Examine the impact of being abusive or being abused. You will look at theoretical perspectives considering abusiveness and its impact in different international, cultural and social contexts.
This MA in Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse is unique and represents the first psychologically informed programme of its kind.
It is particularly suitable for people wanting to increase their grasp of the interplay between mental distress, domestic violence and sexual abuse. The programme will offer a blended learning approach with a mixture of online and face to face contact. The online components will be largely focused on the acquisition of theoretical knowledge through computer mediated activities via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
The classroom-based content of the programme will have an emphasis on experiential and reflective learning which will help you understand the process of identifying, assessing and managing both perpetrators and victims. This aspect of the programme will be delivered in blocks preferably over weekends to make the study more accessible to working adults.
Individual modules on the programme are likely to be valued as part of a continuing professional development plan for psychological therapists and other workers in the field.
You may take individual modules separately or exit with a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma.
Modules from this course will be availabe to study through Continuing professional development. Find out more on our CPD course page.
Your learning will be underpinned by a unique synthesising of psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive behavioural and social theories to examine the impact of being abusive or of being abused. The programme focuses on looking at practice and research from these theoretical perspectives and will consider abusiveness and its impact in different cultural and social contexts from childhood to older age.
The learning will be provided by a cross-disciplinary team that covers approaches from the social work, community and youth work, cross-sectoral arts, and therapeutic approaches including art and dance psychotherapy, psychodynamic, counselling and cognitive behavioural approaches.
Assessment
Assessment is through a combination of extended essays, journals, reports, assignment and dissertation.
The MA will develop skills including:
It is expected that a number of professionals will use either the course credit or the degree to supplement their CPD portfolios, which are a requirement for the majority of these professionals.
For workers with extensive experience this programme (or its constituent courses) will provide a sound basis in theoretical knowledge and current research which will help them develop their current work and increase their potential for further advancement in the field.
The UK has developed recognised forms of intervention in this field that have an international application and relevance. Issues regarding domestic violence and sexual abuse have an international public health and human rights dimension, which makes the programme internationally relevant.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
The focus is on enhancing practitioners’ understanding of current issues in public protection, and developing their capacity to undertake their own research to underpin evidence-based practice.
Topics typically covered include domestic abuse and homicide, stalking, sexual violence, child abuse, child sexual exploitation, honour-based violence, trafficking and modern slavery, hate crime, elder abuse and missing persons. By reviewing the current understanding of best practice in multi-agency working, risk assessment and threat assessment, the programme offers valuable professional development opportunities for those working in the criminal justice sector, victim organisations, advocacy roles, and a range of public services careers.
Participants develop their research skills, by conducting a live project to explore key issues relevant to their own employer or another organisation, thus generating new knowledge that can be applied directly to practice. Examples of recent projects include scoping the value of a pan-agency stalking clinic in the county, and the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders within child sexual exploitation offenders. The programme benefits from the innovative work undertaken within the Centre for Learning and Innovation in Public Protection at the university, including the application of research findings to the design of training and tools for frontline service delivery and development.
Modules
Assessment is through coursework and research reports.
We invite a wide range of guest lecturers to speak on their own professional practice, drawing on our strong links with police forces, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, public sector organisations, and charities providing support and training around domestic violence, homicide, stalking and sexual offences.
Explore key issues relevant to your own employer or another organisation, generating new knowledge that can be applied directly to practice. Recent projects include examination of the effectiveness of the MARAC process in safeguarding high-risk domestic abuse victims, and the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders within child sexual exploitation offenders.
On completion of the Postgraduate Certificate, you could choose to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma or MSc in Criminology. There is also the option of taking an individual module as continuing professional development (CPD).
The Master of Science in Forensic Psychology is a 36-credit online program that provides students with insight into the intersection of psychology and legal issues. Students gain an understanding of what forensic psychologists do and will learn how to apply this training in a variety of professional contexts.
This degree program will provide students with the professional training necessary to function at an optimal level in a variety of forensic settings where psychology is used including: courts, law enforcement, criminal justice, national security offices, prisons, social services agencies, child welfare agencies, and treatment facilities.
