This popular joint degree programme provides a grounding in both social policy and law, two subjects which complement and enrich one another. The joint programme MA in Social Policy and Law aims to promote advanced knowledge and understanding of the theory, concepts and rules of law. Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh will enable you to engage with confidence in many of the political debates of our time. We deal with a wide array of policy areas, for example: * health * welfare * labour markets * education * family and childhood We discuss how policies affect our civic culture through studying political engagement and citizen participation. Our programme will equip you with the knowledge to understand how policies affect society and the economy. It will also enable you to critically assess how policies are made and what actors and processes influence the policy-making process.

You will be taught by staff members who are passionate about conducting research that has strong applications to the world outside academia. We work closely with: * governments * NGOs * third sector and interest representation groups * international organisations * other external actors International comparative analyses are one of our main strengths. We place a strong emphasis on providing you with empirical research skills, so that you can become a critical researcher yourself. Take a Social Policy degree at the University of Edinburgh and you will be challenged to re-evaluate how you look at politics, society and the economy, and develop the ability to improve others' understanding as well.