Module manager: Clare Mawson
Email: C.M.Mawson@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
SLSP0160 The Politics of Social Welfare SLSP0180 Welfare Policy in Action
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces students to key ideas in political and social thought in the context of British Social Welfare Policy development. The module will consider the historical development of British social policy and key policy interventions relating to these key ideas. This module will encourage students to reflect upon the relevance of theoretical positions in relation to historical welfare policy and citizenship as well as the role played by the state, the private sector, voluntary/charitable agencies and the informal familial sector.
This module aims to:
- Introduce key ideas and debates in political and social thought in the context of social welfare policy in Britain
- Support students to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence required to contribute to informed debate about historical forms of social welfare, political ideology, policy and welfare provision relating to citizenship in Britain
- Offer a range learning activities to enable students to engage with the content and reflect upon their individual development.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1) Apply critical thinking to a range of social policy debates
2) Evidence academic writing ability through completion of essay
3) Demonstrate competence in Academic Integrity through appropriate use of source material
4) Demonstrate ability to reference source material appropriate in Leeds Harvard format
5) Communicate complex information, including technical concepts, accurately in written and verbal form
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1) Evidence knowledge of the different approaches to topics in the social sciences
2) Apply critical thinking to a variety of social, political, educational and criminological topics.
3) Evidence academic writing abilities through assessment submission.
4) Accurately deploy academic language in written form and class discussion.
5) Reference appropriate source materials using Leeds Harvard referencing system.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group learning | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for each summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 27/08/2026
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