Course summary

This joint honours degree explores different ways of developing an understanding of crucial issues within public and social life. It combines the focus of social policy on wellbeing with sociology’s insight into how contemporary societies operate. Both departments encourage strong synergy between research and teaching, resulting in a vibrant learning environment as staff respond in their teaching to new research. Sociology explores the structures of societies and how they constitute social patterns. This is crucial to our understanding of how different groups in society experience wellbeing, as well as the dynamics needed to change patterns of inequality. In your social policy studies, you will focus on key issues such as inequality, risk, need, and the social processes and institutions that enhance or impair wellbeing. You will draw on social, political and economic theory to analyse and explore these in a global context. You will also have the opportunity to apply to spend half a year studying abroad at a partner university. To find out more about studying abroad, visit Global Opportunities: bristol.ac.uk/global-opportunities/go-abroad/