Social Policy, BSc (Hons)

Your early studies will introduce you to the key theories, philosophies, history, and economics of social policy.

Later options allow you to focus on a range of topics including disability, health, housing and homelessness, poverty, and social exclusion.

Typical A-level/Welsh Baccalaureate* Offer

ABB – BBB. Desirable subjects include English, History, Politics, Geography, Sociology, Law and Psychology.

* We welcome applications from Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma students. The requirements are as for A-levels where you can substitute the same non-subject specific graduate for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Level Core Grade.

Typical Access to HE Offer

27 Distinctions, 15 Merits, 3 Passes

Typical BTEC Offer

DDM

International Baccalaureate

32 – 33

Irish Leaving Certificate

360 – 375

GCSE profiles need to include a minimum of 5 passes at Grade A*- C/9-4 including Welsh or English Language and Mathematics.

You will benefit from a well-structured and supported programme of study including lectures, workshops, tutorials, surgeries and guest lectures by policy makers, practitioners and academics.

Your Academic Mentor will be on-hand to provide you with one-to-one support throughout the term.

Assessment is based on coursework and includes essays, projects, presentations and reviews with examinations following on from some of the modules.

Covid update

Teaching block one (TB1) runs from September until January and during this block, for this year, this course will be taught in a ‘blended’ way. This means that some teaching will be done online and some will be on campus. The online teaching, where you will be physically apart from your lecturer, can be ‘live’ with your lecturer present and where you’ll be able to interact. Some of it may be self-directed which means that you can access the learning materials at a time to suit you. 

Your teaching will comprise of both in-person sessions on campus and remote subject learning online.

Your face-to-face, on campus sessions will be a mixture of:

• Study groups
• Module tutorials
• Academic mentoring
• Academic success programme
• Employability workshops
• Student welfare support

Your online learning and teaching may include:

• Webinars
• Hot topic debates and discussions
• Revision sessions
• Q&A time
• On-demand e-lectures
• Self-paced module content
• Learning packs
• Continuous assessment

This course offers some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

There are opportunities for Welsh speakers to study this subject through the medium of Welsh and our dedicated academy, Academi Hywel Teifi, is here to support you throughout your time at Swansea University. We offer you:

• An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
• The option to receive your personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually - we will then communicate with you in your language of choice.
• Access to generous Welsh-language study scholarships or bursaries.
• Access to modules taught wholly or partly in Welsh.
• The option to write and submit your coursework or exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be marked in Welsh.
• A Welsh-speaking academic tutor.
• One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
• An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.

To see further details about the level of provision delivered in Welsh on this particular degree scheme, please see the Welsh-language course page for further information.

Since 2011, there has been a 40% increase in the number of students studying through the medium of Welsh at Swansea University and our TEF* data over the last two years shows that Welsh-medium students are high achievers in regards to employability (*Swansea University TEF return 2017 and 2018).

Dr Gideon Calder 

Andrew Dunning

Dr Ashley Frawley

Dr Sarah Hillcoat-Nalletamby

Dr Ruth Hopkins

Amy Murray

Dr Alexandra Sardani

Dee Thyer

Dr Hugh Upton

Dr Mike Ward

Nick Weaver

Fees for full time Undergraduate UK students may be increased in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount determined by Welsh Government.

Fees for full time Undergraduate EU/International students will increase by 3% for each subsequent year of study.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

• Travel to and from campus
• Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
• Purchase of books or texts
• Gowns for graduation ceremonies

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

• Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
• Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
• Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
• Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
• Advice and guidance on postgraduate study and funding
• Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal academic mentor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

• Academic writing
• Maths and statistics
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Digital skills
• Presentation skills
• Note taking
• Revision, memory and exam techniques
• English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

Your degree programme may already give you an option to study or work abroad but in addition to this you can also consider an international summer programme.

These programmes are open to all our undergraduate students and include culture and study tours, volunteering programmes and internships across destinations such as China, Zambia, South Korea, Japan, Europe and Canada. Programmes are typically 2 – 6 weeks long and funding is available. See our Summer Programmes for further information.

Apply now – UK, EU and international students.

For further guidance please visit our how to apply pages.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

We have joint honours degrees available including:

• BA (Hons) Politics and Social Policy
• BSc (Hons) Criminology and Social Policy
• BA History and Social Policy