Social policy is the study of societies and the way they change through policy making. Generally studied as a joint honours programme, for example with sociology, politics, economics or another subject, social policy looks at the ways in which public policies, social institutions and market forces affect how contemporary societies operate and are affected by debates about inequality and social justice. Social policy is relevant to many areas of everyday life, including housing, employment, income, health and education. Our programmes will appeal to students who are interested in current political and social issues that appear in the news as well as longer-term changes in how societies work - whether at local, national, European or global levels.