Masters Degrees (Population Studies)

The objective of the international one-year MSc programme in Population Studies is to train young professionals in the theories, methods and skills required to comprehend population dynamics.

Essential to understanding population dynamics is the study of demographic behaviour of people, in terms of their life events, e.g. birth, marriage, divorce, health, migration, and death. The master programme focuses on these demographic events, on how decision-making regarding these life events (e.g. its timing) is influenced by the historical, economic, societal, cultural, and medical context, and on how these demographic events have an impact on population-level trends.

You will learn about:
- Pressing population issues as population ageing, integration of migrants, health inequalities and poverty
- Individual decision-making processes behind demographic events, such as family formation, residential choices and migration, and health care use
- Collecting and interpreting demographic data
- Methods and techniques to analyze demographic data: life table, population projections, advanced survey analysis, qualitative research methods
- Population policies and intervention programmes

The field of Population Studies reflects on and deals with currently relevant demographic topics and related societal issues. The study is simultaneously concrete and broad.

Why in Groningen?

Our programme is unique in its combination of analytical and social demography, its combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, its structured progress through the research process, and its international, multidisciplinary and strong scientific orientation - as officially being recognized. Interactive ways of teaching are being employed by very enthousiastic and dedicated teachers. Within the Netherlands, Groningen is the only university offering an MSC in Population Studies.

Job perspectives

The program has been developed for future professionals in business, government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and academia. Demographers are competent in reflecting on how the context in which we live affects population dynamics (migration, fertility, mortality, ageing, etc.) and vice-versa. This can be either through analyses of large data files for demographic data and trends, or through in-depth qualitative analysis of people's life.

The career perspectives are good. Many of our alumni continue into a PhD, whereas international mid-career alumni mostly acquire a higher position within the institute they were working.

Our alumni gain employment at:
- (interdisciplinary) research institutes
- universities (lecturer, PhD student)
- (inter)national statistical offices
- national planning and government offices
- United Nations agencies
- NGO's, like Doctors without Borders
- private companies (e.g. as data-manager or communication expert)

Research

The Master's thesis topic is integrated in the research theme of the Population Research Centre: “Population and Wellbeing in Context”. This comprises topics such as population decline, population ageing, global migration, life of migrants, healthy ageing in society, families, households, residence, causes of death, child health, nutrition, access to health care, place making of elderly.

The master programme clearly reflects the major characteristics of the research programme by focussing on both the macro (population) and micro level (the demographic behaviour of people); by adopting multi-disciplinary perspectives (demography, epidemiology, anthropology, geography, social ageing, nutrition); by teaching both quantitative and qualitative research methods; by focusing on the translation of research into policies or interventions.

The students are being taught the theories, methods and skills that the different teachers apply in their research. They participate in seminars and discussion groups in an active research environment including guest lectures and seminars by established professionals from other demographic institutions.

Part of the Master Programme is the participation in the Dutch Demography Day - a conference for demographers - and an excursion to the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute in The Hague.

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Gerontology and Ageing Studies at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is designed to meet employer needs and prepares students with the knowledge and experience needed to work with older people, design policies, manage and deliver services and manufacture products for an ageing population.

Key Features of Gerontology and Ageing Studies

Performance:

- International approach that is unique in the UK
- Hosted in the internationally renowned research centre, the Centre for Innovative Ageing
- The centre is the largest gerontology research centre in Wales and the second largest in the UK
- The Centre hosts the Older People and Ageing Research and Development Network and the Wales Stroke Research Interest Group
- Offers strong national and international links as well as links with the Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network.

Teaching and Employability:

- programme is designed to meet employer needs
- encompasses a range of disciplines delivered by subject leaders and experts from around the world
- opportunities for work placements within local NGO’s (non-Governmental Organisations)
- opportunity to study abroad at one of the College’s partner institutions in Alberta, Canada

The field of ageing is becoming increasingly important: Over the last 25 years the percentage of the population aged 65 and over increased from 15% in 1983 to 16 per cent in 2008, an increase of 1.5 million people in this age group. This trend is projected to continue. By 2033, 23 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and over compared to 18% aged 16 or younger. The fastest population increase has been in the number of those aged 85 and over, the 'oldest old'.

In 2012, the Welsh Government launched the third phase of the Strategy for Older People. Gerontology and Ageing Studies at Swansea looks at policy, practice and application to put you at the forefront of current developments.

Gerontology and Ageing Studies takes a holistic approach. It shifts the central focus from the medical model of ageing, to one that encompasses a range of disciplines including psychology, sociology and demography, viewing ageing more positively.

Why choose Gerontology and Ageing Studies?

The course in Gerontology and Ageing draws on the research and expertise of The Centre of Innovative Ageing (CIA) within the College of Human and Health Sciences.

The CIA is at the forefront of interdisciplinary work on ageing and provides the infrastructure, focus and leadership for ageing research across the University. The Centre houses a unique cluster of researchers and lecturers who contribute to each of the postgraduate courses in Gerontology and Ageing studies.

The Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is designed to meet employer needs and prepares students with the knowledge and experience needed to work with older people, design policies, manage and deliver services and manufacture products for an ageing population.

Modules

Modules on the Gerontology and Ageing Studies programme typically include:

• Population Ageing and Policy: An Introduction
• Perspectives on Ageing
• Foundations in Research
• Health and Ageing
• Policies and Practices for an Ageing Population
• Older People, Citizenship and Participation
• Critical Practice with Older People
• Environment and Ageing
• Psychology of Ageing

Gerontology and Ageing Studies Course Structure

The Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is offered on a full-time or part-time basis.

Full-time students normally complete six modules and submit their dissertation by the end of the first year. Part-time students will normally take two years to complete six modules, and one further year to complete the dissertation.

The MSc in Gerontology and Ageing Studies comprises 6 modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits). Four compulsory modules (20 credits each) cover the context of population ageing and explore theoretical perspectives on ageing.

Post-Graduate Certificate and Diploma Options in Gerontology and Ageing Studies:

These courses, similar to the MSc, can also be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

Certificate students will take three modules totalling 60 credits, comprising two compulsory modules and one optional module selected from the College MSc catalogue.

The diploma students will complete the same 120 credits as the MSc but will not be required to complete the 60 credit dissertation.

Both options are flexible for students looking to study specific areas of interest whilst still obtaining a solid foundation in the principles of gerontology. These options provide the perfect alternative for individuals or employers who want the world-leading education provided by the Centre for Innovative Ageing, but for whom the research project is not integral to their learning experience.

