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Explore the key issues shaping housing policy in Britain, including quantity, quality and affordability. This Level 6, 20-credit module examines housing tenures, finance, social housing management and the UK housing crisis, equipping learners with a critical understanding of contemporary housing policy debates.

This micro-credential consists of a validated Level 6, 20-credit undergraduate module delivered within ����VR��Ƶ’s degree programmes. External learners will study alongside undergraduate students and complete the same teaching and assessment requirements. On successful completion, learners will receive 20 academic credits at Level 6.

Who is this Short Course suitable for?

This micro-credential is suitable for:

• Housing professionals, including housing officers and managers working in housing associations and local authorities
• Officers working in NGOs and organisations focused on housing and homelessness
• Professionals working in policy, social housing management or related fields
• Individuals seeking Level 6 academic credit in housing policy

Why study this course?

By completing this micro-credential, you will:

• Develop a critical understanding of housing tenure patterns in England and Wales and how they compare internationally
• Analyse key issues across housing tenures, including affordability, quality and supply
• Examine what constitutes ‘satisfactory’ housing and evaluate policies designed to achieve it
• Understand housing finance systems and their influence on tenure structures
• Gain insight into the evolution and organisation of social housing management
• Critically evaluate debates around difficult-to-let properties and housing inequalities
• Engage with current discussions on the UK housing crisis and homelessness

These outcomes align with the validated undergraduate module specification and are formally assessed through coursework and examination.

How long does this course take to complete?

This 20-credit Level 6 module runs over 12 weeks in Semester 1.

Teaching consists of:

• 11 two-hour weekly lectures
• 5 seminars

Although the module forms part of a full-time undergraduate programme, micro-credential learners join the existing teaching schedule and attend the same weekly lectures and seminars over the 12-week teaching period.
As a 20-credit Level 6 module, this represents approximately 200 hours of total learning time. This includes scheduled teaching alongside guided independent study, such as reading, preparation and assessment work.
Learners should ensure they can commit sufficient time to independent study in addition to scheduled teaching.

Assessment

Assessment for this micro-credential consists of:

• One 2,500-word essay
• One 2-hour unseen examination

This is a formally assessed Level 6 module carrying 20 academic credits. Both assessment components must be successfully completed in order to achieve the credit.

Tutor

Dr Hefin Gwilym 

Dr Hefin Gwilym is a lecturer in Social Policy at ����VR��Ƶ. He has written extensively on social policy, including poverty, basic income, welfare reform, and social security. He is an experienced teacher with undergraduate and postgraduate modules on poverty and housing. His current research projects include evaluating ‘Helping End Homelessness Partnership Rural Isle of Anglesey’ with Dr Sarah Nason.

What will you study on this course?

This module explores key current issues in housing policy, focusing on the three core areas of quantity, quality and affordability.

You will examine:

• Factors affecting housing supply and demand
• The characteristics of different housing tenures and tenure change over time
• Contemporary issues within owner-occupation, private renting and social renting
• Housing standards and policies for maintaining housing quality
• Housing finance systems and their impact on tenure patterns
• The provision and management of social rented housing
• Debates surrounding homelessness and the UK housing crisis

Alongside its focus on Britain, the module also draws on international perspectives, including innovative housing design in Denmark and case studies from Singapore and Vienna, to provide comparative insight into alternative housing systems and policy approaches.

List of units 

Module content may include:

• Key themes and debates in housing policy
• The growth of owner occupation and the rise of “Generation Rent”
• Private sector housing and regulatory challenges
• Housing renewal and the future of housing provision
• Rural housing issues
• Housing inequalities, including race and gender
• Housing finance and affordability
• Social housing governance and allocations
• Difficult-to-let housing and housing management challenges
• Homelessness responsibilities and policy responses
• Youth homelessness
• Special needs housing
• International case studies, including Singapore and Vienna
• Innovative housing design in Denmark

• The fee for the 2026/27 academic year will be £1632 (including VAT).

This course is suitable for professionals working in housing or homelessness-related roles.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate readiness to study at Level 6. This may be evidenced through relevant professional experience and/or recent study or professional development.

If you are unsure whether this course is right for you, please contact the course lead to discuss your circumstances before applying.

How to Apply

Please make sure you read and follow the step-by-step application guide as this will specify which sections of the application form are compulsory for the type of course you want to apply for and save you time.

Please prepare the following information (in a Word document):

• Current employment details;
• Years of experience, and employment history (where relevant)
• Name of staff member and organisation that have approved your funding for this module.

This will speed up the process of completing the application form.