Social and Public Policy (Ethics and Justice) BA
BBB at A level; graduates earn a median £24,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
BBB
100% of entrants came with A levels · 90% stay on after year 1 · York course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
BBBtypical A level offer
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBC, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
York course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
Who actually got in: 100% with A levels. Based on 15 entrants.
Other qualifications5
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 21 credits at Distinction and 24 credits at Merit or higher | — |
| BTEC | DDMDDM We consider a range of BTEC qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels, or in combination with A Levels or other qualifications. For example: Distinction, Merit in BTEC Level 3 National Diploma plus | — |
| IB | 31 points31 points overall | — |
| T Level | Merit overall including grade B in the Core in the following T Level subjects: AMerit overall including grade B in the Core in the following T Level subjects: Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction; Di | B in the Core in the following T Level subjects: Accounting |
| Scottish Highers | BBBBB | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
6compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: social & cultural skills 40% · arts & humanities 29% · law & public administration 19% · transversal skills 8%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
York course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 6 core · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Ethics
What you learn (6)
- describe the main debates in meta-ethics
- explain the principal positions held within meta-ethics
- describe the content of various normative ethical principles
- compare contrasting normative ethical principles
- identify major ethical challenges facing contemporary society
- apply ethical theories to contemporary moral challenges
- Power and Consent
What you learn (4)
- explain how different forms of consent are used in social contract theories
- identify objections to philosophical arguments studied on the module
- articulate objections to philosophical arguments in a clear manner
- evaluate how power dynamics complicate the notion of consent across contexts
- Power, Policy and Social Progress
What you learn (4)
- explain concepts relevant to analysing policy problems
- explain conceptions of power and their relation to policy decisions
- discuss how unequal power relations underpin social divisions
- propose policy reforms addressing unequal power relations
- Social Science and the Chocolate City
What you learn (3)
- present data and evidence relating to a social issue
- evaluate differing perspectives on defining and solving social problems
- locate and use appropriate academic sources
- Criminal Justice and Inequality
What you learn (1)
- describe key theories explaining the causes of inequality in crime and disorder governance
- Contemporary Issues in Social and Public Policy
What you learn (7)
- identify key dimensions of current social and public policy debates
- describe how key policy actors operate within policy processes
- explain how ideas and interests influence social and public policy issues
- critique social and public policy issues using interdisciplinary perspectives
- select relevant evidence sources to support policy analysis
- apply social science theory to address real-world policy challenges
- apply analytical thinking to critically evaluate contemporary policy issues
Year 2 · 4 core, 11 optional · 80 credits ≈ 800 hours
- Knowledge and the Social Sciences
What you learn (5)
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of social research methods
- explain theories of how social reality is constructed
- justify a personal position on the extent and boundaries of social knowledge
- identify hidden conceptual and normative assumptions in social theories
- analyse the assumptions underlying social science methods and arguments
- Researching Policy and Society
What you learn (6)
- explain how social research informs public policy decisions
- evaluate the quality and validity of published research studies
- identify ethical issues arising in social research practice
- describe political influences affecting the conduct of social research
- apply quantitative methods to analyse social data
- apply qualitative methods to collect and interpret social data
- Social Inequalities
What you learn (10)
- apply key concepts and theories to analyse social inequalities
- evaluate social inequalities and their policy implications
- identify different theoretical approaches to social inequalities
- critically assess how theoretical approaches shape policy development
- investigate inequalities across different policy areas
- assess empirical evidence relating to social inequalities
- evaluate different conceptualisations and measures of inequality
- apply measures of inequality in UK and comparative contexts
- communicate ideas clearly through written reports
- present data effectively to convey findings
- Policy Think Tank
What you learn (8)
- describe a structured framework for analysing public policy options
- evaluate alternative policy responses to a given problem using scientific evidence
- analyse a specific policy problem in depth
- appraise the evidence base relevant to a chosen policy problem
- explain the importance of evidence-based approaches in policy making