Career Prospects

Other recent graduates work across a diverse range of sectors including:

- local government
- social worker/social services
- academic and policy research
- insurance and financial services
- architecture and town planning

The College of Human and Health Sciences offers full training in research methodology in addition to the core gerontology education which demonstrate a set of research and analytical skills that are fully transferable and highly desirable to employers.

Work Placements

Although not an assessed component off the course, students are provided with the opportunity to undertake volunteer placements within a local NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation). This enhances the student’s employment options and widens their exposure to the practical field of gerontology. Students who undertake a placement will receive a certificate from the NGO detailing the number of hours of their placement to act as a record for employment and development purposes.

Staff Expertise

Research undertaken by members of the CIA falls into seven broad themes:

Rights, Equality and Inclusion
Environments of ageing
Environmental hazards – Falls, shared space
Community, intergenerational and family relationships
Technology and its facilitation
Future of ageing
Social care – Health and wellbeing

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study International Gerontology and Ageing Studies at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This degree in International Gerontology and Ageing Studies aims to provide students with a unique insight into the policy differences between the devolved countries of the UK and across the globe.

Key Features of International Gerontology and Ageing Studies

Performance:

- international approach that is unique in the UK
- hosted in the internationally renowned research centre, the Centre for Innovative Ageing
- the centre is the largest gerontology research centre in Wales and the second largest in the UK
- the Centre hosts the Older People and Ageing Research and Development Network and the Wales Stroke Research Interest Group
- offers strong national and international links as well as links with the Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network
- connections to policy-makers which are unparalleled in other parts of the UK

Teaching and Employability:

- delivered by subject leaders and experts from around the world
- programme is designed to meet employer needs
- opportunities for work placements within local NGO’s (non-Governmental Organisations)
- opportunity to study abroad at one of the College’s partner institutions in Alberta, Canada

The International Gerontology and Ageing Studies programme acknowledges that ageing is accompanied by biological changes, but takes a holistic approach to ageing. It shifts the central focus from the medical model of ageing, to one that encompasses a range of disciplines including psychology, sociology and demography, viewing ageing more positively.

The MSc in International Gerontology and Ageing draws on the research and expertise of The Centre of Innovative Ageing (CIA) within the College of Human and Health Sciences. The CIA is in the forefront of interdisciplinary work on ageing and provides the infrastructure, focus and leadership for ageing research across the University. The Centre houses a unique cluster of researchers and lecturers who contribute to each of the postgraduate courses in Gerontology and Ageing studies.

Why choose International Gerontology and Ageing Studies?

The MSc in International Gerontology and Ageing Students is a unique course in the UK and provides students with an extended Master’s degree from a recognised global centre of excellence for gerontological education and research.

Students are immersed in global theories of gerontology and have the opportunity to experience first-hand the practical application of their studies.

Students are supported and mentored by the team at Swansea both whilst at the home and host institutions so there is continuity in the support provided, ensuring that the student gets the most from the experience.

Being hosted in an internationally renowned research centre, the MSc in International Gerontology and Ageing Studies benefits from lectures delivered by subject leaders both domestically and from around the globe.

The course is designed to meet employer needs and prepare students with the knowledge and experience needed to work with older people, design policies, manage and deliver services and manufacture products for an ageing population.

Modules

Modules on the International Gerontology and Ageing Studies course typically include:

Population Ageing and Policy: An Introduction
Perspectives on Ageing
Foundations in Research
Health and Ageing
Dissertation
Policies and Practice for an Ageing Population
Critical Practice with Older People
Environment and Ageing
Older People, Citizenship and Participation
Psychology and Ageing
Semester Abroad, University of Alberta

International Gerontology and Ageing Studies Course Structure

This course is delivered over 18 months, with students studying at Swansea University for one academic year, and then at the University of Alberta, Canada for approximately four months in the second year undertaking three modules of study and assessment to broaden their study and employment possibilities.

Each module provides the opportunity to explore cutting-edge debates and issues on ageing in a global context.

Career Prospects

Graduates work across a diverse range of sectors including:

local government
social worker/social services
academic and policy research
insurance and financial services
architecture and town planning
The College of Human and Health Sciences offers full training in research methodology in addition to the core gerontology education which demonstrate a set of research and analytical skills that are fully transferable and highly desirable to employers.

Work Placements

Although not an assessed component off the course, students are provided with the opportunity to undertake volunteer placements within a local NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation). This enhances the student’s employment options and widens their exposure to the practical field of gerontology. Students who undertake a placement will receive a certificate from the NGO detailing the number of hours of their placement to act as a record for employment and development purposes.

Staff Expertise

Research undertaken by members of the CIA falls into seven broad themes:

Rights, Equality and Inclusion
Environments of ageing
Environmental hazards – Falls, shared space
Community, intergenerational and family relationships
Technology and its facilitation
Future of ageing
Social care – Health and wellbeing

MSc research dissertations and subsequent PhD programmes of research are encouraged and supported within each of these themes.

Staff teaching on the MSc Gerontology and Ageing Studies has expertise in at least one of the research themes of the centre. Through the duration of the course staff are rotated to ensure lectures are given by the person with the most knowledge and experienced in that field.

Postgraduate Community

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.

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This is Europe's only graduate programme in demography with an emphasis on health and social epidemiology, and is designed for those interested in acquiring a technical understanding of the structure and dynamics of population change, its causes and consequences. The curriculum includes advanced training in the theories and methods of the population sciences, statistics, epidemiology, and research methods.

The course teaches research skills which are highly valued in the job market generally and are welcomed in a wide variety of research fields. The teaching draws on several related disciplines within the School and the modular approach can be adapted (within reason) to suit different needs.

The course is recognised by both the MRC and ESRC as providing high quality research training and a small number of scholarships from these bodies (including 1+3 scholarships) are available to UK or EU residents. These are advertised each year with the School scholarships information.

