Social policy Social policy is the study of societies and the way they change through policy making. It looks at the ways in which public policies, social institutions and market forces affect how contemporary societies operate and are affected by debates about social justice. Social policy is relevant to many areas of everyday life, including housing, employment, income, health and education. This programme 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. Sociology Sociology examines how individual choices are affected by wider social forces and how they can be understood by placing them in their social context. You will study the relationship between individuals and groups, issues of belonging and identity, the social causes of cooperation and conflict, and the way societies and social institutions are formed and change over time. This programme also equips you to compare different national contexts and understand contemporary social issues from a global perspective.