UNIVERSITY OF KENT Programme Specification MA in International Migration, Health and Social Care Awarding Institution/Body Teaching Institution Teaching Site Programme accredited by: Final Award Programme UCAS code (or other code) Relevant QAA subject benchmarking group/s Date of production/revision 10 Applicable cohort/s University of Kent at Canterbury University of Kent at Canterbury UKC and the Young Foundation, London N/A MA MA in International Migration, Health and Social Care C802 N/A November 2008 2009 entry 11 Educational Aims of the Programme To equip students with an appropriate range of theoretical and practical knowledge in relation to migration, health and social care Offer a critical perspective of the interplay between migration and political, economic and social systems and processes Ensure that students acquire a solid understanding of methodologies for the study of social science in general, and in the application of those understandings to the study of migration health and social care in particular Disseminate models of good practice in the field from other European countries and critically examine their potential for transfer between European countries To enable students to have a solid grounding in international issues influencing the health and social care of migrants and refugees Ensure that students acquire the necessary skills for advanced assessment of contemporary problems in migration health and social care and their solutions 12 Programme Outcomes The programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas Knowledge and Understanding Teaching/learning and assessment methods A Knowledge and understanding and strategies used to enable outcomes to be of: achieved and demonstrated Theories of migration Teaching/learning The links between theory, practice and Lectures, case studies, directed reading, small outcomes group discussions and making use of the Models of service development from an experience of programme participants are the international perspective primary teaching methods You are required to Research methods in relation to make brief knowledge-based presentations and migrant groups contribute critically to discussion Relationships between culture and health Relationships between service development and social/political contexts Skills and Other Attributes B Intellectual (thinking) skills: Analyse and evaluate evidence from both practice and research Evaluate the strengths and limitations of different approaches to health and social care provision Think critically and write effectively Assessment The usual model of assessment is through submission of one 5,000 word coursework essay for each one-unit module Each essay is marked out of 100, and a mark of 40 constitutes a Pass Dissertation The second part of the programme consists of work on a dissertation on a topic agreed with the programme convenor, and with the help and advice of a supervisor, usually chosen from within SSPSSR The exercise of researching and preparing a dissertation provides students with a high level of research skills in finding and using diverse materials The supervision arrangements allow students individual feedback on the progress of their work on a regular basis The length of the dissertation is 15,000 words Teaching/learning Your capacity to critically reflect upon academic knowledge as well as knowledge from your working life, is facilitated through lectures, case studies, directed reading, small group discussions You receive support through the tutorial system to develop these skills in your written work; and receive detailed feedback on your essays Assessment As above C Subject-specific skills: To research and evaluate health and social care programmes for migrant groups To assess the health and social care needs of migrant groups and refugees To achieve change in services for migrant groups and refugees Identify and disseminate good practice Teaching/learning The core modules have been designed to support the development of these skills: • Social and health care needs of minority ethnic groups • Social and health care needs of refugees • Improving service provision for cultural minorities • Achieving Change in services Assessment As above D Transferable skills: On successful completion of the Programme students should be able to: Undertake research from a diverse range of sources, including data compiled by international and national Teaching/learning The development of these skills is supported through the taught modules and tutorial support Assessment 2 policy makers, transnational agencies, governmental data, as well as existing survey and interview data; Summarise detailed and complex bodies of information concisely and accurately; Formulate arguments in verbal presentations, using social science language and terminology, and defend these against opposing views; Present information and arguments in written form, in accordance with academic conventions, and appropriately to the intended readership; and Evaluate personal performance As above 13 Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards The Masters Degree in International Migration, Health and Social Care is offered on both a fulltime and part-time basis Full-time students complete the Programme over one academic year and part-time students over two academic years For full-time students, six modules, each carrying 20 Kent credits, must be followed during a single academic year and for part time students three modules are followed in the first year and three in the second Each taught module which is successfully completed carries 20 Kent credits, with each credit amounting to approximately 10 hours of ‘learning time’ In addition, a Dissertation is required, which carries 60 Kent credits In total, therefore, the Programme requires 180 Kent credits for the Master’s Degree to be awarded, with all of these at level M Students who successfully complete 60 credits from the