This section describes which Units you will take in which year of study. It indicates which units are mandatory and where you will be able to choose. The overall pass marks you will need to achieve in order to progress or achieve an award are shown. The full regulations concerning progression and completion are held in the University's Regulations and Code of Practice. Any particular aspects of your programme that are unusual will be highlighted. If any Units are must pass this will be shown below. The linked unit specifications detail any additional requirements.
What do the teaching blocks (TB) mean?
If you are selecting optional units, ensure that you have a balanced workload through the year.
The programme can also be studied on a part-time basis over 2-5 years.
The programme leads to one of two awards and is organised so that a student entering with the intention of studying for the PG diploma has the opportunity to progress to the MSc.
The programme is delivered through a combination of intensive block teaching and weekly delivery so as to be most accessible to postgraduate students, busy policy professionals and practitioners. The delivery of units on the programme is designed to allow students to accumulate credits flexibly and organise the patterns of attendance to suit their own needs and circumstances.
| Unit name | Unit code | Credit points | Status | Teaching Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy and Research Design in the Social Sciences (SPS) | SPOLM0013 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
| Qualitative Methods: Design and Analysis | SPOLM0076 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
| Quantitative Methods: Design and Analysis | SPOLM0077 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
| Participatory and Transformative Research | SPOLM0072 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
| Policy Research Dissertation | SPOLM5100 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
| Students select 20 credit points from the following: | ||||
| Further Quantitative Methods | SPOLM0016 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Further Qualitative Methods | SPOLM0017 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Students select 20 credit points from the following: | ||||
| SPOLM0016/SPOLM0017 can only be taken as an optional unit if not already taken as a mandatory unit. | ||||
| Further Quantitative Methods | SPOLM0016 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Further Qualitative Methods | SPOLM0017 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| The Economics of Public Policy | SPOLM1062 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Supervised Independent Study | SPOLM4300 | 20 | Optional | AYEAR |
| Health and Health Care in a Global Context | SPOLM1066 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| The International Analysis of Poverty and Social Exclusion | SPOLM1068 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Gender and Violence: Intersectional and Global Perspectives | SPOLM0075 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Migration, asylum and human rights: EU and global policy perspectives. | SPOLM0042 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Policy Analysis | SPOLM0058 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
| Corruption and Public Policy | SPOLM0055 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Public Management and Organisations | SPOLM1074 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Environmental policy and social justice | SPOLM0041 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| Formal & Informal Social Protection in Theory and Practice | SPOLM0091 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
| MSc Policy Research | 180 | |||
The pass mark set by the University for any level 7 unit is 50 out of 100.
For detailed rules on the award of credit, reassessment and award of a qualification please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
A classification will be awarded in the following qualifications:
A classification is not awarded for exit awards where students are required to withdraw from the programme on academic grounds.
The overall final programme mark is calculated as the average of all unit marks in the programme, weighted by credit point value.
The classification of the award in relation to the final programme mark is as follows:
* The MA in Law has separate regulations for awarding distinction and merit.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 100 must be at level 7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level 7.
