Comparative Social Policy MSc

<strong>The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.</strong> <br/><br/>The MSc/Mphil in Comparative Social Policy is a taught course analysing welfare systems across OECD countries, with emphasis on health, education, labour, and family policy, supported by training in comparative and analytical research methods.<br/><br/>The comparative element is a key part of this course, and is one feature that makes the course at Oxford unique.<br/><br/>The central aim of the course is to provide high-quality graduate level research training in social policy, taking a comparative perspective, learning especially from the most highly-developed welfare states. More specific aims are to develop your capacity to:<br/><br/><br/>- analyse, interpret and review the major concepts, theoretical approaches and historical and contemporary issues in social policy and welfare state development in a range of OECD countries;<br/><br/><br/>- analyse and compare specific areas of social policy (for example income support, health or labour market) in different countries, drawing on both empirical data and broader theoretical literature; and<br/><br/><br/>- undertake quantitative and qualitative reviews as part of the research methods paper, to understand the major issues involved in research design and technical analysis in social policy related research.<br/><br/><br/><strong>For the full descriptions, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas</strong>