This subject introduces students with basic theoretical foundation of sociology and broader social sciences from which contemporary social policy originates. It aims to provide students with a basic map for their future exploration and exposure with diverse debates within sociology and social policy. The main topics discussed here are contributions from classical sociological theories to the continuing development of today’s social policy discourses.

This subject will equip students with social research skills employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Four main research models will be discussed: case study research, survey research, baseline and evaluation research. With mastery of these research methods students will be well prepared for doing either scholarly or program/policy oriented researches. These skills will be very beneficial for those who work in service delivery organization or program/policy planning.

This subject introduces students with a perspective of the interplay between politics and economy, with a particular emphasis of Indonesian context. It introduces a perspective that public policies are shaped by the interplay between politics and economy. Different political periods resemble different dynamic interplay among political and economic institutions, political and economic actors, and both domestic and international context. By comprehending this perspective, students will be able to grasp the political economic background of social policies across different periods.

This course introduces key concepts on welfare issues and social policy in Indonesia, especially how the policies are constructed and contested. The course is developed to reflect the formulation and development of social policy, its evolution, principles of welfare state, redistributive justice, and ethics in social policy. In general, the students will learn the role of government, communities, families, and individuals in providing welfare; and how social policies are developed within competing interests and powers. In a more micro view, the students will analyze the roles of state, NGOs, communities, and private entities in initiating and developing social protection for the citizens and society at large. It introduces also history, design, and institutionalisation of social policy in Indonesia with a parallel comparison to some other countries.

This subject investigates the linkage between social policy and development (including economic development) within developing countries, with a particular focus on Indonesia as this subject is normally taught as a part of The University of Melbourne’s overseas subject program. The subject focuses on the roles played by states, markets and communities in the Asia-Pacific region (especially in Indonesia) in responding to key social policy issues such as poverty and welfare, unemployment, youth, health, economic and other shocks and disasters, and the socio-economic position of women. The role of social policy in economic development is emphasized. Using a case study approach, the subject examines how low and lower middle-income countries such as Indonesia attempt to instigate social policy-related change, e.g. policy formation and implementation and accountability, public sector and community leadership, on-the-ground innovation, the impact of international investment at local levels, the impact of international aid donors and NGOs. This intensive subject is normally presented on location at, and in collaboration with the Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta. This year it will be taught online with students from both Melbourne and Yogyakarta participating together in interactive sessions.

This subject investigates the fundamental issues around the changing nature of work; what it means for individuals’ working lives, employers, labour market institutions and regulations situating Australia within a comparative context. It uses a range of classic and contemporary theories from sociology and economics to understand ongoing social changes while emphasising the structure of organizations and institutions within a comparative perspective. Through active in-class discussions, quizzes and exercises students will learn how to interpret labour market theories and critically assess empirical work.

This subject links contemporary influential social theories to the development of social policy. The influence of structuralism, critical theories, humanism, and postmodernism to social policy in late modern society will be discussed. The subject will sharpen students’ understanding that social policy should be adjusted along with the changing people’s perception and aspirations of wellbeing. Their perception and aspirations are indeed constructed by their changing worldviews.

This subject will equip students with social research skills employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Four main research models will be discussed: case study research, survey research, baseline and evaluation research. With mastery of these research methods students will be well prepared for doing either scholarly or program/policy oriented researches. These skills will be very beneficial for those who work in service delivery organization or program/policy planning.

This course explores issues of gender and marginalised group. Students are facilitated to discuss the roles and impact of gender status and marginalisation for shake of justice in policy makings. There is special elaboration on best practices and important achievement when gender perspectives and marginalized group affirmation are employed in policy makings. This discussion evolves around family, personal relation, community, and state. For theoretical and conceptual ground, this course introduces intersectionality as to explain various categories such as gender, age, economic class, race, religion, tradition, and culture which are interrelated and create layers of inequalities and discrimination. The concept of masculinity and its impact on the development of social policy is also discussed. In addition concept and theory mastery, in the end of the semester the students are expected to reflect on the extent of capacity and challenges in implementing social policy making with gender perspective, including the exploration of strategies at the practical level.

