MA Social and Public Policy Programme Specification 2024-25

	B	C	D	E	G	I	J	K	L	O
1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2024-25
3
4
5	Programme Title			MA Social and Public Policy
6
7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			2024		Award type			MA
8
9	What level is this qualification?			7		Length of programme			12 months/24 months
10
11	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			FT/PT
12
13	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			The programme will use standard University semester dates		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			N/A
14
15	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			SBS
16
17	Lead department			SBS		Other contributing departments			N/A
18
19	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
20
21	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			Campus
22
23	Partner organisations
24	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
25	NA
26	NA
27
28	Reference points
29	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
30	Subject Benchmark Statements - Social Policy
31	Subject Benchmark Statements - Social Policy
32
33	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
34	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
35	No
36	No
37
38	Exceptions to Regulations
39	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
40
41
42
43	Internal Transfers
44	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
45
46		Transfers in:	MA Global Public Policy and International Business			Transfers out:	MA Global Public Policy and International Business
47			MA Global Public Policy and International Business				MA Global Public Policy and International Business
48
49	Statement of Purpose
50	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
51	This Masters programme will equip you with the skills and knowledge to analyse, critique and shape policy. You will critically engage with the theoretical and empirical dimensions of social and public policy development, drawing on different disciplinary traditions to understand policy-making in multiple contexts. You will gain detailed knowledge of policy processes, assessing the ways in which policy-making seeks to respond to complex social problems and exploring the location of policies in their wider institutional, social, political and economic context. Your studies will enable you to engage in informed debate around the distribution of power and resources, and how this intersects with the interests and activities of policy actors, and influences policy outcomes. You will develop professional and digital skills including the retrieval, interpretation and presentation of evidence, and learn how to communicate and represent complex ideas to a range of audiences. Your independent research project provides an opportunity for you to apply your research design skills to an in-depth exploration of a policy-related topic. As a graduate of this programme, you will be equipped to transfer your knowledge, insights and skills to your professional life. Our graduates work across the public, private and non-profit sectors, contributing to the public good and social progress in their chosen careers.
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
63	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
64	PG Cert in Social and Public Policy			No	Students will have begun to develop an understanding of the concepts behind the PLOs, but will not have fully achieved them			Any 60 credits
65	PG Diploma in Social and Public Policy			No	Students will have begun to develop an understanding of the concepts behind the PLOs, but will not have fully achieved them			Any 120 credits
66
67	Programme Learning Outcomes
68	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
69	1	Critically apply theoretical frameworks to the analysis of complex policy processes and competing responses to real-world social and public policy problems.
70	2	Recognise, analyse and evaluate the multi-level intersections of policy-making with the distribution and operation of power and resources in diverse socio-economic and political contexts.
71	3	Communicate in ways that can engage specialist and policy-interested audiences, balancing academic rigour with accessible presentation of complex material.
72	4	Collaborate with peers, fostering sensitivity to alternative perspectives and awareness of the power dynamics that operate in group working environments.
73	5	Design rigorous policy-focused research, drawing from a range of theories, methods and types of evidence within appropriate ethical codes of research conduct.
74	6	Retrieve, generate and interpret primary and secondary data, using quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches.
75	7	Critically apply knowledge, understanding and skills to the shaping of social progress, both within and beyond the academic context.
76
77	Diverse entry routes
78	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
79	The programme offers a well-established induction covering key study skills issues, a presentation from our Librarian on Library services and online access of relevant reading material; an introduction to Academic Skills community activities and resourses, classes organised for supporting academic writing and intercultural awareness sessions; social events where all students meet each other and discuss with their personal tutors; an essay writing and referencing workshop delivered by Departmental staff early in semester 1 (with subject specific practice essay option); and [where applicable] pre-sessional language classes options. Additionally, students with qualification in less closely related subjects are provided prior to the start of the programme with key readings - that enable them to familiarise with introductory terms and concepts of social policy analysis and research- and receive tutorial support where applicable.
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88	Inclusion
89
90	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.									TRUE
91
92	Employability
93	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
94	The PLOs include a suite of transferable skills that can be applied in a wide range of problem-solving contexts, such as being able to interpret and critically evaluate complex material and communicate such material in a variety of formats. Students will develop a rounded awareness of and sensitivity to a range of perspectives and interests that will be essential for employability in the social and policy policy fields and more widely. Students will develop independent and team-based working skills, including planning and time-management culminating in their dissertation work. The module 'Investigating Contemporary Social Problems' enables students to simulate policy design and implementation and therefore reflect on how their theoretical knowledge can apply practically in a real-world context. The programme's substantive focus on social and public policy will enhance the employability of our graduate in both UK and non UK settings, including employment in international, national and local organisations dedicated to social and public policy research and analysis including public, private and non-for-profit organisations that are involved in the designing, consultation and delivery of social and public policy.
95
96
97
98
99
100