Programme Specification: BSc Social Policy and Economics
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC;
BPS etc
3. Name of final award
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. UCAS Code
9. First written/last amended
LSE
N/A
BSc
Social Policy and Economics
3 years full-time
Social Policy
Social Policy and Administration (2007)
Economics (2007)
LLK1 BSc/SPE
June 2003 / November 2012
10. The programme aims to:
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provide comprehensive introductory coverage of the main areas of, and theoretical
approaches to, social policy;
enable students to explore ways in which different societies have developed various ways
meeting human and social needs;
enable students to develop the capacity to learn and apply general approaches to the analysis
of social problems;
provide training in the principles of economics and their application;
equip students with appropriate tools of analysis to tackle issues and problems of social and
economic policy;
generate an appreciation of the economic dimension of wider social and political issues;
enable students to develop an understanding and technical expertise to work in fields that
require expertise in both social policy and economics;
provide students with the skills to enter employment in public, private and voluntary sectors;
provide students who wish to undertake further study at the next level with the training to
enable them to do so.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
Knowledge of:
 the historical development of UK social policy institutions;
 the main institutions that provide social welfare in the UK, public, private and voluntary;
 some social welfare systems in other countries;
 methods of resourcing and financing social welfare organisations;
 methods of research for analysis of social policy organisations;
 some significant sources of data about social welfare and the main research methods used to
collect and analyse the data in social policy;
 a coherent core of economic principles;
 relevant quantitative methods used in economics and computing techniques.
Understanding of:
 interdisciplinary approaches to social policy issues (using knowledge, concepts and skills from
a range of social science disciplines, including economics and sociology);
 some of the key concepts and theories of welfare;
 methods of comparative analysis and application in an international context;
 how values and principles are related to political and economic interests;
 key concepts used to understand human needs and social welfare – equity, inequality,
poverty, exclusion, identity, social difference and diversity;
 general economic principles;
 the application of economic principles to applied topics;
 relevant mathematical and statistical techniques used in economics.
Skills:
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problem solving skills;
data collection and research skills;
evaluative and analytical skills;
use techniques and skills from economics;
sensitivity to values and interests of others and awareness of normative and moral positions of
others;
 ability to communicate ideas and arguments with others, orally and in writing; in the case of
the latter, using academic conventions (e.g. referencing conventions);
 ability to manage learning;
 interpersonal skills and teamwork skills;
 experience of making presentations;
 use current ICT (e.g. word processing, data analysis);
 ability to learn and study supported by guidance.
Subject specific skills include
 use of established theories and concepts of social policy and other social sciences to analyse
social needs and policy issues;
 finding and using statistical and other data from surveys, administrative sources, and research
publications;
 undertaking investigations of social issues.
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12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies
 Various teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used to enable the outcomes above
to be achieved - lectures, classes, tutorials and self-directed study.
 Lecture formats are varied, including both traditional formats, audio visual and electronic
presentations
 Classes are interactive and usually organised around themes for discussion or readings; these
aim to deepen and consolidate knowledge, and develop critical awareness and
communication skills
 One-to-one tutorials provide individual pastoral and academic support.
Assessment strategies include
 Unseen examinations
 Essays both formative and summative
 Dissertation
 Analytical exercises
 Group project work (formative)
 Individual project work (summative)
Summative assessment is carried out anonymously.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the BSc Social Policy and Economics programme regulations.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Usual standard offer: GCE A level: grades A B B (to include grade A in Maths at A2).
International Baccalaureate: With Mathematics at Higher level, Diploma with 37 points including 6 6 6
at Higher level.
Other qualifications are considered.
15. Indicators of quality
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Steady demand for the programme
High entry requirements
Good examination results
Favourable remarks from external examiners
Students’ questionnaires via the Teaching Quality Assessment surveys
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and learning
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The Department takes seriously the feedback on teaching quality provided by the annual
Teaching Quality Assessment survey of students.
The Department holds termly staff-student meetings at which student representatives from all
year groups are able to raise issues of concern. It takes forward suggestions and proposals
coming from that meeting.
Departmental student representatives are elected from each year group and they bring issues
of concern to the staff member with management responsibility for the programmes and to the
staff-student meeting.
The Department holds a degree sub-committee meeting termly for all programmes; issues
raised are addressed and taken forward.
Each programme in the Department has a Programme Director and a Programme Director's
forum meets every term to discuss teaching issues. Additionally the Programme Director
meets annually with all students (first, second and third years) on the programme for which
s/he is responsible to discuss their experiences.
The Department has a Teaching Committee; part of its remit is to plan provision and support
innovation.
The Department (and School) takes seriously the feedback from external examiners;
comments made by external examiners are followed up within the Department and by the
School.
The School’s Teaching and Learning Centre is available to monitor and observe teaching and
offers constructive advice on how to improve the standard of teaching and quality.
Departmental TLAC review once every five years.
The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of teaching
quality;
The Undergraduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all undergraduate programmes
and ensures that significant changes to programmes and courses pass through a sequence of
formal stages, so that curricular changes are appropriate and compatible with other
developments.