Programme summary for PG Cert International Humanitarian Psychosocial Consultation

Please note: This programme is only available by Distance Learning

About the programme

The aim of this postgraduate certificate is to promote awareness of psychosocial aspects within any field of humanitarian work, whether in the UK or overseas. The programme will raise awareness of the different contexts that affect psychosocial well-being and access to appropriate services. You will be introduced to different types of consultation, in recognition that most of the services provided through humanitarian agencies are time limited and rely on the engagement of local populations. Consultation skills include those of engagement, development of trust and the identification of a process by which information can be accessed, shared and evaluated.

Programme structure

The Postgraduate Certificate in International HumanitarianPsychosocial Consultation comprises of two 30 credit modules, namely: International Contexts and Psychosocial Consultation. These two modules will be run once each over the programme of a twelve month period, providing the opportunity for students to commence at two points for the part time programme. The order of these modules is not relevant.

Career opportunities

On successful completion of the programme it is envisaged that you may progress into careers with humanitarian aid agencies in the UK or overseas, or within public health/social services which have a psychosocial focus. You may also take further study such as a postgraduate master’s or doctorate-level programme in psychology, sociology or anthropology (for example, further study in applied therapeutic skills such as organisational consultation, systemic family therapy, psychoanalytic therapy or group analysis).

Support

The programme will include an appropriate and comprehensive induction in the week before lectures begin. Students will be assigned a personal tutor to address learning queries and discuss any issues affecting their progress. The programme team will make an effort to ensure that students take full opportunity of the offer to provide feedback on the drafts of written work.

The programme will operate a genuine open door policy, which means that members of staff, including module tutors and programme leader are accessible to students at all reasonable times and can be contacted through ‘UEL plus’ and email.

Students will benefit from face-to-face teaching, which will be accompanied by, though not substituted, by ‘UEL Plus’ materials. Lectures and seminars will be supplemented by comprehensive lecture notes and handouts.

Further specialist support (e.g. financial advice, careers advice, counselling and learning support) is available from our University Services. The needs of students with disabilities/dyslexia will be taken into account in compliance with the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA 2001) and the QAA Code of Practice on Students with Disabilities which states: ''Assessment and examination policies, practices and procedures should provide disabled students with the same opportunity as their peers to demonstrate the achievement of learning outcomes’’. Whenever possible, the needs of students with disabilities/dyslexia will be accommodated. In doing so, teaching staff will be relying on the support and advice from the UEL Disability and Dyslexia Unit.

Professional Practitioners Deliver the Programme

The programme is delivered by professionals who are leaders in their fields. The International Contexts module is delivered by practitioners with experience of working within and with humanitarian organisations around the world. Within the subject areas they lead on, they have undertaken significant leadership roles with UK based and international humanitarian organisations. The Psychosocial Consultation module is delivered by practitioners with extensive experience in their respective areas, such as in the development and use of systemic, narrative and psychodynamic approaches. They include leaders of professional master level courses and doctorates; senior managers and consultants to a range of humanitarian or third sector organisations in the UK and overseas. All of the lecturers on the Programme have conducted research, been published in academic journals and/or presented at national or international conferences about their experiences. They hold a range of perspectives, interests and specialisms which have been identified as being significant in working within diverse, international, humanitarian contexts.

Admission

The admissions criteria will comply with the UEL admissions policy at http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/manual/documents/part2-admissions.doc and will be:

The normal entrance requirement is an undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) with a minimum 2.2 classification (or equivalent). Since the programme is to be marketed to individuals who do not have a first degree in psychology but would like to change career path or simply develop greater psychological awareness in their current field, the content of the first degree is not relevant. A lower level qualification together with appropriate experience or, exceptionally, substantial related experience alone may be acceptable.
English Language requirements: IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent). International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes.
Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption

The admissions procedure will conform to UEL’s general equal opportunities policy of not discriminating on the ground of race, religion, gender and sexual orientation.