Course Overview
The debate around Social Policy and the provision of services has highlighted the need for professionals who are able 'to appreciate how social policies are continuously reconstructed and changed' and 'the contribution to these processes from those who come from different value positions and different social, cultural and economic backgrounds'. With the introduction of the 'social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014' there is a statutorily requirement to hear the voice of services uses through the use of advocates, both instructed and non-instructed. This programme has been designed as a sound preparation for students who wish to enter professions working in a diverse range of fields within society for example: teaching, health and/or social care, educational settings, probation service, voluntary organisations, social enterprise, youth support, community education, police services.
Key Features
Students on this course will benefit from:
- Student finance funding for all 4 years of the course.
- The opportunity to undertake placements in year 2 and 3
- A range of transferable and highly valued skills useful for employment and further study
'this course has really changed my life and opened so many new opportunities, it is the best thing I could have done
Students will engage in debate on contemporary issues, such as:
- Why is advocacy important?
- How do we ensure that groups at risk of exclusion get their voice heard?
- What is empowerment and how can professional develop agency and choice?
- Which groups are most at risk of exclusion and why?
Programme Specification
Programme Aims
The programmes have the following general educational and specific programme aims:
Levels 4, 5 and 6:
- The main educational aims of the programme are to enable students to:
- Draw on a wide range of intellectual resources, theoretical perspectives and academic disciplines to illuminate understanding of the issues of Social Inclusion and the contexts in which these take place.
- Engage with a broad and balanced knowledge and understanding of the principal features of Social Inclusion within organisations in national, regional and global contexts.
- Explore issues of social inclusion, rights and responsibilities in relation to additional needs, health and social care, and communities, families and individuals.
- Recognise that tensions exist between the reality and the ideal of inclusion
- Recognise the impact of different theoretical positions and political discourses on the provision of Social Policy.
- Recognise the increasing importance of sustainability to social justice and inclusion.
- Acknowledge, accept and understand the values and interests of others, by taking account of their normative and moral positions.
- Engage with seminal research concerning the aims and values of Inclusion in society.
- Appreciate the complex relationship between social theory, policy and practice.
- Interrogate and explore a diverse range of contexts of Social Exclusion.
- Adopt appropriate problem solving skills which enables them to assess outcomes of interventions used to tackle social exclusion.
Beyond these the programmes also aim to:
- develop curriculum-related delivery to ensure that our students are provided with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will equip them for their future contribution to the economy, community and environment;
- contribute to our communities by giving particular regard to issues of sustainable rural communities and the development of south west Wales as a low carbon region;
- develop a research and innovation capacity focused on the core strengths of the University (UWTSD, INSPIRE, 2013).
Modules
Level 4
- Academic Study Skills
- The Caring Society
- The Landscape of Social Inclusion
- Key Concepts in Social Policy
- Understanding Additional Needs
- Hard to Reach Groups
- Mental Health and Well-being
Level 5
- The Changing World
- Lifelong Learning: Individual and Community
- Hot Topics: Contemporary Issues in Social Inclusion
- The Reflective Practitioner
- Contemporary Issues in Social Studies
- Equality and Disability in Education
- Individuals and Groups in Society
- Advocacy in Partnership: Multiagency Working, Theory and Practice
Level 6
- Advocacy and Person-Centred Planning
- Individuals and Families: Living in the Contemporary World
- Contemporary Issues: Old Age
- Professional Development for Research and Practice
- Sustainability and Equality
Course Tutor(s)
- Phillip Morgan
- Heike Griffiths
- Ken Dicks
Assessment
No Exams in this programme
Assessments, Seminar Presentations, Reports, Reflective Diaries, Leaflets and video documentaries
Career Opportunities
- Pupil Support Worker for Pupils with Additional Learning Needs
- Advocate
- Youth Worker
- Family Liaison Officer
- Supervised Contact Worker - Social Services
- Administration in voluntary organisations
- Support Worker - Children with learning difficulties
- Support Worker - Residential Care for Adults
- Basic Skills Officer
- Community Engagement Officer
- Pupil Support Worker
- Business Support Officer
- Learning Support Assistant
- Nursery Assistant
Graduates may also choose to go on to complete postgraduate study by moving on to the MSocStud which allows students to draw down student loans for a fourth year. Beyond this there is also the MA Equality and Diversity in Society and MA Youth and Community Work.
Related Courses
- BA Social Studies: Advocacy
- Integrated Masters in Social Studies: Advocacy
- Integrated Masters in Advocacy
Additional Costs
Students are responsible for meeting the cost of essential textbooks, and of producing such essays, assignments and dissertations as are required to fulfil the academic requirements for each programme of study.
There will also be further costs for the following, not purchasable from the University:
- Stationery
- Books
- Fieldwork
- Clothing
- Printing and copying
