About
Founded in 2007, the Social Policy (SPL) Master of Science Program at METU prepares students for research aimed at better understanding and addressing the social issues which will inform decisions related to policies, programs and interventions. The program aims to analyze social phenomena such as poverty, unemployment, increasing income gaps, women's low participation in the labor market discussions surrounding the pros and cons of existing international and national policies with the aim to develop relevant policy recommendations.
The overarching objective of the Social Policy MS Program is to improve overall social conditions by examining and understanding how policies affect individuals' lives and how individuals can analyze and develop social policy according to various social needs. The program, with its interdisciplinary focus characterized by sociological, economic, anthropological, political science and educational sciences approaches, leads to M.S. degrees by providing a curriculum of education and training in human and policy development, implementation and evaluation of policies.
The MS in Social Policy is intended to prepare students in (1) analyzing and shaping social policy at local, national and international levels; (2) promoting fuller integration of social policy between and across various sectors of social life; and (3) promoting more equitable responses to the needs of historically vulnerable population groups, i.e., children and youth, the elderly, the poor, and other populations of special interest to social policy.
The SPL MS program admits graduate students each year for fall semesters. Successful applicants have diverse disciplinary backgrounds, including psychology, sociology, political science, economics and demography. Many students who enter the program have several years of previous work experience following their undergraduate degrees.
Since its inception, the Social Policy Program at METU has organized many meetings with international organizations such as the World Bank, UNDP, OECD and UNICEF. The Human Development Dialogue Series, which provide a chance for the exchange of ideas between representatives of these organizations, SP program faculty and students, have been a regular occurrence.