Health and Community Development Studies MA/PG Dip/PG Cert

Duration: One year full-time, two-three years distance learning (with occasional attendance)

Attendance: One teaching block week in October is compulsory. Further teaching days are dependent on the optional modules chosen. Some optional modules are launched over weekends. The second teaching block in February depends on your module choices (if you enrol in February the whole week will then be compulsory). All module launch days are compulsory.

Start date: October 2013 or February 2014

• You need to demonstrate that you can work at master’s level which can be achieved through having a first degree, normally at 2:2 or above, or by having a range of academic and work experience
• You are normally expected to have a professional qualification in an area related to youth and community development work
• You must be engaged in at least 12 hours’ appropriate work, paid or unpaid, per week

You should also normally have:

• A commitment to anti-oppressive practice
• Relevant and significant field experience on which to base and integrate theory

• Proven ability to reflect on practice, critically examine concepts of informal education and justice, awareness of social welfare needs in a youth and community development context

If you have no formal academic qualifications but do have extensive practice experience we will consider your application on an individual basis.

You will need to conduct an interview. If you are unable to attend, arrangements can be made for a telephone interview.

You must complete a declaration form and enhanced CRB disclosure application form (if you are overseas you will also need to submit a criminal records certificate from your home country), before starting the course, which need to be cleared in accordance with DMU's admission policy. Contact us for up-to-date information.

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and during if you need it. To find out more, please visit dmu.ac.uk/international |

The core module and most specialist modules are launched during one of two block teaching weeks held each year. These modules are supported by a wide variety of written material, individual and corporate tasks. You are required to engage in a number of online seminars in each module which is compulsory.

The course works to build a learning community, from the initial contact on selection day and in the induction periods onwards. Assessment is usually by written assignment of 4,000 words per 15 credit module. Contributions to online seminars are compulsory and also an attendance requirement.

International students come to study in the UK because the quality of our teaching is among the best in the world, offering a varied selection of teaching methods to suit all learning requirements.

The course comprises three core modules:

Issues of Health and Well-being (15 credits)
introduces key concepts of health and well-being in the context of youth work and community development.

Health and Social Research Methods (15 credits)
introduces strategies and methods of social science research commonly used in social and healthcare settings.
Theory & Practice of Community Development (15 credit)
introduces students to key concepts explored in relation to practice, policy and the National Occupation Standards.

You will study up to five other modules depending on your chosen pathway. There are three pathways:

• The generic pathway offers the greatest flexibility
• The research pathway includes taught modules in research methods and advanced research methods, plus a 90 credit dissertation. You will consider practice-based, evaluative and academic modes of research

• On the management pathway you are required to take three management modules and complete a management-focused dissertation

There is plenty of opportunity to specialise on a chosen theme within modules and by using the Negotiated Module and the Dissertation / Practice Related Project to pursue themes in depth.

A number of specialist modules are taken, these include:

First semester modules:

Negotiated Module (15 credits)

allows you to formulate, present and implement an individual proposal in an area of professional relevance and interest.

Managing Services and People (15 credits)
increases self-confidence and performance as a manager of people and projects within a youth work and community development environment.
Anti-Oppressive Practice (15 credits)
analyses concepts of oppression, discrimination and inequality and develops effective anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.

Second semester modules:

Health and Social Research Methods 2 (15 credits)
is focused on critical deconstruction of approaches to research and evaluation

Optional modules x 2 (select from a varied list of specialist modules)
Dissertation (60 or 90 credits)

There are a several specialist optional modules available in each of the semesters, although some are only available biennially.

Staff in the department have more than 50 years’ experience and are one of the largest teams in the UK. They continue to work for a range of organisations that work with young people including charities, voluntary and statutory agencies at local, national and international levels.

Thematic areas of interest include a specialist expertise and interest in global youth and community development work (resulting in numerous conferences and publications by Dr Momodou Sallah|, a leading expert in this area);

work with black young people (again, resulting in key conferences and texts by Carlton Howson and Momodou Sallah|); youth participation and citizenship (including an evaluation of a Beacon Councils initiative and ongoing partnership work with the Centre for Social Action|); anti-oppressive practice (Dr Jagdish Chouhan);

hospital and other health related youth work (Dr Scott Yates|) and the context, management and operation of children and young people’s services (Mary Tyler|, and recent high profile work undertaken by visiting professors Bernard Davies and Bryan Merton). In the last five years seven books have been published by authors in the division with a further two forthcoming titles.

Many of our graduates go into a wide range of senior posts in community health, youth work and community development work in both the statutory and voluntary sector, all over the world.

An MA is a recommended qualification for workers who want to hold senior positions. The MA is recognised internationally as a valid postgraduate level of study and its content is relevant for issues relating to a developing country’s health and community provision.

MA without PQ 

UK/EU
Full-time	N/A
Part Time
15 credit taught module	£395
60 credit dissertation	£1580
International
Full-time	£12,200

MA with PQ 

UK/EU
Full-time	N/A
Part Time
Year 1	£2765
Year 2	£1580
Year 3 (dissertation fee)	£1580
International
Full-time	£12,200

For all postgraduate degrees you should apply through UKPASS at dmu.ac.uk/ukpass|

• Youth and Community Development Studies MA
• Youth Health and Community Development (PQ) MA
• Youth Work and Community Development MA