Computer Science and Social Policy (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

Liverpool Hope University

This is a four year degree taught at our Hope Park campus. The Foundation Year aims to develop your skills so that after a year, you will be equipped with the necessary skills needed for studying the full BA Hons degree programme. Please note that Combined Honours degrees at Liverpool Hope University are split 50/50. This means both subjects will be studied equally.

Computer Science Computer Science is all about new ideas, new opportunities and fresh thinking. There is no other discipline that can be applied to so many different areas and have such a profound impact on all aspects of society. The dynamism of this exciting subject is reflected in this degree through the study of a range of topics including networks, robotics, internet, and mobile and cutting-edge technologies such as Virtual Reality.

Study this degree with us and you will acquire practical skills that are highly sought after by industry, such as programming in C, C++, Java, Lua, Python, C# and low level languages (such as x86 and ARM). Computer Science has a wide-reaching social impact, posing many ethical questions, and these issues are examined at various points during the three years of study.

Whilst Computer Science is intellectually challenging, the staff in the department will provide you with close academic support. All staff in the Department are research active and have a varied background in a diverse range of interests, and this enhances your experience by providing a rich curriculum with exposure to multiple approaches and areas of research. If you are enthusiastic, inventive and looking to shape the future, this degree is for you.

Social Policy Social Policy explores the ways in which welfare provision is delivered in society, exploring who is eligible for support and who provides it. Our Social Policy degree is multidisciplinary in its approach and draws on ideas from sociology, economics, politics and geography. It explores issues such as inequality, ill health and wellbeing, child welfare, employment and unemployment, educational opportunities, disability, homelessness, family policies, mental health, globalisation, crime and immigration.

Studying Social Policy at Liverpool Hope University allows you to explore the answers to questions such as; should the state be the main provider of welfare and what roles should the private profit making or voluntary sectors have? How should scarce resources be allocated in society? How can we understand different approaches to welfare delivery across different historical periods in British society? Why do women and minority ethnic groups experience greater levels of disadvantage? How have welfare systems developed in different countries?

The degree draws on an experienced team of lecturers who are published in the social sciences and are experts in social policy. The School is also a member of the national network of Social Policy course providers and benefits from engagement with national subject debates. There are fieldtrips to enhance your learning, and we also have annual research days where leading academics, civil servants and politicians come to talk about various social problems and social issues.