| Unit name | Demography, Life Course and Social Policy |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL31012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Fahmy |
| Open unit status | Open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit provides a grounding in the basic elements necessary for the analysis and understanding of the structure of the population in the UK. The unit includes practical sessions in the use of the main sources of demographic data and focuses on the use and relevance of these data in highlighting issues of social policy. The social policy implications of demographic trends, including migration and ageing of the population, are studied and the UK experience is set in a wider European and global context. The concept of the life course and its application in social policy studies is central to the unit and students are introduced to issues of social policy in relation to childhood, disability, migration and old age. The importance is emphasised of understanding how changing demographics influence selected policy discourses and the planning of social welfare services.