Many students in our program have specialized in law, mental health or other health services and want to work in the forensic area. Others are interested in furthering their careers and assuming more senior level positions. Some of our students use this degree to make them more competitive when applying for a doctoral program.
The online format and non-clinical curriculum make the program an excellent option for working professionals needing to integrate graduate study with job responsibilities. The program also targets those living in rural or frontier areas in and outside the United States, those with limited or no access to this type of graduate level educational program, and individuals working non-traditional shift schedules, such as those in law enforcement, corrections, national security, and the military.
Important Note
There is no licensure or certification in Florida or most states for Forensic Psychology at this time. It is considered a subspecialty of other clinical mental health or legal programs
The Master of Science in Forensic Psychology degree program requires a total of 36 semester hours of graduate course work. The program consists of a core of 24 credits and students are required to complete one of two possible 9-credit specialization tracks, and a 3-credit capstone course. Students can choose to complete either a thesis or a field experience for their capstone's content, although if students are looking to continue their studies it is recommended they chose the research option.
Core Courses (3 credits each)
Specialisation Tracks
Students will choose one of the following two specialisation tracks:
TRACK 1: FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM (9 Credits - Choose 3 courses from below)
TRACK 2: FORSENSIC PSYCHOLOGY FOR MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS, FIRST RESPONDERS AND DISASTER TEAMS (9 Credits - choose 3 courses from below)
This programme critically addresses a range of key issues and debates relating to crime and the criminal justice system. You will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of crime, deviance and criminal justice from critical, theoretical, policy, legal, political and practical perspectives and will address issues of historical and contemporary concern such as terrorism, prostitution, legal and illegal drugs, crime in the night-time economy, forced migration, gender and crime, domestic violence, crime prevention, prison and punishment, policing, youth crime and justice, law enforcement and the use of new technologies. You will also study issues of theoretical and social importance with lecturers who are international experts in their fields.
You will take a range of taught modules primarily in the first two terms of the academic year. You will also undertake a module on research design which enables you to develop a research proposal for your dissertation.
Core Modules
Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice (30 credits)
Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)
Research Design and Progress (15 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)
Optional Modules
You may choose modules to the value of 60 credits.
In previous years, typical modules offered were:
You will also have the opportunity to take a range of modules from other programmes within the Faculty such as those associated with the MSc in Risk and Security.
The MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice is a 1 year full-time programme which may also be taken part-time. The programme’s core consists of a 60 credit dissertation module, one 30 credit module on Criminological Theory, one 15 credit module on Theories of Social Research and one 15 credit module on Research Design. You are also required to undertake 60 further credits of modules from within SASS or other related departments which may be taught in a variety of ways.
Core teaching on the programme falls primarily within the two 10 week terms, the second of which commences one week prior to the undergraduate term. Depending on module choice you may receive between 6 and 8 hours of tuition per week in either or both of these terms.
The programme is taught according to a variety of approaches. Modules such as ‘Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice’ operate a standard 2 hour session within which lecturing, seminar discussion, workshops or presentations may take place. Modules such as ‘Perspectives on Social Research’, ‘Quantitative Methods’ and ‘Qualitative Methods’ operate a weekly lecture series followed by seminar discussion. Other modules such as ‘Statistical Exploration and Reasoning’ operate computer-based practicals. Prisons, Crime and Criminal Justice is an innovative module that emphasises transformative education. It is taught within a prison each week using the Inside-Out dialogical pedagogy whereby university students learn together with prisoners, completing the same readings and assessments, as well as group work and group projects (please see the website for further details). For this module you will need to undertake security clearance and mandatory prison training before being allowed to enter the prison.
Following completion of teaching in terms 1 and 2, the ‘Research Design’ module allows for 4 day long workshops. Reflecting on the process of research design, the module supports the student in formulating the research question for their dissertation.
The MSc programme is research-led at its core. The compulsory module 'Theorising Crime and Criminal Justice' links explicitly with the research activities of the criminology staff; the module ‘Crime Violence and Abuse’ links with the current research activities of the School’s research group of the same name; and ‘Drugs, Crime and Society’ is taught by an internationally renowned expert in the field. You will subsequently undertake a 60 credit dissertation on a topic of your choice supervised by staff who are actively researching in a relevant area. While this module is intended to afford an opportunity for a significant piece of independent and original research, it includes up to four hours of regular supervision which takes place typically from the end of term 2. You will also participate in two one-hour workshops convened by a supervisor and usually alongside others researching in similar areas.
