Masters Degrees (Social Impact Assessment)

The Department of Social Work has a longstanding tradition of providing excellent social work education and training and has produced a wide range of research that has been highly influential in the development of social work practice.

The MSc Social Work is an accelerated programme for applicants who already have a first degree and want to embark on a career in social work; the course will fully prepare you for a professional career in the statutory or voluntary social care field.

This Masters degree runs in close partnership with local social care agencies and local authorities based in inner and outer London boroughs. The course is a combination of a taught and practice curriculum, where you will undertake two fieldwork placements in addition to the College-based teaching over the two years.

We welcome overseas and self-funding students.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/socialwork/coursefinder/mscsocialwork.aspx

Why choose this course?

Students have said the following about this course:
- “Lectures are delivered by experienced practitioners and leaders in the Health and Social Care field.”

- “The teaching is of a high standard and lectures are interactive with opportunities for small group activity.”

- “Staff are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and professional.”

- "There is excellent support for mature students, especially those with childcare and family commitments.”

- “I am a final year student and proud to be a postgraduate student at Royal Holloway.”

Department research and industry highlights

Since its inception, the department has developed a reputation for delivering high quality research across a range of areas by engaging with matters of public concern. In the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008 45% of the department’s quality profile was ranked 3-4*.

- A team of researchers in the department recently conducted a major study into leadership in health and social care services.

- Two members of staff are currently completing a small-scale study into decision-making in the field of child and family welfare.

- The department hosted the Centre for Trauma and Abuse studies and continues to maintain strong links with this centre.

- The department runs the most successful Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Studies in partnership with 28 London Boroughs and has been designated a Centre of Excellence.

Course content and structure

The MSc in Social Work is a two-year course that runs over two academic years, and is based at Royal Holloway’s Egham campus. The course is full time and students are expected to attend from 9am - 5pm, both in College and while on placement. The course integrates theory, research, policy and practice in social work, and the academic and practice programmes run concurrently.

- Course structure and organisation
In the first year you'll attend College four days a week during the first term. In the second term you are on placement (70 days) from Monday to Thursday and in College on Fridays. The placement continues in the third term. There are occasional block weeks on placement and Recall Days when you need to attend College.

In year two you'll attend College on Mondays and Tuesdays and are on placement (100 days) the rest of the time. Again there are occasional block weeks on placement and Recall Days when you need to attend College. Please see information about placements for more details regarding the practice element of the course.

- First year courses
Practice Learning 1: preparation for practice. .

Social Policy for Social Workers: gain an understanding of social policy issues related to social work.

Human behaviour in the social environment: gain knowledge about psychology in relation to working with service users.

Child observations: develop observation skills that are relevant to social work with all service user groups.

Theories and knowledge for Social Work practice: gain knowledge of theories and approaches used to understand how to work with service users.

Law for Social Work: learn about law relating to working with services users.

- Second year courses
Critical Social Work: issues relating to working with service users and about different service user groups e.g. adult and child safeguarding, assessments, working with asylum seekers, substance misuse, working with resistant service users.

Choose one of three optional seminars depending on your area of interest: mental health, child and family welfare or vulnerable adults.

Practice Learning 2 - critical reflection: students explore and reflect upon their practice in seminar groups.

Research methods: Students learn about research methods in preparation for their dissertation.

Understanding and working in organisations: learn about the legal obligations, structures and cultures within organisations and how these impact on policy, procedure and practice.

- Support
Students are provided with one to one support from: Academic Tutors, who'll support you throughout the course; Placement tutors and Practice Educators; Dissertation Supervisors in the second year.

Royal Holloway provides range of wider services that support students including the Educational Support Office, Student Financial Advisor, Counselling Services, Students’ Union and Careers Service.

On completion of the course graduates will have advanced knowledge of:
- sociology, psychology, social policy and law and their application to social work practice

- the contribution and application of social research to social work theories and practice

- the range of statutory, voluntary and private welfare organisations within social work agencies and in health, housing and educational environments

- the range of theories and methods needed for effective social work practice

- the social and individual origins of a typical range of problems presented to social care agencies

- values and ethics relevant to social work practice

- the significance of inequalities and difference in working with organisations and social service users

- the significance of cultural diversity and anti discriminatory practice in working with organisations and social service users.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations, presentations and a dissertation. Students are also required to successfully complete one 70-day and one 100-day practice-learning placement.

Employability & career opportunities

The MSc in Social Work qualifies graduates for careers in statutory and voluntary social work. Qualified social workers can continue their professional/academic development through taught post-qualifying programmes or research opportunities within the department. This course also equips you with the subject knowledge and a solid foundation for continued PhD studies.

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Do you want a career which can change people’s lives? With the focus on social welfare and social policy issues in the local, national and international context, our course will give you the skills and understanding to really make a difference.

See the website http://www.anglia.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/international-social-welfare-and-social-policy

How does globalisation impact on social welfare provision and planning in different countries? Do issues like poverty and social exclusion, street living and migration need to be culturally and locally specific, or could there be global solutions? You’ll explore these and many other issues in our MSc which will prepare you for a career in social welfare and policy. The emphasis is on comparative and global analysis, exploring social welfare and planning responses to issues such as street children, criminal justice and social welfare in areas of political conflict. You’ll have the chance to build and expand on skills relating to policy making, social sciences, leadership and strategies of change. An understanding of comparative and global welfare policies is important for national and international organisations. Therefore, our course is a positive step towards a career in a national and international context, working within the area of social welfare and policy.

Careers

Career possibilities once you’ve graduated are likely to be in the fields of community development social policy, social welfare, youth work, education, higher education, consultancy or policy making in local, regional and international governmental and non-governmental bodies. You’ll also be prepared to carry out further research and study towards a PhD.

- Links with industry and professional recognition
Our Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education works in collaboration with a number of universities from across Europe on the International Doctoral Studies in Social Work (INDOSOW) project. This is the first European Doctoral Programme of its kind and offers the opportunity to take part in an international interdisciplinary study of social work, welfare systems and social policies. For further information about the INDOSOW project visit: http://www.indosow.net.

Core modules

Globalisation, Social Welfare & Social Policy
Comparative Social Policy & Social Welfare
Research Studies
Major Project

Optional modules:
Global Leadership
Collaborative Practice for Integrated Care
Essential Issues in Public Health Policy

You will choose one optional module from the above list. Modules are subject to change.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed in a range of ways to examine the development of your skills throughout our course, leading to the submission of your Major Project bringing together aspects of learning from earlier modules. Assessment strategies include essays, reports, case studies and debates; there are no exams in this course. You’ll have plenty of group workshop and individual supervised support for your Major Project.

Special features

The course leader is a specialist in research and teaching within an international context.

Our students come from across the globe including Bangladesh, Columbia, Ghana, India, Kenya and the UK. Each of our students brings their individual experience in areas as varied as international relations, psychology, social work, social policy, sociology and economics. With lively classroom debates at the top of our agenda, you can be sure that each topic is discussed from multiple perspectives.

