Postgraduate Course: European Social Policy (PGSP11203)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course is organised in three sections. The first aims to provide an understanding of why welfare states emerged in Europe, how welfare states have been restructured and how welfare states are organised in selected European countries. We then address how we can make sense of the variations in national welfare state design and the wider political economy. The second part deals with the main challenges that all European welfare states are currently facing, most notably globalisation, demographic change and the transition to a service sector economy. The third section moves the focus to the European Union level - what are EU competences in social policy, how is social policy made at EU level, how has this changed over time and what future is there for a 'European Social Model' in the context of the Eurozone crisis, changing EU membership and different scenarios for the future EU? |
| Course description |
Part A: Social Policy in Europe
1. The emergence and the development of European welfare states
2. Country comparisons I: France and the United Kingdom
3. Country comparisons II: Germany and Denmark
4. Welfare state models
5. Welfare states and national production regimes
Part B: Retrenchment and restructuring
6. Challenges and pressure for change
7. New social risks and the idea of social investment
Part C: The European Union and Social Policy
8. The EU and its 'social dimension'
9. The open method of coordination
10. European social policy in times of crisis
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
| Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One 3500 word essay for 90% of mark. The other 10% of the mark will be on the basis of one short presentation. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- To gain a critical understanding of why welfare states emerged in Europe and how they are restructured;
- To analyse the implications of the different ways in which benefits and services are provided and financed
- To critically engage with the challenges posed by economic and demographic change for the welfare state and the varying responses by different welfare states to these challenges
- To scrutinize the 'social dimension' of the European Union and the problems related to promoting common social policies across its (growing number of) member states
- To critically evaluate current EU policies in the context of the Euro crisis and its likely implications for the future of social policy in the EU
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Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Jochen Clasen
Tel: (0131 6)50 9922
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Jade Birkin
Tel: (0131 6)51 1659
Email: |
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