Programme Specification ( )

Transcription

1 Date of Revision Date of Previous Revision Programme Specification ( ) A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University s Quality Assurance and Enhancement processes as set out in the DASA Policies and Procedures Manual. Programme Title Programme Code Doctor of Childhood Studies (DChild) SOC-DCH- CS Criteria for Admissions (Please see General Regulations) UCAS Code Final Award N/A JACS Code DChild L300 Applicants should hold a primary degree (2.1 Honours or above) or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University and a Masters degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Evidence of these qualifications must be presented at the time of application. Performance profiles (grades etc) may also be required to ensure suitability of the applicant for Doctoral study. Applicants will normally be expected to have at least three years' full-time professional experience at a senior level in a field of work related to children, young people and their families. Participants who have been accepted on to the DChild programme will be required to enrol and attend an induction session prior to their first module. IELTS 6.5 (5.5) Applicants will be required to attend an interview. International students for whom English is not their first language will be required to have an IELTS of 7.0 or equivalent, with a minimum of 5.5 in all four elements of the test (or an acceptable equivalent). Students may apply for credit for equivalent level qualifications that have been completed within the last five years. Each application for credit transfer will be considered on its own merit. The maximum credit, which can be transferred, is 60 credit points. Mode of Study (Full-time, Parttime, other) Typically, modules will be taught in a group setting over a two-three day intensive course (usually Thursday-Saturday). Three weeks prior to the taught part of the module students will receive pre-reading for the course, which will provide the basis of the course, and a further nine weeks after the completion of the taught element students will be required to submit an. Thus, it is envisaged that a module will take three months to complete. Unless able to invoke exemption, all candidates, during the taught component, must take the following five core modules each of which is worth 30 D CATS points: Psychological Approaches to Researching Childhood Sociological Approaches to Researching Childhood Quantitative Research: Methods, Data and Theory Qualitative Research: Methods, Data and Theory Children s Rights: Research and Practice Additionally, during the taught component, they will be required to take other optional modules, which must total 90 CATS points

2 Type of Programme Doctoral Length of Programme Minimum 4 years full time and maximum 8 years part time Total Credits for Programme 540 Awarding Institution/Body Teaching Institution School/Department Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level dguidance Queen s University Belfast Queen s University Belfast School Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Level 8 QAA Benchmark Group y/subject-guidance/pages/subject-benchmarkstatements Collaborative Organisation and form of Collaboration (if applicable) Accreditations (PSRB) ATAS Clearance N/A External Examiner Name: Dr. Helen Anne Hingley Jones Not applicable N/A Not applicable Date of next scheduled accreditation visit Not applicable External Examiner Institution/Organisation Principal Lecturer in Social Work & Programme Leader MA Social Work, Middlesex University, Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations Programme Specific Regulations No Taught modules Successful completion of each of the 8 taught modules module depends on attendance at all sessions for which a student is registered. Students will be assessed on each taught module by an, (5000 words for each 30 CATS point module and 3,300 for each 20 CATS point module) to be submitted twelve weeks after the taught element of the module. At the six week stage students will be asked to submit a draft outline of their proposed content (up to 1,000 words for a and 500 words for a 3,300 word ). It is the module convenor s responsibility to provide the student feedback on their draft. Assignments deemed by the examiners to be unsatisfactory on first submission may be re-submitted on one further occasion. If an does not satisfy the examiners on the second submission it is deemed a fail and no further submission is allowed. Extensions to submission dates for module s may be requested in writing from the course co-ordinator but cannot normally exceed 12 months from the date of the final teaching session for the module. After this point, the student will normally be deemed to have withdrawn from the module. Students whose work is deemed unsatisfactory in the first submissions of two modules taken consecutively, will have their performance reviewed and may not be permitted to enrol on further modules until the outstanding modules are successfully completed. Failure to complete three modules successfully may result in a requirement for the candidate to withdraw from the course. Research Dissertation Students are also required to complete a research dissertation worth 300 D CATS points. Prior to commencing their dissertation they will be required to complete the compulsory research methods modules, to have developed a research proposal (the

