Social PolicySubject regulations

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:

A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Social Policy at an advanced level in their first degree.
Each programme of study for the Graduate Certificate must include at least one SOCPY coded 200 level paper and at least one SOCPY coded 300 level paper. Each programme of study for the Graduate Diploma must include at least one SOCPY coded 200 level paper, and at least two SOCPY coded 300 level papers.
For further details, contact the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences Office.
To complete a BA(Hons) or BSocSc(Hons) in Social Policy, students must gain 120 points at 500 level, including SOCPY500, at least 30 points in research and at least 30 points from any other SOCPY or SOCIO coded 500 level papers.
The qualification regulations define the admission requirements for enrolment into the MA or MSocSc in Social Policy.
Completion requirements for the MA or MSocSc in Social Policy vary according to admission criteria:
Students admitted under a) above must complete 180 points from approved 500 level papers, including at least 45 points from the papers listed for the subject in List A: Advanced Study of the regulations for the MA or MSocSc. Within the 180 points students much also complete ALPSS500, and 60 points from SOCPY coded papers.
Students admitted under b) above must complete 120 points from approved 500-level papers, including at least 45 points from the papers listed for the subject in List A: Advanced Study of the regulations for the MA or MSocSc.
The Doctor of Philosophy is a three year research-based degree in which students undertake a programme of approved and supervised research that leads to a thesis which critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance, demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship, displays intellectual independence and makes a substantial original contribution to the subject area concerned, and is of publishable quality.

Social Policy papers

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
CRIMN101Criminology and Social Justice in New Zealand 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)
POLSC102New Zealand Politics and Policy 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)
SOCIO101Introduction to Sociology 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)
SOCIO102The Sociology of Crime, Deviance and Social Justice 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)
SOCPY100Introduction to Social Policy 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	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
POLSC212Public Policy Analysis 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)
SOCIO206Environmental Sociology: From Denial to Actions The environment and climate are as much about human activity, economic and political choices as scientific information. Thinking sociologically, not...	15	25A (Online)
SOCPY200Social Policy and Social Issues 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)
SOCPY202Addressing Precarity: A Global Perspective 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	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
ALPSS390Directed Study 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)
GNSEX303Intersectionalities: Identities and Inequalities This paper provides a comprehensive review of the historical context for understanding contemporary issues of race, gender, sexuality, and social...	15	25A (Hamilton)
POLSC318Global Environmental Politics and Policy This paper explores contemporary debates on environmental politics, sustainability, justice, and environmental governance. It examines the political...	15	25A (Hamilton)
SOCIO305Human Enhancement Technologies and Social Life 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)
SOCIO311Current Issues in Crime Control and Social Justice This paper examines sociological explanations for criminal behaviour and examines issues within criminal justice.	15	25G (Online)
SOCPY300Applied Social Policy This paper provides students with experience of the ways in which policy is formulated and enacted. Theoretical perspectives are consolidated and...	15	25B (Online)
SOCPY301Health, Wellbeing and Policy 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)
SOCPY302Welfare to Workfare and Beyond 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
SOCPY303Critical Feminism and the Prison State 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	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
ALPSS500Academic & Professional Research & Writing 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)
ALPSS590Directed Study 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)
ALPSS591Research Project 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)
ALPSS592Dissertation 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)
ANTHY515Ethnographic Research Methods This paper provides an in depth introduction to ethnographic research, including its ethical, theoretical, and methodical components.	30	25A (Hamilton)
GEOGY500People, Place, Power 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)
GEOGY520Human Dimensions of Environmental Change This paper examines the increasing risks imposed on human communities by global environmental change. The paper establishes a platform for the...	30	25B (Hamilton)
HMDEV500Contemporary Issues in Lifespan Development 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)
MEDIA501Critical and Creative Approaches to Research 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)
MNGMT581Research Methods in Management Studies 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)
POLSC501Policy Analysis: Theory and Practice 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)
POLSC537Environmental Politics and Public Policy This paper introduces students to the complexities and challenges of environmental policy processes, and develops skills in scholarly research on...	30	25A (Hamilton)
POPST501Population Health and Equity This paper explores population health in Aotearoa/New Zealand and internationally, emphasising the broader determinants of wellbeing and equity. It...	30	25A (Hamilton)
SOCIO501Knowing Bodies 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)
SOCPY500Techniques for Policy Analysis 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)
SOCPY593Social Policy Thesis An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.	90	25X (Hamilton)
SOCPY594Social Policy Thesis An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.	120	25X (Hamilton)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
SOCPY900Social Policy PhD Thesis	120	25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton)

2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 1 Apr 2025 01:00am

Social PolicySubject regulations

Other qualifications

GradCert(SocPol) and GradDip(SocPol)

PGCert(SocPol), PGDip(SocPol), BA(Hons), BSocSc(Hons), MA and MSocSc

PhD

Social Policy papers