Master of Social Policy

The Master of Social Policy offers a curriculum that reflects cutting edge theory in a number of professional development fields. Graduates will be equipped with the skills necessary for advanced community sector management and policy making, including the skills to:

• analyse key areas of contemporary social policy: governance, inclusion\exclusion, social capital, globalisation etc;
• engage with the social dimensions of social policy: race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, age etc;
• understand social policy as a contested process and apply research skills to a range of organisational contexts;
• draw on a range of disciplines and take a comparative and global focus.

Students who complete this course should develop a number of generic skills that should help them with future study and employment. Students will enhance their skills in:

• Research: through competent use of advanced information sources and retrieval of appropriate information;
• Critical and theoretical thinking: through presentation of research papers, conceptualising theoretical problems, forming judgements and arguments from conflicting evidence, and by critical analysis;
• Time management and planning: through managing and organising workloads;
• Team work: through small group discussions

Duration: 2 years full-time / up to 4 years part-time

• two compulsory subjects (37.5 points)
• five elective subjects (62.5 points)

Second 100 points:

• Two compulsory subjects (25 points) and

• Six elective subjects (75 points) or

Otption 2*

• Thesis (37.5 points) &
• Electives (37.5 points)

Total 200 points. Subjects are 12.5 points unless otherwise stated.

*(Written permission from the course coordinator is required for option 2)

Duration: 1 year full-time / up to 2 years part-time

• Four compulsory subjects (62.5 points) and

• Three elective subjects from the list of electives for the second 100 points of the 200 point program above (37.5 points) or

Option 2*

• Thesis (37.5 points)

Total 100 points. Subjects are 12.5 points unless otherwise stated.

*(Written permission from the course coordinator is required for option 2)

200 Point Program

First 100 points

Compulsory subjects:

Elective subjects:

Second 100 points

Compulsory subjects:

Elective subjects:

75 points

Note:

• permission is required from the course coordinator in order to enrol in the minor thesis
• the thesis requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment.

Compulsory subjects:

Elective subjects:

37.5 points

Note:

• permission is required from the course coordinator in order to enrol in the minor thesis
• the thesis requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment.

Refer to the list of electives from the second 100 points of the two hundred point program above.

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the course using the following criteria –

For the 200 point program

• an undergraduate degree with a major area of study related to social policy with a grade average of at least H2B (70%) in the relevant subjects, or equivalent; or
• an undergraduate degree in any field with an overall grade average of at least H2B (70%) and at least one year of full time documented relevant professional work experience, or equivalent.

For the 100-point program

• an honours degree with a major area of study related to social policy with a grade average of at least H2B (70%) in the relevant subjects, or equivalent; or
• an undergraduate degree in any field and at least two years of full time documented relevant professional work experience, or equivalent.

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interviews or tests and may call for referee reports and employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

Documented evidence of relevant professional experience:
Applicants seeking admission into 100 program must provide the following documentation in support of their application for the recognition of prior professional experience:

• brief curriculum vitae, detailing work experience;
• contact details of two referees ;
• a covering letter outlining the applicants professional background and how this prepares them to successfully undertake the program.

In some cases, an interview and/or two reference letters from employers/managers detailing the period of employment and areas of responsibility, and/or evidence of written work or reports undertaken during the period of employment may be requested.

Admission process