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About the course

The Social Work MA programme aims to educate and train individuals to be reflective, research-minded practitioners who are able to work critically and professionally and in accordance with the principle of anti-oppressive practice.
Graduates who successfully complete this programme are eligible to apply for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.

The professional and academic elements are closely integrated throughout the programme. There are 170 placement days, with the working week divided between time in placement and time in the University.

Aims

This MA Social Work degree programme aims to provide high quality post graduate social work education and training to equip students with comprehensive pre-entry skills to work in any agency employing social workers in the United Kingdom.

Although the statutory sector is the major employer, increasingly social workers are being recruited into voluntary and private sectors in a variety of service provision roles including community-based, residential or day care services in the UK and abroad.

The programme seeks to encourage the personal responsibility of students to function as independent learners and to develop a critical and reflective appreciation of the role of social work in society.

The curriculum provides teaching in both academic and practice elements, which are fully integrated at Brunel University London. It is designed to ensure that learning occurs in an incremental way, with learning outcomes that develop across levels enabling students to demonstrate progression in professional knowledge, skills and values through two years of study.

Specifically, the programme aims to:

- Prepare students for critical and reflective professional practice according to the HCPC’s approval standards of education
- Equip students to practise ethical, innovative and effective social work practice that actively promotes social justice in a diverse society
- Integrate learning in academic and practice elements of the programme so that students have a holistic understanding of social work in variety of professional contexts
- Enable students to identify, understand and critically appraise evidence and research which can inform social work practice
- Enable graduates to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and apply for membership with the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

Course Content

Compulsory Modules (year 1)

The Foundations of Social Work Practice
Social Work Theories and Perspectives
Life-span Behaviour and Development
Legal Frameworks for Social Justice
Social Policy and Sociology
Professional Skills Development I
Practice Learning I
Approaches to Research

Compulsory Modules (year 2)

Assessment and the Management of Risk and Complexity
Effective Practice with Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Substance Misuse
What Works in Social Work
Professional Skills Development II
Practice Learning II (100 days)
Dissertation

Year 2 Pathways (choose one)

Social Work with Children and Families
Main topics: working with children in need and child protection; theory, research, law, policy and practice; inter-professional workshops on the impact of parental problems including parental substance misuse and domestic violence; critical review of inter-agency and inter-disciplinary practice through serious case reviews; children looked after and leaving care and service user voices; theory and research specific to social work practice with children and families; risk analysis and risk management; the centrality of relation based practice in direct work and communication with children and young people; the family court system and skills in analysing and presenting case material.

Social Work with Adults
Main topics: the development of community-based care and support and integrated adult health and social care including ideological underpinnings and contemporary issues in policy and adult social work practice; person-centred and care management approaches to community-based adult social work practice; and adult practice specialisms.

Note: As this programme may involve regular access to children and/or vulnerable adults, students will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application, previously known as a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. The application will cost £51.86 (this amount may be subject to change) and the University will send further instructions as part of the admissions process. For further guidance please email [email protected]

Work Placements

Brunel University London has an excellent placement team that takes care to match students to appropriate children and families and adult social work placements within the London area. Placement providers have been consistently positive about their experience supervising post-graduate students and have frequently hired students back into permanent posts after they have completed their degree.

Teaching

A wide range of teaching methods are used in the MA Social Work programme including lectures, seminars, workshops, coupled with individual tutorials and group tutorials to ensure large group learning is translated in a more discursive way. Assessments include essays, exams and presentations and students are expected to complete a total of 180 credits of assessed academic work along with a 60 credit dissertation.

Special Features

The programme is transitionally approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Students enjoy first-rate facilities in the new Mary Seacole Building.

We are one of the leading providers of university-based social work and social policy research in London and have attracted funding from, amongst other sources, the ESRC, the AHRC, Nuffield Foundation, the Rowntree Trust, the European Union, the Department for Education and Skills and the NHS.

Students benefit from close links with social care providers in local government and in the voluntary sector.

Service users and carers are crucial to our work, and our BEEC (Brunel Experts by Experience Committee) enables them to be involved at all stages of the MA, from interview to assessment.

Recent groundbreaking research into personalisation, service user involvement, Family Drug and Alcohol Courts, young onset dementia and youth and religion, amongst other areas, feed into our taught programmes, making them highly relevant and up-to-date. Our academics include the authors of best selling books on citizenship, community care and child protection.

Anti-oppressive practice has been at the core of our education and training philosophy for some years and this emphasis is evident in the teaching of this programme.

Brunel University has a long history of securing a range of quality placements across London and surrounding areas. We have substantial experience in working across the statutory and independent sector and have strong partnership links.

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Introduction

1st in Scotland for social work in The Complete University Guide 2015.
Do you want a career that is stimulating, rewarding and makes a positive contribution to society? If so a postgraduate diploma/MSc in social work could be for you.
At Stirling University social work education is committed to progressive social change through teaching, research and an active involvement with practice. We believe in a social work profession defined not only by its function but also by its values and integrity.
We promote an understanding of social work which is informed by social justice and human rights, a profession that acknowledges the links between 'public issues' and 'private troubles' and seeks to address both. We value social work practice that has prevention at its heart and recognises the importance of collective approaches, actively engaging with and learning from user movements.
On the Postgraduate Diploma/MSc Social Work course at the University of Stirling you will be taught by a team of qualified social workers including world leaders in their research field and academics who continue to work in practice alongside their University role. You will enjoy the benefits of smaller class sizes (23-55) with creative approaches to teaching and assessment as well as detailed feedback on your progress. You will experience contributions to teaching by people who have used social work services and carers and on your practice placements, will be supported and assessed by accredited Practice Teachers and Educators. We will help you qualify as a social worker who is knowledgeable, skilled, analytical and ethical in your approach to working with individuals, families, groups and communities.

Accreditation

Successful completion of this course will mean students are then eligible to be registered, by the Scottish Social Services Council, as a qualified social worker.
The MSc is awarded on satisfactory completion of a dissertation undertaken at the end of the Diploma course. Both degrees are recognised throughout the UK.

Key information

- Degree type: Postgraduate Diploma, MSc
- Study methods: Full-time, Campus based
- Duration: 22 months
- Start date: JanuarySee
- Course Director: Joanne Westwood

Course objectives

This course provides you with an integrated academic and professional course which develops the intellectual and practice skills necessary for professional practice as a social worker.
Recent dissertation titles are: End of life assistance from a social work perspective; The use of communication tools when working with people with dementia: a practitioner perspective; Foster carers' experiences of support; Does employment have an impact upon the social inclusion of people with learning disabilities?

