Program Overview

On this programme, you’ll explore the major political and social issues faced by governments across the world. You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the international state system, the structure and purpose of international organisations, and the roles played by international institutions, other intergovernmental organisations, multinational corporations and NGOs.

On the social policy strand of the course, you’ll examine why governments take particular decisions in key policy areas. You will also explore in-depth, the outcomes and consequences of various government policies on the economy and society. In addition to this, we explore the social constraints we encounter in our everyday lives and how they are reinforced by class, race, religion and gender. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyse what impact official politics has on such processes, how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations.

You will investigate the economic, social and political forces which influence government decision-making and examine why governments take particular decisions at a global, national and local levels of government. You will also study the nature of policy delivery and management by various organisations, such as local governments, schools and businesses, which will equip you for a range of career paths.

Social Policy will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently. This includes how to design a research project, collect empirical data, handle complex datasets (e.g., through applying coding techniques) and, most importantly, develop an advanced analytical mindset. This training will be essential for your final-year dissertation during which you will carry out your own individual research project. This experience will provide you with a skillset that is highly desired in a wide range of industries and areas of work.