SPOL 316Special Topic: Intersectionality, Social Policy and Change
This course draws on a variety of critical approaches and theories to examine key concepts and issues related to social policy. Course content includes an exploration of ideas such as intersectionality, power, knowledge, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, capitalism, and neoliberalism. Students will understand the interconnectivity between intersectionality and social policy.
Course details
- Dates
- 7 Jul 2025 to 9 Nov 2025
- Starts
- Trimester 2
- Fees
- NZ$1,090.60 for
- International fees
- NZ$5,560.00
- Lecture start times
- Friday 1.10pm
- Campus
- Kelburn
- Estimated workload
- Approximately 200 hours or 11.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
- Points
- 20
Entry restrictions
Taught by
School of Social and Cultural Studies—Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
About this course
This course is delivered in person only.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course will be able to:
Compare and contrast different ways diverse forms of knowledge operate within social policy
Critique diverse critical theories within social policy debates
Build critical skills for policy analysis
How this course is taught
This course is delivered in-person only, and students are required to attend on campus. This course will be taught face-to-face through a weekly 1 hour 50 minute lecture and seven optional in-person tutorials.
• Lectures and tutorials are in person only and are not recorded
• Some assessment can be submitted online
• There are weekly in-class reading reflections requiring attendance
Assessment
- Weekly in-class reflections (100 words; students choose 10 out of 12) Mark: 10%
- Essay 1 (2,800 words) Mark: 45%
- Essay 2 (2,800 words) Mark: 45%
Assessment dates and extensions
Once you've signed up to this course, you can use to see due dates for assessments and information about extensions.
Mandatory requirements
There are no mandatory requirements for this course.
Lecture times and rooms
What you’ll need to get
You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.
Who to contact


Selected offering
SPOL 316
7 Jul–9 Nov 2025
Trimester 2 · CRN 35075