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.5 with 6.0 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade B
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 60 with 56 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 90 with no subtest less than 20

For more information go to English language requirements http://www.stir.ac.uk/study-in-the-uk/entry-requirements/english/

If you don’t meet the required score you may be able to register for one of our pre-sessional English courses. To register you must hold a conditional offer for your course and have an IELTS score 0.5 or 1.0 below the required standard. View the range of pre-sessional courses http://www.intohigher.com/uk/en-gb/our-centres/into-university-of-stirling/studying/our-courses/course-list/pre-sessional-english.aspx .

REF2014

In REF2014 Stirling was placed 6th in Scotland and 45th in the UK with almost three quarters of research activity rated either world-leading or internationally excellent.

Careers and employability

- Career opportunities
Successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma or the MSc provides the ‘licence to practise’ as a qualified social worker registered with the regulatory council of the country in which they work. The qualification is recognised throughout the UK and for work in community-based teams, hospitals, day and residential centres and voluntary agency projects. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it is also the qualification for social work in prisons and criminal justice teams.
The nature of the work is extremely varied and there is the capacity to move between different work settings throughout your career. Currently, over 80 percent of students find social work jobs within six months of graduating.
The nature of the work is extremely varied and there is the capacity to move between different work settings throughout your career. Currently, over 80 percent of students find social work jobs within six months of graduating.

- Employability
The MSc/PG Dip in Social Work Studies is a professional course which requires students to undertake along with their academic modules, two practice placements. It is in these placements that our students gain experience in direct work with service users and learn essential transferrable skills for their future employment within the social work profession. During the course they also gain experience of presentation skills, research methodology, as well as being taught specific and relevant skills to prepare them for employment in a variety of social work settings.

- Industry connections
We are fortunate to have strong connections with our partner agencies within a 60-mile radius of the University, who contribute to the teaching on the course and who also provide a range of placements across both statutory and voluntary social work services. Examples of these are: the local authorities in Forth Valley, Fife, and Perth & Kinross, and voluntary agencies such as Barnardos and Multi-Cultural Family Base.

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At the local, national and global level, we are witnessing an intense period of social transformation and fragmentation. Within this context, there is growing political and policy recognition of the need to better understand and thereby address social inequalities. The social sciences have an important role to play in mapping and understanding how inequalities arise and in tackling their causes and consequences. Innovative developments in the social sciences are offering new methodological, theoretical and empirical insights into entrenched and emerging inequalities of status, resource, outcome and opportunity. This has inspired us to create an interdisciplinary programme focusing on inequality in all its forms and its social, political and economic implications.

This Masters programme equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to engage in and contribute towards work that tackles the realities and effects of social inequality. Capitalising on academic and applied expertise in the School of Sociology and Social Policy and the Leeds Inequalities Research Network, this programme harnesses leading analytical approaches combining qualitative, quantitative and data analytic methods (in close collaboration with the School of Geography).

In addition to offering an advanced understanding of rising material inequality, the programme encourages an intersectional approach to understanding socio-economic stratification and how this links with physical (dis) ability, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, class and age. It provides a stimulating intellectual environment and cutting edge methodological approaches to comparing and contrasting the formation and consequences of inequalities across a range of national and international contexts. Through an examination of geopolitical and socioeconomic shifts, such as urbanisation and globalisation, students are actively supported to critically interrogate the contemporary character and extent of social inequality.

Research insight

Whilst undertaking this programme, students will join a vibrant and dynamic research led teaching and learning environment in the School of Sociology and Social Policy. You will benefit from the interdisciplinary expertise and extra-curricular activities hosted by the School and its research centres including those in Disability Studies, Ethnicity and Racism Studies, Interdisciplinary Gender Studies and Research into Families, the Life Course and Generations. You will also access events through the Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI), which fosters cross-departmental collaboration, learning and impact, Students will also benefit from workshops on global inequalities by academic leaders from across campus and research seminars with external speakers; along with career development opportunities and events. As such, students can take advantage of academic and applied expertise both within and beyond the University whilst also developing specialist knowledge and transferable skills for their future career development in the public, private or third sector.

Course content

The programme bridges disciplinary divides to provide a detailed understanding of the ways in which social inequality manifests across diverse communities and contexts at the national and international level. It offers insight into the character, causes and consequences of social inequality, as well as forms of resistance and policy responses. It has a strong and innovative methodological focus, including traditional qualitative and quantitative approaches to the social analysis of inequality, as well as new approaches to data visualisation and analytics from across the social sciences. The programme uses a range of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars and workshops, complemented by a range of co-curricular activities partly facilitated through the Leeds Inequalities Research Network.

Course structure

The core modules of the programme introduce students to contemporary research on global inequalities of social difference and disadvantage, emphasizing a diversity of theoretical and research design strategies, including international evidence surrounding the shifting nature and extent of inequality. Students are able to tailor the programme according to their interests and needs by choosing from a specially selected range of optional modules, which address major social and economic inequalities across diverse social science subjects and substantive issues. As such, students can choose to develop in-depth specialist knowledge on a particular area and/or focus more generally on the social processes and arrangements that give rise to inequalities.

Compulsory modules

• Inequalities: Exploring causes, Consequences and Interventions 30 credits
• Geographic Data Analysis and Visualisation 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits

PLUS TWO OF THE BELOW:

• Quantitative Research Methods 15 credits
• Qualitative Research Methods 15 credits
• Applied Population and Demographic Analysis

For more information on typical modules, read Inequalities and Social Science MSc Full Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods including presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials and lectures. However, independent study is crucial to this degree – it allows you to prepare for taught sessions, develop your research interests and build a range of skills. This is particularly the case for the dissertation/applied project module of this programme.

Supported through workshops and supervision, students develop their research dissertation or an applied project in partnership with external organisations. This offers students an exciting opportunity to gain experience of applying their knowledge and skills to policy and practice.

Assessment

Your core modules will be assessed using essays. Optional modules may use other forms of assessment that reflect the diversity of the topics you can study, including presentations, book and literature reviews, research proposals and reports among others.

Career opportunities

This programme prepares students for policy, research and applied careers across the private, public and third sectors. The interdisciplinary and dynamic nature of the programme equips students with the critical, analytical and methodological skills to deploy their specialist expertise in a clear, efficient and effective manner. You will develop transferable skills in research, analysis and communication, as well as in-depth knowledge that can be applied across a range of domains and contexts.

Due to the rigorous and applied nature of our teaching, graduates might pursue careers across a diverse range of organisational settings such as in government, NGOS, charities, think tanks, social enterprises and business. The programme also offers excellent development opportunities to pursue a career in social research or undertake research at PhD level.

Irrespective of your future career intentions, we offer tailored guidance and support through ESSL Faculty staff and the Leeds Careers Centre.

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This MRes allows you to carry out a closely supervised research project in a range of exciting and challenging social sciences fields.

The course is underpinned by core modules in research skills, supported by modules aligned to your chosen discipline pathway in Arts, Design, English Literature, History, Social Science or Media.

You’ll develop an advanced and critical knowledge of methodological approaches to social science research and the theoretical foundations underlying them, an advanced and critical understanding of ethical debates in relation to social science research and an advanced knowledge of IT and its relevance for social science research.

