Health and Community Development Studies

Entry requirements

• Demonstration of ability to work at master’s level which can be achieved through having a first degree, normally at 2:2 or above, or by having a range of academic and work experience
• You are normally expected to have a professional qualification in an area related to work
• You must be engaged in at least 10 hours’ relevant and appropriate work, paid or unpaid, per week

You should also normally have:

• A commitment to anti-oppressive practice
• Relevant and significant health oriented work experience
• Proven ability to reflect on practice, critically examine concepts of informal education and justice, awareness of social welfare needs in a youth and community development context.

Applications from individuals with no formal academic qualifications, but extensive practical experience, will be considered on an individual basis. You will need to attend an online presentation and 1: 1 interview.

Months of entry

January, October

Course content

From mental health support services to housing and homelessness, youth offending, and drug abuse, this course attracts professionals with expertise in diverse health and community, informal education settings.

Our core modules will give you an insight into the theories and practices of community development, introducing key concepts in practice, policy and National Occupation Standards. You will explore this in relation to issues surrounding health and wellbeing and discover new strategies and methods of social science research.

You can then expand your expertise in areas that interest you most, with modules covering topics in mental health, contemporary social issues, youth and community development, anti-oppressive practice, race and diversity, and management of services and people.

You may wish to learn about non-clinical health and wellbeing, broader health education, or development projects focusing on a social model of health and wellbeing. The content of this programme is also relevant for those wishing to explore social health and community provision in developing countries.

Ideal candidates will have an interest in group work, informal learning and activity, and outreach and community work, particularly with young people and adults identified as ‘hard to reach’ and ‘excluded’.

Your studies will benefit from a flexible blended learning approach, where the majority of modules are taught via distance learning with two block teaching weeks per academic year.

Key features

• We have a global reputation within the sector, with years of professional training experience and international work to draw upon.
• Benefit from the flexibility of being able to tailor your learning to your career interests.
• Study part-time via distance learning alongside your work commitments, reinforced by two face to face teaching weeks per academic year.
• Our teaching staff are experienced practitioners and researchers. Their expertise in delivering a diverse range of practice-related modules will ensure your learning is relevant to current practice and initiatives.
• Our expert academic team have published several books and a wide range of research papers on key topics relating to your learning.
• Explore knowledge across professions. The course attracts professionals with expertise in a variety of settings, including sexual health, mental health, disability, drug abuse, parenting education, youth work and community development, children’s centres, housing and homelessness, youth offending and domestic violence.
• Recent graduates from this course have progressed on to work in senior roles in areas of community health, education, youth work and community development, both in the UK and overseas.