University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2021/22 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Social Sciences and Law > School for Policy Studies > Social Policy and Sociology (BSc) > Specification
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Programme code | 9SPOL002U |
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Programme type | Joint Honours (UG) |
Programme director(s) |
Maud Perrier (Politics contact)
Sebnem Eroglu-Hawksworth Programme Director (Social Policy) |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
School/department | School for Policy Studies |
Second School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups |
Sociology (2019) (benchmark statement)
Social Policy (2019) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 3 years (full time) |
Both the School for Policy Studies and the Department of Sociology aim to provide excellence in teaching and learning within a thriving research culture. As Social Policy is a multi-disciplinary subject, drawing upon a variety of social science perspectives, the Joint Honours degree programme allows students to broaden and deepen their understanding and knowledge of a contributing subject. Studying Social Policy and Sociology alongside each other provides students with a unique opportunity of understanding society and the ways in which social policies impact on critical societal divisions and power inequalities.
The Social Policy element of the programme provides students with a critical understanding of welfare systems past and present in the UK, as well as reflections on future welfare systems. Students are exposed to competing theories, principles and concepts including comparative welfare perspectives, and are given grounding in the policy-making process and an understanding of the impacts of policy. The Sociology element aims to provide students with an advanced understanding of social institutions, values and practices. The programme provides a sound grounding in contemporary theoretical debates, and their application to a number of substantive areas within sociology.
The goal of the Joint Honours programme is to produce top quality, highly motivated graduates who have an advanced understanding of theoretical and conceptual tools with which to critically evaluate social policy and societal institutions, values and practices. It places primary emphasis on students' cognitive and research skills, particularly their written analysis. However, the assessment procedures encourage students to develop a broad range of transferable skills, including oral argument, rigorous time management skills, critical thinking, conceptualisation, independent learning and team-work.
The two departments have strong research collaboration and links: staff are involved in joint research projects; cross-faculty research themes; and jointly-organised conferences. The outcome of this is fed into research-led teaching by staff from both departments.
The Joint degree course positions students for further research and/or a career in research and may also enhance career prospects by making students marketable to a greater variety of employers.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of knowledge and understanding through lectures, classes and seminars, associated handouts and visual presentations, together with individual supervision in preparation of the student's final year dissertation. A wide range of special subjects in the third year to allow students to address areas in-depth. Directed and independent reading, with a strong emphasis on effective use of a wide range of literature and other information sources: academic texts, journals, articles, sociofile, websites, relevant fiction, film and other media. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Range of written essays (short coursework and extended, summatively assessed, essays). Examinations (unseen) in all three years. Other coursework: written assignments and various tasks as appropriate to each unit of the course (eg: short written piece, reviews, oral presentations, group work, portfolio of assignments ) (12) is assessed through assessment mechanisms in the appropriate department other than Sociology. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through the lecture programme and linked seminars/classes, independent study and coursework. Students are exposed to relevant modes of enquiry and analyses; they are encouraged through class discussion and their individual written work to identify key issues, to summarise and reflect upon key points from their reading, to assess evidence and its relevance. Guidance on the location and use of library and web sources, on referencing, on the preparation of written and oral work is provided through handbooks, bibliographies and study skills tasks. Units in appropriate department other than sociology provide the opportunity to acquire the skills and attributes mentioned in (11). |
Methods of Assessment | |
A variety of written assignments, formative and summative essays and unseen examinations test summary, analytical and evaluation skills, problem-solving, report writing and the presentation of arguments. Seminar and coursework exercises assess the ability to interpret data and investigative skills. (11) is assessed through assessment mechanisms in the appropriate department other than Sociology. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Oral communication is developed by requiring students to engage in class discussions, in seminars or tutorials, and to give short presentations individually or in groups. Effective use of information sources, analytical ability, independent and group work are all developed through seminars, coursework tasks and study skills. (10) is delivered through the teaching and learning strategies of the appropriate department other than sociology. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Communication and presentation skills are assessed through written coursework and essays (formative and summative), which it is expected that students will word process. Recall and the organisation of relevant material is tested through traditional unseen written examinations. Independent study is assessed through coursework, assessed essays, and preparation for examinations. Credit points depend on both written course requirements and participation in seminars involving group discussion and debate. (10) is assessed through assessment mechanisms in the appropriate department other than Sociology. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Students are expected to acquire the foundations on which to develop appropriate expertise in line with the aims and objectives of the course. They will acquire familiarity with the main themes and key concepts of classical and contemporary sociology, and hence the character of the discipline. They will develop an understanding of debates on issues of central importance to sociology and of current social relevance, and be introduced to theories of society, social institutions, social identity and culture. The expectation is that their work may require substantial direction from tutors at this stage with guidance on the development of study skills. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to expand the range and depth of their knowledge in core areas of the discipline and their capacity to evaluate material using a variety of critical perspectives. They acquire an overview of key fields of study and appropriate methodologies, a strong conceptual basis for later theory and substantive units. Students will extend their analytical skills, their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars. They are expected to be developing a capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and coursework assignments). |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At level 6 students are expected to broaden and deepen their knowledge through their study of specialised optional subjects, the units being more closely linked to staff research interests developing the conceptual and methodological approaches used in more complexity. Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information from diverse sources, to synthesise these in an appropriate way and to engage in sophisticated critical evaluation of sociological texts. Students will be encouraged to make their own critical judgements, to develop greater independence and self-directed study, and to further extend individual and group work skills. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Teaching is by a mixture of formal lectures, more interactive small group teaching and presentations and discussions in student led seminars. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Throughout the programme there is a combination of formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is given through marking unit course work essays, feedback on student presentations and on a variety of project work. Summative assessment is through a combination of unseen written examinations and essays. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are being developed through the teaching and learning programme outlined above (and in Section 11) – and in particular learners are exposed to these forms of analysis in the lecture programme. Acquisition of these skills are further developed by discussion of key issues in seminars, by summarising key points from reading, by making presentations in seminars and by preparation for assessments. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Formative assessment of intellectual skills is through unit course work essays, feedback on student presentations and on a variety of project work. Summative assessment of intellectual skills is through unseen written examination or essay. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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All units require regular written work and feedback is concerned with enhancing the learners' powers of expression Skill 4 is acquired through experience of learning to manage time and meet deadlines which are all given at the outset of each unit (for eg. Handing in essays and completing other tasks on to time). Other skills are developed in seminars, classes and workshops, which rely on facilitated discussion and interaction as well as individual or group presentations. Skill 6 is achieved through self-reflection on course work unit essays, in comparison with tutor's feedback on essay and discussion with tutor concerned. It is also developed in some units by self and peer appraisal of class presentation. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Practical Skills: Formative assessment of skills 1-3 is through course work unit essays, feedback on student presentations and on a variety of project work. Summative assessment of skills 1 to 2 is through unseen written examination or assessed essays. Transferable Skills: Effective communication of ideas is an important criterion in assessing all areas of a learner's work.All skills are formatively assessed through unit course work essays and student presentations. Skills 1,2 and 4 are also summatively assessed through unseen written examinations, assessed extended essays and the dissertation, and skill 4 is assessed by the ability to meet the deadlines set for assessment. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
At the end of this level, learners are expected to be able to demonstrate knowledge of the historical and contemporary issues in the production and supply of welfare, primarily in the UK. They should be able to show awareness in general terms of the major theoretical perspectives in social policy and show a basic level of competence in appropriate skills. The expectation is that their work may require substantial direction from members of staff. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
At the end of this level, learners are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge and understanding of welfare systems in comparative and theoretical directions. Through their choice of optional units they should be developing their skills and knowledge in relation to particular fields of policy and practice. They are expected to be developing a capacity for self-directed learning. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Learners should continue to develop the depth of their knowledge and understanding through their study of both mandatory and optional subjects. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
Through the School for Policy Studies, the programme has formal study exchange links with the City University of Hong Kong and Linkoping University, Sweden. This allows a certain number of students to spend up to 6 months studying abroad in their second year. For joint honours students this must be agreed by both Schools, and agreements made about which teaching block may be taken abroad. Students can also arrange exchanges with universities in other countries through the University's International Office. Formal credit points are awarded for the completion of studies abroad. The completion is a requirement for the award. Other programmes in SPAIS, including those with Study Abroad, can be viewed at: www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/study/undergraduate/
Other programmes in SPS can be viewed at: www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/studying/
Both Social Policy and Sociology welcome mature candidates who come with a variety of qualifications, and a growing number of exchange students from Europe and the USA who add a stimulating international dimension to undergraduate work
Social Policy: sps-ugadmin@bristol.ac.uk
Sociology: Dr Kieran Flanagan
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/
Email: socug-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/Sociology/
Email: socug-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk
Admissions Tutor: Dr Kieran Flanagan
www: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Thinking Sociologically | SOCI10004 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Students must choose 40 credits from the following units: | ||||
Doing Social Research | SOCI10005 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Key Social Thinkers | SOCI10006 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Social Identities and Divisions | SOCI10007 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
For Social Policy, students choose three out of the following four units: | ||||