- describe different ways evidence can inform policy decisions
- explain the benefits of diverse teamwork for tackling complex policy challenges
- identify practical and ethical challenges in communicating policy recommendations clearly
11 optional modules
- Aristotle
What you learn (8)
- formulate alternative solutions to problems in Aristotle's philosophy
- construct arguments supporting alternative solutions to philosophical problems
- identify weaknesses and development points in philosophical arguments
- judge the strongest position on a philosophical problem in Aristotle's work
- defend a chosen philosophical judgement with argument
- evaluate own work against departmental marking criteria
- apply feedback and reflection to improve academic work
- interpret others' philosophical work with sensitivity to historical context
- Religious Ethics
What you learn (10)
- explain key problems and debates in religious ethics clearly
- formulate alternative solutions to religious ethics problems
- present alternative viewpoints with an open mind
- construct arguments supporting different ethical positions
- identify weaknesses and development points in ethical arguments
- judge the most defensible position on an ethical issue
- defend a chosen ethical position with reasoned argument
- appraise own work against assessment criteria
- apply feedback-based strategies to improve academic work
- evaluate contemporary ethical and cultural issues critically
- Metaphysics
What you learn (8)
- explain key problems and debates in metaphysics clearly
- formulate alternative solutions to metaphysical problems
- construct arguments supporting alternative metaphysical positions
- identify weaknesses and development points in a philosophical argument
- evaluate competing metaphysical views to form a reasoned judgement
- defend a chosen position on a metaphysical question
- assess own academic work against assessment criteria
- apply feedback-based strategies to improve academic work
- Applied Ethics
What you learn (8)
- explain key problems and debates in applied ethics clearly
- formulate alternative solutions to applied ethics problems
- construct arguments supporting alternative ethical solutions
- identify weaknesses and development points in ethical arguments
- justify a personal judgement on an applied ethics problem
- evaluate own work against departmental marking criteria
- apply feedback-based strategies to improve written work
- analyse contemporary social and political issues using ethical reasoning
- Politics and Freedom: Anarchism and Conservativism
What you learn (5)
- describe the core beliefs of various conservative and anarchist traditions
- explain the reasoning underlying different conservative and anarchist positions
- explain the philosophical arguments that motivate conservatism and anarchism
- identify value-theory issues underlying debates on conservatism and anarchism
- articulate the central questions in debates on political authority, tradition and liberty
- Logic and Paradox
What you learn (6)
- describe a range of logical paradoxes
- evaluate proposed solutions to logical paradoxes
- apply non-classical logical systems to problems
- judge the relative merits of different non-classical logics
- discuss module topics constructively with peers
- defend a reasoned position on course topics in writing
- Love, Law and Solidarity: Recognition from Rousseau to Honneth
What you learn (4)
- describe major debates and arguments in the philosophy of recognition
- evaluate the strength of arguments supporting recognition theory positions
- formulate a personal philosophical position on recognition debates
- present a reasoned philosophical argument clearly in writing or discussion
- Crime and the Life Course
What you learn (7)
- explain the purpose and value of life course and developmental criminology
- apply life course criminology concepts to varied case scenarios
- evaluate criminal justice system responses to offending across the life course
- evaluate government and ngo interventions addressing criminality
- describe how intersecting social identities shape offending and desistance
- explain how crime and societal responses are socially constructed
- describe how perceptions of crime change over the life course
- Communities, Participation and Creating Change
What you learn (10)
- discuss core concepts of power, participation, community and social change
- describe various community-based approaches to social change
- outline theoretical traditions underpinning community-based social change approaches
- evaluate theories and practice models relevant to community-based action
- compare different forms of advocacy used in community practice
- apply theory and critical reflection to interpret social phenomena
- apply critical reflection to shape collaborative working practice
- construct persuasive arguments about contemporary social issues
- present approaches for collaboratively challenging the status quo
- produce short films using video editing software to communicate ideas clearly
- Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
What you learn (3)
- analyse current challenges facing the criminal justice system in England and Wales
- relate criminal justice problems to historical, social, cultural and economic change
- explain the harmful effects of crime on victims, communities and society
- Capitalism and the Public Good
What you learn (4)
- apply relevant theories to analyse the role of public goods in capitalist systems
- examine the effects of markets and corporate conduct on workers and consumers
