UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

Programme Specification

This Programme 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.
  1. Awarding Institution / Body
/ University of Central Lancashire
  1. Teaching Institution
/ University of Central Lancashire
  1. University Department/Centre
/ School of Social Work, Care and Community
  1. External Accreditation
/ N/A
  1. Title of Final Award
/ MA in Social Policy
  1. Modes of Attendance offered
/ Full time and Part time
  1. UCAS Code
/ N/A
  1. Relevant Subject Benchmarking Group(s)
/ Social Policy
  1. Other external influences
/ N/A
  1. Date of production/revision of this form
/ 28thJune 2012
  1. Aims of the Programme

  • To provide students with a conceptual understanding that enables them to critically evaluate past and current research or equivalent advanced scholarship in the subject.

  • To provide students with an advanced awareness of the significant elements of continuity and change in the study of poverty and social inequality as social phenomena.

  • To provide students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the role of comparative analysis in social policy

  • To enhance students’ capacity for the critical evaluation of key theoretical perspectives.

  • To equip students with the necessary practical skills to carry out social research which is informed by debates on methodology, epistemology, ethics and politics

  • To enable students to apply their learning to research in their areas of interest, or fields of practice.

  1. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

A.Knowledge and Understanding
Students will be able to:
A1. Demonstrate mastery and a systematic understanding of the interests and forces that have historically shaped social policy provision in the UK.
A2. Critically analyse a range of classical debates and theories in Social Policy.
A3. Evaluate Current research and theoretical debates concerned with welfare provision and the major concepts at the forefront of the discipline
A4. Analyse and explore the role of comparative analysis in social policy, and its application in the study of selected societies
A.5 Critically evaluate the methodological assumptions and practices that inform social policy analysis and research.
A.6 Demonstrate mastery and a systematic understanding of the principles, political tensions and ethical dilemmas involved in planning and organizing a piece of social research.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Acquisition of core knowledge and understanding is through lectures, seminars and workshops together with regular course work in the form of essays, presentations and projects involving analysis of historical sources, key theoretical texts, current empirical evidence and data, and a range of research methodologies/approaches.
Throughout the programme students receive guidance on how to identify, locate and use material available in libraries and elsewhere. Comprehensive bibliographies are provided for each module, as are guidelines for the production of coursework essays, projects and dissertations. Students are also encouraged to utilise the extensive range of subject related links provided on the School of Social Work’s Social Policy Homepage.
In short, the overall teaching and learning strategy will enable students to develop refined and appropriate cognitive and subject specific skills appropriate to each level of study, from Postgraduate Certificate to MA.
Assessment methods
Throughout the programme there is a combination of formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment takes the form of feedback on student presentations and project work. Summative assessment is through a combination of essays and assessed coursework, including the dissertation.
B.Subject-specific skills
Students will be able to:
B.1 Locate, examine critically, and utilise material and information appropriate for the analysis of social policy issues.
B.2 Employ advanced subject specific and cognitive skills to analyse critically particular social policy problems and issues.
B.3 Demonstrate an enhanced knowledge of the issues and dilemmas involved in undertaking social policy research.
B.4 Plan, undertake and report on a piece of social policy research of their own choosing.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Subject specific skills 1 and 2 are acquired through the teaching and learning programme outlined in Section 12. Skills B.3 and B.4 are through the completion of a three-module dissertation.
Assessment methods
The range of learning opportunities presented by the course both enables and requires students to develop these skills. They are assessed through the achievement of the learning outcomes specified and assessed within the subject specific modules SP 4001, SP 4002, SP 4003, and the dissertation.
C.Thinking Skills

Students will be able to:

