Over the course of this module students learn about Social Policy as a distinct discipline of critical study and as a normative practice involving research, analysis and social policy making by governments and civic society. From the very first lecture students begin to acquire knowledge of the historical development of a social policy as a discipline and the different research methods and major studies associated with the historical development of the discipline. Students learn about the relationship between theory and concepts and gain an introduction to the key concepts of welfare, well-being, the welfare state, the mixed economy of welfare, social exclusion, poverty, universalism, selectivity, needs, stigma, equality, care, autonomy, gender, patriarchy, family , social citizenship and decommodification. Students also begin to learn about the major significance of Comparative Social Policy and Gender Studies to the development of the discipline of Social Policy. Students learn to distinguish comparison as a research methodology and as an alternative methodology to experimental approaches. The module foregrounds the different Social Policy Pathways including the Social Work pathway so students can begin to locate their learning within their own individual career and study trajectories.