- assess the impact of corporate activity on communities and public institutions
- evaluate how public and social policies mitigate or exacerbate corporate harm
Year 3 · 1 core, 30 optional · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
- Independent Study Module
What you learn (11)
- apply advanced theoretical concepts to a chosen research topic
- identify suitable research approaches for a social science enquiry
- formulate a focused research question for independent study
- conduct independent research using primary or secondary data
- recognise ethical and political considerations in social research
- evaluate research data and literature with balanced judgement
- present research findings clearly in written form
- present research findings using visual materials
- manage an independent research project to meet deadlines
- respond constructively to critical feedback on own work
- solve problems encountered during extended independent study
30 optional modules
- Contemporary Issues in Bioethics
What you learn (5)
- describe recent advances in biomedicine
- apply philosophical theory to issues in biomedicine
- critically read philosophical texts
- present written philosophical arguments
- participate in philosophical discussion
- Philosophy of Physics
What you learn (6)
- explain key concepts of classical mechanics such as inertial frames
- explain relativistic concepts including space, time and simultaneity
- explain quantum phenomena such as wave-particle duality and entanglement
- analyse how key physical concepts interact within physical theories
- evaluate the influence of these concepts on the scientific world-view
- apply core philosophical reasoning skills to analyse arguments
- Foundations of Mathematics
What you learn (7)
- explain the historical crisis in mathematical foundations
- describe the emergence of logicism, intuitionism and formalism
- describe the core claims of logicism, intuitionism and formalism
- explain debates between Platonism and anti-Platonism in mathematics
- evaluate the indispensability argument against anti-Platonism
- critically analyse complex philosophical texts
- construct and defend a reasoned philosophical argument
- Consciousness
What you learn (7)
- describe the explanatory problem posed by consciousness
- explain major theories proposed to account for consciousness
- write clearly and coherently on a chosen consciousness topic
- identify key debates relevant to a chosen consciousness topic
- analyse how arguments support or undermine opposing positions
- formulate competing philosophical positions on consciousness
- evaluate the relative merits of these positions to reach a conclusion
- Action and Agency
What you learn (6)
- explain why action is a central concept in philosophy of mind
- articulate the implications of action's central role in philosophy of mind
- explain how reasons relate to actions
- evaluate competing philosophical theories of action
- interpret complex philosophical texts critically
- construct a sustained written argument defending a position on action theory
- Philosophy of Christianity
What you learn (6)
- explain core christian doctrines such as the trinity and incarnation
- describe differing interpretations of christian doctrines
- evaluate competing interpretations of christian doctrines against each other
- justify the most convincing interpretation of a given doctrine
- critique philosophical and theological texts from multiple perspectives
- formulate a personal reasoned position on theological debates
- German Idealism: Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy
What you learn (6)
- explain the moral, legal and political theories of key german idealist philosophers
- evaluate the arguments of german idealist philosophers on ethics and politics
- describe core concepts used in german idealist philosophy
- relate german idealist philosophy to current debates in moral and political thought
- critically analyse challenging philosophical texts
- construct and justify a personal position on complex philosophical issues
- Cognitive Anomalies, Decision-Making, and Democracy
What you learn (6)
- explain research on cognitive biases affecting rational decision-making
- describe philosophical perspectives on the implications of cognitive biases
- identify ethical implications arising from cognitive effects and biases
- evaluate views on how cognitive biases affect individual and group decisions
- relate cognitive bias research to broader debates in philosophy of mind and ethics
- present philosophical arguments in both collaborative and individual written formats
- Further Topics in Ethics
What you learn (5)
- conduct independent research on advanced ethical topics
- evaluate strengths and weaknesses of key meta-ethical and normative positions
- critically appraise current research literature in ethics
- construct well-reasoned philosophical arguments in written form
- participate in philosophical discussion to defend a position
- Mind and Morality
What you learn (8)
- explain key problems and debates in moral psychology clearly
- formulate alternative solutions to moral psychology problems
- construct arguments supporting alternative solutions in moral psychology
- identify weaknesses and development points in proposed arguments
- judge the most convincing position on a moral psychology issue
- defend a chosen position with supporting argument
- appraise own work against departmental marking criteria
- apply feedback-based strategies to improve own work
- Buddhism as Philosophy
What you learn (8)