Social Policy Past and Present | SPOL10034 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Critical Skills for Social Scientists: Social Policy | SPOL10026 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Key Concepts, Theories and Ideologies in Social Policy | SPOL10033 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Comparative and International Policy Studies | SPOL10035 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Segregation and Inequality in International Perspective | SPOL10038 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Collective Action and Policy Change | SPOL10040 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Students must select 20 credit points from the following units: | ||||
Theorising Social Welfare | SPOL20059 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Understanding Public Policy | SPOL20026 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Select two units (40 credits) from the following units: *For those planning to undertake a dissertation in the final year, you must select either SOAD20004 or SOCI20079 in your second year of studies | ||||
Social Policy and Development | SPOL20050 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Health Policy in a Global Context (SPS) | SPOL20061 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Poverty, Social Exclusion and Social Policy | SPOL20019 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Punishment in Society | SPOL20052 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Social Care in Crisis | SPOL20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Theorising Social Welfare | SPOL20059 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Social Research Methods | SOAD20004 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Work and Work Placements: Social Policy | SPOL20042 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Understanding Public Policy | SPOL20026 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Crime, Harm and Money | SPOL20064 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Harms of the Powerful | SPOL20034 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
International Political Economy and Social Policy | SPOL20063 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Youth Policy and Social Welfare | SPOL22022 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Students must choose 20 credit points from the following units: | ||||
Conceptualising the Social | SOCI20016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Investigating Society (Sociology) | SOCI20079 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Students must select 40 credit points from the following units: | ||||
Conceptualising the Social | SOCI20016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Ethnicity and Racism | SOCI20017 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Sociology of Health and Illness | SOCI20035 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
The Sociology of Gender | SOCI20042 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Class and Social Divisions | SOCI20045 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Environment and Society | SOCI20049 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
East Asian Societies: Alternative Modernities | SOCI20076 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Investigating Society (Sociology) | SOCI20079 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Principles of Quantitative Social Science | SOCI20069 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
What is a Society? | SOCI20075 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Art and Society | SOCI20087 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Conducting a Research Project using Secondary Data | POLI20001 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Digital Society | SOCI20077 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
The Sociology of Childhood and Rights | SOCI20078 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Students also have the option of taking a Teaching Block abroad as long as they meet all grade and other requirements set by SPAIS study abroad programme | ||||
Study Abroad (Term) | SPAI20030 | 60 | Optional | TB-1,TB-2 |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Students select either three 20 Social Policy units (60 credits) or Dissertation unit SPOL30017 (40 credits) and one unit (20 credits) from the list below: | ||||
Students who wish to take the Dissertation unit in the final year must have selected SOAD20004 Social Research Methods or SOCI20064 Investigating the Social in Year 2. | ||||
Dissertation (Social Policy) | SPOL30017 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 |
Migration: UK, EU and Global Policy Perspectives | SPOL30069 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Drugs and Society | SPOL30011 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Housing and home: political economy, inequality and rights | SPOL30081 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Climate Emergency | SPOL30074 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Cities and communities in the urban age | SPOL30062 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Inequalities in Health, Poverty and Development | SPOL31021 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Disability in Society | SPOL30075 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Gender based Violence | SPOL30029 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Quantitative Data Analysis for Policy Research | SPOL30082 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Students who were abroad in the second year and so did not take all mandatory second year units, must include appropriately from: | ||||
Understanding Public Policy | SPOL20026 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Theorising Social Welfare | SPOL20059 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Students must choose 60 credit points from the following units. Please note that students cannot take more than 40 credits of independent study (dissertation units or extended essays). To take the Sociology Dissertation you must have taken either SOAD20004 Social Research Methods or SOCI20079 Investigating the Social in your second year: | ||||
Dissertation | SOCI30050 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 |
The Sociology of Popular Music | SOCI30048 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Perspectives on Power | SOCI30062 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Cultural Representation | SOCI30063 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Public Opinion and Democracy | SOCI30072 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Religion and Politics | SOCI30107 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
The Feminist Sociology of Food | SOCI30104 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Nations and Nationalism | SOCI30082 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Gender and Migration | SOCI30091 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Risk, Danger and Disaster | SOCI30098 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Consumption and Sustainability | SOCI30106 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Queering Sexuality and Gender | SOCI30105 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Politics of Rebellion | POLI30038 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Social Policy and Sociology (BSc) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Students who wish to take the Dissertation unit in either school must have taken either SOAD20004 Social Research Methods or SOCI20064 Investigating the Social in Year 2.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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