Course summary
This is a pathway of the MA Applied Anthropology & Community and Youth Work, aimed at applicants who may not need a National Youth Agency qualification in youth work (JNC) and those who want to become specialists in community development or community arts. Why study MA Applied Anthropology & Community Development/Community Arts
- This unique MA combines academic and practice learning with high-level professional qualifications. It is aimed at students who wish to pursue a career in community development or community arts and associated sectors and those who want an MA with additional professional qualifications to enable more senior career progression
- Taught jointly by the Departments of Anthropology, and Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies (STaCS), this fieldwork pathway reflects the common concerns of both disciplines with a particular focus on community development and community arts
- Established in 1992, the youth work pathway was the first of three fieldwork pathway options, with an additional pathway in Community Development launched in 2012 and a Community Arts pathway launched in 2015. Community Development and Community Arts are now merged at the point of programme entry but continue to allow for fieldwork specialism in each distinct area
- The Community Development / Community Arts pathway caters for international or home students who want to specialise in community development or for those with an arts background and arts interests, who wish to work in community arts
- You will join a diverse cohort of students with a variety of practice experiences and interests. Whether you wish to specialise in community development or community arts, you will be taught alongside fellow students with interests in both disciplines, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and as well as interaction with an extensive range of organisations and practitioners
- You will undertake fieldwork, which is focused on national occupational standards in community development and may take place in either community development settings or community arts settings depending on your specialisation
- The programme is structured to give you autonomy over the accredited placement organisations that you work with. You will be able to arrange placements with organisations that best facilitate the form of practice that you wish to explore
Modules
The MA combines an academic programme of lectures, seminars and tutorial assignments with placement based practical experience specific to your pathway. 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 only available to home/EU students). Full-time students attend 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. Fieldwork and placements The Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies teaches three of the core modules of your 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. The fieldwork and accompanying teaching are divided into three modules: Fieldwork Report 1: Perspectives and Approaches Fieldwork Report 2: Critical Practice Fieldwork Report 3: Management, Enterprise and Development Overall, a minimum of 200 hours of all fieldwork must be face-to-face with groups in a Community Development or Community Arts setting. Anthropology components The Department of Anthropology teaches two of the core components of your degree: Contemporary Social Issues Anthropological Research Methods Dissertation 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
Modules are currently assessed by essay, documents completed by the student in relation to the placement and community development national occupational standards learning, a report by the placement supervisor and a fieldwork contract form. The final placement also involves an assessment of the observations.
Entry requirements
You'll need: an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in the social sciences or another appropriate subject, with some experience in community development or community arts at least four months of full-time, or part-time equivalent, work experience prior to starting the MA. We also offer the MA in Applied Anthropology & Community and Youth Work (professionally validated by the National Youth Agency) for applicants with more work experience. Experience can include paid or unpaid work; voluntary, community and youth work in organisations; and relevant informal work. an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate from the DBS. Please note there will be a fee for all DBS applications; we will send you further information about payment with your offer. You can find more information about this on our fitness to train pages You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level. International qualifications We accept a wide range of international qualifications. If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
For details of fees and funding please visit https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW