Social Policy with a Year Abroad

What human beings need and how societies meet those needs is at the heart of social policy. Our outstanding, nationally recognised degree in Social Policy will introduce you to the key theories and debates underpinning this intriguing and continually-evolving area.

You will explore how society promotes the well-being of its members, examining themes and values such as social justice, equality, fairness, and citizenship, alongside specific policy focal points such as health, education, housing, disability, crime, poverty, and the family.

As part of this programme, you will spend a year abroad between your second and final year, broadening your skills and experience. Our partner institutions span the globe, with opportunities varying each year. If you wish to receive more information, please get in touch with us on study@swansea.ac.uk

You will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to communicate your ideas effectively in a range of formats.

Why Social Policy at Swansea University?
Our core teaching staff have a strong, international profile in research, and regularly consult on policy in Wales, the UK and beyond.
Social Policy at Swansea is ranked:

• 1st in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)

• 11th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2025)

• 7th in the UK for Student Voice (NSS 2024*)

*Based on the average positivity score across questions 22 to 25 in the NSS 2024 when ranked against universities featured in the Times Good University Guide

Your Social Policy experience

• Optional modules give you the scope to tailor your studies to your particular interests, career goals, or plans for post-graduate study.

• Based in the School of Social Sciences, you will be immersed in a dynamic research and learning environment with many opportunities to build links with students from related disciplines.

• In your second year, you will have the opportunity to complete a work placement on a day release basis, enhancing your career prospects and developing your interpersonal skills. Recent employers include voluntary organisations, social housing providers, and national and local charities.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Introducing Social Policy; Individuals and Society; Sociology: The Classics; Economics, Politics and Society; The History of Social Policy and The Politics and Philosophy of Social Policy.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Devolution, Policy Making and Social Change; Using Evidence for Research, Policy and Practice; Poverty and Social Justice; Education, Policy and Society; British Politics and Public Policy; Health Policy; and Housing Policy, Homes and Homelessness.

As part of this programme, you will spend a year abroad between your second and final year, broadening your skills and experience. Our partner institutions span the globe, with opportunities varying each year. If you wish to receive more information, please get in touch with us on study@swansea.ac.uk

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Principles of Social Policy; The Family and Children: Ethics and Policy; Social Movements, Social Policy and Social Change; Understanding the sex industry: Theory, policy and practice; Who’s, in, who’s out? Inclusion and Exclusion: Socio/Criminological Perspectives; Race and Nation. You will also undertake a dissertation.

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.