Department of Social & Policy Sciences |
| Below is a list of units offered by the Department of Social & Policy Sciences in 2025/26. Follow the links on the unit codes to view individual unit descriptions. Units are sorted by level and then by period slot. To find a specific unit code or title please use your browser's find on page function. NB. Information on postgraduate units will be added when the postgraduate course and unit catalogues are published in August. |
- Certificate (FHEQ level 4) level units (e.g. units coded SP1*)
- Certificate (FHEQ level 4) level units (e.g. units coded SP2*)
- Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) level units (e.g. units coded SP2*)
- Honours (FHEQ level 6) level units (e.g. units coded SP3*)
| Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
Academic Year |
| SP12002 | The making of modern society | 10 Credits |
| SP12003 | Social problems, social change and the state | 10 Credits |
| SP12016 | Psychology for social work | 10 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP12001 | Becoming a social scientist 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP12005 | Critical thinkers in criminology | 10 Credits |
| SP12006 | Crime and society | 10 Credits |
| SP12007 | International development: global perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12008 | International development: social and cultural perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12009 | Understanding social change | 10 Credits |
| SP12014 | Community social work | 5 Credits |
| SP12015 | Introduction to social work | 10 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP12004 | Crime, social justice, and social policy | 10 Credits |
| SP12010 | Becoming a social scientist 2 | 10 Credits |
| SP12011 | Criminal justice processes and practices | 10 Credits |
| SP12012 | International development: political perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12013 | International development: regional perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP12017 | Readiness for direct practice | 10 Credits |
| SP12018 | Research for social work | 5 Credits |
| Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
Academic Year |
| SP22022 | Contemporary sociological theory | 10 Credits |
| SP22025 | Theorising crime, justice and punishment | 10 Credits |
| SP22027 | Policy making: politics and practices | 20 Credits |
| SP22061 | Professional placement | 60 Credits |
| SP22126 | Crime, harm and the environment | 5 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP22019 | Qualitative analysis: the power of immersion | 10 Credits |
| SP22024 | The history and politics of crime and punishment | 5 Credits |
| SP22026 | Development economics: micro perspectives | 10 Credits |
| SP22029 | Applied social work practice 1: practice evidence | 5 Credits |
| SP22030 | Applied social work practice 2: anti-discriminatory practice plan | 5 Credits |
| SP22031 | Applied social work practice 3: discrimination and empowerment | 10 Credits |
| SP22032 | Applied social work practice 4: critical reflection | 10 Credits |
| SP22054 | Conflict, security and development | 5 Credits |
| SP22057 | Social concepts of humans, monsters, and machines | 5 Credits |
| SP22058 | Social difference and inequalities in development | 5 Credits |
| SP22059 | Sociology of criminal justice policy | 5 Credits |
| SP22060 | The sociology of relationships and family policy | 5 Credits |
| SP22127 | Health, governance, and the market | 5 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP22020 | Quantitative data analysis: the power of statistics | 10 Credits |
| SP22023 | Global crimes of the powerful | 5 Credits |
| SP22028 | Development economics: macro perspectives | 10 Credits |
| SP22033 | Mental health social work 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP22034 | Social work with adults 1 | 5 Credits |
| SP22035 | Social work with children and families 1 | 10 Credits |
| SP22036 | Theories and methods 1 | 5 Credits |
| SP22053 | Civil society and social movements: global perspectives | 5 Credits |
| SP22056 | 'Race' and racism | 5 Credits |
| SP22064 | Youth justice | 5 Credits |
| SP22078 | Sustainable development | 5 Credits |
| SP22128 | Victims and victimology | 5 Credits |
| Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
Academic Year |
| SP32021 | Becoming a development professional: skills in practice | 10 Credits |
| SP32037 | Criminology dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32038 | International development with economics dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32039 | Social policy dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32040 | Social sciences dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32041 | Sociology and social policy dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32042 | Sociology dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32043 | Policy analysis for professional practice | 10 Credits |
| SP32044 | Sociology and beyond | 10 Credits |
| SP32065 | Applied social studies dissertation | 20 Credits |
| SP32067 | Crime, media, culture | 10 Credits |
| SP32069 | Global development in the climate crisis | 10 Credits |
| SP32070 | Global political economy:critical understandings of the intersection of society, market and governance | 10 Credits |
| SP32071 | Humanitarianism | 10 Credits |
| SP32076 | Sociology of death | 10 Credits |
| SP32129 | Drugs, crime and society | 5 Credits |
Semester 1 |
| SP32049 | Social work with adults 2 | 10 Credits |
| SP32050 | Social work with children and families 2 | 10 Credits |
| SP32051 | Theories and methods 2 | 5 Credits |
| SP32052 | Mental health social work 2 | 5 Credits |
| SP32066 | Atrocities, conflict, human rights | 5 Credits |
| SP32068 | Development finance | 5 Credits |
| SP32074 | Policing | 5 Credits |
| SP32077 | The sociology of experts and evidence | 5 Credits |
| SP32129 | Drugs, crime and society | 5 Credits |
Semester 2 |
| SP32045 | Qualifying practice 1: practice evidence | 5 Credits |
| SP32046 | Qualifying practice 2: critical analysis of organisation | 5 Credits |
| SP32047 | Qualifying practice 3: ethics and values | 5 Credits |
| SP32048 | Qualifying practice 4: critical reflection | 15 Credits |
| SP32072 | Incarceration | 5 Credits |
| SP32073 | Lobbying, policy communications and democracy | 5 Credits |
| SP32075 | Sexual violence | 5 Credits |
| SP32125 | Gender, sexuality, science, and technology | 5 Credits |