Graduates have careers in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, policy and planning. The Selwyn-Clarke Prize is awarded for the best project of the year.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/edu/qualityassurance/dh_progspec.pdf)
- Intercalating this course (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/intercalating/index.html)

Visit the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msdh.html

Objectives

By the end of this course students should be able to:

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of scientific, evidence-based approaches to the study of population issues

- critically assess and apply these approaches to inform development, health and population programmes

- formulate research questions and use demographic and health data, and appropriate methods of analysis, to address them

- identify causes and consequences of population change and relate these to underlying population dynamics

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of demographic behaviour in social, economic and policy contexts

- critically assess and apply findings of population studies to health and social policy

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of major population trends, including historical trends, in developed and developing countries

Structure

Term 1:
Students take the following compulsory modules:

- Demographic Methods
- Basic Epidemiology
- Population Studies
- Principles of Social Research
- Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health

Terms 2 and 3:

Students take a total of five study modules, one module from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). Students are expected to take modules related to demography for at least two of their other four choices.

*Recommended modules

- Slot 1:

Research Design & Analysis*
Designing Disease Control Programmes in Developing Countries
Health Care Evaluation
Sociological Approaches to Health

- Slot 2:

Family Planning Programmes*
Population, Poverty and Environment*
Conflict and Health
Design and Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

- Slot 3:

Social Epidemiology*
Current Issues in Safe Motherhood & Perinatal Health
Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
Medical Anthropology and Public Health
Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health

- Slot 4:
Population Dynamics & Projections (compulsory)

- Slot 5:

AIDS*
Analysing Survey & Population Data*
Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
Proposal Development

Further details for the course modules - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/currentstudents/studentinformation/msc_module_handbook/section2_coursedescriptions/tdhe.html

Project Report:
During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project to enable them to acquire personal experience of the process of contributing to knowledge in any of the fields covered by the course, for submission by early September. Acceptable types of project are: data analysis; a project proposal; an original literature or policy review.

Students normally remain in London for the preparation of their project report. Exceptionally, and only if appropriate, part of the project period may be spent away from the School, whether in the UK or abroad. Arrangements for this must be discussed and agreed with the Course Director.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msdh.html#sixth

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What impact did the recent economic crisis have on individuals' living and working conditions, on individuals' study and career choices, on social inequalities and social cohesion?

The International Master in Social Demography is a Double Degree Program offered jointly by the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) of Barcelona and the Faculty of Spatial Sciences of the University of Groningen (UoG). After the successful completion of the program students end up with two official diplomas: Master of Research in Sociology and Demography, issued by the University Pompeu Fabra, and Master of Science in Population Studies, issued by the University of Groningen.

The double degree program, which is entirely offered in English, combines the strengths of two of the highest-ranked Social Science Departments in Europe to offer high level research training in Sociology and Demography.

The programme emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from an unique interdisciplinary and dynamic perspective.

Degree: MSc in Population Studies

Why in Groningen?

The program combines the strengths of two of the highest-ranked Social Science Departments in Europe to offer high level research training in Sociology and Demography. It emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from a dynamic perspective, using analytical and methodological tools from two disciplines. The program has a unique approach for understanding how individuals' main life events both influence and are influenced by the social context in which they live.

Job perspectives

The objective of the programme is to train young professionals and social scientists in the theories, analytical and methodological tools from both sociology and demography to conduct high quality research on how individuals' main life events (e.g. childbirth, education, marriage, occupation, divorce, death) both influence and are influenced by the social and geographical context in which they live.

The program emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from an unique interdisciplinary and dynamic perspective.

After graduation you can find work in business, the government, or non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Demographers are trained to work with and interpret large data files. You can use these skills to make policy or develop programmes. You can also pursue an academic career and apply for a PhD position

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This is a unique programme that offers professional training in population studies that emphasises health and social epidemiology. It aims to provide a broad training in the theories and methods of demography and population sciences and their application to health, social welfare and economic development.

Overview

The course is designed for those interested in acquiring technical expertise in demography and understanding the interlinkages between population studies and health, including fertility, sexual behaviour, ageing, health inequalities and life expectancy.

Graduates from the course would be equipped to pursue careers in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, as well as policy and planning organisations.

Course delivery

The Demography & Health programme is delivered through provision of interactive learning materials supplied online through the School’s online learning site (Moodle), and supported by CD-ROMs, practical workbooks and textbooks (depending on the module chosen). Students are actively encouraged to participate in web-based discussion boards. Training is also provided in the use of Stata statistical software.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/sites/default/files/progspec-dh.pdf)
- Distance Learning prospectus (pdf) (http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/sites/default/files/prospectus/lshtm-prospectus.pdf)

Visit the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/distance_demography_health.html

Language Requirements

You will meet the English language requirement if you have passed, within the past three years:

- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English when a minimum overall score of B or 190 is achieved,

- (IELTS) International English Language Testing System when an overall score of at least 7.0 is achieved with a minimum of 7.0 in the Written sub-test and a minimum of 5.5 in Listening, Reading and Speaking,

- Pearson Test of English (Academic) overall score of 68 or above, with a minimum of 68 in Writing and a minimum of 59 in Listening, Reading and Speaking, or

- (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language overall score of 100 or above with at least 24 in Writing, 23 in Speaking, 22 in Reading and 21 in Listening.

Study materials

After registration, study materials are sent to students in September. Access to online study materials is given from 1 October. Study materials may include online materials, subject guides, readers, textbooks, CD-ROMs/additional computer software (e.g. Stata), past examination papers and examiners’ reports, and handbooks. You also have access to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine’s online library resources from 1 October. We also provide all students with a student registration card.

Flexible study

We know that if you have a full-time job, family or other commitments, and wish to study at a distance, you will have many calls on your time. The course allows you to study independently, at a time and pace that suits you (subject to some course-specific deadlines) using the comprehensive study materials provided, with support available from academic staff.You have between 1-5 years in which to complete the Postgraduate Certificate, and between 2-5 years in which to complete the Postgraduate Diploma or the MSc.

The study year for most modules runs from the beginning of October through to the June exams, while a couple of the EPM modules modules run from the beginning of January through to assignment submission at the end of August. Tutorial support is available throughout this time. Students carrying out projects are assigned personal supervisors to support their project work which is mostly carried out between June and the end of September in their final year.

Support

- a web-based learning environment (including web conferencing, allowing you to engage in academic discussions with tutors and fellow students)

- personalised feedback from teaching staff and advice on assignments

- tutors are allocated to each module and are available to answer queries and promote discussion during the study year, through the online Virtual Learning Environment

- communicate with other distance learning students, either individually or through learning support groups

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/distance_demography_health.html#seventh

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This Master's degree in politics considers the increasingly pressing political issues of population and demography. World population is growing fast: having trebled in approximately a century, the UN projects an increase from today's 7 billion to around 11 billion by the end of the twenty-first century. This unique programme explores where this growth is occurring and considers the environmental, economic, political and global implications for both developing and developed countries. We will consider policy debates and responses to population growth and stabilisation, as well as the effects of ageing populations on economies, welfare systems and defence and security. Under the guidance of expert academics, you will examine how ethnic, religious and national identities intersect with questions of resources and population around the world.

