General Characteristics of the Programme
The postgraduate degree course titled “Methods and Applications in Social Policy” of the Department of Social Policy focuses on the interdisciplinary study of issues relevant to social policy, with special emphasis on a deeper understanding of the methodological tools and applications that are necessary for exercising social policy.
Aims of the Programme
The aim of the course is twofold. Firstly, it aims at offering specialized knowledge on the methodology of the social sciences, the planning and evaluation of social policy programmes, through an extensive use of computers (information technology and the relevant packages, SPSS etc.). Secondly, the course introduces students to the interdisciplinary research in the fields of social policy (work and employment, social security and social protection, inequalities and social cohesion, etc.) so that they may understand and interpret the existence and the evolution of the problems in the fields of social policy, carry out relevant research and propose the application of the necessary policies and the evaluation of their results.
Career Prospects
Graduates of the Master’s Degree can work in universities, research institutes, central, peripheral and local administration, in organizations of the public sector, as well as in other institutions. The nature of their work can be both the study of relevant issues and coping with the needs and problems that arise during the exercise of social policy.
Duration of Studies
The duration of studies is two academic years, namely four semesters. The first two semesters include only compulsory courses, while the third semester includes two (2) cycles of courses (“Work and Employment Policies” and “Social Protection and Social Cohesion”), from which only one (1) is chosen depending on students' preferences. The fourth semester is devoted to students' working on their dissertations.
Programme of Studies
The programme of studies consists of two academic units. At the 1 st year (semesters A and B) , there is a common body of compulsory courses – with the exception of two courses of semester B, namely “ Labour Market Theories ” and “ Social Theory and Social Policy ”, from which students select one, depending on their preferences of the cycle of courses offered in the 2 nd year, semester C.
The 1st year of studies is as follows:
Semester A
Semester B
The 2nd year of studies is as follows:
During semester C, two (2) cycles of courses are offered. Students select one (1) of the two (2) cycles and four (4) out of the five (5) courses offered in the cycle. However, in the cases in which students wish to carry out a dissertation in an area that is relevant to both cycles, they can choose three (3) courses form the cycle of their choice and one (1) course from the other cycle. The cycles of courses and the courses offered are as follows:
1st Cycle of Courses: Work and Employment Policies
2nd Cycle of Courses: Social Protection and Social Cohesion
Semester D
During semester D, students work on their dissertation and take their oral examination (‘viva’) before a specially organized seminar.
Note that, during the courses of the programme, scientists, researchers, academics and members of public administration are invited to give lectures on issues of general interest on theory and applications, in order to develop a fruitful academic discourse.
Courses are assessed either by a two-hour examination at the end of each semester or by project and essay work. According to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) all courses are assigned 7 credits, while the thesis is assigned 36 credits. So, for the degree to be awarded, students must obtain 84 credits from courses (28 credits per semester) and 36 credits from the thesis, in total 120 credits.
Admission Criteria and Entry Requirements
In the programme, graduates of Greek university departments in the social sciences, as well as graduates of other Greek university departments or technological educational institutes in related disciplines, and graduates from relevant departments of recognized foreign institutions are admitted. The maximum number of students admitted is twenty (20). The criteria for the selection of prospective students are: a) the grade of the first degree, b) the qualification of competence in a foreign language, and the performance in c) the entrance exams and d) the interview.
Prospective students submit at the Secretariat of the Department of Social Policy their applications and the following documents:
-
Printed application form that is provided by the Secretariat of the Department of Social Policy.
-
Short Curriculum Vitae.
-
Degree certificate from a Greek university or from an equivalent foreign university (recognized by the National Academic Recognition Information Center). Minimum entry requirement is a 6.5 degree.
-
Analytical marking certificate.
-
Proficiency in at least one foreign language (English, French, or German) which is to be certified by the submission of a degree or by taking exams at the Department of Foreign Languages of Panteion University. Proficiency in a foreign language can also be proved if the candidate has been awarded a degree by a foreign university, after at least one year of studies.
-
Two academic references.
-
Photocopy of identification card.
The selection process for admission of candidates is as follows:
Candidates take entrance exams in the following subjects: Descriptive Statistics, Social Policy Issues, and Methods and Techniques of Qualitative Research. An indicative bibliography and an outline of the exams are provided by the Secretariat of the Department.
Candidates have to succeed in written exams in all three subjects. The results in the written exams are announced by the Secretariat of the Department. Successful candidates in all three exams are invited for an interview before the Admissions Committee. During the interview, the candidates’ academic performance and work experience is ascertained, assessed and marked. Final selection among successful candidates is based on the grade of their degree, the average of the results in the entrance exams and the interview mark.
|