taught required modules listed below will be eligible for a Postgraduate Certificate in International Migration, Health and Social Care Students who successfully complete 120 credits from the taught required modules listed below will be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma in International Migration, Health and Social Care Please note that in both the case of the Postgraduate Certificate and in the case of the Postgraduate Diploma the dissertation module cannot be used to make up these credits There will be an exam board held each year which will be able to award these secondary qualifications Code Title Required Modules SO878 International Migration, Issues and Perspectives SO880 Humanitarian Issues in Forced Migration SO879 Migration Culture and Social Care Level Credits Term/s M 20 Spring M 20 Autumn M 20 Spring SO998 M 60 Summer Dissertation Optional Modules (Note that these are indicative and are subject to change from year to year, depending on availability.) SO817 Using Secondary and Qualitative M 20 Autumn Data SO822 Social and Political Movements M 20 Autumn SA818 SO876 SE852 SO836 SO819 SO825 LW900 Making and Implementing Health Policy Organised Civil Society Ethnicity and Nationalism Gender and Family in a Global Society Quantitative Analysis Terrorism and Modern Society International Migration Law M 20 Autumn M M M M M M M 20 20 20 Autumn Autumn Spring 20 20 20 Spring Spring Spring PO859 Human Rights in a World of States M 20 Spring NB: The programme as laid out in terms of available modules is subject to change 14 Support for Students and Their Learning General: Orientation and Introduction Before the start of formal teaching, a meeting takes place with the Programme Convenor to discuss the general structure of the Programme and to answer any questions Student Guide All students are supplied with a booklet which documents all the formal information about the Programme including the criteria that are applied to assessed work, the conventions for the award of the MA degree, and contact information for members of staff Information will also be provided about the modules that are available and the timetable for classes Personal Academic Support All students are allocated to the Programme Convenor in relation to the provision of personal advice and pastoral support The Convenor is available at ‘office hours’ during the week but is usually willing to meet individual students at any time by mutual agreement, particularly where an ‘urgent’ matter arises Resolving Difficulties Several mechanisms are provided for the resolution of academic, teaching or administrative difficulties which may be encountered by students Matters which are specific to a particular module are most appropriately addressed by discussion with the Module Convenor and Convenors will make themselves available to discuss issues of this kind and make their best effort to resolve the matter Issues which cannot be resolved with the Module Convenor, or matters which not concern a particular module, should be directed to the Programme Convenor for consideration In the event of a satisfactory solution not being reached, the issue may be referred as appropriate to the Director of Graduate Studies, to the Research Quality Assurance Committee (RQAC), and, if necessary, to the Head of the School of Social Policy, Sociology, and Social Research (SSPSSR) responsible for administering the programme General University Facilities The University has a wide range of information and support services that are available to students following the Programme Students with particular needs or concerns may find it helpful to consult the Careers Advisory Service; the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Learning Advisory Service; the Medical Centre; the Students’ Union (which runs an Advice and Information Service); the Counselling Service; or the Disability Support Unit Academic facilities: Templeman Library extensive collections of Social Policy texts and periodicals (many of which are available on-line) and materials from cognate disciplines such as Anthropology, Political Science, Economics, Geography, and Business Lists of additional books and journals are being drawn up to enhance the library’s collection Electronic resources The University’s internet and other electronic resources are excellent, and provide students with ready access to up-to-the-minute research theory and data in academic Social Policy research Additional electronic resources on issues relating to ISP will be procured on a needs basis and as requested by staff 15 Entry Profile Entry Route: For fuller information, please refer to the University prospectus The basic entry requirements for the Programme are that applicants should have a good first or second class honours degree in a relevant discipline However, full account is taken of equivalent qualifications from universities with other systems of degree classification and special consideration is given to applicants who have employment or practical experience which may compensate for a lack of traditional academic qualifications Every effort is made to allow the widest possible participation, within the constraint that applicants can provide evidence of their potential to complete the programme successfully For those applicants for whom English is not a first language, it is necessary to demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English In accordance with University requirements, this requires a minimum score of 600 in Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); 6.5 in International English Language Test (IELTS); ‘B’ in the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English; or ‘A’ in the Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English The University offers a Foundation Programme on English Language Skills for international students, allowing a year’s academic and language training before commencing postgraduate