It is possible to study Sociology as a joint honours degree with Social Policy (50% Sociology, 50% Social Policy). Sociology, and this course, investigates social life and the way it shapes people's behaviour, beliefs and identity. Its subject matter ranges from examination of the face-to-face interactions of daily life to large-scale social institutions, social movements and global processes. By understanding the social world, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and our own social situations. Social Policy is about the study of welfare in its widest sense. It studies the variety of ways in which welfare can be provided, paid for and regulated, and compares the different approaches nation states take to the welfare of their citizens and others.