You’ll be supported and supervised by researchers who are widely published and working at the cutting edge of their field.

The course is a great preparation route for a PhD and it also offers advanced, transferrable skills that are highly sought after by employers.

For more information on the part time option for this course, please view this web-page: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/social-sciences-dtpssz6/

Learn From The Best

Many of the members of staff delivering this course are thought leaders in their fields.

They include the 2014 holder of the British Sociological Society and Higher Education Academy National award for Excellence in Teaching Sociology, the Chair of the European Group for Public Administration and the American Society of Criminology 2014 Critical Criminologist of the Year

Their expertise spans a broad range of areas, from housing and homelessness, poverty and overseas development, social justice, violence towards women, environmental justice, critical criminology, improving public services and more.

Academics involved in this course were also behind the formation of the North East Homeless Think Tank, a regional agency bringing together academics, researchers and policy officers to inform and influence policies affecting homeless groups.

Our members of staff also have particular expertise in working collaboratively to design and deliver training and CPD programmes, and in evaluation work.

Teaching And Assessment

Our assessment methods promote and nurture independent learning and a balanced workload.

Each assessment is carefully developed to ensure that it tests your knowledge, understanding and skills and you’ll receive regular feedback on your successes and areas for improvement.

Staff will also offer ongoing relevant support to help you manage your learning and develop the skills you’ll need to work independently after graduation.

You’ll undertake a dissertation or large project, supported by a core module, plus two discipline-specific modules that will examine the key themes, traditions and debates in your chosen discipline.

Your research project can be either a specialist, in-depth study based upon a substantial body of subject-relevant sources or it can be interdisciplinary in approach crossing over a number of disciplines.

Each MRes pathway has its own dedicated leader and your dissertation supervisor will have relevant subject expertise to help you get the very most from your studies.

Module Overview
EF0126 - E.S.A.P. in FADSS Level 7 (Optional, 0 Credits)
EL7028 - MRes Dissertation (Core, 90 Credits)
HI7011 - Research Development (Core, 30 Credits)
SO7004 - Social Research Methods (Core, 30 Credits)
SO7009 - Applied Social Research Methods (Core, 30 Credits)

Learning Environment

You’ll be able to access a dedicated virtual learning environment that contains module guides, staff details, assessment requirements and bespoke interactive reading lists to help your seminar preparation and independent research.

We pride ourselves on producing graduates that make an immediate impact and professional placements are an invaluable tool in preparing you for work. We’ve built strong partnerships to support this with a range of organisations including Arts Alliance, Traidcraft, VSO, CAFOD, New Writing North, Procter & Gamble and the British Council.

You’ll have opportunities for research placements, volunteering and work-related learning in challenging environments such as prisons, youth offending teams, homeless charities and parliamentary offices as well as exchanges with overseas universities.

Research-Rich Learning

Thanks to significant investment, Northumbria is ranked in the UK top 20 for research power in Social Work and Social Policy and over half of our research in Social Work and Social Policy has been rated as world leading or internationally excellent.

Our academics in this area have strengths in public policy, social inclusion, social justice, international development and criminology.

Recent research has included the use of cognitive behavioural programmes to reduce re-offending and the impact of creative and spiritual activities in prison.

Our academics have also undertaken research on global poverty and inequality, including policies and approaches to address these issues.

We’ve also explored areas of public governance, public policy and public services management, as well as studied inequalities and their impact on society.

Other projects span a range of subjects from volunteering and philanthropy to homelessness and the inclusion of young people.

Give Your Career An Edge

This course will offer you a range of sought after skills to help you take your next career step, whether that’s into further research, study or employment.

It’s also a great course if you’re already in an established career and looking for progression or promotion, especially in fields such as teaching, the public sector, public policy or project management.

You’ll have critical skills and attitudes, great presentation skills, reflective and evaluative abilities, advanced communication skills, excellent time management, ethical and professional understanding and highly developed research and inquiry skills.

You’ll also be self-motivated, capable of making decisions in complex situations and have a thirst for independent learning.

If your next step is a PhD, then we’ll offer you support with your applications.

Your Future

This course will see you develop into an independent, critical thinker equipped with excellent practical, communication and transferable skills, giving you a platform from which to excel in your career.

You’ll become a highly motivated, flexible, and innovative individual, capable of demonstrating advanced knowledge of your chosen academic area.

You’ll also have a sophisticated proficiency in research and be an expert on a self-selected research, as well as have a deep awareness of scholarly methods and contexts.

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IN BRIEF:

• Maintain your CPD for professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
• Flexible access to modules which equip you with the critical skills needed for contemporary practice to improve the lives of service users
• Enhance your career, professional credibility and employability with the scope to take one module or progress to the awards of PgCert, PgDip or master's
• A part-time only course

COURSE SUMMARY

Social Workers are required to intervene in the lives of vulnerable people and people in crisis making decisions which impact directly on individuals, families and society. The emphasis in this course is on the application of skills (practical, critical and intellectual), knowledge and research to social work practice, with the aim of improving opportunity and outcomes for service users and communities.

Modules are offered which are relevant at whatever stage of career you are at – from modules to support you at the outset of your social work career to modules which develop supervision and management skills. All modules have been developed in collaboration with regional stakeholders.

You may enter the course as sponsored student from your employer or may be self-funding.

COURSE DETAILS

If you are a newly qualified social worker you will usually come onto the course to undertake Professional Practice (ASYE) and/or Consolidation of Professional Practice and/or Applied Critical Reflection.

If you are more experienced social workers you may wish to access modules individually or you can undertake a number of modules in order to gain a PgCert, PgDip or MSc.

TEACHING

This course has an integrated approach to teaching and learning, focusing on lectures, seminars and tutorials as well as independent learning methods.

Teaching is usually over five weeks, one day per week.

You will be encouraged to critically analyse and reflect upon your own practice experiences.

Teaching modes include:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Critical incident analysis
• Presentations
• Guided reading
• Independent study
• Participation on BB (virtual learning) site

ASSESSMENT

BY MODULE

• Professional practice (ASYE)
• Reflective assignment (50%) - 3,500 words and Professional discussion (50%) - 20 mins
• Consolidation of Professional Practice
• Case Analysis (70%) - 3,500 words and PCF analysis (30%) - 1,500 words
• Applied Critical Reflection Assignment
• Reflexive account(100%) - 5000 words
• Working with Children and Young People
• Critical Evaluation Report (100%) - 5,000 words
• Personalisation in Practice
• Case commentary (20%) - 1,500 words and Assignment (80%) - 3,500 words
• Risk assessment and analysis in child care
• Case Analysis (100%) - 5,000 words
• Risk Assessment and Analysis in Adult social care
• Case Analysis (100%) - 5000 words
• Project Management and Methods of Inquiry for Health and Social Care Practice
• Evidence based business plan (30%) - 2000 words and Oral presentation (70%): Justify and defend the business case via the via voce - 20 mins
• Research Methods
• Research proposal (100%) - 5000 words
• Developmental Supervision
• Critical Analysis of recorded (1hr max) supervision session (100%) - 4,500 words
• The ‘Me ‘in leadership for health and social care practice
• Patch Work Text equivalent to an assignment of 5,000 words (100%)
• Leading Education in Practice
• Poster presentation to peers (100%) - 30 minute (+ 10 minutes for discussion)
• Dissertation
• Dissertation (100%) - 15,000 words - either systematised literature review or practically orientated project

EMPLOYABILITY

• Completing CPD is now an essential part of maintaining your professional registration.
• By undertaking CPD modules and courses, students demonstrate to employers a commitment to the profession.
• Undertaking modules leads to better career prospects and promotion.
• Modules are aligned to the College of Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework ASYE, Social Worker, Experienced Social Worker, and Advanced social worker levels.
• Successful completion of the course demonstrates your capability to become a Strategic level social worker.
• The course supports The College of Social Work developmental pathways of Professional Social Work Educator, Advanced Social Work Practitioner and Social Work Manager.

LINKS WITH INDUSTRY

Social work at the University of Salford has links with a wide variety of agencies in the Greater Manchester area. We work with local authorities, not-for-profit agencies and the voluntary sector. We work with over 300 agencies and are involved in collaborative training with our local authority partners.

This course and the modules have been designed with the involvement of local employers to support workforce development and the needs of stakeholders.

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The Social Justice and Education MA will help students to identify, examine and understand key sociological and philosophical perspectives on social justice, including issues of race, class, gender and sexuality and education. Participants will explore the personal and political dimensions of social justice concerns and develop their professional, practical and research skills in this area.

Degree information

This programme provides students with the opportunity to address, in a unique way, the complex links between social justice and education, focusing on key current policy and political debates about the role of education. They will also be able to develop, extend and reflect on their own professional interests, concerns and practice and how to address pressing issues of social justice in their everyday profesional and personal lives. Through their engagmeent with cutting edge research in this area they will learn tools for fighting for social justice and transformation in the educational areas relevant for them.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or a report (30 credits) and a third optional module (30 credits).

Core modules
-Sociology of Education
-Understanding Education Research

Optional modules
-Gender, Sexuality and Education
-Rights and Education
-Understanding Educational Policy
-Sociology of 'Race' and Education
-Theoretical Foundations of Educational Ideas
-Gender, Education and Development
-Values, Aims and Society
-Students can also choose from a wide range of Master's-level optional modules across the UCL Institute of Education offering.

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 20,000 words or a report of 10,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a mixed mode, including face-to-face evening sessions and interactive online learning in a combination of teaching and learning styles. Sometimes a conventional lecture-based approach is taken, with the aim of providing an overview of the field. Lectures are usually followed by open discussion or group work. At other times a seminar format is adopted involving, for example, group discussion of set reading, a video or an introductory presentation. Assessment is through coursework essay assignments, plus submission of a report or dissertation.

Careers

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are leaders, managers, teachers and practitioners in the compulsory education sector across international contexts. Many are working as professionals in NGO organisations specialising in social justice across many countries such as Chille, Japan, Canada and the UK. Graduates can also be found working as civil servants and goverment officials. In addition, many find places in the higher education sector including across a range of professional roles, as researchers, and as university lecturers worldwide.

Employability
Students develop the capacity to:
-Reflect critically on debates concerning education and social justice across diverse contexts.
-Understand the ways in which knowledge forms, and is formed by, education politics, policy, practice and research .
-Consider the implications of theory, research and analyses about social justice in education and how it can impact their own future practice and professional development.
-Use oral and written communication skills in order to make arguments, examine evidence and creatively advance social justice and education.
-Understand processes entailed in social science and philosophical research and conduct their own unique research in the area of social justice and education.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Department of Education, Practice and Society at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is home to an interdisciplinary grouping bringing together high-quality teaching and research in the sociology, philosophy and history of education, international development, post-compulsory and vocational education and higher education.

The Social Justice and Education MA is taught by world-leading sociologists and philosophers within the department who have expertise in theory, research methods, policy analysis and impacting social change. They are experts in issues such as equality and human rights, gender, 'race', sexuality, youth, disability and social class. Those teaching are active researchers and will introduce the latest research and developments in their fields.

This programme explores sociological and philosophical perspectives on social justice and equalities and also explores processes of social transformation and change. Key issues debated include understanding and responding to social and educational disparities in international contexts. The programme equips students with essential theoretical and methodological research skills for critically engaging with social justice issues including understanding power relations from various perspectives. The MA attracts a diversity of both home and international students thus providing excellent educational and professional networking opportunities.

Students gain invaluable opportunities to study with leading scholars and a cohort of internationally diverse students across the IOE MA cluster in sociology, social justice and policy studies in education.

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The College of Social Sciences welcomes all postgraduates to the recently redesigned MA in Social Research programme which continues to enjoy full RT (research training) recognition by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This programme aims to provide students with a sound background in social research design and the most up-to-date training in methods of data collection and analysis. The combination of core modules and short courses on more advanced topics provides maximum flexibility for taught postgraduate and research students throughout their study.

The core elements of the programme are delivered by staff across the entire College, many of whom are engaged in cutting-edge research in their own fields. Students will benefit by undertaking the modules with others from different departments within the School of Government and Society, eg, Political Science and International Studies; the Centre for Russian and East European Studies; the Institute for Applied Social Studies; and within the wider College. Students will also receive training on more discipline-specific research elements, as well as dissertation supervision, provided by individual departments. On completion of this MA, many students continue their PhD studies or pursue a career in research in the public, private or voluntary sector.

Programme content
Term 1:

Introduction to Social Research (20)
Research Design (20)
Thesis-related preparation
Information Skills for Social Sciences
University Programme of Skills Training (as necessary)
Dissertation-related preparation
Term 2:

Social Research Methods I (20)
Social Research Methods II (20)
Thesis-related preparation
Summer Term:

Four Short courses (10)
Dissertation (60)
All students registered on the MA in Social Research will take:

1) Four core modules:

Introduction to Social Science Research (20 credits)
Research Design (20 credits)
Social Research Methods I (20 credits)
Social Research Methods II (20 credits)


2) Four elective modules (10 credits each) from the short course programme below
3) A 14,000 word dissertation (60 credits)

Short courses
All short courses run as 2-day intensive workshops from 10–4pm with breaks. This list is updated regularly as new courses are approved so do check this website from time to time to see what is on offer.

These short courses are open to all research students in the College (and some departments in other Colleges, such as Geography, subject to the discretion of the Programme Team). However, places on each course are limited and priority will be given to MA Social Research students.

These short courses are also open to all staff in the University who may wish to attend without completing the assessments. However, all doctoral researchers and staff who wish to to so will be placed on a waiting list. Confirmation will be sent a week before the course dates.

Short course programmes
From Multiple linear to Logistic regression
Narrative Research
Analyzing Hierarchical and Panel Data
Visual Research Methods
Linguistic Ethnography
Documentary Research in Education, History and the Social Sciences
Researching Disability
Approaches to Research on Discourse
Policy Evaluation
Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis (using NVivo)
Secondary Research Data Analysis in Social Research
Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Social Science
Overseas Research
Q Methodology – A Systematic Approach for Interpretive Research Design
Activity Theory and its research applications
Some courses have pre-requisites, eg, to register on Multiple Linear and Logistic Regression, Factor Analysis and Narrative Research; you will need to have passed Data Analysis (20 credits module) or equivalent. For the latter, you will need to provide evidence that you have passed a similar course on quantitative/qualitative data analysis where appropriate.

Please be aware that some of these courses run on the same dates. Make sure you have not picked courses that clash with each other. For further details or to sign up for these short courses, please email the course names, your name, student ID and your programme to [email protected]|.

Skills and attributes gained
Students will have acquired a solid foundation of a broad range of research methods that are widely used in the social sciences and will have developed:

A sound understanding of the methodological debates
An overview of the philosophy of social science and how this informs research design, methods chosen of data collection and analysis
An ability to use a range of research techniques appropriate to their subject area
Competence in the representation and presentation of information and data
An ability to communicate research findings effectively to a wider range of audiences
An appreciation of the potential use and impact of their research within and beyond academia
An ability to engage with relevant users at all points in the research process, from devising and shaping research questions through to enhancing practice
Learning and teaching
Students are expected to engage in high-level discussion during all sessions. Teaching will be delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars and computer workshops. Some fieldwork involving primary data collection is required where appropriate.

Careers
Many students go on to do a PhD after completing this MA. Others have followed a career in local authorities, government departments, health authorities, management consultancy, media, the voluntary sector and so on.

Assessment
All core modules are assessed by a 4000-word essay or report. On most short courses, a 3000-report is usually required. The dissertation length is 14,000 words and students are expected to utilise the knowledge and skills they learned from the taught elements in this programme.

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at one of our on-campus open days (Friday 13 November 2015 and Friday 4 March 2016). Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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This online distance learning programme engages critically with major issues in assessment, a highly significant topic for education systems across the world. It develops skills of assessment in relation to individual learners, to classrooms and schools and to local, national and international systems.

Why this programme

◾You will reflect on and critique theory, cutting-edge research and current policies and practice in assessment and consider the impact of these on social justice.
◾You will have opportunities to collaborate and network with peers from a variety of work contexts and locations, to support critical reflection, peer and self-assessment and effective use of online distance learning.
◾You will consider how research, policy and practice interact in the development of often contested innovations in educational assessment across the globe.
◾The programme blends theory, research, practice and policy and explores the relationships between assessment and the promotion of social justice.
◾You will be taught by academics who have been employed in the development of national policy in assessment and have experience in the practices of classroom education and a commitment to social justice.
◾Teaching staff have considerable experience in international cooperation: in research in assessment, as consultants to a number of governments and in employment by international organisations.

Programme structure

You will take four core and two optional courses across years 1 and 2. In year 3 you complete a piece of independent research, normally in the form of a dissertation. The programme is fully delivered online utilising innovative technologies within a fully supported and interactive learning environment.

Core courses

◾Assessment for improvement, accountability and social justice
◾Assessment for learning and progression
◾Principles and practice of research
◾Principles and theory of assessment for social justice.

Optional courses

◾Curriculum, assessment and pedagogy: International perspectives
◾Curriculum, assessment and pedagogy: Understanding learners
◾Socially just assessment futures in the school context
◾Theoretical underpinning and practical issues in tests and examinations.

Studying online

The learning and teaching on this programme will be supported by distance online learning, delivered via Moodle, the University’s chosen Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The programme's approach to learning and teaching emphasises the construction and maintenance of an online learning community that is both challenging and supportive. Extensive use is made of electronic resources including e-books, online journals, podcasts and video clips. You will be offered both flexibility and supportive scaffolding via a series of formative learning activities structured around milestone targets for each course.

Career opportunities

This programme addresses needs recognised as significant for local, national and international students, both teachers and policy makers. It will build a network of graduates who have high-level knowledge, skills, and capabilities in assessment. The knowledge, skills and academic and professional standing gained will enable you to contribute effectively to local and national policy making in your own context. You will also be well equipped to undertake further study through doctoral research.

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Kent's MA in Social Work offers you the opportunity to gain a professional qualification in social work alongside a Master’s degree. Successful graduates are eligible for professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the regulatory body for social work.

Social Work is based at our Medway campus:https://www.kent.ac.uk/locations/medway/

Course detail

The programme meets the Professional Capabilities Framework as required by the HCPC. You gain the knowledge and skills needed by professional social workers. The programme provides extensive work in practice learning settings that meet Government requirements. The MA is a full-time, two-year programme running from September each year.

Purpose

The MA invites you to think coherently and systematically about the context, nature and aims of social work in the UK.

The changes taking place in social work nationally make this an exciting and challenging time to join us. Our team includes qualified practitioners with experience in a range of services and management settings who are constantly examining change and its implications on the future of social work.

Format and assessment

The programme incorporates critical analysis and practice-based skills. This includes a two-day observational practice learning opportunity and a 70-day practice learning opportunity in Stage 1, with a further 100-day placement in Stage 2.

In addition to assessed work, linked to both taught modules and practice learning, you also complete a dissertation in a specific area of research in your second year.

Modules

You study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation:

• Social Work theories, interventions and skills
• The individual, family and society
• Law, rights and justice
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Social work: mental health and adult service users
• Values, ethics and diversity
• Social work with children and families

https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/124/social-work#structure

Careers

Social work jobs exist in local authority and health settings (eg social services departments, hospital settings), voluntary organisations (Barnardo's, NSPCC) and private agencies such as private fostering agencies and care homes. Some graduates choose to undertake agency work.

Our graduates obtain a range of transferable skills and report high levels of being in employment or further study within six months of graduation across all of our degree programmes.

Over 98% of Kent's postgraduate students who graduated in 2016 were in work or further study within six months. Recent graduates from our School have pursued careers in academia, journalism, local and central government, charities and NGOs.

How to apply: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/124/social-work#overview

Why study at the University of Kent

We offer inspirational teaching and supervision alongside first-class library and IT facilities. You also benefit from our high-impact research in all subjects. Whatever you are looking to study, Kent provides a dynamic and challenging environment for your postgraduate studies.