programmes What does this programme have to offer? • An opportunity to study theories of migration and assess their value in relation to recent international migration • An examination of methods for assessing the health and social care needs of minority ethnic groups and refugees • An examination of services for refugees and minority ethnic groups drawing on examples from a range of European countries • An opportunity to examine ways of achieving change in services, drawing on a wide range of examples from European countries • An opportunity to be taught by leading experts in the field from a range of European countries • An opportunity to share experience with fellow professionals from a range of European countries Personal Profile • A critical and enquiring mind particularly in relation to theoretical and empirical issues in the study of international migration, health and social care • Openness to different disciplinary perspectives on migration • A willingness to work hard, and to achieve personal potential 16 Methods for evaluating and enhancing the quality and standards of teaching and learning Mechanisms for review and evaluation of teaching, learning, assessment, the curriculum and outcome standards Annual Module Reports These contain information on student performance and feedback and actions taken in consequence thereof Annual Programme Reports These include an analysis of statistical data on student achievement and progression, withdrawal and failure rates and the destination of former students who have followed the Programme The Reports also record any significant difficulties that have been identified from student feedback, external examiners’ reports or otherwise, and actions taken in consequence of these Periodic Review This involves scrutiny of the Programme by both internal and external panel members Examiners’ meeting The Board of Examiners for the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in International Social Policy (ISP), includes the programme convenor, the Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Social Policy, Sociology, and Social Research (SSPSSR), as well as many of those teaching the modules taken by students on the MA, as well as an external examiner specialising in ISP External Examiners’ Reports These relate to both academic standards and to the quality of learning and teaching provision, and may provide commentary on particular aspects of the Programme which need to be addressed Learning and Teaching mechanisms Responsibility for supervision of the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in ISP rests with staff in SSPSSR, particularly with its Research Quality Assessment Committee (RQAC) as well as with its Teaching and Learning Committee, as well as with the Social Sciences Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee Annual Staff Appraisal This includes consideration of all aspects of the work of individual members of academic staff, including teaching and learning provision, and will extend to encompass ‘peer review’ involving teaching observation and evaluation by a fellow member of staff Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality and standards • SSPSSR Research Quality Assessment Committee • SSPSSR Learning and Teaching Committee • SSPSSR Board of Studies • Social Sciences Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee • University Learning and Teaching Board Mechanisms for gaining student feedback on the quality of teaching and their learning experience Module Evaluations All students following a module are asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire at the end of the module in line with the practice of SSPSSR generally Student Representatives The students following the Programme are urged to appoint a student representative early in the first term The person appointed undertakes to take soundings of student opinion on all aspects of the Programme and to report these back to the Graduate Studies Committee or the Programme Convenor as appropriate Some matters may need to be addressed to other committees, such as the Library Committee or the Computing Committee Programme Convenor The Programme Convenor is generally available to discuss any matter concerning the Programme which any particular student is concerned about However, matters which relate to specific modules may be most usefully raised with the particular Module Convenor at the first instance Staff development priorities include: • PGCHE for all new staff • Attendance at University staff development seminars and courses • Attendance at conferences relating to educational issues • Development of the staff appraisal scheme in conjunction with peer review to improve monitoring and support of staff, particularly new members of staff • Dissemination of good practice on new learning and teaching methods 17 Indicators of quality and standards Research Assessment Exercise In the 2001 RAE, the School of Social Policy, Sociology, and Social Research was awarded the top RAE rating i.e 5* Teaching Quality Assessment The QAA Institutional Audit of 2004 expressed broad confidence The following reference points were used in creating these specifications: • UKC University Plan 2006-09 • UKC Learning and Teaching Strategy • Code of Practice for Quality Assurance for Taught Programmes of Study MODULE MAPPING: MA in International Migration, Health and Social Care – CORE MODULES ü Knowledge and Understanding Programme Outcomes A1 Programme Modules (Core) SO87 SO88 SO87 ü ü ü ü ü ü ü A2 A3 ü A4 ü ü A5 A6 ü ü ü ü ü SO998 ü ü Skills and Other Attributes Programme Outcomes B1 Programme Modules (Core) SO87 SO88 ü ü SO87 SO998 ü ü B2 ü ü ü ü B3 ü ü ü ü Subject-Specific Skills Programme Outcomes Programme Modules (Core) SO87 SO88 SO87 SO998 C1 ü ü ü ü C2 ü ü ü C3 ü ü C4 ü ü Transferable Skills Programme Outcomes Programme Modules (Core) SO87 SO88 SO87 SO998 D1 ü ü ü ü D2 ü ü ü ü D3 ü ü ü D4 ü ü ü D5 ü ü ü ü