Department of Social & Policy Sciences |
| Below is a list of units offered by the Department of Social & Policy Sciences in 2024/25. Follow the links on the unit codes to view individual unit descriptions. Units are sorted by level and then by period slot. To find a specific unit code or title please use your browser's find on page function. |
- Certificate (FHEQ level 4) level units (e.g. units coded SP1*)
- Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) level units (e.g. units coded SP2*)
- Honours (FHEQ level 6) level units (e.g. units coded SP3*)
- Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7) level units (e.g. units coded SP4* or SP5*)
- Doctoral (FHEQ level 8) level units (e.g. units coded SP6*)
| Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
Academic Year |
| SP12002 | The making of modern society | 10 Credits |
| SP12003 | Social problems, social change and the state | 10 Credits |
| SP12016 | Psychology for social work | 10 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP12001 | Becoming a social scientist 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP12005 | Critical thinkers in criminology | 10 Credits |
| SP12006 | Crime and society | 10 Credits |
| SP12007 | International development: global perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12008 | International development: social and cultural perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12009 | Understanding social change | 10 Credits |
| SP12014 | Community social work | 5 Credits |
| SP12015 | Introduction to social work | 10 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP12004 | Crime, social justice, and social policy | 10 Credits |
| SP12010 | Becoming a social scientist 2 | 10 Credits |
| SP12011 | Criminal justice processes and practices | 10 Credits |
| SP12012 | International development: political perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12013 | International development: regional perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12017 | Readiness for direct practice | 10 Credits |
| SP12018 | Research for social work | 5 Credits |
| Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) |
Academic Year |
| SP20067 | Placement | 60 Credits |
| SP22022 | Contemporary sociological theory | 10 Credits |
| SP22025 | Theorising crime, justice and punishment | 10 Credits |
| SP22027 | Policy making: politics and practices | 20 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP20373 | Social concepts of humans, monsters, and machines | 6 Credits |
| SP22019 | Qualitative analysis: the power of immersion | 10 Credits |
| SP22024 | The history and politics of crime and punishment | 5 Credits |
| SP22026 | Development economics: micro perspectives | 10 Credits |
| SP22029 | Applied social work practice 1: practice evidence | 5 Credits |
| SP22030 | Applied social work practice 2: anti-discriminatory practice plan | 5 Credits |
| SP22031 | Applied social work practice 3: discrimination and empowerment | 10 Credits |
| SP22032 | Applied social work practice 4: critical reflection | 10 Credits |
| SP22054 | Conflict, security and development | 5 Credits |
| SP22057 | Social concepts of humans, monsters, and machines | 5 Credits |
| SP22058 | Social difference and inequalities in development | 5 Credits |
| SP22059 | Sociology of criminal justice policy | 5 Credits |
| SP22060 | The sociology of relationships and family policy | 5 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP20374 | Global crimes of the powerful | 6 Credits |
| SP22020 | Quantitative data analysis: the power of statistics | 10 Credits |
| SP22023 | Global crimes of the powerful | 5 Credits |
| SP22028 | Development economics: macro perspectives | 10 Credits |
| SP22033 | Mental health social work 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP22034 | Social work with adults 1 | 5 Credits |
| SP22035 | Social work with children and families 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP22036 | Theories and methods 1 | 5 Credits |
| SP22053 | Civil society and social movements: global perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP22056 | 'Race' and racism | 5 Credits |
| SP22064 | Youth justice | 5 Credits |
| Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
Academic Year |
| SP30280 | Applied social studies dissertation | 18 Credits |
| SP30281 | Social policy dissertation | 18 Credits |
| SP30284 | Sociology dissertation | 18 Credits |
| SP30306 | International development dissertation | 18 Credits |
| SP30360 | Criminology dissertation | 18 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP30013 | Social protection and welfare reform | 6 Credits |
| SP30118 | Power in society | 6 Credits |
| SP30161 | Sociology of death | 6 Credits |
| SP30210 | Conflict, security and international development | 6 Credits |
| SP30248 | Social work with children and families 2 | 6 Credits |
| SP30257 | Working in a social care organisation | 6 Credits |
| SP30259 | Mental health social work 2 | 6 Credits |
| SP30288 | Lobbying, policy communications and democracy | 6 Credits |
| SP30302 | Crime and the Media | 6 Credits |
| SP30304 | Social work with adults 2 | 12 Credits |
