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Developing Social Policy
Postgraduate | MAQ-SOCX810 | 2019
Course information for 2019 intake
Come face-to-face with different aspects of social policy, such as welfare, education and health. Try your hand at writing policy briefs.Wade through policies from Australia, Sweden and the US and begin to understand how and why they were developed.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- -
FEE-HELP available
Developing Social Policy
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will:
- critically assess, use and synthesise information
- discuss key social theories and frameworks used to understand the development of social policies
- contextualise Australian social policy by reflecting on international developments
- challenge your preconceptions about welfare and other areas by engaging in policy debates
- apply and adapt knowledge to 'real world' problems in an ethical and consistent manne
- locate and retrieve reliable and high quality information and analysis through individual research
- develop vocational skills such as writing policy briefs for government departments and non-government organisations
- further develop communication skills to convey your own ideas simply, directly and respectfully
- demonstrate effective time management and work organisation.
- Course Introduction - What is social policy?
- An Australian Story: From the wage-earner's model to the present
- Alleviating Poverty?The `functions' of poverty and welfare;
- On Work & Welfare: Social policy for full employment?
- Social Policy for Social Citizenship? Rights, obligations and solidarity
- Managing Social Risk? Dealing with state and market failures
- Understanding Social Policy Developments;
- The Macro Dynamics of Welfare State Change
- The Micro Dynamics of Welfare State Change
- The Rise of Conditionality: `Workfare' vs. the `new paternalism'
- The Shift to Markets: Neoliberalism, marketisation and financialisation
- Closing the Gap? Persistent inequalities and Indigenous social policy
- Course Conclusion.
This subject was previously known as SGY881 Developing Social Policy.
This subject introduces and advances major topics in Australian social policy – the policies that governments make to improve individual and public welfare. The idea of social policy can be narrow, involving giving cash benefits and social services to the most needy. But our understanding of social policy might be broader, and encompass the provision of social infrastructure – health, housing and education services. Sometimes, social policy can be 'disguised' in other policies entirely, such as the policy of life-long employment, minimum wages in Australia, and guaranteed prices for food staples. This semester, we apply different analytical lenses to understanding social policy and welfare state development. The subject has three parts. The first part engages with key theories about the politics and economics of social policy. The second part turns to the issue of understanding welfare state development and change. The third part examines the political and social dynamics of contemporary social policy. Across the semester, we will situate Australian social policymaking in international perspective to highlight what is unique and what is similar with the experiences of other countries.
- Policy Brief (30%)
- Online engagement (10%)
- Research Assignment (60%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted into a degree.
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MAQ-SGY881 (Not currently available)
MAQ-SGY381 (Not currently available)
Others
Admission to the below programs
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.