Refugee Care

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Academic Year of Entry: 2024/25
Course overview
(MA) Master of Arts
Refugee Care
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Distance Learning
Masters
Part-time
MA C898ZP
08/05/2024

Details

Professional accreditation

None

Admission criteria

A 2:2 degree or international equivalent, in any discipline.

With your online application you must submit a personal statement; this should detail the reasons for wanting to study the course, including any relevant experience (work or voluntary) that may support your application.

Successful completion of the course is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (carried out by your placement provider).

This course requires an interview

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code


If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Course qualifiers

A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).

None

Rules of assessment

Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.

Additional notes

You must complete all core and compulsory modules and the required number of optional modules (as noted on the full-time version of this course) during your two years of study. When you start your course, please contact your School or Department office to agree on the sequence in which you will take your core, compulsory and optional modules.

External examiners

Staff photo
Dr Ana Ljubinkovic

Lecturer in Sociology

California State University

External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment. External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course. They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards. External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.

eNROL, the module enrolment system, is now open until Monday 27 January 2025 8:59AM, for students wishing to make changes to their module options.

Key

Core You must take this module.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options You can choose which module to study.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory You must take this module.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Compulsory with Options You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Optional You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.

Year 1 - 2024/25

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 PA937-7-AP-CZ Therapeutic Care for Refugees Core 30 Core Core
02 PA931-7-AP-CZ Contexts of Refugee Experience Core 30 Core Core

Year 2 - 2025/26

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 PA982-7-AP-CZ Dissertation - MA Refugee Care Core 60 Optional
02 PA938-7-PS-CZ Placements in Refugee Care Compulsory 30 Compulsory Compulsory
03 PA932-7-PS-CZ Psychosocial Perspectives on Human Rights Compulsory 15 Compulsory Compulsory
04 PA927-7-AT-CZ Psychoanalysis of Groups and Organisations Compulsory 15 Compulsory Compulsory

Exit awards

A module is given one of the following statuses: 'core' – meaning it must be taken and passed; 'compulsory' – meaning it must be taken; or 'optional' – meaning that students can choose the module from a designated list. The rules of assessment may allow for limited condonement of fails in 'compulsory' or 'optional' modules, but 'core' modules cannot be failed. The status of the module may be different in any exit awards which are available for the course. Exam Boards will consider students' eligibility for an exit award if they fail the main award or do not complete their studies.

Programme aims

The uniqueness of this course is on equipping students to introduce a therapeutic dimension and a psychosocial perspective to their work with refugees (this term is used here to include asylum seekers).

Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods

On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:

A: Knowledge and understanding

A1: The psychological meanings of home and the implications of loss of home

A2: The systemic and dynamic complexities of the refugee condition, of the refugee needs and of the response to them.

A3: The therapeutic dimension of refugee care.

A4: The theory and scope of the psycho-social approach to refugee care.

A5: The psychodynaqmic and systemic approaches to refugee care.

A6: Theories of trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, resilience and Post-traumatic Growth.

A7: The wider parameters within which the refugee condition is located and constructed.

A8: Conceptualising research in this field.

Learning methods

Knowledge and understanding of these learning outcomes is acquired through the seminars, discussion in the two predominantly theoretical modules ('Therapeutic Care for Refugees' and 'Contexts of the Refugee Experience'), as well as the two predominantly practical and experiential modules ('Observation' and 'Placement').

In addition, through the supervision, assignments and dissertation.

Assessment methods

5 written assignments (one essay for each module) and a Dissertation

B: Intellectual and cognitive skills

B1: An ability to critically appraise explicit and implicit conceptualisations of the refugee condition within the wider societal contexts.

B2: An ability to critically appraise explicit and implicit conceptualisations which inform the range of responses (i.e.) opinion, policies, and services) to the refugee condition.

B3: An ability to critically appraise explicit and implicit conceptualisations which inform the professional therapeutic response to the refugee condition.

B4: An ability to critically appraise the impact of race, culture and gender issues on formulations of the refugee condition and of service delivery to refugees.

B5: An ability to critically appraise the meanings and impact of trauma and resilience theories on formulations of the refugee condition and of service delivery to refugees.

B6: An ability to critically appraise the meanings and impact of trauma theories on formulations of the refugee condition and of service delivery to refugees.

B7: Ability to present coherent arguments.

B8: Ability to identify in material, either clinical or non-clinical, opportunities for further research, whether conceptual or empirical.

Learning methods

Knowledge and understanding of these learning outcomes is acquired through the seminars, discussion in the two predominantly theoretical modules ('Therapeutic Care for Refugees' and 'Contexts of the Refugee Experience'), as well as the two predominantly practical and experiential modules ('Observation' and 'Placement').

In addition, through the supervision, assignments and dissertation.

Assessment methods

5 written assignments (one essay for each module) and a Dissertation

C: Practical skills

C1: Ability to apply analytical psychological theory to a chosen cultural or social issue, remaining aware of the methodological problems involved.

C2: Ability to document and provide evidence for arguments, both orally and in writing.

C3: Ability to write structured and focused essays, with proper citations and references.

Learning methods

All teaching/learning is done in seminars focused on clearly specified topics, supported by texts.

Although participation is not formally assessed, it is actively sought, and our teaching style emphasizes drawing students out, inviting coherent argument.

Essay preparation is supported by individual tutorials.

Dissertation preparation is supported by individual supervision.

Assessment methods

5 written assignments (one essay for each module) and a Dissertation

D: Key skills

D1: Ability to write clearly, coherently, and concisely.

D2: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D3: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D4: Ability to formulate a research project and implement the research skills necessary to carry it out.

D5: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D6: Autonomously work to deadlines and make use of coursework feedback to refine their thinking on a topic.

Learning methods

D1. Teaching/learning is by seminar, in which students are encouraged to express complex ideas clearly.

They must also prepare and verbally present their placement experiences in the Placement Group.

D2. Training sessions on IT resources in psychoanalysis are provided by the University Library.

Students learn to use IT search and cataloguing methods.

D3. Guidance by special arrangement.
If needed for a particular project (for example, statistics) supervision by appropriate staff in the University is available.

D4. Support by tutorials, supervision and research Forum.

D5. Students teach and learn from each other in the seminar setting.

D6. Teachers provide feedback on essays; supervisors support the refinement of research proposals and their implementation.

Assessment methods

D1, D4: formal assessment is only by essay and dissertation.

D6 (deadlines) is in effect assessed by penalties applied to late submissions.


Note

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Contact

If you are thinking of studying at Essex and have questions about the course, please contact Undergraduate Admissions by emailing admit@essex.ac.uk, or Postgraduate Admissions by emailing pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

If you're a current student and have questions about your course or specific modules, please contact your department.

If you think there might be an error on this page, please contact the Course Records Team by emailing crt@essex.ac.uk.