Cradle to the Grave A: welfare and wellbeing across the lifecourse (8700F)

15 credits, Level 3 (sub-degree)

Autumn teaching

This module introduces you to key personal and academic development skills necessary for effective, active and independent study at undergraduate level in the social sciences, arts and humanities. It will particularly appeal to students who have an interest in childhood and youth studies, education, social work, wellbeing and social care, but has broad relevance across the disciplines.

This module introduces you to social policy and welfare with a focus on how politically led objectives and agendas shape the everyday experiences and opportunities of people at each stage of the life course. ‘Cradle to the Grave A’ focusses specifically on ways in which the development, safety and wellbeing of children, young people, individuals and families are shaped by historical, political, economic, and cultural forces. The module provides a background of social welfare provision and explores some of the implications of universal welfare and cradle to grave support in the UK towards a mixed economy of welfare. It asks you to consider the impact of such a change on societal values and wellbeing, taking different identity locations into account.

Your academic study will be brought to life by making life-history narrative-based links between your lived experiences and the social policy contexts which shape those experiences. By exploring your experiences and those of previous and future generations, you will be encouraged to develop critical thinking in relation to the socio-economic and political landscape, as well as the opportunities and limitations which arise.

Through reading texts and analysing media, you will enhance your reading, vocabulary, critical and analytical skills. Through independent study, you will take personal responsibility for your learning. Through reflective writing and responding to directed tasks, you will develop your writing, reflection, discussion, group-work and presentation skills.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 50 hours of contact time and about 100 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.