Social Policy

Social policy is the study of how societies choose to address their most pressing collective challenges: poverty, ill health, inequality, housing insecurity, unemployment, and the care of children and older people. It is a discipline that combines careful empirical analysis of how welfare states and public services actually work with normative debate about what they should try to achieve. Social policy draws on economics, sociology, political science, and history, and it is deeply engaged with the real-world consequences of the decisions made by governments, charities, businesses, and communities.

At the University of Bath, this three-year programme gives you a rigorous academic grounding in the theory and practice of social policy. You will examine the historical development of the welfare state, compare different national approaches to health, education, social security, and housing, and engage with contemporary debates about the role of the state, the market, and the voluntary sector in addressing social need. Research methods are central to the degree, and you will learn to work with both quantitative data and qualitative evidence, developing the analytical skills needed to evaluate policy claims and contribute to evidence-based debate.

Bath is a leading research university, and its social policy provision benefits from faculty engaged with current questions in welfare reform, inequality, and public service delivery.

Social policy graduates are in demand across a wide range of public and voluntary sector organisations. Central and local government, health authorities, housing organisations, and social care agencies all offer careers in policy analysis, programme management, and strategic planning. The voluntary and charitable sector, including organisations focused on poverty, disability, housing, and children's welfare, provides further opportunities.

Think tanks and research institutes working on social questions draw graduates with strong analytical skills, as do international organisations concerned with global welfare and development. Teaching and academic research are further pathways, particularly for those who continue to postgraduate study in social policy, public administration, or a related discipline.