Understand the causes of social problems and how societies attempt to address them
Year of entry: 2025/26
L400
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
Complete University Guide 2025
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
A BA in Social and Public Policy will enable you to understand the causes of social problems and how societies attempt to solve them, both nationally and internationally.
Our research influences national and international agendas and can be directly applied to real life. Our work on benefit fraud and welfare reform has been presented to parliamentary committees.
You'll start your study of social and public policy by undertaking core modules that give you key issues surrounding social and public policy. As you progress, you'll tailor your degree with option modules that allow you to focus on issues and policies that interest you.
During your degree, you will consider the diversity of human needs and sources of inequality at local, national and global levels; and analyse the social, political and economic context in which they exist. Graduates will understand and improve societal responses to social problems and disadvantage.
You will also actively examine the complexity of the policy-making process in the UK and beyond. You will learn how to investigate and critically assess the role of policy actors, citizens, governments, and markets in shaping policy, and to evaluate the evidence on which policy is based.
In your first year you'll study core modules that will introduce Social and Public Policy and the social sciences.
You will also study one option module. In previous years, options have covered topics such as:
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In your second year you'll study core modules which build upon your previous work. You'll also choose from a range of option modules that will allow you to focus on a topic that interests you.
You will also study two option modules, one from Option List A and one from Option List B. Examples include:
The options available to you will be confirmed later in the year. For further information please get in touch.
In your third year you can choose from a range of option modules, including the opportunity for a short placement with an organisation working in social policy. You'll also work on a dissertation: an extended essay based on your own research.
You will also study four option modules, two from Option List A and two from Option List B. Examples include:
In the summer holiday before the third year starts you can undertake a work-shadowing placement that lasts around 80 hours. This will allow you to learn from professionals in a field you're interested in. Watching professionals at work is a completely different learning experience which can help you develop ideas for your dissertation and your future career. If you choose to do a placement, it counts as one of your four option modules.
The options available to you will be confirmed later in the year. For further information please get in touch.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
There is a really diverse mix of students on the course all from different economic, social and political backgrounds. This certainly enhances our learning experience because you can learn so much from the people around you and their opinions, as well from those teaching you.Tu Yuqi, BA Social and Public Policy
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £25,800 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll have a lecture series for each module. Some lectures may be delivered by guest speakers, drawing on expertise from other departments and outside the University. Modules normally have an accompanying seminar series. These will be meetings of around 15 to 25 people where you will debate key issues encountered on the module. You'll challenge what academics have written and form your own understanding about the topic. You may also take part in workshops that provide hands-on experience in social research methods.
You will be allocated a personal supervisor who will support you through your study. Usually your supervisor will be one of the team responsible for the Social and Public Policy degree and teaching on some of the core modules.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the School for Business and Society which is based on Campus West. The majority of your teaching will take place in Derwent and Alcuin.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
The most common form of assessment is by essays. You'll be supported in the first year with advice and seminars on writing an academic essay. You may also be assessed with a mixture of report writing, data analysis exercises, critical reviews and presentations. There is minimal use of closed exams.
At the end of the degree you will submit a dissertation of 8,000 words. You'll be supported by a dissertation supervisor as you specialise in a topic that interests you.
This course will prepare you for a career which uses social and public policy. The course is also good preparation if you would like to continue your studies at postgraduate level.
Many of our students use the expertise they gain from their degree to develop careers in the social and public policy fields. Recent examples include:
Others go on to develop their skills through:
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | BBB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 21 credits at Distinction and 24 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM |
| Cambridge Pre-U | M2, M2, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | 75% overall |
| International Baccalaureate | 31 points overall |
| T levels | We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Scottish Highers - BBBBB Advanced Highers - not required for entry We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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