Programme Specification for Refugee Studies and Community Development MA
|
Final award |
MA |
|
Intermediate awards available |
PGCert, PGDip |
|
UCAS code |
N/A |
|
Details of professional body accreditation |
N/A |
|
Relevant QAA Benchmark statements |
N/A |
|
Date specification last up-dated |
November 2011 |
Profile
The summary - programme advertising leaflet
Programme content
Analysis of the relationship between community development and refugees as a social group. Main topics studied include forced migration and community responses to refugees and asylum seekers; globalisation, regionalism and forced migration; community and social development issues, comparative welfare; international and regional institutions, policies and conventions; community work for social professionals; and research methods
MA Refugee Studies and Community Development at UEL
- Unique interdisciplinary MA degree combining critical analysis of social care for refugees with community development concerns
- Highlights the growing relevance of refugee issues in the UK, Europe, and elsewhere
- Addresses the theoretical and practical needs of social care workers in communities where caseloads include a prevalence of refugees and asylum seekers
- Will appeal to professionals and practitioners both locally and internationally
Admission requirements
Applicants are normally required to have a good first degree in a cognate area of study and substantial professional experience in a relevant field. Admission is made on the basis of a written application supported by two satisfactory references and an interview. Decisions will be based on evidence of the following:
- an indication (e.g. through personal statement) that the applicant has relevant previous experience and/or that the programme is appropriate to future work plans;
- ability to study at advanced level, including (if English is not the applicant's first language) evidence of ability to undertake study and written assessment through English.
In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS *** (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.
Programme structure
Typically one year full-time; two years part-time. Three compulsory taught modules; choice of one taught modules from eight options; research dissertation.
Learning environment
Lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Group work is encouraged.
Assessment
All assessment is by coursework: essays, reports, presentations, research proposal, and dissertation. All modules are assessed. The final award takes account of all modules marks.
Relevance to work/profession
The programme is especially relevant to employment where there is engagement with refugees and other migrants, including in community work, social services, education, health, welfare, law and legal advice, advocacy, and counselling. It has general relevance to public-sector employment. Projects, including the dissertation, may draw extensively on previous experience.
Thesis/Dissertation/project work
Some modules give opportunities for group work, especially when assessment includes student presentations. Dissertations provide the opportunity for focused independent research.
Your future career
Prepares students for employment in areas related to refugee needs in communities, notably in the fields of education, welfare, health, employment, housing, community development, counselling, human rights, and immigration law. Also develops skills appropriate for further academic research in migration and community studies, ethnic and diaspora studies, legal studies, and in social, political, psycho-social and cultural theory.
How we support you
All students benefit from work in small groups, from an active tutorial system, from training in research methods, to access to a dedicated archive on refugee issues
Outcomes
Programme aims and learning outcomes
What is this programme designed to achieve?
This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:
- increase your knowledge of comparative and cross national community development issues, with particular reference to forced migration and to European social policy and practice; engage in analysis of roles of social professionals and their place in promoting social change and individual and community empowerment at a local and global level;
- Consider links between theoretical and applied/policy issues in forced migration. The programme looks at global and local causes and outcomes of forced migration, the implications for refugees and wider communities, and the approaches of governments and agencies. Pays special attention to refugee community life in London.
- Develop independent critical approaches to contemporary refugee issues. The programme questions dominant discourses of the refugee, and media images and popular conceptions of forced migrants. It examines critically regimes of exclusion, and the marginalisation of refugee communities. It encourages independent research drawing directly on refugee experiences. It facilitates dissemination of such research through seminars, workshops, conferences and publications.
What will you learn?
- Knowledge- increased your knowledge about the inter-relationship between countries and communities globally and about the ways in which events and developments in one part of the world impact on the social conditions and life chances of individuals and communities in other societies;
- Thinking skills - enhanced your ability to critically analyse material and to relate general theories to specific cases as relevant to the role of social professionals;
- Subject-Based Practical skills - tested out skills in setting up and carrying out a small scale research project
- Skills for life and work (general skills) - developed your skills in cross cultural communication and in networking, as well as acquiring new ideas about ways of responding to social problems informed by international and comparative perspectives
Structure
The programme structure
Introduction
All programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.
One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).
Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:
- 0 - equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme
- 1 - equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- 2 - equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- 3 - equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- M - equivalent in standard to a Masters degree
Credit rating
The overall credit-rating of this programme is 180 for Masters, 60 for PGCert, 120 for PGDip.
Typical duration
The typical duration of this programme is 1 full-time or 2 years part-time. It is possible to move from full-time to part-time study and vice-versa to accommodate any external factors such as financial constraints or domestic commitments. Many of our students make use of this flexibility and this may impact on the overall duration of their study period.
How the teaching year is divided
The teaching year is divided into two semesters of roughly equal length. A typical student registered in a full-time attendance mode will study two 30 credit modules per semester and a typical student registered in a part-time attendance mode will study one or two modules per semester. The advanced independent research module may occur during the summer period.
What you will study when
Full-time students must complete 180 credits (includes dissertation) in Year 1; part-time students must complete 60 credits in Year 1 and 120 credits (includes dissertation) in year 2.
