MA Social and Public Policy
University of Leeds, Faculty of Social Sciences
Key Information
Campus location
Leeds, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
12 months
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
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Application deadline
29 Jun 2023
Earliest start date
Sep 2023
Introduction
Core modules explore social theories, issues and research methods relevant to social and public policy. You will develop core skills in critical policy analysis and policy evaluation. There are also opportunities to study and debate current policy issues, such as work and welfare, migration, child and family policy, or the challenges of ageing populations, with a focus on real-life examples.
Supported by our well-known research centres and taught by expert tutors, you’ll tailor the programme to suit your own interests and career aspirations. With a range of optional modules to choose from, you could pursue further advanced research skills or study complementary social topics such as disability studies, gender studies, racism and ethnicity studies, or globalisation.
You’ll gain an insight into some of the most sensitive and complex social issues affecting governments worldwide.
Research insight
You’ll learn in a research-intensive, stimulating environment. As well as the Leeds Social Sciences Institute which fosters collaboration, you’ll benefit from the interdisciplinary expertise hosted by the Centre for Disability Studies, Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies, Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies and many others. All of these centres run their own calendars of events such as workshops and seminars.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.
Curriculum
From the start of the programme, you’ll study core modules that introduce you to the social contexts and social problems that challenge policymakers, understanding society and social research. As the course develops you will focus more specifically on the welfare state, the process of social policy formation, and the kinds of evidence on which new policies and programmes are founded, and against which their effectiveness is evaluated.
You’ll gain a thorough understanding of research methods, the theoretical assumptions which underpin them and how these affect the way the findings are interpreted. You’ll also focus on specific examples such as welfare reform or employment activation policies.
With this foundation, you’ll choose from optional modules to specialise in topics that suit you. You could study contemporary social thought to contextualise your work or look at issues such as labour mobility, care, healthcare, disability or ‘race’ and ethnicity. You could study further data analysis and research methods to prepare for future research.
At the end of the programme, you’ll submit your dissertation – an independent piece of research on a related topic of your choice, which allows you to demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired during the year.
Course structure
Compulsory modules
- Social Policy Analysis
- Social Policy Debates
- Public Administration: Policy, Planning and Development in a Globalised World
- Dissertation
- Research Strategy and Design
Optional modules
(selection of typical options shown below)
- Environmental Assessment
- European Human Rights
- Human Resource Management: An International Perspective
- Understanding and Managing Effective Groups and Teams
- Racism, Decoloniality and Migration
- Contested Bodies
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Policy and Programme Evaluation
- Researching Inequality in the Media
Learning and teaching
We use a range of teaching and learning methods including presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials and lectures. Optional modules may also use other methods such as online learning. However, independent study is crucial to this degree – it allows you to prepare for taught sessions, develop your research interests and build a range of skills.
In this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
Your core modules will be assessed using essays. Optional modules may use other forms of assessment that reflect the diversity of the topics you can study, including presentations, book and literature reviews, research proposals and reports among others.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
You’ll gain a wide range of knowledge and skills throughout this programme, including sophisticated skills in research, communication and analysis that will be useful in a variety of careers.
Social and Public Policy graduates have gone on to a wide range of posts across the third-sector, public services, government and business. These have included central and local government departments, community bodies, housing and health organisations, research consultancies and advocacy or campaigning.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.