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SP20006: Social justice, social policy and the state

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2012/3
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 6
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 1
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: EX 100%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: SP20006 Coursework - Re-assessment only (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites:
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
The aims of the unit are to:
* Introduce students to theories of social justice
* Explain a range of concepts and principles used to justify the role of the state in social policy, and the political and theoretical contexts in which they were developed.
* Explain a range of concepts and principles used to critique the role of the state in social policy and the political and theoretical contexts in which they were developed.
* Apply the concepts and principles to specific and topical social policy issues, debates and 'problems'
* Evaluate the relative merits of different arguments in terms of both theoretical debates and empirical examples.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit the students will:
* Be familiar with theories of social justice and the broad range of principles around which political debates in social policy have been structured.
* Understand how different principles relate to different theoretical and political traditions.
* Be able to explain how principles of equity, need, justice, liberty, citizenship, risk and equality can be used to defend or critique state provision of social policy.
* Be able to apply some of these principles to analyse and evaluate current debates in social policy.

Skills:
Intellectual skills:
* think creatively and analytically
* communicate an argument
* evaluate others' arguments and research.
* critically evaluate and assess research and evidence as well as a variety of other information.
* select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge.
* synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding.
Transferable/Key skills:
* Study & Learning skills
* Basic Information and Computing Technology skills
* Inter-personal and communication skills
* Revision and Examination skills
* Time-management and administrative skills
* Presentation skills and verbal communication
* Team and group working skills
* prioritise workloads, and utilise long- and short-term planning skills.

Content:
Each lecture will cover one core principle, including: Social Justice, Need, Freedom, Equality, Equity, Citizenship, Community, Risk. The seminars will apply each to one issue or problem in contemporary social policy; for example, training schemes and equality of opportunity; citizenship and rights to a basic income, allocation of resources.
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

SP20006 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB14 : BSc (hons) Applied Social Studies (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AFB16 : BSc (hons) Social Policy (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AKB16 : BSc (hons) Social Policy (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AFB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2

SP20006 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AFB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AKB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AFB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AKB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AFB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UHSP-AKB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2012/13 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2013/14 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2012/13.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.