About us

The Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford is an interdisciplinary centre for research and teaching in social policy and the systematic evaluation of social intervention.

It is approaching 100 years of history following its foundation in 1914 as Barnett House - a  centre for the study of contemporary social and economic problems, and for education and training  in social work or social research. Formally incorporated into the University in 1962 as the Department of Social and Administrative Studies, it has had several names over the last forty years, most recently renamed in 2010 to reflect its current teaching and research focus. Throughout this period, it has consistently contributed to the debate on social policy and issues.

The department’s research falls under three main clusters: the Oxford Institute of Social Policy (OISP), the Centre for Evidence-Based Social Intervention (CEBI), and the Oxford Centre for Population Research (OXPOP). In addition we host the interdepartmental Centre for AIDS Interdisciplinary Research at Oxford (CAIRO).

Our research is international in outlook. We have contributed to academic debate and to the development of policy. Our work has had a significant impact on policy and practice, from the way in which government funds are allocated to the delivery of local programmes.

Our graduate students are engaged in the study of comparative social policy - exploring welfare systems and policy developments across a range of different countries - and of evidence-based social intervention - learning about the development and evaluation of interventions to address social and public health problems. We also accept students to study for DPhils in Social Policy or Social Intervention.