The following are the core and optional requirements for this programme
|
Year 1 F/T |
Year 2 P/T |
Module title |
credit |
status |
|
1 |
1 |
Introduction to Forced Migration |
30 |
Core |
|
1 |
2 |
Introduction to International Social Work |
30 |
Core |
|
1 |
2 |
Research Methods |
30 |
Core |
|
1 |
1-2 |
Approaches to Public and Community Service |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
Current Issues in Forced Migration |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
Governance |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
International Human Rights |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
International Refugee Law |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
Migration, Citizenship & Social Policy |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
Psycho-Social Perspectives On Forced Migration |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
1-2 |
30 |
Option |
|
|
1 |
1-2 |
*University Wide Option |
30 |
Option |
|
1 |
2 |
Dissertation |
60 |
Core |
* Subject to the agreement of the Programme Leader
Requirements for gaining an award
- In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits at Level M.
- In order to gain a Postgraduate Diploma, you will need to obtain 120 credits at Level M
- In order to obtain a Masters, you will need to obtain 180 credits at Level M. These credits will include a 60 credit level M core module of advanced independent research.
Masters Award Classification
Where a student is eligible for an Masters award then the award classification is determined by calculating the arithmetic mean of all marks and applying the mark obtained as a percentage, with all decimals points rounded up to the nearest whole number, to the following classification
|
70% - 100% |
Distinction |
|
60% - 69% |
Merit |
|
50% - 59% |
Pass |
|
0% - 49% |
Not Passed |
Assessment
Teaching, learning and assessment
Teaching and learning
Knowledge is developed through
- lectures
- seminars
- workshops
- tutorials
- day schools
Thinking skills are developed through
- seminars
- small-group discussions
- workshops
- tutorials
- day schools
Practical skills are developed through
- library and archive research
- essay and report writing
- workshops
- group presentations (may used mixed media)
- research seminars
- independent research dissertation
Skills for life and work (general skills) are developed through
- essay and report writing
- group presentations
- research methods module/research proposal
- independent research dissertation
Assessment
Knowledge is assessed by
- essays
- reports
- presentations
- research proposal
- dissertation
Emphasis is placed upon familiarity with a wide range of relevant literature and with key debates in the relevant field
Thinking skills are assessed by
- essays
- reports
- presentations
- research proposal
- dissertation
Emphasis is placed upon understanding of topic/s; application of knowledge in making an argument; clarity of arguments; evidence of synthesis and creativity; evidence of independent thought; and originality and distinctiveness of the student's own viewpoint.
Practical skills are assessed by
- presentations, including use of mixed media
- research proposal
- research project, concluding with the dissertation
Emphasis is placed upon evidence of systematic preparation; coherent structure and form of the assessed work; and clarity of expression. In the case of verbal presentations, clear articulation and positive interaction with other members of the class are of importance. In the case of collaborative work, including presentations, emphasis is placed upon positive mutual engagement with other members of the assessed group.
Skills for life and work (general skills) are assessed by
- essays and reports
- group presentations and use of media
- research methods module/research proposal
Emphasis is placed upon coherence of assessed work and clarity of expression, whether written or verbal. Students are encouraged to become familiar with various media and visual aids: video, photographs, slides, OHP, PowerPoint etc and to use these in assessed presentations. The research proposal is assessed as an exercise in development of general research skills.
Quality
How we assure the quality of this programme
Before this programme started
Before this programme started, the following was checked:
- there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;
- adequate resources would be in place;
- the overall aims and objectives were appropriate;
- the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements;
- the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
- the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning and assessment strategy and student support mechanisms.
This is done through a process of programme approval which involves consulting academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions.
How we monitor the quality of this programme
The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:
- external examiner reports (considering quality and standards);
- statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate);
- student feedback.
Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes student participation. The process is monitored by the Quality and Standards Committee.
Once every six years an in-depth review of the whole field is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists. The panel considers documents, looks at student work, speaks to current and former students and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions. The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.
The role of the programme committee
This programme has a programme committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, student representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff). The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality. The programme committee plays a critical role in the quality assurance procedures.
The role of external examiners
The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner. External examiners have two primary responsibilities:
- To ensure the standard of the programme;
- To ensure that justice is done to individual students.
External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:
- Approving exam papers/assignments;
- Attending assessment boards;
- Reviewing samples of student work and moderating marks;
- Ensuring that regulations are followed;
- Providing feedback through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.
Listening to the views of students
The following methods for gaining student feedback are used on this programme:
List the methods that you use e.g.
- Module evaluations
- Student representation on programme committees (meeting 6 times year)
- Student/Staff consultative committee (meeting 3 times a year
Students are notified of the action taken through:
- circulating the minutes of the programme committee
- providing details on the programme notice board
Further Information
Where you can find further information
Further information about the MA Cultural Studies programme is available from:
- The UEL web site (http://www.uel.ac.uk)
- The student handbook
- Module study guides
- UEL Manual of General Regulations and Policies http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/
- UEL Quality Manual http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/
- Regulations for the Academic Framework http://www.uel.ac.uk/academicframework/
- The School web site http://www.uel.ac.uk/lss/postgraduate/a-zcourselist/
- The University Post Graduate Studies Page http://www.uel.ac.uk/programmes/lss/postgraduate/summary/refugeecomm.htm
For details please contact: Julia Layzell via email: j.layzell@uel.ac.uk.
- Current External examiners
- External examiner reports (available from UEL virtual learning environment (UELPlus or Moodle))
