Course summary
Examine the impact of being abusive or being abused. You will look at theoretical perspectives considering abusiveness and its impact in different international, cultural and social contexts.
- This MA in Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse is unique and represents the first psychologically informed programme of its kind. It is particularly suitable for people wanting to increase their grasp of the interplay between mental distress, domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- The programme will offer a blended learning approach with a mixture of online and face to face contact. The online components will be largely focused on the acquisition of theoretical knowledge through computer mediated activities via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
- The classroom-based content of the programme will have an emphasis on experiential and reflective learning which will help you understand the process of identifying, assessing and managing both perpetrators and victims. This aspect of the programme will be delivered in blocks (including some Saturdays) to make the study more accessible to working adults.
- You may take individual modules separately or exit with a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma.
Modules
Your learning will be underpinned by a unique synthesising of psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive behavioural and social theories to examine the impact of being abusive or of being abused. The programme focuses on looking at practice and research from these theoretical perspectives and will consider abusiveness and its impact in different cultural and social contexts from childhood to older age. The learning will be provided by a cross-disciplinary team that covers approaches from the social work, community and youth work, cross-sectoral arts, and therapeutic approaches including art and dance psychotherapy, psychodynamic, counselling and cognitive behavioural approaches. Students are required to take 180 credits at Masters level. The programme can be taken over one year (full-time) or two years (part-time). Compulsory modules You'll take the following compulsory modules: Theories, Research and Policy - Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse (30 credits) Multidisciplinary Research Methods (15 credits) Group Work: Power, Identity and Conflict (30 credits) Dissertation 60 credits Optional modules You'll also chose three of the following optional modules: Working with Children in the Context of Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse 15 credits Working with Adults in the Context of Domestic and Sexual Abuse 15 credits Adolescents as Victims and Perpetrators 15 credits The Impact of Trauma – Distress, Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth 15 credits *Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Assessment method
Assessment is through a combination of extended essays, journals, reports, assignment and dissertation.
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a relevant/related subject. You must also be able to demonstrate significant experience in either health and social care, psychological therapies, or experience from the third sector in a specialist abuse service. 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. 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
Additional fee information
Unless otherwise stated the annual fee for part-time programmes is half the full-time fee quoted .
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW