Program Overview

CHILDHOOD & YOUTH

Childhood & Youth is an exciting, multidisciplinary subject in which you will explore a range of issues and challenges faced by children and young people in contemporary society, both here in the UK and on a global level. Drawing on key ideas from sociology, politics, history, social policy and cultural studies, the degree examines important questions about children and young people and the social contexts in which they live.

Topics studied include: how children and young people’s place in society has changed over time; how social class, poverty, gender, ethnicity, disability, social policy and so on impact children and young people’s lives; the role of risk and risk-taking in children and young people’s everyday lives and; how children and young people make sense of and help to shape their social worlds. In exploring such issues you will also look at various political debates and policy initiatives, as well as learning about various ways of researching with children and young people that aim to help them overcome the many challenges that they face.

With its strong emphasis on social justice and welfare, the degree will enable you to develop as critical social scientists who value their role within the academic community at Hope and who, as graduates, will be able to use their skills and knowledge to the benefit of their local community and society more broadly.

SOCIAL POLICY

Social Policy explores the ways in which welfare provision is delivered in society, exploring who is eligible for support and who provides it. Our Social Policy degree is multidisciplinary in its approach and draws on ideas from sociology, economics, politics and geography. It explores issues such as inequality, ill health and wellbeing, child welfare, employment and unemployment, educational opportunities, disability, homelessness, family policies, mental health, globalisation, crime and immigration.

Studying Social Policy at Liverpool Hope University allows you to explore the answers to questions such as; should the state be the main provider of welfare and what roles should the private profit making or voluntary sectors have? How should scarce resources be allocated in society? How can we understand different approaches to welfare delivery across different historical periods in British society? Why do women and minority ethnic groups experience greater levels of disadvantage? How have welfare systems developed in different countries?

The degree draws on an experienced team of lecturers who are published in the social sciences and are experts in social policy. The School is also a member of the national network of Social Policy course providers and benefits from engagement with national subject debates. There are fieldtrips to enhance your learning, and we also have annual research days where leading academics, civil servants and politicians come to talk about various social problems and social issues.