- describe key teachings of the Buddha
- identify major schools of Buddhism
- identify philosophical problems arising from Buddhist teachings
- assess whether analytic philosophy can resolve Buddhist philosophical problems
- evaluate proposed solutions using scripture, tradition and reason
- argue for a preferred solution or for the absence of one
- explain key philosophical concepts and views in Buddhist philosophy
- critique philosophical arguments and defend a personal position
- Experimental Philosophy: The Psychology of Philosophy
What you learn (2)
- explain the distinguishing features of the experimental philosophy approach
- communicate philosophical ideas clearly to a mixed-discipline audience
- 9 Art Works, 9 Philosophical Problems
What you learn (4)
- describe major topics in the philosophy of art
- explain how philosophical topics relate to specific artworks
- construct and justify a reasoned argument in an extended essay
- participate constructively in critical peer discussions on aesthetics
- Housing and Homelessness: Overcoming Inequality
What you learn (5)
- explain how the UK housing system functions
- analyse the historical foundations of UK housing policy
- evaluate the social and cultural influences shaping UK housing policy
- relate housing policy issues to broader social policy agendas across different markets
- evaluate different sources of evidence used to contest housing policy
- Policing and the Police
What you learn (6)
- explain how historical developments have shaped modern policing
- analyse theoretical approaches relevant to policing
- analyse policies relevant to the police and policing
- evaluate current trends in policing practice
- critique established police practices
- examine policing responses to a specific crime type in depth
- Drugs: Prevalence, Policy and Practice
What you learn (9)
- compare UK and international drug policy approaches
- evaluate the effectiveness of different drug policy approaches using evidence
- analyse structural and individual explanations for drug use
- propose flexible and creative policy or practice responses to drug use
- critique conflicting qualitative and quantitative evidence on drug theory and policy
- construct a well-supported argument on the strength of drug-related evidence
- critique competing perspectives on harm reduction and recovery approaches
- explain political, social and clinical influences shaping drug policy and practice
- challenge oversimplified models of drug policy and practice
- Wellbeing of Children and Young People
What you learn (8)
- explain different approaches to conceptualising wellbeing
- describe methods used to measure wellbeing
- explain why measuring child wellbeing matters for policy
- identify key international data sources on wellbeing
- explain evidence relating to several domains of wellbeing
- present evidence on specific wellbeing domains
- interpret graphs and charts representing data
- apply graphical data to discussions and assessments
- Vulnerability, Deviance and Social Control
What you learn (6)
- explain how behaviourist policy agendas impact vulnerable individuals and groups
- situate contemporary behaviourist trends within their historical development
- analyse theories relating to social control
- analyse policies and practices relating to social control
- identify links between care and control within welfare and disciplinary systems
- critique the blending of care and control in contemporary welfare practice
- Prisons and Penal Policy
What you learn (9)
- describe the historical development of imprisonment in England and Wales
- debate the conflict between punitive and rehabilitative approaches to imprisonment
- evaluate the effectiveness of combining punishment and rehabilitation in prisons
- identify the current legislation governing prisons in England and Wales
- discuss contemporary debates on imprisonment in England and Wales
- formulate a critical perspective on current imprisonment practices
- explain the historical evolution of imprisonment practices in England and Wales
- describe current legislation and enforcement systems governing prisons
- analyse the political and moral influences shaping imprisonment policy
- Education Policy: Divisions & Inequalities
What you learn (7)
- explain theories linking education, society and social justice
- describe major reforms of UK education since 1944
- apply theoretical frameworks to analyse contemporary education policy development
- explain how historical and cultural factors shape education
- assess the organisation and purposes of education systems
- evaluate current debates in education policy
- assess how gender, class, disability and ethnicity relate to educational inequality
- Migration, Immigration and Social Policy
What you learn (3)
- evaluate how migration and immigration policy responses have evolved historically
- describe current debates and controversies in immigration policy
- apply key concepts from migration and social policy studies to analyse issues
- Environmental Justice, Harm, and Policy
What you learn (7)
- explain the causes of environmental harm
- describe the human impacts resulting from environmental harm
- identify unequal distributions of environmental benefits and burdens
- critically investigate the drivers behind environmental inequality
- apply theories of environmental justice to analyse unequal harm distribution
- explain unequal distributions of environmental harm using theoretical frameworks
- evaluate policy responses addressing unequal environmental harm
- Gender, Violence and Justice