While teaching is intensive, particularly in terms 1 and 2, it is intended that the programme presents options for part-time study. Consequently, teaching is undertaken where possible in timetable slots which take place late in the afternoon.
On this programme, modules on specialist academic themes explore issues at the forefront of contemporary criminology. You will engage with tasks such as Rapid Evidence Assessment, or analysing historical case file materials on sexual offences, thus developing valuable skills for working in relevant areas of public sector or third sector organisations. You will also undertake a work-based research project. This will normally be focused on current concerns and the needs of a host organisation, and you will collect and examine evidence that can be used to shape effective professional practice. This work benefits from our strong links with a wide range of bodies offering opportunities for collaboration.
You will be encouraged and supported to enrich your learning beyond the formal curriculum, helping you to explore ideas for your dissertation and opportunities for your future career. You are invited to participate in the work of the Centre for Learning and Innovation in Public Protection, including the Homicide Research Group and the Sexual Violence Research Group. There are also fieldtrips – both within the UK and overseas. The MSc in Criminology is suitable for students wishing to extend their knowledge and skills gained in an undergraduate degree in criminology, or in another social sciences discipline.
Modules
Assessment is through coursework, research reports, presentations and a dissertation.
Benefits from our relationships to work on live projects. We have links with public bodies (such as Gloucestershire Constabulary, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire and Restorative Gloucestershire), community organisations active in crime prevention, and charities providing support and training around issues such as domestic violence and homicide.
Attend field visits to criminal justice or community institutions, including prisons. There will be the opportunity to attend a residential field trip to explore a specialist theme such as community policing or restorative justice – recent trips have included Belfast, Cornwall and Toronto, Canada.
Benefit from the experience of our research-active teaching team and underpin your knowledge with the very latest theory and techniques.
The Durham MSW is a 21 month programme engaging students with the knowledge, skills and values that underpin social work practice with individuals, groups and communities. Academic study is complemented by two practice placements with different service user groups. Practice experience of statutory interventions with children and families or ‘vulnerable adults’ is complemented by opportunities for innovative practice in the voluntary and independent sectors in areas such as family justice, homelessness, substance use, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, community interventions and self-advocacy. With strong involvement of service users, carers and practice partners throughout the programme, the MSW provides strong foundations for practice in any field of social work.
Local and global perspectives
Our approach to social work education reflects the connections between individuals, their families and communities. We offer you a broad foundation for social work practice underpinned by the global definition of social work and emphasise the connections between local and global issues in social work. Shared learning alongside postgraduate students studying International Social Work and Community Development, and Community and Youth Work, provides valuable opportunities for the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Excellent employment prospects
There is very strong demand for Durham MSW graduates by employers in local authorities and non-government organisations regionally, nationally and internationally. Durham MSW graduates have been able to transfer their registration to other countries including Australia, Canada, Scotland and the USA.
The MSW is structured around seven modules designed to meet the academic and practice learning requirements for a degree in social work.
Year 1
Year 2
The MSW is full-time, starting in early October and continuing over 21 months. The programme does NOT run to university terms. There are approximately 12 weeks of vacation, including public holidays, during the course of the whole programme. In Year 1 the first four months are spent developing the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare you for your first practice placement of 70 days. In Year 2 you undertake a 100 day placement with a different service user group and in a contrasting setting where you will gain experience of statutory interventions in social work. Practice placements provide the opportunity to develop a range of skills set out in the Professional Capabilities Framework. You also extend your skills in linking theory, policy and practice, and undertake a research dissertation.
Assessment
A range of assessment methods is used including essays, observation studies, project reports, case studies, group and individual presentations. Knowledge and understanding of social work law and policy is assessed in a take away exercise. Before embarking on the first placement, you will undergo a practical assessment of your communication skills in readiness for direct practice. Practice placements are assessed by critically reflective accounts of work with individuals, groups or communities and by your practice educator who provides regular supervision and observes your practice. You are also expected to seek, and reflect on, feedback from service users and professional colleagues. Research in Social Work is assessed through a 10,000 word dissertation.
