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Housing Policy - SPY00001H

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• Department: Social Policy and Social Work
• Module co-ordinator: Dr. Alison Wallace
• Credit value: 20 credits
• Credit level: H
• Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
  • See module specification for other years: 2021-22 2023-24 2024-25

Module summary

Housing is fundamental to wellbeing and security, and confers on residents a range of economic, social and cultural benefits. Despite its importance, it is widely agreed that the UK housing market is broken and consequently housing has risen the political and public agenda. But how can we make sense of the current housing crisis and what should be done? What is the role of the state and markets in providing safe, secure and affordable housing? How can we organise national housing policy in a country with such significant spatial wealth and economic inequalities?   Why are so many people homeless and what can policymakers do to address this? These are just some of the questions this module asks through an historical, social and policy exploration of housing in the UK. 

Professional requirements

None

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Autumn Term 2022-23

Module aims

• To explore UK housing policy in-depth
• To provide a basic tool-kit of knowledge about the housing system
• To provide an understanding of the interaction between social policy, markets, and geography in the context of housing

Module learning outcomes

• To develop specialist knowledge of the structure and functioning of the contemporary UK housing system
• To critically engage with the historical, social and cultural foundations of UK housing policy
• To consolidate knowledge of key contemporary issues in housing policy and how these relate to the wider social policy agenda in different spatial markets
• To critique the various sources of evidence through which housing policy is contested and built

Module content

Indicative Module weekly summary (subject to scheduling amendment)

Wk2	Crisis what crisis!? Understanding the UK housing system	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk3	Who do we need to house? And how?	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk4	How do we make homes affordable?	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk5	Why place matters	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk6	Does it matter if people can’t afford to buy homes?	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk7	Can private renting take the strain?	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk8	Can social housing development achieve social policy goals? FIELD TRIP DERWENTHORPE YORK	Lecture and Field Trip
Wk9	Why are people homeless and what can be done?	Lecture, Practical and seminar
Wk10	How can we solve the housing crisis? Mock Select Committee	Practical with all staff and students

 

Assessment

Task	Length	% of module mark
Essay/coursework Essay 4000 Words	N/A	60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam Presentation	N/A	40

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Formative work takes place through the practical and seminar preparation work and discussion in seminars. Formative feedback by staff is provided on essay plans.

Reassessment

Task	Length	% of module mark
Essay/coursework Essay 4000 words	N/A	100

Module feedback

Formative written feedback will be provided to students on an essay plan submitted in week 7. Summative written feedback will be provided to students within the period for return of feedback detailed in departmental policy. Written feedback will be provided using the standard departmental undergraduate marking matrix.

Indicative reading

Davis, C. (2013) Finance for housing: an introduction. Bristol, Policy Press.

Lund, B. (2011) Understanding Housing Policy. Bristol, Policy Press.

Lowe, S. (2011) The Housing Debate, Bristol, The Policy Press.

Cowan, D. (2011) Housing Law and Policy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Bowie, D. (2017) Radical solutions to the housing supply crisis. Bristol, Policy Press.