100 Point 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 the Master of Social Policy should:

• enhance their skills in research: through competent use of advanced information sources and retrieval of appropriate information;
• have critical and theoretical thinking: through presentation of research papers, conceptualising theoretical problems, forming judgements and arguments from conflicting evidence, and by critical analysis;
• develop time management and planning: through managing and organising workloads;
• enhance their skills in team work: through small group discussions.

100 point program

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

The Master of Social Policy 100 point program requires:

Coursework Only Option

• four compulsory subjects (62.5 points)
• three elective subjects (37.5 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• four compulsory subjects (62.5 points)
• thesis (37.5 points)

Please note the following:

Written permission from the course coordinator is required for the minor thesis option.

The minor thesis requires enrolment over two consecutive semesters.

Capstone Requirements:

All students are required to complete the Capstone Requirement for the program (at least 25 points). Students must complete one capstone option -

Capstone Option 1: Minor Thesis – Public/Social Policy (PPMN90002)

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a research question; pathway to the PhD.

Capstone Option 2: Executive Internship (PPMN90039)

Purpose: An opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in social policy practice to solve problems that arise in professional contexts and develop an integrated understanding of research and practice.

Capstone Option 3: Social Research Design and Evaluation (SOCI90005) + Comparative Social Policy (SOCI90003)

Purpose: Multiple opportunities to acquire research methods skills and integrate knowledge and research skills to address a research question, project or substantial piece of work.

For policies that govern this degree, see Academic Services Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Framework. Students also should also refer to information in the Student Policy Directory.

Compulsory Subjects

four compulsory subjects (62.5 points)

Minor Thesis Option

Minor thesis (37.5 points)

Please note the following:

Written permission from the program coordinator is required for the minor thesis option.

The minor thesis requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment.

Elective Subjects

Coursework Only Option

Three elective subjects (37.5 points)