• Kent was awarded gold, the highest rating, in the UK Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework
• Kent is ranked 21st in the Times Higher Education (THE) ‘Table of Tables’ 2017
• Kent is ranked 25th in the Complete University Guide 2018
• Kent is ranked 22nd in the Guardian University Guide 2018
• 42% of our academics are from overseas and we have students representing 158 nationalities
• In the most recent research rankings, 97% of research at Kent was found to be of international quality (REF 2014)
• Kent is ranked 17th in the UK* for research intensity and research output (REF 2014)
• Find out more: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/why-kent/

* of 122 universities, not including specialist institutions

Postgraduate scholarships and funding

We have a scholarship fund of over £9 million to support our taught and research students with their tuition fees and living costs. Find out more: https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/

English language learning

If you need to improve your English before and during your postgraduate studies, Kent offers a range of modules and programmes in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Find out more here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/international-pathways/

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The MSc in Social Policy and Social Research combines theoretical understanding of the policy process with advanced methodologically focused training, providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to work efficiently in increasingly complex and challenging policy contexts.

Degree information

Students are equipped with the theoretical and conceptual tools and empirical evidence necessary for investigating social policy and policy-making, including critical assessment of the role of research in policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Graduates will be able to apply this knowledge and understanding and analytical and methodological skills to conduct social research in different policy contexts.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-Social Policy: Theory, Practice and Research
-Social Theory

Optional modules - students choose two optional modules from a wide selection that includes (but is not limited to) the following. A minimum of one optional module should focus on research methods.
-Comparative Education: Theories and Methods
-Economic Perspectives of Education Policy
-Impact Evaluation Methods
-Longitudinal Research and Analysis
-Promoting Health and Wellbeing: Planning, Practice and Participation
-Qualitative Data Analysis
-Quantitative Data Analysis I
-Quantitative Data Analysis II
-Research Engagement, Participation and Impact
-Statistical Analysis
-Systematic Reviews: Diversity, Design and Debate
-Systematic Reviews: Meta-Analysis, Qualitative Synthesis and Mixed Methods Synthesis
-Understanding Education Policy
-Understanding Research

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 17,000 words, plus a 2,000-word proposal (60 credits). Compulsory dissertation workshops and online resources help prepare students for the dissertation.

Teaching and learning
A rich variety of teaching of methods are used including lectures combined with seminars, and individual, small-group and whole-class discussions and exercises. In some modules, students are given the opportunity to develop presentational skills through group projects. The programme includes both face-to-face and online components.

Careers

Graduates of this programme may find work in a broad range of areas, including as social policy researchers and advisers in government, NGO personnel, or as university and college lecturers and researchers.

Employability
Graduates from this MSc gain sought-after skills that allow them to pursue professional careers in academia and/or policy research, policy analysis, policy development and implementation, programme management, and policy advocacy within the public, private, or non-profit sectors.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The programme offers a unique opportunity to study how research, along with other forms of evidence and knowledge, connects with and impacts on policy-making and professional practice. It is structured to allow students to customise their degree according to their preferred area of study and future career plans.

The programme is located within the Department of Social Science, a research-intensive department with an outstanding international reputation.

Our central London location and network of partners and alumni gives us access to nationally and internationally prominent guest speakers who give insight into policy as it is formed.

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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – the nature of the relationship between corporates, governments and communities has become increasingly significant as all parties become aware of the potential positive (or negative) impacts of businesses on the world beyond their immediate and obvious activities.

This MSc is designed to enable students to apply ways of thinking about CSR to local and global industries such as telecoms, finance, commodities trading and the extractive industries. Incorporating the study of a diverse array of local to global factors, the course assists students in grasping the complexities of the contemporary issues and challenges facing a variety of sectors and their role in development alongside governments and third sector organisations.

You will learn how to:
• Identify problems facing companies under the umbrella of social responsibility;
• Draw upon a range of sources to generate solutions to these problems;
• Apply conceptual frameworks in order to enhance understanding about the impacts of corporate policies;
• Recognise and reconcile the competing demands of corporate policies and stakeholder interests;
• Forecast the positive and negative impact of policies and actions in a manner that reduces corporate risk;
• Demonstrate the value of CSR in order to better inform decision-making.

Visit the website: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/social-work-and-social-sciences/study-options/postgraduate-taught-full-time/corporate-social-responsibility-and-energy

Course detail

The course offers student two exit routes:

• MSc Corporate Social Responsibility (with Energy) or
• MSc Corporate Social Responsibility (with Sustainable Development)

After completion of 120 credits students can exit with:

• PgDip Corporate Social Responsibility (with Energy) or
• PgDip Corporate Social Responsibility (with Sustainable Development)

After completion of 60 credits students can exit with a PgCert Corporate Social Responsibility

Modules

Core modules on the course will cover a variety of issues connected to corporate social responsibility, including international standards and regulations, managing local content, the Global Compact, stakeholder engagement strategies and the triple bottom line in corporate sustainability. Also covered will be issues such as supply chain management, building value through value chain analysis and effective monitoring and evaluation approaches.

Modules specific to the two different exit routes will cover the following:

Those undertaking the energy route will examine the relationship of energy to issues around global and national security and conflict management. The impact of energy on health from the perspective of those both working inside the energy sector and those outside it who are affected by its operations will also be studied.

Those undertaking the sustainable development route will examine the impact of globalisation on communities, how to manage community development projects and developing leadership skills.

All students will study research design and methodology in preparation for the dissertation. This aspect of the course will focus on understanding the skills and techniques most suitable for use in the workplace and students will be encouraged to undertake a work based dissertation where appropriate.

Format

A combination of lectures, seminars, on-line discussions, webinars and self-directed study.

The flexible nature of the course means that you will be able to pursue issues relating to CSR that are relevant and appropriate to your interests, experience and future career ambitions.

Assessment

Assessment methods include written coursework in the form of essays, case studies and reports, contribution based assessment of online participation and a research project.

Careers

A variety of potential careers are open to students graduating from this course and former students have gone on to devise and manage the CSR strategies of national governments, to manage sustainability issues in multinational corporations, to work in corporate communications and PR and to doctoral studies to name just a few.

Developing the skills taught on this course enables graduates to help companies extend their appreciation of the environments they operate in, in order to better inform corporate decision-making and manage attendant uncertainties and risks. The student learning experience is directed towards achieving this, cultivating in students the necessary academic learning so that they graduate with employable, desirable skills and/or the ability to pursue further research opportunities within international contexts.

How to apply

To find out how to apply, use the following link: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/applyonline

Funding

For information on funding, including loans, scholarships and Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) please click the following link: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/future-students/finance-and-scholarships/financial-support/uk-students/postgraduate-students/postgraduate-students/

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The general objective of this programme is to communicate an anthropologically-informed understanding of social life in both Western and non-Western societies. By confronting students with the remarkable diversity of human social and cultural experience, its aim is to encourage them to question taken-for-granted assumptions and to view the world from a new perspective.

