Sociology and Social Policy

Sociology and social policy is a pairing that combines the critical analysis of society with a practical engagement with how social problems are addressed through policy and public institutions. Sociology examines the structures and dynamics of social life, asking how class, race, gender, age and other dimensions of social inequality shape people's life chances and experiences. Social policy analyses the institutions, programmes and frameworks through which governments and other organisations respond to social needs, including the welfare state, healthcare, housing, education, criminal justice and employment policy.

Together they develop a rigorous and socially engaged approach to understanding contemporary society.

At Cardiff University, this three-year full-time programme benefits from Wales's distinctive policy context, with a devolved government pursuing different policy approaches to those in England across health, education and social care, providing a live comparative case study of social policy in action. You will study sociological theory, research methods, the history and principles of the welfare state, comparative social policy, and specific policy domains in depth, developing both your capacity for social analysis and your understanding of how policy is made and evaluated in practice.

Graduates work in social research, local and national government, the civil service, the voluntary and charitable sectors, social work (with further training), housing, education, healthcare administration and policy analysis organisations. The analytical and research skills that this combination develops are valued across many sectors that work with the public or with social data. Many graduates also proceed to postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, social work, public health or public administration, often moving into research or professional practice roles that draw directly on the academic training of their undergraduate years.