Practice Placements
Placements normally take place in the north east region and students are required to travel independently to these.
This MA addresses the historical, political, theoretical and ethical issues of applied theatre and develops your ability to contextualise, critique and create.
Our aim is to prepare students to be collaborative, responsive, imaginative, politically engaged and culturally aware artist practitioners. The course is aimed at newly-emerging practitioners with a background in theatre, education, activism or social change, as well as at more established practitioners who want to reflect, refresh and develop their skills. We actively encourage the sharing of skills and expertise among our multi-national group of students. We prioritise applicants with some experience in the arts, education, activism or social care, and it is rare that we take applicants directly from their first degree.
Together we explore the ways in which theatre and performance is created by diverse groups of people in a variety of community, social and educational settings: in schools or on the streets, in children’s homes and elderly care, in conflict zones, conferences, crèches and youth clubs, pupil referral units and prisons, women’s refuges and refugee centres, hospitals and hostels – anywhere groups of people meet and interact.
Applied theatre is an umbrella term for a range of exciting worldwide performance forms concerned with personal and social change.
The term embraces: theatre of the oppressed, community theatre, theatre-in-education, drama in education, theatre for development, prison theatre, intercultural arts, intergenerational arts, theatre in museums, archives and heritage sites, story-telling, reminiscence theatre, conflict resolution. The work often moves across art forms. This is not a definitive list, as it is a field that is dynamic and changing.
The MA considers case studies from the UK and from across the globe. Central to this investigation are: questions of identity; representation; discrimination; health; equality; human rights; opportunity; access; social inclusion/exclusion; participation; ethics; evaluation and documentation; aesthetics and the role of the artist.
The course is structured so that practice and theory constantly respond to one another, through practical classes and seminars. All students undertake a placement in a recognised host organisation where you'll work with experienced practitioners, and learn from the inside how participatory arts organisations function.
We have active partnerships with many companies, and the majority of the tutors, including the convenor, are active artists, with a variety of arts practices in performance, community and social settings.
Practical workshops
In the autumn term we look at the roots of Applied Theatre in Education, in Social and Political Change, and in Community. Classes include work with Geese Theatre on their use of mask in Prisons, Drama and Theatre in Education techniques with Gail Babb of Talawa Theatre, intergenerational arts practices with Convenor Sue Mayo, and the use of Drama to explore Domestic Violence, with Tender. Throughout this term students are also engaged in skills-sharing sessions in order to pool their knowledge and expertise.
In the Spring Term Tutor Raj Bhari, from Talk for Change, leads a module on creative approaches to Community Cohesion, Conflict Resolution, and the artist as activist. We have a short festival of art forms, with classes in song, puppetry and dance- and a residency shared with students of the MA in performance making, working across modules with artists of distinction from within the Goldsmith’s staff and beyond.
Throughout the practical sessions we work with students to develop their facilitation, devising,- project planning and management skills with attention to issues such as group dynamics; power and leadership; inclusion; accessibility; equality; conflict; intercultural practice; safe space and the ethics of touch.
In the summer term students design and lead a weekend of workshops for a public audience.
Histories, Theories and Contexts seminars
This contextual strand enables us consider the thinking behind our embodied knowledge. Through a series of seminars, we consider: the development of applied methods from political theatre; radical and celebratory arts; drama and theatre-in-education; community theatre; prison theatre; therapeutic creative practices and the legacy of Augusto Boal. We study the growing body of writing on applied theatre and its practitioners, and theatre theory. We consider local and international case studies; we read, discuss, watch videos and experience live performances.
Complementary Contextual lectures
Students also choose a lecture based Option module from one of the other exciting MA programmes. Previous modules have included, African Theatre, Performance Praxis, Radical Performance, and The Reflecxtive Practitioner. Our students can also take a specialist applied module led by Danny Braverman, on Disability Theatre, examining the scope and radical nature of disability theatre.