C.1 Obtain, summarise and synthesise material from a range of sources to analyse issues in social policy.
C.2 Assess critically the merits of competing explanations and interpretations of social questions, issues and problems, using appropriate conceptual and theoretical perspectives and relevant evidence.
C.3 Demonstrate an enhanced knowledge of the issues and dilemmas involved in undertaking research.
C.4 Plan, conduct and report on a programme of original research.
C.5 Produce reasoned arguments, justifying conclusions and recommendations by reference to appropriate analytical frameworks and supporting evidence.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Thinking skills C1-C3 are developed through the teaching and learning programme outlined in Section 12 (above). Skills C4-C5 are acquired through the completion of a three-module dissertation.
Assessment methods
The range of learning opportunities presented by the course enables and requires students to develop these skills. They are assessed through the achievement of the learning outcomes specified and assessed within the subject specific modules SP 4001, SP 4002, SP 4003, and the dissertation.
D.Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
Students will be able to:
D.1 Communicate ideas and arguments in a written format and orally in the context of formal presentations.
D.2 Select and draw upon a range of sources of printed, electronic and other material as a means to the development and presentation of arguments and evidence.
D.3 Show self-direction in the organisation, planning and conduct of their own work.
D.4 Control, communicate and present their work in a clear and coherent manner to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
D.5 Demonstrate a mastery of the necessary personal and practical skills needed for the successful completion of a research project.
D.6 Possess a level of subject expertise and skills development relevant to a number of purposes, from engaging in postgraduate research, to participating in the labour market at an appropriate managerial or professional level.
D.7 Possess the independent learning ability to take advantage of opportunities for furthering their own professional development.
Teaching and Learning Methods
These transferable skills are developed through the teaching and learning programme outlined in Section 12 and through the completion of a three-module dissertation
Assessment methods
Again, the range of learning opportunities presented by the course both enable and require students to develop these skills. They are assessed through the achievement of the learning outcomes specified and assessed within the core modules and the subject specific modules SP 4001, SP 4002 and SP 4003, and the dissertation.
13.Programme Structures
Core Modules / 14.Awards and Credits
Level / Module Code / Module Title / Credit rating
Level 7 / SP4001
SW4012
SP4002
SW4066
SP4004
SP 4003
SW4027
SW4037
SW4019 / Understanding Poverty and Inequality: Perspectives From History
The Making of Social Policy
Comparative Social Policy and Social Change
EITHER
Reflecting on politics, policy and practice
OR
Social Policy in Practice
Social Theory and Social Policy: Rethinking Welfare
Introduction to Social Research
Dissertation (3 modules)
Student Initiated Module / 20
20
20
20
20
20
20
60
20 / MA requires 180 Credits at level 7
Postgraduate Diploma requires 120 credits at Level 7 including SP4001, SP4002, SP4003, SW4012, Either SW4066 OR SP4004, and SW4027.
Postgraduate Certificate requires 60 credits at Level 7 including SP4001, SP4002 and SP4003
15.Personal Development Planning
Personal Development Planning (PDP) is intended to provide a process by which students can reflect on their learning and plan for their personal and career development. The primary objective of PDP is to improve each student’s capacity to understand what and how they are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning. The programme supports this initiative. It is expected that students at Master’s level will already have acquired the necessary skills to plan and take responsibility for their own learning and development and hence will require a less formalised approach to PDP than undergraduate students. It is expected as a matter of course that students will retain copies of and reflect upon their feedback from assignments as a guide to future improvement and development. In conjunction with this, the course team will provide individual advice and discuss progress and future career or further study plans with students as a fundamental part of the tutorial role, and encourage students to make use of all of the University’s range of support services as and where appropriate. All students will graduate with a student transcript setting out details of their academic learning, which is generated by the university and will be provided at the end of the course.
16.Admissions criteria
Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic qualifications, together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to study. These criteria may be expressed as a range rather than a specific grade. Amendments to entry requirements may have been made after these documents were published and you should consult the University’s website for the most up to date information.
Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter.
Applicants would normally have a first degree at Honours Classification 2:2 or above in Social Policy or a related discipline such as Economics, Health Studies, History, Politics, Education, Philosophy or Sociology. Exceptionally, consideration will also be given to applicants with a first degree of Honours Classification of 2:2 or above in other disciplines. Candidates with a professional qualification in social care, health or a related area who do not have a first degree will be asked to demonstrate their suitability for postgraduate study on the basis of an essay of 2000/2500 words on a relevant topic. Candidates may be asked to attend an interview.
17.Key sources of information about the programme
  • University of Central Lancashire’s Postgraduate Prospectus

  • School of Social Work’s Web Pages

18.Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Programme Learning Outcomes
Level / Module Code / Module Title / Core (C), Compulsory (COMP) or Option (O) / Knowledge and understanding / Subject-specific Skills
A1 / A2 / A3 / A4 / A5 / A6 / B1 / B2 / B3 / B4
LEVEL 7 / SP 4001 / Understanding Poverty and Inequality: Perspectives From History / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4012 / The Making of Social Policy / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SP 4002 / Comparative Social Policy and Social Change / COMP / X / X / X / X / X
SP 4003 / Social Theory and Social Policy: Rethinking Welfare / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4066 / Reflecting on politics, policy and practice / O / X / X / X / X
SP4004 / Social Policy in Practice / O / x / x / X / X / X / X / x / X
SW4027 / Introduction to Social Research / COMP / X / X / X / X
SW 4037 / Dissertation / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4019 / Student Initiated Module / O / X / X / X / X

Note:Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks

18.Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Programme Learning Outcomes
Level / Module Code / Module Title / Core (C), Compulsory (COMP) or Option (O) / Thinking Skills / Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
C1 / C2 / C3 / C4 / C5 / D1 / D2 / D3 / D4 / D5 / D6 / D7
LEVEL 7 / SP 4001 / Understanding Poverty and Inequality: Perspectives From History / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4012 / The Making of Social Policy / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SP 4002 / Comparative Social Policy and Social Change / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SP 4003 / Social Theory and Social Policy: Rethinking Welfare / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4066 / Reflecting on politics, policy and practice / O / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SP4004 / Social Policy in Practice / O / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x
SW 4027 / Introduction to Social Research / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW 4037 / Dissertation / COMP / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
SW4019 / Student Initiated Module / O / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X