| SP30307 | Global inequality: economic and political perspectives | 6 Credits |
| SP30361 | Border criminology | 6 Credits |
| SP30362 | Policing | 6 Credits |
| SP30370 | Drugs, crime and society | 6 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP30028 | Critical reflection on professional practice 2 | 18 Credits |
| SP30035 | Social work practice case study | 6 Credits |
| SP30129 | Sexual violence: explanations, responses & debates | 6 Credits |
| SP30211 | Contemporary issues in South Asian development | 6 Credits |
| SP30212 | Contemporary issues in African development | 6 Credits |
| SP30256 | Social work practice placement year 3 | 6 Credits |
| SP30276 | Gender, sexuality, science, and technology | 6 Credits |
| SP30278 | Development finance | 6 Credits |
| SP30286 | Policy evaluation | 6 Credits |
| SP30363 | Incarceration | 6 Credits |
| SP30364 | Death in the criminal justice system | 6 Credits |
| SP30371 | The sociology of experts and evidence | 6 Credits |
| Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7) |
Academic Year |
| SP50324 | Doing research for international development | 12 Credits |
| SP52096 | Doing research for international development | 15 Credits |
Dissertation period |
| SP50334 | Dissertation | 30 Credits |
| SP50335 | Practicum | 30 Credits |
| SP52089 | Criminology dissertation | 30 Credits |
| SP52095 | Dissertation | 30 Credits |
| SP52108 | Practicum | 30 Credits |
Modular |
| SP50315 | Approaches to human rights in context | 12 Credits |
| SP50316 | Negotiating the field: response to conflict, humanitarianism and development in practice | 12 Credits |
| SP50317 | Humanitarianism conflict & development dissertation | 30 Credits |
| SP50321 | Public policy case analysis | 12 Credits |
| SP50322 | Public policy dissertation | 30 Credits |
| SP50323 | Public policy portfolio | 30 Credits |
| SP52093 | Conflict, development and peacebuilding | 20 Credits |
| SP52102 | Humanitarianism in principle and practice | 20 Credits |
| SP52104 | Knowledge and data in public policy | 20 Credits |
| SP52110 | Public policy and economics | 10 Credits |
| SP52114 | Public policy: politics, theory and practice | 20 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP50325 | History and theory of international development | 12 Credits |
| SP50326 | Conflict, development and peacebuilding | 12 Credits |
| SP50327 | Economics for international development | 12 Credits |
| SP50328 | Social, environmental and cognitive justice | 12 Credits |
| SP50366 | Applied research methods and epidemiology | 15 Credits |
| SP52080 | Doing criminological research | 10 Credits |
| SP52081 | Contemporary criminological theory | 10 Credits |
| SP52083 | State crime, rights, and global justice | 10 Credits |
| SP52084 | Independent research essay | 10 Credits |
| SP52092 | Comparative public policy and social welfare: cross-national, European and global perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP52094 | Conflict, development and peacebuilding | 10 Credits |
| SP52097 | Economics of international development | 10 Credits |
| SP52099 | History and theory of international development | 15 Credits |
| SP52100 | History and theory of international development for MRes | 5 Credits |
| SP52116 | Research for social work: values, methods and contexts | 5 Credits |
| SP52117 | Social and environmental justice | 10 Credits |
| SP52119 | Theoretical issues in sociology | 5 Credits |
| SP52120 | Understanding migrations | 5 Credits |
| SP52121 | AI as social and political practice: technology, society and politics | 5 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP50329 | Management of international development | 12 Credits |
| SP50330 | Global political economy | 12 Credits |
| SP50331 | Humanitarianism | 12 Credits |
| SP50333 | The politics and practice of sustainability | 12 Credits |
| SP50367 | Global public health policy and systems | 7.5 Credits |
| SP50368 | Global public health evaluation and monitoring | 7.5 Credits |
| SP52085 | Core issues in crime and criminal justice | 10 Credits |
| SP52086 | Criminological ethnography | 10 Credits |
| SP52087 | The architecture of criminal justice | 10 Credits |
| SP52088 | Homicide and the human condition | 10 Credits |
| SP52090 | Independent research essay | 10 Credits |
| SP52098 | Global political economy | 10 Credits |
| SP52101 | Humanitarianism | 10 Credits |
| SP52105 | Knowledge, data and our digital social world | 5 Credits |
| SP52106 | Management of international development | 10 Credits |
| SP52115 | Research for policy: concepts, methods and values | 5 Credits |
| SP52118 | The politics and practice of sustainability | 10 Credits |
| Level: Doctoral (FHEQ level 8) |
Modular |
| SP60290 | Transformational policy and practice | 18 Credits |
| SP60291 | Policy research methodology | 18 Credits |
| SP60292 | Policy specialism: international development | 18 Credits |
| SP60295 | Digital public policy | 18 Credits |
| SP60311 | Reading paper | 18 Credits |
| SP60312 | Professional Doctorate in Policy Research and Practice: research enquiry | 198 Credits |
| SP60372 | Science and policy interactions: human, societal and environmental outcomes | 18 Credits |