You will be introduced to a spectrum of methodological approaches, including quantitative techniques for analysing and projecting demographic change, discourse analysis of policy documents, and historical case studies of political debates and movements. There will be an opportunity to read some of the classic works on population, such as Adam Smith, Malthus, J. S. Mill and Marx, as well as to study more recent ideas, including demographic transition theory and the environmental concept of the Anthropocene. You will be invited to examine unique case studies using methodologies that include data analysis, critical theory (Marxism, genealogy and critical discourse analysis) and policy analysis.

The core modules explore current demographic and environmental change in the context of politics, economics and international relations and also consider the relationship between immigration, ageing and conflict. You will be equipped with the conceptual ideas, theoretical approaches and analytical research skills needed to study politics at postgraduate level. You will then go on to undertake the researching and writing of a dissertation on the subject that interests you most.

Our Department of Politics is a lively and distinguished centre of interdisciplinary research, with a strong reputation for the quality of our teaching. Some of the world’s most famous libraries are on our doorstep in Bloomsbury, central London, and you can walk down to Whitehall, where Parliament and the UK’s most influential and important think-tanks and centres of political research and analysis are located.

Our departmental building was once a key location for members of the Bloomsbury Group, so you could be studying in rooms that have hosted distinguished visitors, including T. S. Eliot, George Bernard Shaw and Maynard Keynes.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

This Master's degree is distinctive, combining theoretical and critical perspectives on population and ecology with empirical approaches and real-world case studies.
The programme allows you to follow your own interests, with a wide choice of option modules, while developing your research skills and undertaking a dissertation in an area that interests you.
Our location in central London puts us at the heart of the UK’s political life and at the centre of academic London. You can walk down to Parliament and Whitehall, while Bloomsbury contains some of the world’s most famous libraries and centres of research.
You can take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including Senate House Library, which is right next door to Birkbeck, the British Library, which is 5 minutes’ walk away, and the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics, which is walkable from Birkbeck.
Our Department of Politics was ranked 12th in the UK in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results and is a world-renowned centre of original, influential research.
The department organises a lively programme of seminars and conferences and is home to affiliated research centres, such as the Centre for the Study of British Politics and Public Life, which run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.
Our academic staff are international authorities in their respective fields, publishing and delivering stimulating teaching in a wide range of political topics including civil society and the state, public policy, development, gender, international security and terrorism, and social and political theory, among others.
Birkbeck Library has a large politics collection, including the major specialist journals, and provides you with access to an extensive range of online materials.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Politics at Birkbeck was ranked 17th in the UK.

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MLitt in French Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, Middle Eastern Literary and Cultural Studies, Russian Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies
If you are looking to expand your understanding and knowledge of the literature, culture and history of one of these languages, and /or to continue at PhD level, select your programme from this suite we offer. You need to have an undergraduate degree in the appropriate language (in the case of Middle Eastern Literary and Cultural Studies either Persian or Arabic). The structure of the language and culture-specific MLitt programmes is mirrored in each language, with a common core of modules which all MLitt students take together (Literary and Cultural Theory 1 & 2, and Research and Professional Skills). Then all students in each programme take their specific Literary and Cultural contexts module; so for French, for example, this will be French Literary Revolutions. Then with the Specialised Research module, and finally the Dissertation, the focus becomes much narrower as you identify your specific research interests and topics and the teaching becomes more individualised and geared towards encouraging and directing independent research.

Literary and Cultural Theory 1 & 2 methodically introduce the major figures and schools of literary and cultural theory. Research and Professional Skills covers practical issues such as the publication of journal articles or monographs, writing reviews and reports, IT skills, using bibliographical databases, conferences, from proposing, writing and delivering papers, to publishing proceedings and preparing for interviews.

Literary and Cultural Contexts will provide a solid grounding in the main literary movements and canonical texts in each specific language area. These modules are designed to enable you to better contextualise your own specific area of interest within the broader literary and cultural realities in which they are situated.

Features

* There are six language departments (Arabic and Persian, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish) providing discipline-specific programmes plus collaborative programmes in Comparative Literature and Cultural Identity Studies.

* Strong international collaborations through the Erasmus Mundus Masters programme (with partner universities in England, France, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Canada, Argentina and Mexico).

* Current postgraduate population of 35 PhD students and some 20 students on various taught programmes.

* A diverse and international student body from across Europe, North America, the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa, as well as the UK.

* Strong emphasis on integration of taught and research postgraduates, in particular through the postgraduate seminar series, postgraduate organised workshops, and the annual postgraduate conference – all postgraduates are encouraged to participate in all of these.

* Strong emphasis on students’ personal development, as programmes are designed specifically to promote the transition from undergraduate to more autonomous postgraduate approaches to study and research.

* The recently revised structure of the MLitt programmes combines an integrated interdisciplinarity with subject specific contextualisation, and a broad-based knowledge is developed towards in-depth specialism as the course progresses.

* Particular attention to more practical personal development in the core module Research and Professional Skills, which provides instruction and training in a range of skills useful for an academic career and transferable to other professions.

Postgraduate community

Whilst the six departments in the School of Modern Languages retain their individuality, the School as a whole is very well integrated, with collaborative teaching within and across departments, and this is reflected in the postgraduate community as well. Students on different MLitt programmes will all take some core modules together, and all postgraduates, MLitt, Mundus, and PhD students are encouraged to attend the large number of research seminars and workshops which take place in the School, as well as organising their own specific events. The size of the School and the number of postgraduates provides a friendly informal setting conducive to interdisciplinarity and discussion of ideas and issues in a thought-provoking but relaxed and supportive environment.

Class sizes

Class sizes vary as some modules are common to a number of programmes and so have more students in them, whilst others may be more specialised and therefore smaller.

Careers

Many of our postgraduates go on to careers in the academic field, as university teachers, researchers or administrators. Others find employment in other areas, for example as cultural advisors, translators, or in the public or civil service. Recent graduates have secured posts such as university teachers in the UK and Germany, research assistants, a postgraduate recruitment officer, at GCHQ, a professional translator, an adviser to the CBI, and a subtitler for television.