Placement
The Convenor, Sue Mayo, supports students to locate and develop a placement in a recognised host organisation. On the placement students further the skills they have practiced on the programme, whilst dealing with the challenges of a professional context. Placement hosts include London Bubble, Magic Me, Resonate. Greenwich & Lewisham Young People's Theatre, Talawa Theatre, Pan-arts, Crisis, Ovalhouse, Green Shoes Arts, The Young Vic, MIND, CEN8, Lewisham Youth Theatre and Spare Tyre.
Professional development
As part of our commitment to student’s employability, we offer up to five workshops covering various areas directly relevant to workplaces where drama may be applied; for example: planning and managing projects, child protection and working with vulnerable adults, ethics, evaluation, setting up a theatre company or working as an independent artist.
The MA Applied Theatre has five points of assessment:
These assessments count towards 80% of the final mark.
The remaining 20% is derived from assessment of the two shared complementary/contextual modules, which include Disability Theatre, Performance Praxis, African Theatre, Musical Theatre and Cultural Theory.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Developmental and Therapeutic Play at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The Developmental and Therapeutic Play course aims to consider the developmental, educational and therapeutic potential of play at an advanced academic level through the combination of demanding intellectual work and sophisticated practical reflection.
Teaching and Employability:
- taught by well published academics and specialist practitioners
- access to a multi-disciplinary team with strong links to similar university departments in Europe and around the world
- hands on practical workshops as well as lectures and seminars
- good record of graduate employment
- employability supported by the university-wide careers service as well as the teaching team
- numerous links with local businesses to increase prospects for work experience
- fieldwork experience included as part of the programme
- excellent teaching and learning experiences and cross-cultural insights developed through an international cohort
- opportunity to pursue a PhD supervised by a well-qualified member of the team
The Developmental and Therapeutic Play course is a modular postgraduate programme consisting of 180 credits at level M.
The course is offered on a part-time basis with completion typically within three years.
Developmental and Therapeutic Play examines how children’s play develops and how children develop as they play. It explores evidence based play practice across a range of professional contexts. Play is an important element of provision across all Children’s Services in the UK and beyond. Graduate employment prospects are wide ranging and past students have secured a range of interesting posts.
The Developmental and Therapeutic Play course offers the perfect opportunity to study children’s play at an advanced academic level, combining theoretical work with fieldwork experience and high-level reflection. It is taught by internationally recognised and well published academics in the field.
The Developmental and Therapeutic Play course aims to deepen students’ understanding of the developmental and therapeutic potential of play. This includes how the environment and social interactions support children’s growing repertoire of play skills, with a particular emphasis on the inherent value of children’s self-directed play experiences.
The developmental, educational and therapeutic potential of play across multiple contexts are also considered i.e. inclusive play practice, observation, assessment and being able to identify when further professional assistance may be required.
Modules on the Developmental and Therapeutic Play may include:
Play Theory and Practice
Researching Childhood
Perspectives on Play
Understanding and Observing Child Development
Therapeutic Work with Children
The Developmental and Therapeutic Play course is highly regarded resulting in specialist positions in education, international aid, counselling and pastoral care, social work, hospital/healthcare and playwork.
Graduates have secured posts in domestic violence teams, the prison service, hospitals and schools. Some have also set up their own businesses or have gone on to pursue further training in play therapy, counselling, psychotherapy or clinical psychology.
The College also offers supervision for Developmental and Therapeutic Play students who wish to continue their studies in this field at PhD level.
Voluntary work throughout the course is encouraged.
The College also provides career information and relevant job advertisements as well as career tutorials. Past Developmental and Therapeutic Play graduates are involved in future teaching and publication of student research is encouraged.
The College of Human and Health Sciences has links with a number of local children’s services who may be prepared to offer volunteering or work experience opportunities.
Gaining experience is vital to building a strong CV and increasing employability on graduation.
Team members are active researchers and their work is well published.
Many past Developmental and Therapeutic Play students have published their research or presented their findings at seminars and conferences. This is encouraged and supported by the academic team and demonstrates the high quality of work being produced.
The College of Human and Health Sciences has a vibrant postgraduate community with students drawn from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The College is known for its friendly, welcoming and supportive environment, which combined with its extensive facilities, state-of-the-art technology and superb beachside location, helps to ensure that students benefit from an exceptional student experience.
In addition, students have access to a wide range of excellent facilities and equipment for realistic workplace experiences.
