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Studies & Degrees in Social Policy

Social policy studies how societies respond to need and organise the welfare of their members. The University of Bristol defines it as the interdisciplinary study of how societies conceptualise and respond to need and promote welfare and wellbeing. In practice it covers health, housing, education, pensions, poverty, employment, migration and care, and asks who should provide and pay for each of them: the state, the market, families or voluntary organisations.

Students draw on sociology, politics, economics and law. At Bristol they learn to think critically about risk, need, citizenship, inequality and globalisation, and optional units include topics such as poverty and social exclusion, youth policy and migration. Research methods and statistics are a normal part of the degree, because much of the work consists of judging whether a policy does what it was meant to do.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. Social policy as a named first degree is mainly a British and Irish tradition. The BSc Social Policy of the University of Bristol takes three years full-time or six years part-time and ends with a dissertation; a four-year version includes a year at a partner university abroad. At University College Cork, the Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSc) takes three or four years and starts with a foundation in social policy, sociology, philosophy, psychology and economics.
  • Master's degrees. In Spain, official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Máster Universitario en Políticas Sociales y Acción Comunitaria, an official degree of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona taught through the Escola de l'IGOP together with the universities of Girona, Lleida and Vic, has 60 ECTS credits. Its 2026-27 edition runs from 30 September 2026 to 9 July 2027 and costs €79 per credit for national students and €107 per credit for non-EU students, according to the university.
  • Doctorates. In the United States the subject is mostly studied at graduate level. Harvard University awards a PhD in Social Policy that combines training in political science or sociology with a multidisciplinary approach to social policy; its areas include poverty and social mobility, health disparities, immigration and economic inequality. Northwestern University has a PhD in Human Development and Social Policy.

Many students also reach the subject through a related degree, such as sociology, politics, social work or public policy, and specialise at master's level.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 20 active schools for social policy. Seven are in the United Kingdom, four in the United States, three in Spain and two in Ireland; New Zealand, South Korea, Austria and Finland have one each. In the United Kingdom the list includes the University of Bristol, The University of Edinburgh, the University of Kent, the University of Stirling, Cardiff University, London Metropolitan University and the University of Wolverhampton. In Ireland it includes University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin. In Spain it includes the Escola de l'IGOP of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca. Elsewhere there are, among others, the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Seoul, the University of Graz and the University of Jyväskylä.

Programmes in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States are taught in English; Bristol asks applicants whose first language is not English for IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in all skills. The Barcelona master's is taught 70% in Spanish and 30% in Catalan. Social policy is closely tied to national welfare systems, so check which countries a programme concentrates on.

Careers

Graduates work in central and local government, health and housing services, charities and international organisations, research institutes and think tanks. The University of Bristol states that about one third of its social policy graduates enter the public sector, including the management training schemes of the NHS, local government and the civil service. It also names journalism, development, housing, corporate social responsibility and finance, and further study in law, teaching and social work. These are the university's own figures for its graduates, not national statistics.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between social policy and social work?

Social policy analyses and designs the systems, such as benefits, housing or health services. Social work is a professional qualification for working directly with individuals and families. Some graduates in social policy go on to train as social workers, as the University of Bristol notes.

How long does a degree in social policy take?

The BSc Social Policy at the University of Bristol takes three years full-time. An official master's degree in Spain has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits; the Barcelona master's in social policy and community action has 60.

Can I study social policy in Spanish?

Yes. The Máster Universitario en Políticas Sociales y Acción Comunitaria of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is taught 70% in Spanish and 30% in Catalan.

Do I need a specific first degree for a master's in social policy?

Requirements differ by programme. Students usually come from the social sciences, and each university publishes its own admission criteria, so ask the school before applying.