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Byzantine Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London have a long tradition. It was Professor Joan M. Hussey who first introduced and devised the study of Byzantine History in the University of London in 1950; throughout her long academic career she instilled ‘the principles of scholarship and demonstrated the perfect balance between historical detail and the wider implication of the subject’.

Her legacy was continued by Julian Chrysostomides, who taught the next generations of undergraduate and postgraduate students, and in 1987, together with Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith and Dr Athanasios Angelou, established the taught MA degree course in Byzantine Studies at Royal Holloway. This programme centred on the middle and later period of Byzantine history, placing particular emphasis on Byzantine sources and Greek Palaeography. This initiative was joined by King’s College London (KCL) under Professor Averil Cameron and Professor Charlotte Roueché, whose interests centred in Late Antiquity and early Byzantium; thus, the University of London federal MA course in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (MA LABS) took its original form.

Since October 2009 the MA LABS has been offered as part of the intercollegiate arrangements among Royal Holloway, King's College London and University College London (UCL). In choosing where to register, students should note that they will normally be expected to undertake their MA dissertation at their home College; they should therefore aim to register at the College where staff interests are closest to their own. The MA LABS at Royal Holloway is taught by members of staff of the Hellenic Institute, a research centre for the diachronic and interdisciplinary study of Hellenism, based in the History Department.

Since its establishment a large number of students have successfully pursued this MA course, the majority of whom continued their research on a doctoral level. Today graduates of the programme hold research and teaching posts in universities in Britain and abroad, testifying to its success in meeting its aims.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/history/coursefinder/malateantiquebyzantinestudies.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The Hellenic Institute, established in 1993, brings together two areas of teaching and research in which Royal Holloway has long excelled: the study of the language, literature and history of Ancient Greece, based largely in the Department of Classics and Philosophy, but also in the Department of Drama and Theatre; and Byzantine Studies, which have always found a home in the Department of History. It aims to consolidate existing strengths and to extend them by promoting the study of the Hellenic tradition across the centuries from archaic and classical Greece, through the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine period, to the modern world.

- We collaborate closely with other Colleges and research centres in the University of London, including the Institute of Classical Studies, the Institute of Historical Research and the Warburg Institute, as well as the British Library, Lambeth Palace Library and The Hellenic Centre, a cultural meeting place for the Greek community in London.

- We maintain links with universities overseas, especially in Greece and Cyprus. Scholars from the Universities of Athens, Ioannina and Cyprus regularly visit the Institute as part of collaborative research, offering their expertise to our students and members of staff.

- The Institute organises a range of lectures, seminars, conferences, workshops and other events for students, scholars and the wider public, giving the opportunity to engage with experts in the field.

- We receive funding in support of our activities from the Ministries of Culture and Education of the Hellenic Republic, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, the A.G. Leventis Foundation, the Hellenic Foundation, the Orthodox Cultural Association (Athens), The Friends of the Hellenic Institute and private donors.

- The Institute offers a number of annual fees-only studentships, bursaries and other awards in support of its students.

Department research and industry highlights

Collaborative research includes:
- Thomas de Aquino Byzantinus
- Seminar on Editing Byzantine Texts
- Byzantine Autographs
- A Catalogue of the Greek Manuscript Collection of Lambeth Palace Library
- The Porphyrogenitus Project: Lexicon of Abbreviations and Ligatures in Greek
- Minuscule Hands, c.800-c.1600
- Lexicon of Terms used in Palaeography, Codicology and Diplomatics
- Triadic Monarchy: The Concept of Monarchy in the Triadology of the Greek Fathers -
- Ecclesiological Repercussions and the Monastic Model
- The Greek Population of Rhodes under Hospitaller Rule
- The Greek Community in London, 1500-1945.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

- a detailed knowledge and understanding of the methodologies of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, and their limitations

- an understanding of advanced, current research issues relevant to the discipline

- an awareness of the multiplicity of material available and the strengths and weaknesses of the various forms of historical information

- a general appreciation of the varied and interlinked methodologies for understanding antiquity and the medieval age

- the reading and understanding of ancient and medieval texts, both in print and in manuscript

- a grasp of literary criticism necessary for understanding and appreciating the style of ancient and medieval authors

- an awareness of the main forms of material available to those studying classical antiquity and the Byzantine world.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, written examinations and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different areas, including careers as researchers and university lecturers, teachers in secondary education, librarians, archivists, book conservators, and editors of history journals. A number of our graduates hold teaching posts and research fellowships at the Universities of London, Cyprus, Patras and the Peloponnese, the Institute for Byzantine Research of the Hellenic National Research Foundation, and are employed by the Library of the Greek Parliament and the Department of Book Conservation of the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece.

The majority of our graduates pursue MPhil/PhD studies in the field of Byzantine Literature and History, and Greek Palaeography at the Hellenic Institute of Royal Holloway and at other universities in Britain and abroad.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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Upon graduation from the Master’s Programme in Translational Medicine (TRANSMED) you can be expected to:
-Be fluent in medical sciences and clinical practice from the point of view of a researcher.
-Be familiar with up-to-date translational research methodologies.
-Be adept at scientific reasoning and critical analysis of scientific literature.
-Acknowledge the regulatory and ethical aspects of biomedical and clinical research.
-Have mastered scientific and medical terminologies.
-Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to find employment in an international and interdisciplinary professional setting.

The University of Helsinki will introduce annual tuition fees to foreign-language Master’s programmes starting on August 1, 2017 or later. The fee ranges from 13 000-18 000 euros. Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries, who do not have a permanent residence status in the area, are liable to these fees. You can check this FAQ at the Studyinfo website whether or not you are required to pay tuition fees: https://studyinfo.fi/wp2/en/higher-education/higher-education-institutions-will-introduce-tuition-fees-in-autumn-2017/am-i-required-to-pay-tuition-fees/

Programme Contents

The TRANSMED studies are built upon three core educational themes:
Development of Research Skills
These include an introduction to current methodologies, which are further developed during a training period in a research group; research ethics: principles of clinical investigation; and writing of research or grant proposals.

Studies in Human Disease
These range from normal human physiology and anatomy, and basic biomedical courses, to more specialised studies covering various topics pertinent to the specialist option. You supplement these studies with clinical rounds, during which you have an opportunity to study selected patient cases in hospital wards, under the supervision of a clinician mentor.

