MA International Social Policy
The MA in International Social Policy is designed to meet the rising demand for knowledge of international policy-making: determinants, processes and consequences. It throws light on how the international power centres (including The World Bank, IMF, UNDP, ILO and WTO) respond to the conflicting interests of rich and poor countries; and whether their policy outcomes benefit or harm the world’s poor.
The course provides comparisons of the welfare models of the United States, the UK, Sweden and other European countries. The recently expressed mutual disdain and incomprehension of the UK and the US over their rival health care systems – and what developing countries can learn from this debate - typifies this aspect of the course.
Western welfare models are studied, but also referred to as benchmarks when examining the changes in well being due to the global movement of goods (international trade), capital (foreign direct investment), labour (international migration) and technology (intellectual property rights). The issues highlighted include conflicts over employment between the developed and less developed regions; international migration and brain drain; trade or aid and poverty alleviation.
Rigorous training in methods allows evaluation of policy outcomes, not only in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency, narrowly defined, but also extending to consider their socio-economic and political consequences.
Policies to be evaluated include:
-
World Bank’s ‘Poverty Reduction Strategies'
-
United Nation’s ‘Millennium Development Goals'
-
World Trade Organisation’s membership threshold and trade negotiations
-
Development aid policies
Modules
Students must take all of the following modules and 50 credits of elective modules chosen from those available in the School that year:
-
Fundamentals of International Social Policy (20 credits)
-
Gender and Development (10 credits)
-
Globalisation, Europeanisation and Public Policy (10 credits)
-
Welfare Policy (10 credits)
-
Research Methods and the Dissertation (20 credits)
-
Dissertation (60 credits)
The dissertation affords students the opportunity to conduct independent research on a topic of their choice. Each student prepares a dissertation proposal and works closely with a supervisor internationally known for their expertise.
Applications and funding
All applications must be made online.
The courses can be taken as Masters (includes a dissertation) or as Postgraduate Diploma (without a dissertation). It is available for full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months) study starting in September or January. Students who register for the Postgraduate Diploma can be upgraded to the MA if they perform satisfactorily in the first semester (if full-time) or in the first academic year (if part-time).
Up-to-date information on entry requirements can be found in the Postgraduate Prospectus.
School scholarships are normally available for this MA and the International Office can provide further information on funding opportunities.
Enquiries
Lina Song, Professor of Economic Sociology and Social Policy, Programme Director of MA International Social Policy Tel: +44 (0) 115 8466217 Email: lina.song@nottingham.ac.uk
Kathryn Clay, Taught Postgraduate Administrator Tel:+44 (0)115 846 7551 Email: kathryn.clay@nottingham.ac.uk