Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Short Outlines of Modules for 2015-16: Year 2 Options for BA Social and Political
Sciences
Table 1: Year 2 Option Modules Available in 2015-16 for SPS
Understanding Childhood and Youth
SPY00023I
Comparative Social Policy
SPY00001I
Environmental Policy
SPY00013I
Citizenship, Difference and Inequality
SPY00018I
The Policy Process
SPY00002I
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Module Name:
Comparative Social Policy
Credits:
30
Duration:
Three Terms
Students:
Second Year Undergraduates
Core Module for BA Social Policy
Option module for students on other degrees
Indicative Format:
One lecture (1 hour) and one seminar (1 hour) per week in
the Autumn and Spring terms; end of module conference
(half day)
Purpose of Module:
The module aims to:
• Provide an introduction to the comparative analysis of
social policy
• Introduce students to key OECD data resources
• Explore trends in the development of social policy in the
high income nations
• Introduce key concepts and methodological tools
Learning Outcomes:
Students completing this module should:
• Learn how to extract, analyse and meaningfully present
OECD data on social policy in different countries
• Understand the background to current debates about
social policy and welfare state change in high income
countries
• Be aware of cross-national differences in social policy
programmes
Planned Summative
Assessment Format:
One short essay of 2,000 words (30% of module marks)
One presentation (30% of module marks)
One end of module examination (multiple choice and
short essay tasks) of 2 hours (40% of module marks)
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Module Name:
Environmental Policy
Credits:
30
Duration:
Three Terms
Students:
Second Year Undergraduates
Option module for all students
Indicative Format:
A mixture of lectures (one hour) and seminars (one hour)
plus periodic workshops (one to two hours)
Purpose of Module:
The module aims to provide students with:
• An introduction to the complex theoretical and practical
issues associated with the environment as a major policy
problem
• An understanding of how to use social and political
perspectives to analyse the making of global, national and
local environmental policy
• An introduction to the different methodologies used to
generate evidence and policy within this field, and the
ability to think about these critically
• The development of key transferable skills, such as
presenting complex ideas and arguments, both orally and
in writing, the ability to compare and contrast evidence
sources and claims, the development of basic policy
analysis skills.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the module students will have knowledge of:
• key concepts in the study of environmental policy
• some of the key challenges facing policy-makers when
designing and implementing environmental protection
policies
• how to present clear and cogent argument and analysis of
environmental issues, both orally and in writing
Planned Summative
Assessment Format:
Portfolio Project (100%)
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Module Name:
Citizenship Difference and Inequality
Credits:
30
Duration:
Three Terms
Students:
Second Year Undergraduates
Option module for all students
Indicative Format:
One lecture (1 hour) and one seminar (1 hour) per week in the
Autumn and Spring terms; 3 x 2 hour workshops in the summer
term.
Purpose of Module:
This module will be of interest to students with an interest in
citizenship, the on-going reform of the welfare state, the link
between rights and responsibilities and debates about difference
and social inequality/inclusion and exclusion. Three key themes
relevant to contemporary debates on citizenship namely,
provision, conditionality and membership run through the
module. Initially, these provide a basis for a critical analysis of six
key perspectives on the welfare element of citizenship and their
implications for welfare policy, particularly, but not exclusively,
within the British setting. The focus then shifts to consider issues
of difference (class, gender, ethnicity and disability) and their
significance to citizenship status and individual/group welfare
rights. To finish the module considers debates about the potential
for the development of citizenship beyond the nation state e.g.
European Union and Global citizenship.
Learning
Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the module should be able
to:
 Demonstrate knowledge of a number of competing
perspectives on social citizenship
 Demonstrate a familiarity with debates concerning
provision, conditionality and membership and an ability to
apply these issues in relation to debates about social
citizenship, difference and inequality
 Reflect on the relationship between policies and practices
in relation to citizenship, difference and inequality at
micro, meso and macro levels
 Identify the relevance of a variety of primary and
secondary sources in their research organise and deliver
seminar presentations
 Make coherent cogent and logically structured written and
oral presentations on topics related to citizenship and
social policy
 Undertake independent research within the structure of a
guided and indicative reading list
Planned Summative
Assessment
Two essays worth 50% each
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Module Name:
The Policy Process
Credits:
30
Duration:
Three Terms
Students:
Second Year Undergraduates
Core Module for BA Social Policy
Core Module for BA Applied Social Science (Children and
Young People)
Option module for students on other degrees
Indicative Format:
A mixture of lectures (one hour) and seminars (one hour) plus
periodic workshops (one to two hours) and extended
‘recreating government’ role play workshop
Purpose of Module:
Module aims:
•
to introduce students to the policy analysis literature
•
to give students a better understanding of the policymaking process
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the module students should:
•
be familiar with key concepts and theories from the
policy analysis literature
•
be able to apply policy analysis concepts and theories to
‘real world’ scenarios
•
have a deeper understanding of the richness of the
policy process
•
be able to think more rigorously about the ways in
which social policies might be formulated
Planned Summative
Assessment Format:
Coursework totalling 4,000 words maximum, consisting of an
essay, a workshop report and a policy report (each contributing
one third of the final mark).
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Module Name:
Understanding Childhood and Youth
Credits:
30
Duration:
Three Terms
Students:
Second Year Undergraduates
Core Module for BA Applied Social Science – Children & Young
People
Option module for students on other degrees
Indicative Format:
One lecture (1 hour) and one seminar (1 hour) per week in the
Autumn and Spring terms; 3 x 2 hour workshops in the summer
term.
Purpose of Module:
The module content draws upon key theoretical perspectives
(Social Psychology and Sociology) that have influenced the
construction of childhood and youth. Students will explore these
key theoretical perspectives by beginning with the increasing
significance placed upon the ‘early years’ in the autumn term
(childhood development and the ‘new sociology of childhood’) to
the contemporary debates that surround young people’s
transitions to adulthood in the spring term. Students will take
specific examples to help them understand how particular
theoretical frameworks have framed ‘social problems’ and then
how these in turn impact upon policy and practice with children
and young people. Concrete policy examples, such as childhood
obesity and teenage pregnancy, will be drawn upon to compliment
the conceptual underpinnings of childhood and youth so that
students can appreciate how theory translates into policy and
practice.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Learning
Outcomes:
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Appreciate the social construction of and variations in the
experience of childhood and youth
Identify and assess a broad range of evidence in order to
critique and evaluate policy and practice with children and
young people
Appreciate the importance of social policy, how it impacts
upon children and young people and practice with them
Explore specific policy initiatives relating to children and
young people, such as ‘teenage pregnancy’, ‘child sexual
exploitation’ and ‘youth homelessness’
Explain the value and limitations of a range of different
theoretical perspectives (sociological, psychological,
educational, welfare) on childhood and youth studies
Identify and compare some of the main theories about
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Planned Summative
Assessment
Format:
child development including distinctions between
“normal” and “ pathological”
Understand the significance of the social construction of
“difference” (e.g. gender, social class, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, disability) and its impact upon the experience
of childhood and youth
Describe the range of risk and resilience factors and
demonstrate the impact these have on childhood and
youth transitions
Identify and assess different forms of evidence, including
the use of large cohort studies (quantitative) and
biographical research (qualitative) in aspects of child
development and youth transitions.
Students will undertake project work throughout the year. The
final project will be worth 100% of the module marks.
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