Development of Communication Skills
These are promoted throughout the curriculum, through utilisation of interactive approaches and discussions, problem-based learning and oral presentations. The multidisciplinary TRANSMED community encompasses a wide range of educational backgrounds and provides ample opportunities for direct interactions with medical students, science and clinical teachers to enable you to practice and adopt interdisciplinary communication skills. At the end of the course of study, your communication skills will be evaluated in the final exam, during which you will orally present your research plan to expert examiners.

Selection of the Majors

The major of the programme is Translational medicine. During your first study year you can choose any of the five available specialisation options. These options and their specific goals are:
Neuroscience and Psychobiology
-To acquire knowledge on research methodology and state-of-the-art information in systems and cognitive neuroscience, as well as in clinical neuropsychology.
-To learn to produce new scientific information in the fields of psychobiology of human life, health, and stress, and to transfer the results between basic research and clinical settings.

Cancer
-To acquire basic knowledge of the principles of neoplastic growth, cancer progression and dissemination.
-To acquire basic understanding of the interplay between different cell types during neoplastic growth.
-To acquire knowledge of major research methodologies and disease models in cancer biology.

Regenerative Medicine
-To understand the principles of developmental and stem cell biology and regenerative pharmacology as the basis of regenerative therapies.
-To be familiar with the major technologies applied in regenerative medicine, including tissue engineering, cell and organ transplantation and transplantation immunology.
-To understand the ethical principles of clinical translation of basic research and application of regenerative medicine therapies.

Metabolic Disorders
-To be able to understand the basic metabolic pathways.
-To understand the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and obesity.
-To be able to use genetic knowledge as a basis for prediction, diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disorders.

Cross-Disciplinary Translational Medicine
-To achieve a broad understanding of topics and methods in the field of Translational medicine.

Programme Structure

The scope of the programme is 120 credits (ECTS) and can be completed within two academic years (60 ECTS / year).

The Master of Science in Translational medicine degree includes 60 ECTS of advanced and 60 ECTS of other studies. Both of these include both obligatory and optional studies.

The majority of the advanced studies are related to the chosen specialist option and include:
-Master’s thesis (30 ECTS)
-Placement in a research group for learning advanced methods in your selected field of study
-Methodological and human health and disease-related courses
-Clinical rounds in Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCH) clinics
-Final examination in your field of specialisation

The other studies include e.g.
-Article analysis, scientific writing and presentation
-Biomedicine and introductory courses in research methods
-Career planning and orientation
-Individual study coaching and personal study plans
-Research ethics

You can select the optional courses based on your personal interests, or to support your chosen specialisation option. You can also include courses from other suitable Master’s programmes at the University of Helsinki, such as:
-Life Science Informatics
-Genetics and molecular biosciences
-Neuroscience
-Human Nutrition and Food Behaviour

You can also include studies in other universities under the flexible study right-agreement (JOO).

Career Prospects

The Master of Science in Translational medicine degree provides excellent opportunities to apply for and attend postgraduate studies. Currently, 50% of TRANSMED graduates are continuing their studies in doctoral programmes, either at the University of Helsinki or abroad.

TRANSMED graduates are also highly valued in the private sector. Around 35% of graduates have been employed directly by bioindustry, pharma or other health sector enterprises either in Finland or abroad. Titles include product manager, product specialist, personalised health care manager etc. All such enterprises usually recruit both at the graduate (MSc) and postgraduate (PhD) levels.

The health and health technology sectors represent a rapidly emerging field, and one of the areas with a growing importance as the population ages and the costs of new therapies steadily increase. Thus, the demand for well-trained specialists in the field of translational medicine is likely to increase in the near future, providing excellent career prospects globally.

Internationalization

The Translational Medicine major is only available in this international programme, making the programme attractive to both Finnish and international students. Indeed, opportunities for personal interaction with students from different cultures are an integral feature of the studies. During your studies, you can also volunteer to act as a tutor for the incoming international students.

The international research community in The Academic Medical Centre Helsinki actively participates in teaching in TRANSMED. You complete the research group practice for your Master’s thesis in multicultural research groups.

It is also possible to complete your Master’s thesis work or research group placement abroad, or to include coursework done at a foreign university.

Research Focus

The specialisation options of the programme – Neuroscience and psychobiology, Cancer, Regenerative medicine, Metabolic disorders, and Cross-disciplinary translational medicine – are closely aligned with the research focus areas of the Faculty of Medicine: malignancy, inflammation, metabolism, degenerative processes as well as psychiatric disorders and their mechanisms. You therefore have an opportunity to learn from, and be supervised by, the leading experts and professors in their fields.

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This course is for registered nurses wishing to pursue a career in community nursing. It can lead to either a PGDip or MSc in Community Health Studies, a recordable specialist practitioner qualification with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) in district nursing or general practice nursing.

The course aims to:

• Develop a critical awareness and understanding of discipline specific knowledge, informed by current practice and scholarship.

• Judiciously apply the evidence-base to clinical situations that are complex and justify decisions to the inter-professional team.

• Develop discipline specific competencies to Masters practice level demonstrating self-direction and the ability to act autonomously in the management of patient care, within the scope of professional practice.

Distinctive features

• 50% theory and 50% practice.

• Provides a recordable specialist practitioner qualification with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) in district nursing.

• Fully supported by local service providers.

• Incorporates community practitioner nurse prescribing qualification, V100.

Structure

All students will attend the three core generic modules and one core specialist module that apply to the particular pathways for the award of District Nursing or General Practice Nursing.

Successful completion of all four modules will lead to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Science - Community Health Studies and recordable NMC specialist practice and community practitioner nurse prescriber qualifications.

You will then have the option to continue to the dissertation (MSc) stage.

Successful completion of a dissertation module will lead to the award of MSc in Healthcare Science - Community Health Studies.

PGDip:

The PGDip takes 3 years to complete by part-time study.

For a list of the modules please see the website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/community-health-studies-spq-pgdip-part-time

MSc:

The MSc can be completed in 1 year with full-time study or in 4 years by part-time study.

For a list of modules for the FULL-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/community-health-studies-spq-msc

For a list of the modules for the PART-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/community-health-studies-spq-msc-part-time

Teaching

Learning and teaching methods will include lectures, guided reading activities, seminar discussions, online activities, and discussion forums. Screen and podcasts, lecture-capture, and supervisory blogs are also planned to enhance and promote learning.

As some students may have concerns about the level of IT skills required to undertake the course, each student accepted onto the course will be provided with pre-programme support.

