Social and Public Policy (MSc)

How will I be taught?

You’ll learn from an academic body with expertise in a range of social and public policy sub-fields, such as employment policy, child protection, anti-poverty policy, public health, social security, and more. 

You’ll be taught through a mix of lectures and seminars, benefiting from high-quality class discussions with your cohort. You’ll be expected to undertake independent study in preparation for your classes in order to share your insights and discuss competing perspectives in an informed way. 

You’ll have the opportunity to develop and practice advanced oral and written communication through formative tasks such as presentation of preparatory reading, group problem-based learning tasks, and group presentations. Feedback is provided on an ongoing basis, as well as more formally for summative assessments.

How will I be assessed?

You’ll encounter a range of assessment methods on the programme. This includes essays, presentations, research reports, policy evaluation plans, policy analyses and multiple-choice question tests. You’ll receive feedback on each piece of assessment that you submit. 

Formative feedback does not contribute to progression or degree classification decisions but is intended to help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your work before you complete the assessments that make up your grade for each module. 

Formative feedback will be gained through participation in learning activities and in-class discussions. The latter provide opportunities for you to test your understanding of key ideas and concepts as well as trying out arguments ahead of writing coursework. In addition, there’ll be a range of opportunities to receive feedback on formative assessments, prior to submitting more formal coursework assessments.

How will I be supported?

Learning

Course materials will be provided on Learning Central, our Virtual Learning Environment. You’ll also have access to libraries across our campus which hold over 1.1 million printed books, supplemented by online books, journals, resources and databases. 

If English is not your first language, then our Academic English Skills for International Students team offer classes and one-to-one tutorials to support your studies including reading, writing and presentation skills.

Wellbeing

You’ll be assigned a Personal Tutor, who can support you with academic and pastoral matters in a confidential and informal manner. Additional support is available through our Student Life teams, based in the Centre for Student Life. These teams include Advice and Money, Counselling services, Health and Wellbeing, the Student Disability Service including dyslexia support, and Student Visa Support.

Careers and Employability

The Student Futures team can enhance your career prospects by offering tailored support throughout your studies. You’ll benefit from expert advice on CV writing, interview techniques, and job applications. The team can support you with internships, placements, and networking opportunities, giving you valuable real-world experience. If you are an international student, Student Futures offers tailored support to explore part-time jobs, placements, and graduate roles in the UK and globally.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you. 

On successful completion of your Programme you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Critically analyse contemporary developments in Social and Public Policy, in international, UK and devolved contexts.
• Evaluate and synthesise key theories and concepts underpinning social and public policy. 
• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of a range of qualitative and quantitative methods and apply these critically to analyse developments in social and public policies and assess their social outcomes.
• Critically engage with the ethical and justice-related dimensions of social and public policy, showing insight into how policies impact different social groups and the implications for equality, inclusion and fairness.

Intellectual Skills:

• Critically evaluate a wide range of social and public policies through the application of appropriate theoretical frameworks. 
• Interpret and integrate diverse forms of empirical evidence to assess the effectiveness and impact of social and public policies.
• Analyse and compare policies across different institutional settings, demonstrating insight into the drivers of difference, and their implications for social outcomes.
• Apply critical and creative thinking to formulate and assess potential solutions to pressing societal challenges and issues.
• Exercise reflective judgement and ethical reasoning in the appraisal of proposed policy solutions, combining normative considerations with empirical evidence.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Articulate potential policy solutions to selected social and public policy challenges.
• Synthesise argument and evidence from a range of sources to critically evaluate policies and develop recommendations for policy and practice. 
• Analyse and interpret various forms of social science data, demonstrating critical awareness of both the strengths and limits of different types of evidence in supporting robust findings relevant to social and public policy challenges.
• Design and conduct independent research on social and public policy topics, using appropriate methodological approaches to investigate real-world problems and inform evidence-based policymaking and present them in a dissertation or substantial project. 

Transferable/Key Skills:

• Demonstrate advanced critical thinking skills, including an ability to independently analyse complex information, identify patterns and relationships, and make informed recommendations based on sound evidence. 
• Present and/or disseminate complex research findings, theoretical or policy positions to a variety of relevant audiences.
• Manage an independent piece of work, including the ability to plan, organise and execute a research project in a timely and efficient manner.
• Relate research evidence and policy solutions in one context (whether temporal, sectoral or geographical) to challenges faced in another, critically reflecting on the challenges that may arise in applying lessons from one context in another. 

“What I’ve most appreciated in my studies so far is the constructive feedback I receive after each assessment. Professors provide in-depth evaluations of my work, offering critical insights that help deepen my understanding and continuously improve my performance. I’ve also been developing the skill of simplifying complex ideas and presenting them clearly and concisely, thanks to guidance from my professors and a few of my friends.”