The MA Psychosocial Studies is a cross-disciplinary programme that uses ideas from psychology, sociology, literature, history and cultural studies to understand the shaping of human identities and our experiences and relationship to the social world around us. The University of East London has been a pioneer in the area of Psychosocial Studies and has run a unique undergraduate degree programme since 1985. Interest in the approach taken in Psychosocial Studies has grown and there are now teaching and research centres across the UK. This growth is due to the developing awareness of the inadequacy of the traditional division between sociological and psychological disciplines. Drawing on key ideas and cutting-edge research in the field, this new postgraduate programme is seeking to re-frame Psychosocial Studies for the 21st century. Against a social and cultural backdrop of change and uncertainty, questions about the nature of the relationships between the individual and society have become increasingly significant. Whilst new technologies and the spread of wealth improved lives for many in the 20th century, this has not been the case for others, for whom the social and political discourses and practices of modernity have come at a cost. Whilst the forces of globalisation can broaden opportunity and understanding, they have also done little to decrease conflict, inequality and poverty.

Yet alongside scepticism about the social and political projects of the 20th century, there has been growing interest in notions of personal development and self-fulfilment. In more recent decades, more people have had rising expectations about emotional satisfaction within their lives, and the language of emotion and therapy are now central in defining identity and experience. Do such desires and expectations reflect a positive psychosocial shift towards a more tolerant society that allows for emotional vulnerability and the complexities of subjectivity? Or does the ‘therapeutic turn’, with its focus on the emotional needs of the individual, have more in common with the superficial quick-fix solutions of consumer culture? The complex relationships between emotion, fantasy, identity, and experience, are key in helping us to understand how individuals are shaped psychosocially in the contemporary late modern world. The MA in Psychosocial Studies will enable students to explore such issues in depth, to acquire a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them, by focusing on how identities are shaped and experienced in different social, psychological and historical contexts.

A flexible, credit-based programme leading towards a higher degree.
A distance programme which allows working managers the freedom to continue in employment whilst pursuing their studies.
The option of interim awards at associate, certificate and diploma level for students who do not wish to, or are unable to, complete the programme
The flexibility to pay for modules on an individual basis.

• A written application outlining your interest in and reasons for choosing the Psychosocial Studies programme at UEL.
• Two supporting references, one of which is preferably academic.
• An undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology, sociology, or a related degree in the social/cultural studies or the human sciences.
• In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required. 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.

Technical Requirments

To participate in the programme you need access to computer equipment that meets the following specifications, as outlined in the student handbook:

• access to a broadband connection speed of at least 0.5 Mbps.
• access to a modern internet browser, such as Internet Explorer 7 or above and Firefox 3 or above (Safari is not officially supported for this particular programme)
• a computer with at least Flash Player 8 installed
• a computer for which you have full access rights and permission to install any necessary updates (specifically an optional software install to share your desktop during seminar debate)
• whilst not essential, it is highly recommended that you have access to a webcam (you should ensure you have the correct drivers for your camera installed)
• if your computer doesn’t have a built-in microphone, you will need to have access to a plug-in microphone
• a work environment which is located in an area suited to quiet study and where students can contribute vocally to a seminar.

The programme is delivered exclusively by distance learning, so it is essential that students have easy and regular access to the Internet and reliable email. Each module consists of reading material and a series of self-check and interactive tasks in which students discuss the issues raised in each module in the light of their own teaching context and educational background. In addition to online discussions, which involve the module tutor on a weekly basis, students also have access to the module tutor directly via our virtual learning environment (VLE) which is Moodle based. The VLE allows for students to contact their tutor online and engage in online discussions with their tutor and other students. It also provides students with access to a range of online resources such as links to supplementary reading material and information about the module they are studying.

Modules in the programme will be assessed by coursework. There will not be any examinations. The nature of the coursework varies but includes elements such as a summary review of relevant literature for a research topic identified by the student, a research plan, critical reviews of research papers/articles and essay assignments.

The assessments for each module are designed to ensure that between them they address the full range of learning outcomes. All four key learning aspects are assessed, but they are addressed in different ways and thus complement each other.

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Students will have the opportunity to carry out their own research as discussed and agreed with their supervisor.

The programme will appeal to graduates from psychology degree programmes who want to include more social and cultural perspectives in their work. It will also appeal to sociology and social science graduates who are interested in psychological dimensions that will have been missing from their former studies. It will also be of interest to those who work with people, particularly those involved in therapeutic and psychotherapeutic work such as therapists and trainee therapists, social workers, medical practitioners and others who work or wish to work in the health or care sectors who are interested in placing their work within academic frameworks.

On enrolment, you will be provided with introductory materials on the use of Moodle and UEL Direct.

During your studies, you will be supported by our team of Distance Learning Student Advisors in the UELconnect. These advisors act as a first point of contact for you, addressing the majority of student queries and referring only those that relate to academic matters to the module tutor. The Student Advisors will also contact students who seem to be falling behind and will offer advice and encouragement to them.

Students will receive academic support from their individual module tutor. The role of the module tutor is to monitor the effectiveness of the student’s learning during the module for which they are responsible, providing feedback, encouragement and support, and any necessary remedial action.

We also provide useful advice and information in our Student Handbook and online at which can be accessed from Moodle.

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