COURSE CURRICULUM

The Sociology and Social Policy degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University is structured across three years, offering a progressive and comprehensive understanding of social structures, inequality, and systems of change. In the first year, students undertake six compulsory 20-credit modules designed to introduce the core foundations of social science. These include modules such as Introduction to Social Science, Individuals, Institutions and Society, Academic and Employability Skills, People, Place and Power, Poverty and Justice, and Conflict, Change and Difference. Together, these provide an essential grounding in sociological theory, concepts of justice, and critical skills for academic and professional development.In the second year, the program moves towards more specialised areas and applied learning. Students engage in a work-based learning module, allowing them to gain practical experience and reflect on real-world applications of social policy. Other key modules include Land, Food and Justice, Stigma, Difference and Exclusion, Social Research Methods, Race, Ethnicity and Power, and Gender, Sexuality and Inequality. These modules explore pressing societal issues through an intersectional lens and equip students with analytical tools for understanding and addressing social disparities.In the final year, students consolidate their learning through advanced modules including Research and Employability, Applied Entrepreneurial Skills, Work, Welfare and Inclusion, and Displacement, Migration and Homelessness. The capstone of the program is the 40-credit Independent Evidence Based Project, where students undertake in-depth research into a social issue of their choice, applying theoretical and methodological frameworks learned throughout the degree. This structured academic journey ensures that graduates leave with strong theoretical knowledge, applied research skills, practical work experience, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to fields such as policy development, social justice, and community engagement across public, private and third sectors.