MA Community Development: University of Westminster

Introduction

The University of Westminster offers a stimulating and challenging programme in Community Development aimed at people with experience of community work who wish to critically reflect on their practice and enhance skills.

This MA focuses on the capacity of communities to address local concerns and effect positive change. Recent government policies on social exclusion, urban regeneration, health and housing have stressed the importance of partnership with local communities and increased user, patient and public involvement. Statutory and voluntary agencies look to community development to facilitate dialogue with local communities and ensure that people have an opportunity to participate in decision-making processes.

Course Content

The course will develop your knowledge of policy, theory and research in community development, and explore issues of equity, inequality and exclusion in community involvement, by assessing the relevance of models and theories of community work to practice. The MA recognises the National Occupational Standards in Community Development Work as the basis for identifying the knowledge and skills that community development workers require. In August 2004, the MA was the first such course to be endorsed by the England Standards Board for Community Development Work Training and Qualifications.

Core modules

• Community Work: Principles and Practice
• Critical Inquiry in Practice
• Dissertation
• International Perspectives on Practice

Options, choose from:

• Collaborative Challenge
• Discovering Users' Views
• Domestic Violence: Power and Control
• Educational Leadership
• Interprofessional and Interagency Dynamics
• Learning and Teaching Together
• Learning in the Workplace
• Managing Change
• Observational Study at Work
• Patient and Public Involvement
• Power and Empowerment
• Research and Evaluation
• Translating Policy into Quality Care

Free choice module:

Any module with open access from the University relevant to community work, eg urban regeneration, housing policy or neighbourhood management. Your choice will be negotiated with the course leader.

Teaching and Assessment

The creative learning environment helps you to acquire a critical grounding in community work. There are no easy answers, no quick fixes. If you wish to wrestle with the issues of developing an effective empowering practice underpinned by community work principles, this course enables you to share and compare your experiences with others, stimulated by new perspectives from assigned reading, invited speakers and practical assignments. The experience and expertise students bring is highly valued. You can also study for a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate.

Associated Careers

The majority of students have gone on to work in community development work in both voluntary and statutory organisations. Graduates are currently or have recently been working as community development workers in neighbourhood management projects and urban regeneration, housing associations, faith-based organisations, drug projects, community centres, Save the Children, NGOs, health and social care, Local Councils for Racial Equality (CREs), as well as in refugee organisations, social services, the youth service and community arts organisations, in addition to a number of architectural practices specialising in social housing in community development.

Entry Requirements

• You must have two years' experience in community work (paid or unpaid) as well as an Honours degree or evidence of ability to work at postgraduate level.
• You will also be required to submit an essay on community work practice, and be interviewed.
• Applicants are invited from community organisations, the voluntary sector, statutory agencies, health, housing and social care.