The face-to-face taught component of the module will also provide an opportunity for students to meet and develop insights into each other’s roles and experiences.

Assessment

Assessment is via a variety of methods, including written assignments, exams, presentations and a practical assessment (clinical portfolio). Assignments vary according to the module.

The programme is 50% theory and 50% practice. The practical element will be assessed through a summative clinical portfolio.

Career Prospects

Successful completion of this course should equip you with skills and knowledge to help advance your career in nursing.

The ongoing shift of care closer to home is driving the continued development of primary care services both locally and nationally, and community nurse education features strongly in these plans to ensure the workforce is fit for purpose.

Service reconfiguration requires specialist district nurses and practice nurses to be able to lead and deliver services to meet the increasing demands of an ageing population.

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This degree offers the possibility of following advanced study in the histories of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American cultures in the light of contemporary theoretical developments in the fields of literature, cultural studies, cultural geography, film and the history of art and media. You may specialise in either Spain and Portugal or Latin America, as well as in different historical periods and media, or combine interests.

Birkbeck is a world-renowned centre of Iberian and Latin American Studies. Our work is distinguished by its innovative character, its engagement with other disciplines and its challenge to received ideas. We are committed to a continual rethinking of the fields we research and the subjects we teach, creatively and critically.

We are also known for our unique student population, including a high number of Spanish and Latin American undergraduates and postgraduates. This brings a particular richness and variety of experience and knowledge to our courses and seminars.

Our international staff specialise in diverse aspects of cultural history and critique, with a strong emphasis not only on the literary and linguistic but also the audiovisual expression of Latin America and the Iberian peninsula past and present.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Can be taken as a first step to doctoral research, to enhance your career prospects or simply for interest.
Our School of Arts is one of the best centres of Iberian and Latin American studies in the country.
Our work is distinguished by its innovative character, its engagement with other disciplines and its challenge to received ideas.
The department hosts the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), offering a unique environment in which to undertake collaborative, cross-disciplinary and comparative research on visual subjects in the Hispanic and Lusophone world, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The School has achieved notable success in obtaining external funding for research. In addition we have an excellent team of research students (just over 20 at present), several of whom attend MA modules out of interest, ensuring a high level of intellectual discussion and allowing you to benefit from being part of a lively postgraduate community. You are in turn welcome to attend Research Seminars and the Postgraduate Conference, as well as all talks and conferences organised by the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS). As about a third of our students come from Spain, Portugal or Latin America, you also have easy access to native speakers of Spanish and Portuguese, socially as well as academically.
Postgraduate research seminars are held throughout the year, offering a stimulating forum for discussion among our research students, MA/MRes students, staff and invited speakers.
We offer a lively student experience, as well as student support and facilities.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Modern Languages and Linguistics achieved 100% for a research environment conducive to producing research of the highest quality, while 73% of our research was recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent.

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Why take this course?

This course will allow students to gain specialism in a chosen topic through a production of an extended piece of academic writing building on their choice of optional units taken in the second year covering the areas of health, education, gender, international relations, criminology and making use of the applied research methods in development skills acquired in the first year.

The distance learning and part time mode of the programme provides a flexible learning framework with opportunities for students to undertake a full Master's qualification, a postgraduate Diploma or a postgraduate Certificate.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Critically engage with an international development studies topic of choice, assembling information from a variety of sources to compose clear detailed and logical argument;
Learn to formulate a systematic and methodologically sound research process through undertaking a literature review and empirical research;
Where applicable, justify ethical considerations surrounding research carried out.

What opportunities might it lead to?

You can expect to graduate from this course with enhanced career prospects in the international development sector, greater knowledge of development issues and an increasing professional network that may allow you to identify career opportunities. You will also be prepared for doctoral study.

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

Theory & Practice of Development:
Explore the history, theory and practice of international development studies, through topics from colonialism to globalisation. You will be introduced to the tools, such as social enterprise, that are used in development practice. Assessment includes a social enterprise project alongside a traditional essay.

Applied Research Methods for Development:
Learn the strategies and methods of collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data in the social sciences. You will learn to use SPSS for data manipulation, quantitative data analysis and interpretation, using a range of data sets relevant to international development studies.

Dissertation:
Demonstrate your achievement on the course as a whole, through the production of a 15,000-word research project on a topic of your choice, informed by the optional units you have selected, under the advice and guidance of a personal supervisor.

You will also select two optional units:

International and Comparative Criminal Justice:
Compare differing systems of criminal justice, including international courts and criminal tribunals, as well as international norms and standards. You will examine the role of international criminal justice bodies within the UN and the EU, institutional development, and criminal justice capacity building.

Gender for Development Cooperation:
Combine study of theories in gender (including masculinities) with practical knowledge of the tools used by practitioners to approach gender mainstreaming in development. You will also look at the application of a gendered lens to the design and implementation of development programmes.

Contemporary Security in International Relations:
Examine the most pressing international security challenges facing policy makers, reflect on new debates in security studies, and explore the enduring relevance of strategic thought in the face of contemporary challenges.

Education and Development:
Consider key issues in contemporary debates relating to education and international development, through a range of approaches, theories and research in historical and regional contexts. Themes include fair access, inclusivity, diversity and equity in education and skills policy.

Health and Development:
Examine the challenges in defining and measuring population health, and explore a variety of health topics relevant to both the developed and developing countries including obesity, ageing, health and migration, health inequalities and child under-nutrition.

Economics of Development:
Gain insights into the ways in which economics and economists play a critical role in terms of development policy. You will examine resource endowment and exploitation, poverty and inequality, historic trade theory and the role of finance and microfinance in economic development.

Units (30 credits per unit, 60 credits for the dissertation) are offered individually as credit-bearing short courses, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), or MSc International Development Studies (180 credits).

Programme Assessment

This course will be offered entirely through distance learning methods. All course materials and readings, lecture notes, as well as additional links to useful organisational sites, social media hubs and further resources, will be posted and regularly updated in our virtual learning environment. Human contact will be an important part of the programme too, with regular ‘webinars’, discussion forums, one-on-one tutorials with lecturers, email correspondence and skype meetings where necessary.

The assessment methods used on this programme are varied and test all the skills developed in the different modules at different stages of the learning process. These include essays, leading and participating in discussion forums and blogs, portfolios, policy briefs and research projects, allowing for a balance between formative and summative assessment.