This course introduces some main themes of employment and the sociology of work, and its contextualisation with the needed social policy responses to contemporary employment problems. The course will begin with some basic concepts in social sciences to understand the world of work such as capitalist mode of production, fordism dan post-fordism, global value chain dan international division of labour, and labour process and control. Then, students will discuss the contemporary empirical development of employment issues resulted from demographic, technology, and global political economy changes. Based on those, students will discuss various models and practices of social policy on labour and employment with critical and social justice perspectives.

In this course, student will learn research processes as to produce social policy both at theoretical and practical level. The theoretical comprehension focuses on research methodologies, while the practical comprehension will refer to some specific issues in social policy such as poverty alleviation, women empowerment, youth employment, and early childhood education. Alternative approaches in policy making are explored.

In this course, students will prepare research plans for their thesis. It starts with brainstorming and literature review on some relevant topics as to formulate research focus and questions. Guided by the lecturers, students then formulate the relevant research methodology until reaching a proper research proposal.

This subject examines various social research design and evaluation approaches to the study of social interaction. Students will critically examine the utility of, and theoretical underpinnings behind advanced methods of collecting, analysing and writing up social research. The subject will also analyse the relationship between policy evaluation and social research, notably in the context of debates around evidence-based policy.

This subject provides students with a series of critical approaches to the study of social policy and governance in modern societies. The subject bridges theories from sociology, political economy and criminology to develop students’ capacity to provide a holistic analysis of the policies surrounding social issues in modern societies in the light of global socio-economic changes. The subject will help students to understand and examine the potential contradictions that state interventions and law implementation have for specific socio-demographic groups. In addition, the subject aims to enhance
students' ability for critical and independent thinking about contemporary policy concerns.

This subject develops the skills to understand and assess the social impacts of development, including international development projects, resource management, and proposed infrastructure or new policies. We do this in two ways: by looking at how to assess the impacts of proposed projects, and through evaluation techniques for existing developments or projects. In each case we develop practical skills and interdisciplinary techniques to appraise and evaluate impacts. These techniques draw from anthropology, development studies, and the policy sciences, and move beyond simple summative assessments and financial accounting. We consider the social and environmental contexts in which any form of appraisal is embedded, and the capacities of different actors (from the state to NGOs and community groups) to avert or mitigate negative impacts through learning, negotiation, and citizen participation. Examples, some presented by guest speakers, are drawn from Australia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. At the completion of the subject students will have developed the conceptual skills to understand the impacts of development; be familiar with the range of methodologies and techniques used in impact assessment; understand development evaluation; and will be able to apply this in critical evaluation of the impact of projects and programmes.

The subject engages with contemporary theories of social inclusion and capital with an emphasis on networks and their role in community strengthening, community building and regional economic development. The subject also engages in the role these strategies have in larger projects of social policy reform such as the Third Way, the Partnership movement and "joined-up" government. The subject will engage in specific social policy issues (health, housing, welfare, employment etc) to investigate the use of social capital and network analysis techniques.

This subject focuses on social problems in a sociological perspective. The aim of the subject is to give students a good understanding of the social dimension of social problems as well as insights into the social construction and negotiation of social problems. A number of different approaches and ways to see social problems will be introduced to sharpen the awareness of the influence of specific worldviews of our selection, understanding and responses to social problems. On this basis, a number of recent social problems and a shift in understanding and dealing with social problems will be discussed.

In this subject Master of Social Policy students will be placed in an organisation which either has governmental responsibilities or deals with government, where they will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior manager in the organisation. Students will be required to use their own
networks to make an initial contact with a potential organisation. Their choice will then need to be ratified by the department. Students will carry out research or analytical exercises of relevance to the organisation that will be involved in high-level and complex policy making. Students will study the
structure, culture and policy environment of the organisation and develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills as well as negotiating and interpersonal skills. Students completing this course should expect to acquire significant insight into the complexities of policy making and management. During the internship an academic supervisor will advise them.

Students will write the thesis in the end of the whole double-degree program. It will provide students with an opportunity to apply their acquired knowledge and skills throughout the program by formulating a research questions and developing a research proposal with a clear research strategy, applying methodological principles and research techniques, creatively using theoretical insights and concepts relevant to the research question at hand, generating new knowledge about the issue addressed in the thesis, reporting the research results in a clear and systematic way, and being able to reflect on the theoretical, scientific and practical relevance of the research results.