Health & Social Care* (MA)

About the Course

*Course subject to validation

Health and Social Care, while being in a state of turbulence, offers exciting, unique and extremely worthwhile opportunities to work in human services that are vital for our society. What this sector needs is a workforce made up of critically thinking professionals, those with a deep understanding of how people's needs arise and the creativity and drive to design, provide and lead services to address these.  Social Justice lies at the heart of this new MA programme which aims to produce professionals with a critical understanding of Health and Social inequalities and the knowledge, tools and passion to bring about change.

The programme has been put together with input from a range of Health and Social Care professionals and organisations to ensure a curriculum that addresses key contemporary issues in Health and Social Care.  The programme is designed for both those coming straight from undergraduate study and those already working in the sector and looking to enhance and develop their career.  Learning from active researchers with diverse areas of expertise you will appraise a range of contemporary models of providing and leading Health and Social Care and consider what workforce is needed to deliver integrated care.  Furthermore, you will gain the opportunity to further develop a range of research skills that would be relevant and transferable to your professional practice.

Curriculum Overview

The MA Health and Social Care consists of a 180 credits taught postgraduate programme. The programme offers exit awards at the Postgraduate Certificate stage (60 credits) and the Postgraduate Diploma stage (120 credits). The research phase leads to completion of a dissertation through independent study with individual research supervision. To achieve the full award (180 credits) students must take a range of taught modules up to the value of 120 credits and complete the 60 credit research phase.

Modules

Shaping Health and Social Care (30 credits) It could be argued that the Health and Social Care workforce is more fragile than it has ever been.  With nurses leaving their profession in their droves and over 150,000 vacant posts in social care work, radical change is clearly needed. This module offers you the opportunity to explore the part that you can play in developing, leading and nurturing a sustainable workforce.  It moves away from traditional ‘management theory’ type modules, to explore the unique challenges faced in Health and Social Care and in particular, those that emerge from the integration of these two organisations. The module is built on the recognition that ideas about leadership should not be the exclusive property of those in, or aspiring to be in, higher levels of a hierarchical organisation. Rather, it will consider how change can be brought about at societal, organisational and individual levels and will enable you to think about your own unique role in shaping the future workforce.

Prevention in Health and Social Care (30 credits) Within the UK there is increasing demand for a broad range of Health and Social Care services and over recent decades a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that inequality is a key driver of this. Those groups most in need of Health and Social Care are often those who experience significant social, economic and health inequalities. It is vital that those working in the sector understand the root causes of contemporary Health and Social Care issues and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to work in ways that reduce and prevent such inequalities. The importance of effective preventative policies and practices in tackling major Health and Social Care issues cannot be understated. Whilst at a national level we have a poor track record of addressing and reducing inequality there are many examples of good practice being implemented at a local, regional, national and international level. This module will critically explore how preventative measures can tackle inequalities in outcomes, experiences and access to services both for targeted groups and the wider population.  You will explore how individuals and organisations can work effectively with various stakeholders including politicians, civil servants, statutory and professional sector bodies, third sector organisations and users of Health and Social Care services.

Intervention in Health and Social Care (30 credits) In this module, you will critically engage with a broad range of interventions in Health and Social Care. You will critique national and international policy and practice to identify best practices and consider some of the practicalities of interventions, such as finance, design, implementation and evaluation. Moving beyond this, you will think critically about the purpose of interventions with a particular focus upon who interventions might target, how they are designed, and by who. For example, you will consider the importance of working in partnership with people who use Health and Social Care Services and explore ways in which this can be done meaningfully. You will also be encouraged to reflect upon the challenges associated with individualised, deficit based and medical interventions. This enables us to grapple with ethical debates relating to interventions in Health and Social Care. For example, we recognise that interventions are not value-free, but driven by particular needs and priorities. You will also consider important ethical questions relating to the allocation of resources, and reflect on who this allocation includes and excludes. 

Optional Module (30 credits) You will be able to choose one module from a range of available options within the School of Social Sciences. For example a module in Safeguarding or Disability Studies. Allowing you to shape your own studies and develop your own specific interests.

Dissertation (60 credits) An integral part of studying an MA is the opportunity to undertake your own research.  You will be allocated an experienced supervisor to support you in doing this.

Entry Requirements

Normally a minimum of a Second-Class Honours degree in a relevant discipline awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification is required.

International Entry Requirements

For students whose first language is not English there is a language requirement of IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum of all components. In addition to this, we also accept a wide range of International Qualifications, for more information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

For additional information about country specific entry requirements visit the your country pages. 

Teaching and Research

The delivery pattern on the MA programme is flexible to suit the needs of our students. Our classes run in the evenings typically Mondays to Thursdays. The number of evenings you attend will depend on whether you choose to do the course full time or part time. You will experience a range of teaching methods which promote critical thinking and enable discussion and shared thinking.  You will be assessed in a range of ways that enable you to apply your knowledge to professional practice.

You will be taught by an experienced team of academics whose research areas include the experiences of older migrants, public health, disability hate crime, poverty, global health, psycho-social approaches to mental distress, domestic and sexual violence, health inequalities, addiction and the experiences of people labelled as having learning difficulties.  In addition many of the team have a professional background in working in health and social care.

UK/EU Tuition Fees

Our postgraduate degrees are priced individually. For full details about the cost of our degrees and how you pay, visit our tuition fees page.

Funding

We offer a number of scholarships and loans to help fund your postgraduate studies. Visit our scholarships pages for more details.

International Tuition Fees

If you are a student from outside the EU, you can find out about tuition fees, funding and scholarships on our international fees and funding pages.

Careers

The MA in Health and Social Care will enhance the career development and prospects of those looking to begin or further develop a career in Health and Social Care. The programme will give you the knowledge and tools required for the effective design, implementation and leadership of Health and Social Care policy and services. Graduates of the programme will be well equipped to take on a broad range of senior/leadership roles within the sector. They will also be well placed to go on to a doctorate (either PhD or a Professional Doctorate such as the Health and Social Care Doctorate ) at Liverpool Hope or another academic institution.