Public Policy

This module presents the context that forms the operating environment of public and social policy.

It discusses key concepts and theories that shape debates about policy, and presents critical perspectives on mainstream assumptions about policy.

Theories and perspectives include socialism, neo-liberalism, Marxism, feminism and environmentalism; key concepts include equality and social justice.

Learn how to:

• recognise and debate key theories and influences involved in policy making, operations and decisions
• understand and challenge mainstream assumptions, and present alternative perspectives
• collaborate with your classmates through group work
• find, summarise and synthesise various sources from diverse perspectives to inform thinking and arguments

This module focuses on the design of policies, from deciding on the need for a policy through making the policy happen.

It addresses the various actors and institutions involved in the policy making process and their roles in different forms of governance.

A range of advanced policy analysis theories and concepts is discussed in relation to assessing the success or failure of a policy.

Learn how to:

• critically evaluate policy processes in different contexts and their impacts on key societal issues, like sustainability, wellbeing and social justice
• use relevant theories and concepts to explain causes or policy change, and the design of policy solutions
• Find and summarise various sources from diverse perspectives to inform the policy analysis

This module focuses on the skills you need to carry out policy research.

It covers research design and methods that are appropriate to answer research questions about any element of policy, from its inception to its application.

Using these diverse research skills and methods will help you develop a research proposal for your dissertation project. 

This module is the final assessment of the programme, and is a culmination of all the learning that you will have done over the year.

The learning process and personal development as a reflective and continuous learner is expressed in a reflective diary that you will compile over the course of the year, with support from your personal tutor.

The knowledge and academic skills that you have gained are expressed in your dissertation, with support from your dissertation supervisor.

The dissertation is a sustained piece of research that is entirely student-driven, including setting your own research questions, deciding on your research design and methods, and carrying out the research and the dissertation writing.

This module focuses on inequality within and between countries (high, midd