What you learn (10)
- critique explanatory frameworks for violence
- analyse gendered dimensions of violence frameworks
- identify contexts in which violence occurs
- analyse contexts in which violence occurs
- describe the role of activism in addressing gendered violence
- evaluate limitations of activism, policy and practice approaches
- conduct independent research on a chosen gendered violence topic
- analyse limitations of existing policy frameworks
- identify options for policy change
- produce a policy briefing document
- Welfare States and Economic Crises
What you learn (10)
- apply theoretical frameworks to analyse crises affecting welfare states
- evaluate the significance of crises for welfare state development
- summarise major theories explaining economic, political and social crises
- critically evaluate how these crises shape social policy outcomes
- assess the influence of various actors and institutions on crisis emergence
- evaluate how actors and organisations drive welfare state reform
- identify cross-national and global patterns in crisis experiences
- explain divergences in social policy responses to crises across countries
- identify relevant statistical and qualitative evidence on crises
- assess evidence informing policy debates on crisis responses
- Global Social Problems
What you learn (8)
- explain the global dimensions of contemporary social problems
- evaluate the social, political and economic drivers of globalisation of social problems
- analyse policy debates at national, international and global levels on social problems
- describe the historical evolution of policy responses to global social problems
- identify institutions and actors involved in addressing global social problems
- explain relationships between institutions tackling global social problems
- analyse global social problems in relation to geo-political and economic divisions
- apply module concepts to critically assess a global social policy issue
- Crime and Justice in the Online Space
What you learn (7)
- identify key technological challenges facing criminal justice agencies
- analyse how technological change affects criminal justice practice internationally
- assess how everyday technology use shapes victimisation risk
- analyse individual experiences of technology to explain vulnerability to cybercrime
- critically evaluate mainstream criminological theories against current cybercrime trends
- identify regulatory and legislative responses to cybercrime
- analyse the effectiveness of policy responses to cybercrime
- Stigma, Power & Resistance
What you learn (5)
- relate stigma and power theories to dimensions of social difference
- analyse how dimensions of social difference intersect
- apply theoretical frameworks to examine stigma's impact on social groups
- explain the relationship between stigma, power and policymaking
- evaluate research strategies used to study stigma's reach and impact
- Left Behind Places
What you learn (9)
- explain factors contributing to the current state of left behind places
- describe social and cultural challenges facing left behind places
- describe economic and political challenges facing left behind places
- compare problems in UK and international left behind places
- identify the geographical spread of left behind localities
- compare similarities and differences among types of left behind places
- describe policies aimed at addressing left behind places
- evaluate limitations of policies targeting left behind places
- apply interdisciplinary social science knowledge to regional policy problems
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£24,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£19k
Median£24k
Upper quarter£29k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 250 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 12, 14, 22, 13
Half of graduates earned between £19,000 and £29,000. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 91% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 59% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 110% left | 90% | 15 |
| In work or study, 15 months on13% studying | 91% | 105 |
| Professional or managerial job | 59% | 75 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £26,000 | 45 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £24,000 | 250 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 255 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
York fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold. International students: £27,800 a year (2027/28).
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
91%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 74% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 90 students answered
Highest: 94% agreed on question 1; lowest: 57% on question 14.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 94% |
| Question 2 | 86% |
| Question 3 | 84% |
| Question 4 | 77% |
| Question 5 | 81% |
| Question 6 | 82% |
| Question 7 | 86% |
| Question 8 | 72% |
| Question 9 | 75% |
| Question 10 | 69% |
| Question 11 | 77% |
| Question 12 | 68% |
| Question 13 | 81% |
| Question 14 | 57% |
| Question 15 | 88% |
| Question 16 | 86% |
| Question 17 | 76% |
| Question 18 | 79% |
| Question 19 | 74% |
| Question 20 | 94% |
| Question 21 | 89% |
| Question 22 | 85% |
| Question 23 | 83% |
| Question 24 | 59% |
| Question 25 | 70% |
| Question 26 | 91% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of York’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of York is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.