Applied Studies - Management of Social Welfare Organisations MSc/Postgraduate Diploma

www.dass.stir.ac.uk

This programme was developed in response to requests from managers in overseas organisations who wished to take a full-time version of the degree in Social Services Management. On this programme, all students benefit from an educational experience that reflects both the increasing globalisation of social welfare problems and the challenges that face managers committed to planning and implementing services for people in need.

Programme Objectives

The programme is intended for managers from social welfare organisations e.g. social work, social care, community development projects and other initiatives promoting welfare and social justice. These organisations may be in the statutory or voluntary (NGO or Non-Governmental Organisation) sectors.

At a time when roles, identities and structures in social welfare organisations are experiencing development and change, this programme offers a basis from which to develop or consolidate management skills and to evaluate and implement innovation. The programme extends understanding of leadership and management within social welfare and to apply this understanding to the workplace, thereby improving management skills and the quality of service provision.

Entrance Requirements

Applications for this Master’s level programme are encouraged from graduates. However, experienced individuals without degrees but with appropriate professional qualifications will be considered, with a requirement for you to show your ability through a piece of written work and an interview (this could include a telephone interview).

You are expected to word-process your own work for assessment.

Applicants should have current or very recent experience of management in a social welfare organisation or related field.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each skill) or TOEFL 577/233/90 (Paper/Computer/Internet).

Funding

For information on possible sources of funding, visit: www.stir.ac.uk/postgrad/finance

Modes of Study

This modular programme is taught over one year in two semesters. Three months is then allowed for completion of the dissertation.

Programme Start Date

September

Programme Director

Veronica Collins

Department of Applied Social Science

Structure and Content

The programme is full-time, studied over one year. The six taught modules last ten months, with exit points after four months (end of December) for a Postgraduate Certificate and after ten months (May) for a Postgraduate Diploma. The dissertation for the MSc is completed after the taught modules.

The modules you will study are:

Managing in the Context of a Social Services Agency: This module will identify current trends and developments in contemporary social work, identify the fiscal arrangements for social work, identify best value and value for money in social work, review the manager’s role and accountability, consider Scottish and UK social services in the international context.

Managing and Supervising Staff: This module will apply leadership theories and management style analysis to your own work, identify management tasks in relation to ethical issues and anti-oppressive practice, apply employment legislation and policy, analyse methods for the recruitment and selection of staff, monitor the effectiveness of staff appraisal, training and development programmes, build and manage effective teams.

Collaborative Practice: This module will help you to apply organisation theory, consider the impact of organisational culture on service delivery, and explore the challenges and opportunities of collaborative practice.

Managing Change and Innovation: This module will help you to apply theories of change management in your organisational context, plan, implement and evaluate innovation, analyse effective leadership strategies for managing change and transition, explore meaningful ways of strengthening service user and carer involvement in service planning and evaluation.

Research Design and Process and Policy Analysis and Evaluation Research: students will also study these two modules from within the Department of Applied Social Science's MSc in Applied Social Research. For more details, visit: www.dass.stir.ac.uk

Delivery and Assessment

Each semester (September to December and February to May) will involve the equivalent of 16 days teaching at the University. These are spread over four months, with units of three or four days each month.

Full-time students undertake six modules within the academic year (three modules in each semester). The teaching day consists of seminar presentations, group discussion and small group work. This programme is delivered by staff in the social work section of the Department of Applied Social Science. This is a large interdisciplinary unit, combining teaching and research interests in sociology, social policy and criminology, social work, dementia and housing studies and a number of specialist centres. It has a strong academic reputation in all these areas.

The assessment for each module is by either one or two assignments, with most requiring discussion of the application of management theory to the delivery of social welfare services. The MSc dissertation is completed between June and August/September of the year following commencement of study. Overseas students may choose to complete this in their home country.

Timetable

Contact the Department for information on your timetable and reading lists.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of the programme equips you for senior management posts in social welfare NGOs or government agencies.

Research Opportunities

Our researchers, including postgraduates, form a network of research connections across the Department. Much research is underpinned by study of policy formation, implementation and the evaluation of services e.g. in social work and health-related fields. We also undertake basic and strategic research, emphasising relevance to users. We have significant strength in both quantitative and qualitative research. We aim to provide you with the necessary support and supervision to complete a PhD within three years.

Our research strategy and ethos emphasise the communication of research findings to various audiences, including policy-makers in local government, practitioners and service users. The promotion of research-based policy and practice is greatly assisted by our wide-ranging and close links with policy-makers and practitioners at local, national and international levels.

We currently have more than 30 ongoing research projects, including:

• Food Practices in an Institutional Context: Children, Care and Control (ESRC)
• Coordination of Programmes in Children (Department for Education and Skills)
• Someone to talk to: Public Views and Experiences of Emotional Support in the UK (ESRC)
• The Family Life Project: A Qualitative Longitudinal
• Study of Children’s Experiences of Family Life in the Context of Parental Drug Use (Department of Health)

Find out about these projects and others at: www.dass.stir.ac.uk

Doctor of Applied Social Research (DASR)
This programme is for professionals who may need to commission, evaluate, direct, administer or design research into aspects of the applied social sciences. It is directed towards analysis of policy, practice and the development of professional practice. Taught modules focus on aspects of social science research, also emphasising the critical understanding of research and research methods.

RAE Rating

The UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) confirmed the quality of the work being done by our researchers. 85% of the University of Stirling’s research has been judged to be internationally excellent and internationally recognised, with the top 10% of that judged to be world class.

View the full outcomes of Stirling’s RAE performance

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If you are ready to apply you can fill out an online application form now.