Course summary

Important notice – campus change This course will move to the Belfast campus. Students will change campus part way through this course. Our Social Policy with Sociology degree course focuses on key contemporary social policy issues and problems facing modern society. The course critically analyses how (and why) social policies are formed and implemented in the UK, and international social policy analysis considers the EU and beyond. A strong research methods component runs throughout the first two years of the course, as do historical and contemporary perspectives of underpinning social policy and sociological theories and concepts, equipping the student for a synthesis of knowledge and understanding to inform the final year specialist modules. We maintain a strong focus on employability, practical social research skills, and a range of soft skills, necessary for employment in a range of jobs in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The major social policy component (two-thirds of the degree) will be enhanced by the minor sociology component (one-third of the course). Sociology as a discipline has a long and respected history and you will study a range of sociological theories and problems from classical and contemporary sociology and sociological theorists. Two sociology module are studied each year, as follows: Following a compulsory Introduction to Sociology, and a module on the Sociology of Health and Illness in the first year, you will study four further modules from a range of options, for example, the Sociology of Advanced Industrial Societies, and the Sociology of Development (year two modules); and Contemporary Ireland; and other optional year 3 modules such as the Sociology of Education; and/or Racism and Diverse Societies.