2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP2651 Key Debates in Social Policy

20 creditsClass Size: 40

Module manager: Dr Albert Varela
Email: a.varela@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module will engage students in an exploration of key areas of Social Policy concern, encompassing ideological debates, policy making, and the comparative and international analysis of welfare states. Students will be able to apply theoretical ideas, ideological frameworks as well as qualitative and quantitative policy analysis skills to better understand how social policies operate in the real world, both in the UK and internationally.

Objectives

The module will
- Develop understanding of the role of political ideas and ideologies in the framing of social problems and social policies.
- Develop understanding how social policies are formulated, developed and implemented using policy process models.
- Encourage students to think about social policies in the UK and beyond in comparative perspective and to develop a critical understanding of welfare state diversity across the world.
- Support students in developing the skills to use quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence to assess social policy questions and understand the strengths and weaknesses of relevant empirical data sources and methods.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically assess key ideological and theoretical concepts in Social Policy, encompassing perspectives on welfare from the UK and internationally.
2. Systematically explore and analyse social policy problems and processes in practice drawing on policy and academic literature.
3. Apply newly acquired conceptual and methodological skills to research social policy issues using UK and international data sources to explore and demonstrate cross-national comparisons.
4. Apply theoretical social policy concepts to particular case studies from a range of social policy approaches, in different parts of the world.
5. Work independently as social researchers, applying concepts, theories and evidence to understand social policies.

Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Employ social research practices that allow for critical reflection and thinking about own approaches
2. Apply well-defined and targeted information seeking and filtering capabilities.
3. Employ ethical practices in the use of multiple academic sources to support your understanding of own work
4. Communicate complex information, including concepts, verbally and in written form
5. Deploy problem-solving skills to a variety of social debates

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	22	1.00	22.00
Practical	10	1.00	10.00
Seminar	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			158.00
Total Contact hours			42.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Via tutorials and computer workshops. Students encouraged to discuss ongoing development of personal learning log with tutors. Ongoing feedback, encouraged and facilitated through open door meetings.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 20/03/2024

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD