Social Policy provides students with an interdisciplinary perspective on key social issues of policy concern and opens up possibilities of employment in areas such as governmental social policy agencies, local bodies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. Students may choose from a combination of core and elective papers in Economics, Education Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Political Science and Public Policy, Population Studies, Social Science Research, Sociology, and Work, Employment and Society which, when combined, offer theoretical and applied approaches to the study of social policy issues.

Social Policy is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC) and the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc). Social Policy may also be taken as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.

To complete Social Policy as a single major for the BA, BCC or BSocSc, students must gain 135 points from papers listed for Social Policy, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level. Students must include SOCPY100, at least 30 points from SOCPY coded papers at 200 level and at least 30 points from SOCPY coded papers at 300 level.

To complete Social Policy as part of a double major for the BA, BCC, BSocSc or other undergraduate degree, students must gain 120 points from papers listed for Social Policy, including 90 points above 100 level, and 45 points above 200 level. Students must include SOCPY100, at least 15 points from SOCPY coded papers at 200 level, and at least 30 points from SOCPY coded papers at 300 level.

To complete a minor in Social Policy, students must complete at least 60 points from the papers listed for Social Policy, including at least 30 above 100 level. Students must complete SOCPY100, at least one SOCPY coded 200 level paper, and at least one SOCPY coded 300 level paper.

Enquiries about undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Social Policy should be directed to the Programme Convenor.

Other qualifications

Prescriptions for:

Social Policy papers

100 Level 200 Level 300 Level 500 Level 900 Level
Code and paper title Points
CRIMN101 Criminology and Social Justice in New Zealand right arrow

This paper provides an introduction to criminology. It emphasizes the interrelation of crime, punishment, and the mass incarceration of Māori in New...

15 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Secondary School - Unistart) & 25B (Tauranga)
POLSC102 New Zealand Politics and Policy right arrow

This paper provides a foundation for the study of political science and public policy, with a particular focus on the study of government, politics...

15 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
SOCIO101 Introduction to Sociology right arrow

This paper prepares students for further study in a range of social science subjects. It introduces the main sociological theories, concepts and...

15 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Secondary School - Unistart) & 25B (Tauranga)
SOCIO102 The Sociology of Crime, Deviance and Social Justice right arrow

This paper provides students with an introduction to criminology and the criminal justice system, with a focus on the New Zealand context.

15 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
SOCPY100 Introduction to Social Policy right arrow

This paper examines the values behind social policy and introduces students to some of the important issues and debates in New Zealand and other...

15 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Secondary School - Unistart) & 25A (Tauranga)
Code and paper title Points
POLSC212 Public Policy Analysis right arrow

This paper introduces students to public policy analysis. Students focus on the role of politics, public participation and policy in addressing...

15 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online)
SOCIO206 Environmental Sociology: From Denial to Actions right arrow

The environment and climate are as much about human activity, economic and political choices as scientific information. Thinking sociologically, not...

15 25A (Online)
SOCPY200 Social Policy and Social Issues right arrow

The paper continues the study of social policy at 200 level. The focus of this paper is on the welfare state, the policy cycle as well as social...

15 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online)
SOCPY202 Addressing Precarity: A Global Perspective right arrow

This paper considers human precarity: past, present and future. The focus is on its contemporary forms under global market competition, and ways to...

15 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online)
Code and paper title Points
ALPSS390 Directed Study right arrow

This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their...

15 25X (Hamilton)
GNSEX303 Intersectionalities: Identities and Inequalities right arrow

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the historical context for understanding contemporary issues of race, gender, sexuality, and social...

15 25A (Hamilton)
POLSC318 Global Environmental Politics and Policy right arrow

This paper explores contemporary debates on environmental politics, sustainability, justice, and environmental governance. It examines the political...

15 25A (Hamilton)
SOCIO305 Human Enhancement Technologies and Social Life right arrow

This paper analyses the causes and impacts of technologies of human enhancement on individuals and societies. The paper addresses issues such as...

15 25A (Online)
SOCIO311 Current Issues in Crime Control and Social Justice right arrow

This paper examines sociological explanations for criminal behaviour and examines issues within criminal justice.

15 25G (Online)
SOCPY300 Applied Social Policy right arrow

This paper provides students with experience of the ways in which policy is formulated and enacted. Theoretical perspectives are consolidated and...

15 25B (Online)
SOCPY301 Health, Wellbeing and Policy right arrow

This paper provides a critical introduction to key issues in the formation of health policy at both a national and international level.

15 25A (Online)
SOCPY302 Welfare to Workfare and Beyond right arrow

This paper seeks to explore the relationship between the NZ labour market and welfare system, focusing on the rise of the neo-liberal welfare state...

15 No occurrences
SOCPY303 Critical Feminism and the Prison State right arrow

This paper employs anti-carceral feminist theories and frameworks to explore the phenomenon of mass female imprisonment across nation states, with a...

15 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online)
Code and paper title Points
ALPSS500 Academic & Professional Research & Writing right arrow

In this course, students will gain the skills and confidence to seamlessly transition from study to work. This course works to enhance the 'skills...

30 25A (Online) & 25B (Online)
ALPSS590 Directed Study right arrow

This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their...

30 25X (Hamilton)
ALPSS591 Research Project right arrow

A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 12,500 words maximum).

30 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)
ALPSS592 Dissertation right arrow

A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 25,000 words maximum).

60 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)
ANTHY515 Ethnographic Research Methods right arrow

This paper provides an in depth introduction to ethnographic research, including its ethical, theoretical, and methodical components.

30 25A (Hamilton)
GEOGY500 People, Place, Power right arrow

This paper is a forum for debate in geographies of people and power. Key concerns are the intersections between gender, Māori, Indigeneity...

30 25A (Online)
GEOGY520 Human Dimensions of Environmental Change right arrow

This paper examines the increasing risks imposed on human communities by global environmental change. The paper establishes a platform for the...

30 25B (Hamilton)
HMDEV500 Contemporary Issues in Lifespan Development right arrow

This paper focuses on contemporary issues in development across the lifespan with an emphasis on diversity, culture and social justice, and considers...

30 25B (Hamilton)
MEDIA501 Critical and Creative Approaches to Research right arrow

This paper identifies the constraints and freedoms of research methods, and places a strong emphasis on research as an intellectual, theoretical, and...

30 25A (Hamilton)
MNGMT581 Research Methods in Management Studies right arrow

This paper aims to introduce students to the assumptions underlying the different methodologies and methods for performing research in the social...

30 25A (Hamilton) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25C (Hamilton)
POLSC501 Policy Analysis: Theory and Practice right arrow

This paper introduces students to the fundamentals of policy analysis, and develops skills for higher-level research in public policy. A key focus is...

30 25A (Hamilton)
POLSC537 Environmental Politics and Public Policy right arrow

This paper introduces students to the complexities and challenges of environmental policy processes, and develops skills in scholarly research on...

30 25A (Hamilton)
POPST501 Population Health and Equity right arrow

This paper explores population health in Aotearoa/New Zealand and internationally, emphasising the broader determinants of wellbeing and equity. It...

30 25A (Hamilton)
SOCIO501 Knowing Bodies right arrow

This paper examines interdisciplinary understandings of bodies in social and cultural contexts, drawing from sociology of health and illness, gender...

30 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online)
SOCPY500 Techniques for Policy Analysis right arrow

This paper exposes students to a selection of techniques in the policy toolkit that can be applied to problem solving in social policy issues. It...

30 25B (Online)
SOCPY593 Social Policy Thesis right arrow

An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.

90 25X (Hamilton)
Code and paper title Points
SOCPY900 Social Policy PhD Thesis right arrow

120 25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton)
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2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 5 Dec 2024 01:00am