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Foundations of Social Policy (SOCI90011)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
March
Overview
Availability | March - Online |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
The subject introduces key concepts of Social Policy designed to provide a foundation for future inquiry. Students will be introduced to key historical concepts and theories that are foundational to the understanding of a social contract to provide social policy to citizens. The course then identifies cross-national approaches to social policy and the gaps in theoretical understandings of social policy. Finally, students are introduced to innovative approaches to social policy with many hands-on activities. The course provides a broad overview of the past, present and future of Social Policy.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should:
- understand the theories of social inclusion and social capital formation as they apply to social policy issues in income support, employment, health, education, culture, housing and community care;
- understand social and economic development as an integrated process from the perspective of both the social policy literature and the development literature;
- understand the analytical implications of different social policy frameworks such as social inclusion and social capital;
- understand the theories and strategies of 'joined up' government and the role of networks in social governance;
- have a sound understanding of the use of comparative perspectives.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should:
• be able to apply research skills and critical methods to a field of inquiry;
• be able to develop persuasive arguments on a given topic;
• be able to communicate oral and written arguments and ideas effectively and articulately.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the 706AA Master of Social Policy
OR
Head of Program approval is required for enrolment by Community Access Program (CAP), Inbound Exchange/Study Abroad or Incoming Cross-institutional students.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Sociology at undergraduate level.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An essay
| Week 3 | 20% |
A take home paper based on weekly seminar material
| Week 6 | 30% |
A project
| Mid-May | 50% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- March - Online
Principal coordinator Leah Ruppanner Mode of delivery Online Contact hours 24 contact hours: 4 hours of seminars per week in Weeks 1 - 6 of Semester 1. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 1 March 2021 to 9 April 2021 Last self-enrol date 9 March 2021 Census date 19 March 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 23 April 2021 Assessment period ends 21 May 2021 March contact information
Time commitment details
170 Hours
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Readings will be provided online through the subject's LMS site prior to the commencement of semester.
Recommended texts and other resources
•Mark Considine, Enterprising states: The public management of welfare to work, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
•R,E Goodin (ed) The theory of institutional design, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
•Jan Kooiman (ed) Modern Governance: New Government-Society Interactions, Sage, 1993.
•Robert Putnam, Making Democracy work, Princeton University Press, 1993.
•Steven Smith and Michael Lipsky, Non-profits for Hire: The welfare state in the age of contracting, Camb. Mass., Harvard University Press, 1993 K. Walsh Public services and Market Mechanisms: Competition, Contracting and the new public management, Houndsmills, Macmillan, 1995
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) Sociology Specialisation (formal) Sociology Specialisation (formal) Sociology Specialisation (formal) Sociology Specialisation (formal) Sociology Major Governance, Policy and Markets Major Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions Major Tailored Specialisation - Links to additional information
Last updated: 31 January 2024