MA Inclusive Studies (Neuro-diversity)

Carmarthen Campus

‘An equal society protects and promotes equal, real freedom and substantive opportunity to live in the ways people value and would choose, so that everyone can flourish. An equal society recognises people’s different needs, situations and goals and removes the barriers that limit what people can do and be.’

The Equalities Review, Fairness and Freedom, 2007: 16

Reducing barriers to learning and participation for people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and disabilities is a key government agenda across the UK.  The Neuro-Diversity (ND) pathway provides a relevant and valuable postgraduate experience for practitioners working within a multi agency context and students who seek a career within health and social care, education, the voluntary sector and parents/carers. 

By empowering parents and professionals with knowledge, this pathway can help them to improve the lives of the children they care for and support.  The pathway firmly sets the students study within the context of the social model rather than the medical model of disability where the principles of empowerment and participation for children and young people are a core focus. Thus the social model of inclusion focuses on changing society’s attitudes and structures rather than seeing disability/exclusion as residing within the individual. This approach is used to engage with the biological and medical content of this programme within a social context and applies this to real life contexts to support practitioners to empower clients. 

This Master’s pathway ensures a progression from the existing undergraduate programmes and extends practitioner knowledge and understanding.

Within this award Inclusive Studies offers individuals with a strong basis for the wide range of employment opportunities now available in local government, educational institutions, voluntary and community organisations, as well as in other organisations and economic enterprises engaged in supporting inclusion, particularly in the field of practitioners working within a multi agency context and students who seek a career within health and social care, education or the voluntary sector. Thus this Master’s programme supports employer-led initiatives to match skill requirements with training, development and investment.

Typical Modules

This Master’s Programme will extend professional knowledge and understanding through an integrated set of compulsory modules. In Part I each module will develop key knowledge and skills in areas including research methods, social policy, sociology, reflective practice and psychology. These modules include

  • The Nature of Enquiry: Exploring Inclusion
  • Reflective/Reflexive Practice for Inclusion 
  • Sociological Perspectives on Inclusion 
  • Challenges for Social Policy 
  • Childhood to Adolescence: Social, Cognitive and Emotional Development 
  • The Voice of the Indivual 
  • Developmental Process
  • Dissertation: Inclusive Studies

These modules will set a firm foundation for the dissertation element of the degree.

Part II of the programme is the dissertation which will allow students to focus on one key element identified during the taught component of the masters; this will further extend their knowledge and understanding through research.

Programme Specification

The Learning Outcomes of the modules in the programme will enable students to demonstrate:

Knowledge and understanding of the field

  • a thorough knowledge and critical understanding of the underlying values and principles relevant to Inclusive Studies;
  • an in-depth knowledge of the diversity of human and social needs in the UK and other countries and of social policies and welfare institutions which exist to meet them;
  • appropriately in their study to extend their knowledge and understanding;
  • a thorough knowledge of some of the more significant sources of data about social welfare and a critical grasp of the main research methods used to collect and analyse the data;
  • a critical understanding of interdisciplinary approaches to social policy topics and issues;
  • a critical understanding of how contemporary social problems have emerged and of social policy responses;
  • develop a critical analysis of the reasons for inequalities in society;
  • analyse the nature of social relationships between individuals, groups and social institutions;

Application

  • an ability to critically analyse concepts, theories and issues of policy in a systematic way;
  • a well developed ability to identify and reflect analytically on potential connections between each of the aspects of subject knowledge and their application in policies and contexts;
  • a critical ability to accommodate new principles and understandings, including suggesting the way forward and potential changes in practice;
  • undertake research skills through practical activities;

Reflection

  • an ability to critically reflect on their own value system;
  • a critical ability to question concepts and theories encountered in their study;
  • a thorough and in-depth understanding of the significance and limitations of theory and research;

Transferable Skills

  • the ability to develop a strong line of argument both verbally and in writing.
  • an ability to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses in the arguments and opinions of others;
  • an ability to use information and communication technology (ICT) including work processing, databases, internet communication, information retrieval and online searches;
  • an ability to work with others, as a result of the development of interpersonal skills, to demonstrate the capacity to plan, to share goals, and work as a member of a team;
  • the ability to improve their own learning and performance, including the development of critical study and research skills, information retrieval, and a capacity to place and manage learning, and to critically reflect on their own learning;
  • a critical ability to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and identify problems and solutions.

Awards available

  • MA (180 credits)
  • PG Diploma (120 credits)
  • PG Certificate (60 credits)

Study mode

  • Full-time
  • Part-time

Programme delivery

  • Carmarthen Campus

Start date

  • October

Further information

Dr Caroline Lohmann-Hancock
c.lohmann-hancock@tsd.ac.uk

Fees

Fees are reviewed each year - please contact us for details.

How to Apply

Please contact:

Faculty Office 01267 676686