3 feasibility of which will be assessed by a transfer panel) and to have a satisfactory performance profile. A satisfactory performance profile is deemed to be the accumulation of at least 120 D-points in modules for which the student's s were deemed to be acceptable on first submission (i.e. not requiring re-submission) and that the 8 taught modules have been successfully completed. Students whose profile is less than this will be advised about their suitability to undertake the doctoral dissertation study. Students may be required to withdraw from the doctoral programme at this point with the opportunity to take a viva voce examination for the award of a Master of Childhood Studies: MChild (Taught). Students progressing to doctoral study are required to submit a dissertation of not more than 50,000 words. The topic of study and the appointment of a supervisor must, as noted above, be approved by a specially convened transfer panel. The thesis should represent a contribution to knowledge, showing evidence of originality, critical insight and the capacity to carry out independent research. Students may not submit a thesis for examination unless they have successfully completed all s for the taught units. The notification of intention to submit, the format of the dissertation, the appointment of examiners, the examination of the thesis, the appeals procedures and all other processes involved will follow the University s Study Regulations for Research Degree Programmes. Successful examination of the dissertation will result in a Doctor of Childhood Studies (DChild). Students whose dissertation is judged by the examiners to be of Master s standard will be awarded a Masters of Childhood Studies: MChild (Research). Students with protected characteristics Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations The programme does not contain any barriers to access or progression for any protected group. The programme makes reasonable adjustments on receiving notification of a student with a disability. No Length of Programme Minimum 4 years full-time and maximum 8 years part time.

4 Educational Aims of Programme The aim of the programme is to enable professionals with expertise in working with children and families the opportunity to develop their expertise to the highest academic level by engaging in a doctoral programme of study which aims: to enhance their knowledge of legal, policy, practice and research developments in the broad field of childhood studies; to develop their understanding of evidence based research; to improve their own research capacity; and to complete a research project that makes a contribution to their field of practice. The objectives of the programme are to: develop students knowledge of historical and contemporary legal, policy and practice developments in relation to working with children and families; develop students critical awareness of the theoretical, political, economical, societal and cultural factors that that inform these developments; enhance students evidence based and interdisciplinary research skills in the broad field of work with children and families; develop students ability to obtain, review and evaluate information in relation to children and their families; support students in the development of research proposals that emerge directly from, and whose findings can be transferred back into, their local work contexts; increase student awareness and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of a range of research methods used to explore research questions pertaining to children and their families; increase student awareness of and ability to implement a research process that adheres to appropriate ethical parameters; develop students use of high level critical thinking, writing and oral skills; encourage and facilitate students engagement in conference presentations, publications and knowledge exchange events that relate to their specified area of expertise. Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills be able to: Access, process, organise and synthesise information and ideas from different sources Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of information and ideas Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies individualised learning via the on line discussion forum, Critique ideas and information using a range of theoretical frameworks Make connections and articulate arguments, ideas or thoughts coherently, convincingly in written and oral work Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills be able to: Evaluate arguments and evidence in order to make informed judgments Communicate arguments and thoughts effectively orally and in writing Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

5 Access a range of resources (including electronic) individualised learning via the on line discussion forum, Work effectively in an inter-disciplinary context Plan, manage and carry out research proposals Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding be able to: Demonstrate knowledge of historical and contemporary legal, policy and practice developments in relation to working with children and families Demonstrate critical awareness of the theoretical, political, economical, societal and cultural factors that that inform these developments Employ evidence based and interdisciplinary research skills in the broad field of work with children and families Demonstrate an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of a range of research methods used to explore research questions pertaining to children and their families Demonstrate awareness of and ability to implement a research process that adheres to appropriate ethical parameters Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies individualised learning via the on line discussion forum, Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific Skills be able to Demonstrate in-depth understanding of childhood studies theory and practice and a critical awareness of current issues in the field Raise critical questions about policy and practice developments in children s services Demonstrate the development and application of advanced knowledge to the area of childhood studies Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies individualised learning via the on line discussion forum,

6 Programme Requirements Module Title Sociological approaches to understanding children and childhood Psychological approaches to researching childhood Critical perspectives on early childhood Childhood, rights and justice Quantitative research: methods, data and theory Qualitative research: methods, data and theory Children s rights research and practice Module Level/ Credits Availability Duration Prerequisite Assessment Code stage S1 S2 Core Option Coursework % Examination % SOC9030 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% SOC9031 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% SOC9032 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% SOC9035 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% EDD9029 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% EDD9030 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% EDD9064 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% Youth and social justice SOC9044 D 20 x 12 weeks x 100% Youth justice: theory, law SOC9045 D 20 x 12 weeks x 100% and practice Children s rights and SOC9046 D 20 x 12 weeks x 100% youth justice Survey methods in EDD9061 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% educational research Philosophical and ethical issues in educational research EDD9054 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% Narrative and arts-based research approaches Researching children and young people in educational settings The professional as researcher EDD9059 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% EDD9058 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100% EDD9031 D 30 x 12 weeks x 100%

7 Approved by Director of Education: Print Name:.. Signature: Date:.