Student Destinations

The course is designed to support the needs of those who hope to be, or are already, engaged in the international development sector. It offers highly desirable transferable skills such as communication, qualitative data collection, quantitative data manipulation and data analysis and writing skills. Additionally, the applied nature of this course means that students will be working within ‘live’ development contexts from the start. This will ensure that they are able to develop their professional networks and identify career opportunities. Additionally students will benefit from the advice and guidance regarding career progression given by the experts and development practitioners who teach on this course.

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Why take this course?

This course builds on the knowledge in theory and practice of development and applied research methods for development gained in the first year to allow for an in-depth understanding of two optional courses depending on students’ interest and background taken in the second year. Optional units will cover the disciplines of health, education, economics, politics and criminology and the topic of gender.

The distance learning and part time mode of the programme provides a flexible learning framework with opportunities for students to undertake a full Master's qualification, a postgraduate Diploma or a postgraduate Certificate.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Study with academic staff that are actively engaged in research in your chosen optional unit and with an area/regional specialism
Critically engage with a range of topics from the field of international development studies, assembling a clear argument from a variety of information sources
Take advantage of flexible provision that aims to meet your specific needs

What opportunities might it lead to?

You can expect to graduate from this course with enhanced career prospects in the international development sector, greater knowledge of development issues and an increasing professional network that may allow you to identify career opportunities.

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

Theory & Practice of Development:
Explore the history, theory and practice of international development studies, through topics from colonialism to globalisation. You will be introduced to the tools, such as social enterprise, that are used in development practice. Assessment includes a social enterprise project alongside a traditional essay.

Applied Research Methods for Development:
Learn the strategies and methods of collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data in the social sciences. You will learn to use SPSS for data manipulation, quantitative data analysis and interpretation, using a range of data sets relevant to international development studies.

You will also select two optional units:

International and Comparative Criminal Justice:
Compare differing systems of criminal justice, including international courts and criminal tribunals, as well as international norms and standards. You will examine the role of international criminal justice bodies within the UN and the EU, institutional development, and criminal justice capacity building.

Gender for Development Cooperation:
Combine study of theories in gender (including masculinities) with practical knowledge of the tools used by practitioners to approach gender mainstreaming in development. You will also look at the application of a gendered lens to the design and implementation of development programmes.

Contemporary Security in International Relations:
Examine the most pressing international security challenges facing policy makers, reflect on new debates in security studies, and explore the enduring relevance of strategic thought in the face of contemporary challenges.

Education and Development:
Consider key issues in contemporary debates relating to education and international development, through a range of approaches, theories and research in historical and regional contexts. Themes include fair access, inclusivity, diversity and equity in education and skills policy.

Health and Development:
Examine the challenges in defining and measuring population health, and explore a variety of health topics relevant to both the developed and developing countries including obesity, ageing, health and migration, health inequalities and child under-nutrition.

Economics of Development:
Gain insights into the ways in which economics and economists play a critical role in terms of development policy. You will examine resource endowment and exploitation, poverty and inequality, historic trade theory and the role of finance and microfinance in economic development.

Units (30 credits per unit, 60 credits for the dissertation) are offered individually as credit-bearing short courses, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), or MSc International Development Studies (180 credits).

Programme Assessment

This course will be offered entirely through distance learning methods. All course materials and readings, lecture notes, as well as additional links to useful organisational sites, social media hubs and further resources, will be posted and regularly updated in our virtual learning environment. Human contact will be an important part of the programme too, with regular ‘webinars’, discussion forums, one-on-one tutorials with lecturers, email correspondence and skype meetings where necessary.

The assessment methods used on this programme are varied and test all the skills developed in the different modules at different stages of the learning process. These include essays, leading and participating in discussion forums and blogs, portfolios, policy briefs and research projects, allowing for a balance between formative and summative assessment.

Student Destinations

The living contexts of the work undertaken on this course will offer valuable experience and contacts in the international development sector, while the advice and guidance regarding career progression given by lecturing staff will be invaluable. You may use this career to support work in governmental bodies and NGOs, or charities.

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This programme trains you to do research in economic and cultural geography, planning and demography. The programme is aimed at people who are theoretically or methodologically orientated.

The Research Master in Regional Studies is interdisciplinary. It studies the fields of demography, human geography and regional planning from a social and economic science perspective.

The two-year programme provides ample opportunity for you to focus on the themes that interest you. You will gain a thorough philosophical and methodological background, and receive a solid training in qualitative and quantitative research methods. You will participate in research projects under supervision of experienced staff members, within the Faculty's Research Program TWIST: Towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation.

You are required to gain some international experience, for instance by doing research in a foreign context, or by participating in an international workshop.

Why in Groningen?

The Research Master in Regional Studies in Groningen is unique because it delivers excellent researchers in the core themes of economic geography, cultural geography, planning and demography. At the same time, graduates combine their expertise in their own field with the capacity to put these themes in a broader, interdisciplinary perspective of the interactions between population, economy, culture and planning.

Job perspectives

You may opt for a PhD-career at a university. Commercial research and consultancy firms also hire graduates. In addition, you may work at research units of local, regional, national or even international government organisations. Finally, you can work in government related research institutes, such as the Netherlands Institute of Spatial Research (in Dutch: RPB, Ruimtelijk Planbureau).

The program of the Research Master in Regional Studies is intertwined with the Faculty's Research Program, towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation (tWIST). In courses such as Individual Research Training (IRT) and Master Thesis, students participate in ongoing research projects of the senior academic staff, which are all embedded in tWIST.

The Study Program consists of different courses in the field of Regional Studies, related to the topics in tWIST. The specific courses depend on the individual student’s interests and specialization.

The research themes Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation are studied in the broad field of geography and spatial planning, which investigates the role which space, place, location and distance, play in our communities and societies. We employ a range of qualitative, quantitative, micro and macro research methodologies to uncover these issues and to help improve wellbeing, to encourage innovation, and to increase our understanding of spatial transformation processes. The research work undertaken in each of the departments within the Faculty is also supported by the use of advanced geographical information systems (GIS). The research themes of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences complement the University of Groningen’s Healthy Ageing research program. Society is ageing and also becoming more geographically mobile. The outcome of this is that growing social inequalities in terms of wellbeing, heath and wealth are interrelated with emerging spatial inequalities. These are major issues faced by contemporary society for which the Faculty of Spatial Sciences is uniquely placed to provide coherent policy analysis, design and impact assessment.

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