14Jun
UndergraduateCourse summary
Our BA (Hons) Politics and Social Policy degree can open up a range of exciting career possibilities by helping you to develop transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers. This four-year course explores questions about how the world should be run, and what values should shape global politics, as well as issues like human rights and equality. You will have the chance to take an internship at the National Assembly for Wales, and the opportunity to spend a semester abroad – an exciting and valuable experience, which will further enhance your career prospects. The third year of this 4-year course with a Year in Industry will be spent on placement. You will have the opportunity to gain real-world industry experience and develop your employability skill set. We have a strong network of industry contacts, and you will receive dedicated support from our employability team, ranging from CV advice through to mock interviews. Why Politics and Social Policy at Swansea? Social Policy at Swansea is ranked:
- 1st in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
- 7th in the UK for Student Voice (NSS 2024*)
- 4th in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
- 8th in the UK for Academic Support (NSS 2024**)
Modules
In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Introducing Social Policy; Politics and the People; Introduction to Politics; An Introduction to American History and Politics; The History of Social Policy; The Politics and Philosophy of Social Policy In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: The State and Political Institutions; Devolution, Policy Making and Social Change; Poverty and Social Justice; British Politics and Public Policy; Contemporary Moral Controversies; The History of Political Thought; The Colour Line: Race and Racism in World Politics; Health Policy; Housing Policy, Homes and Homelessness; and Investigating Gender The third year of this 4-year course with a Year in Industry will be spent on placement. You will have the opportunity to gain real-world industry experience and develop your employability skill set. We have a strong network of industry contacts, and you will receive dedicated support from our employability team, ranging from CV advice through to mock interviews. In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Study Abroad Placement; Principles of Social Policy; Principles of Social Policy; Social Movements, Social Policy and Social Change; Probation and Community Justice: Policy, Practice and Partnerships; Race and Nation; Senedd Cymru/The Welsh Parliament. You will complete a dissertation in your final year.
Assessment method
We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course. Apart from a small number of online-only courses, most of our courses consist of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students. Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching. Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study. This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.
How to apply
14Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- LL45
- Institution code:
- S93
- Campus name:
- Singleton Park Campus
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
If you are an International Student, please visit our International pages for more information about entry requirements: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/students/requirements/
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 120 points
A level - BBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Access to HE Diploma - D: 21 credits M: 18 credits
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Extended Project
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H3, H3, H3, H3, H3, H3
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) and no less than 5.5 in each component.
English Language Requirements at Swansea University
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/english-language-requirements/
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
For the latest fee information, please check the individual course page on our website. Our full range of programmes are listed here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/
Further information on tuition fees can be found here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/
Provider information
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea
SA2 8PP
Course contact details
Visit our course page Ask us a question - undergraduate enquiries.