Through a set of core modules, comprising about a third of coursework credits, students are provided with a comprehensive grounding in classical as well as contemporary debates in social anthropology and are introduced to the distinctive research methods and ethical positions associated with the discipline. Students then complete their coursework credits by choosing from a broad range of around 50 different modules offered around the Faculty of Humanities. Through these options, students apply the social anthropological theories and methods learnt on the core modules to particular substantive themes and topics. Diploma students complete their coursework in May and formally graduate in July. Over the summer vacation, MA students carry out research for a 15,000 word dissertation that is submitted in September. They then would normally expect to graduate formally in December.

Most of the coursework optional modules have been organized into pathways based on particular themes and topics.

Go to the Study Details tab for more details on the Culture, Ethnography and Development pathway.

Pathways are designed to ensure both an academic and timetabling fit between the options. Students are encouraged, on the basis of past experience and/or future goals, to select a pathway shortly after registration in consultation with the programme director. MA students' dissertation topics will normally also relate to this pathway. In addition to the Culture, Ethnography and Development pathway, there are currently 5 others.

Please note that it is not compulsory to select a pathway and all students will be awarded the same generic degree, MA in Social Anthropology.

Teaching and learning

In each semester, students take two 15-credit core modules, and a selection of optional modules that they select shortly after arrival. Many optional modules are worth 15 credits, though some are worth 30 credits. In total, students are required to achieve 120 coursework credits. Over the summer vacation, students are required to write a dissertation which is worth a further 60 credits.

In total, some 50 optional modules are available, not only in Social Anthropology but in a broad range of other disciplines across the Faculty of Humanities, including Visual Anthropology, Archaeology, Museum Studies, Latin American Studies, Development Studies, History, Sociology and Drama. Drawing on this broad range of disciplines, a number of pathways have been devised in order to maximize the academic and timetabling coherence of the options chosen by students.

The Culture, Ethnography & Development pathway provides you with the opportunity to study the history, theory and practice of development in a broad variety of social and geographical contexts, encouraging you to think of development critically as a complex transformative process that has cultural as well as economic and political consequences. You may select from modules covering a broad range of topics, including:
-Relationships of dependence between the global North and the global South
-Social and cultural effects of international labour migration
-The Millennium Development Goals
-The political economy of foreign investment
-Inequality and urban planning in the cities of the global South
-The international agenda for the reduction of poverty
-The impact of local civil society and NGOs
-Social welfare policies
-The politics of biodiversity conservation

Coursework and assessment

Most modules are assessed by means of an extended assessment essay. Typically, for 15 credit modules, these must be of 4000 words, whilst for 30 credit courses, they are normally of 6000 words. Certain options involving practical instruction in research methods, audiovisual media or museum display may also be assessed by means of presentations and/or portfolios of practical work. In addition, all MA students are required to write a 15,000 word dissertation.

Career opportunities

Past graduates of the MA in Social Anthropology have gone on to many different careers both inside and outside academic life. As it is a 'conversion' course aimed at those who want to explore anthropology after undergraduate studies in another field, or at least within a different anthropological tradition, it often represents a major change of career direction, opening up a wide range of different possibilities.
About 20% of our graduates carry on to do a doctorate, be it here or elsewhere. But the MA in Social Anthropology also represents a very appropriate preparation for careers in which an informed awareness of the implications of social and cultural diversity are important.

Some past students have been drawn to the voluntary sector, either in the UK or with development agencies overseas, others have gone on to work in the media or cultural industries or in education at many different levels. Others again have found opportunities in business or the civil service, where ethnography-based methods are increasingly popular as a way of finding out how people - from consumers to employees - interact with their everyday worlds.

The MA in Social Anthropology also trains students in a broad range of transferable skills that are useful in many walks of life, including social research methods and the ethics associated with these, effective essay-writing, oral presentational skills in seminars and other contexts, basic computing skills, using the internet as a research tool and conducting bibliographic research.

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Delivering excellence in health and social care at an individual, team and organisational level is not just desirable but achievable.

Course details

The philosophy of this programme is that for excellence to flourish every member of staff must be committed to, and play their part in, an integrated governance approach. This is where people-centredness and people-centred approaches to care are afforded the same esteem and recognition as finance, performance, risk management, safety and quality.

The programme is designed to develop and equip critical champions and ambassadors for quality, safety and governance in health and social care. It enables you to apply your comprehensive knowledge, understanding, expertise and advanced skills to lead evidence-based enhancement of quality, safety and governance in your health and social care settings and evaluate the impact of this. The programme is suitable for individuals from the public, independent and voluntary sectors from any professional background, including clinical and support services.

What you study

Year 1 focuses on the transition to mastery and explores the context of safety, quality and governance in terms of policy, theory and experience, at a personal, local, national and international level. You also study different types and sources of evidence. You use these to identify a quality, safety or governance issue of relevance to your role based on an in-depth study of the principles, practices and tools of safety and governance in health and social care. You then develop and justify a business case for change based on this.

The modules studied in Year 1 make up the Advancing Quality Improvement in Health and Social Care, PgCert.

In Year 2, you plan and implement a change project based on your business case presented at the end of Year 1. To help you achieve this you study topics such as a human factors approach, strategic change management, action learning and leadership and evaluation methodologies. You then develop and critique an evaluation study proposal in Year 2 which you take forward during your dissertation module in Year 3. The modules studied in Year 2 make up the Advancing Human Factors in Health and Social Care, PgCert.

Year 1 core modules
-Principles and Practice of Safety and Governance in Health and Social Care
-Using Evidence to Advance Quality, Safety and Governance in Health and Social Care

Year 2 core modules
-Leading Person-centred Quality Improvement in Health and Social Care
-Using a Human Factors Approach to Quality Improvement in Health and Social Care

Year 3 core modules
-Dissertation: Evaluating Impact

Modules offered may vary.

Teaching

In Years 1 and 2 the programme is taught in short study blocks spread across the academic year over a total of 14 days. We use a range of teaching methods including lectures and workshops, student-led seminars, action learning, real-life scenarios and case study analysis, interactive and online learning activities, directed and self-directed study activities. Year 3 is mainly guided self-directed study with the support of a dissertation supervisor. You are supported by module tutors with extensive experience in this subject area and the programme leader who is a member of the founding cohort for the NHS England and Health Foundation Q initiative.

We use a range of assessment modes throughout the programme. These include an essay on the nature and use of evidence, analysis of a quality, safety or governance issue using a human factors approach, a business case and the final dissertation evaluating the change you have implemented.

Other modes of assessment include a poster presentation and defence, and an oral presentation with questions and answers.
The programme is supported by a critical friends stakeholder support forum which consists of service users and carers, employer representatives and academic staff. Members of this group participate in student assessment as well as supporting programme design and delivery as a means of ensuring the person-centred approach pervades all aspects of the programme and to maximise employer/organisational benefit.

Employability

On successful completion of this programme you are equipped with a range of knowledge, expertise and experiences such as advanced reasoning and decision-making skills. You are also able to work collaboratively, present and research. And you have strong ICT skills that are highly sought by employers. The programme is relevant for you if you are working in or would like to work in a specialist quality, safety or governance role, or one covering these issues.

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