Modules

The MA combines an academic programme of lectures, seminars and tutorial assignments with placement-based practical experience. Modules are taken over one academic year if you are studying full-time, and two years if you are studying part-time (part-time study is only available to home students). Full-time students attend the Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies (STaCS) on Tuesdays and Anthropology on Thursdays and spend the rest of the week on fieldwork placements and library studies. Part-time students attend on Thursdays in the first year and Tuesdays in the second year. Placements take place in year two when you join the STaCS half of the programme. STaCS components, fieldwork and placements STaCS teaches three of the core modules of the degree. These are the fieldwork modules that involve placements and are supported by lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. This programme entails a total of 400 placement hours to meet NYA and ESB professional validation requirements. This is divided between 20 hours of observations and 380 hours of practice across three placements within at least two different organisations. Fieldwork Report 1: Perspectives and Approaches Fieldwork Report 2: Critical Practice Fieldwork Report 3: Management, Enterprise and Development Anthropology components The Department of Anthropology teaches the following two core components of your degree: Contemporary Social Issues Anthropological Research Methods 3 You'll also take: Dissertation The dissertation is jointly taught and you will have a supervisor from each department. In addition, we strongly encourage all students– particularly those without a background in anthropology – to sit in on the module Anthropological Theory offered by the Department of Anthropology. Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Assessment method

All three modules are assessed by an academic fieldwork focused essay, and accompanying fieldwork assessments: contract; student's self assessment; supervisors' assessments. There is also an observation recording form that is populated throughout the year and submitted along with the final placement assessments. All fieldwork assessments relate to the National Occupational Standards in youth work and community development and assess the students ability to demonstrate effective practice-based learning to a quality high enough to meet the professional standards. Overall, a minimum of 200 hours of all fieldwork must be face-to-face with the 11-25 year age group.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• National Youth Agency