, whose responsibility is it to meet human needs, and what we mean by ‘social justice.’

Sociology is dedicated to the study of social life as found in groups, institutions and societies. It provides the critical tools for handling the analysis of all aspects of social conduct, from face-to-face interactions to how economic forces shape and are shaped by global society.

You will learn how to evaluate and interpret evidence, apply theories and examine policies. Teaching draws upon a wide range of data and methods to investigate a range of social issues and help you make your own contribution to understanding and improving society.

Distinctive features

The opportunity for you to learn in a School that was ranked 3rd in the UK for research quality in sociology and 5th for education in the 2014 Research Excellent Framework (REF)

Modules on offer reflect staff research interests across a range of sociological concerns and approaches, for example education, work and globalisation; urban and everyday life; social media, culture and consumption; health; migration and ethnic relations

The involvement of research-active staff in teaching

The emphasis on independent learning in a research-led environment

The variety of modules on offer in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary School.