MA IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Overview

Programme Description

Community development has quite a long history in Ireland and internationally and its evolution over time has seen it emerge as a mainstream activity in redressing contemporary socioeconomic problems. In this context, professional community development workers play a vital role in bringing their knowledge and skills to bear in supporting and enabling communities to play an active part in this process. The two-year full-time MA (Community Development) programme, in existence since 1989, is the longest running Programme within the School of Political Science and Sociology.   The Programme offers considerable one-to-one academic contact and support between students and staff, while the breadth and depth of the curriculum provides a unique educational experience.  You also have an opportunity to acquire work experience of a minimum four months with a community based development agency in areas of work that match your interests and career plans. 

A distinctive aspect of the MA in Community Development is that we offer joint teaching and learning opportunities with the three other postgraduate Programmes within the School (e.g. MA in Family Support, MA in Social Work and MA in Gender, Globalisation and Human Rights), which enables students to acquire a broad perspective on other approaches and knowledge relevant to community development work.  The Programme is strongly connected to the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (see http://www.childandfamilyresearch.ie/) which is a leading, internationally distinguished, research and policy institute, while staff members are involved in a range of research clusters within the School.  Other Staff throughout the School play a key role in teaching and supervising research dissertations by students.

Programme Aims and Objectives

The programme aims to impart specialist knowledge of the practical, organisational, managerial, and developmental skills required for the practice of community work and to increase analytical and evaluative understandings of the policy contexts within which community development practice takes place. The programme provides an understanding of the working principles and methods that underpin professional community work practice. More specifically, the overall programme objective is to educate and train you to become an effective development worker, who, with a professional approach, can make a direct and valuable contribution to affecting change at community level.

Career Opportunities

A wide range of opportunities is open to graduates, both nationally and internationally.  The MA programme will be of particular interest to persons who have an interest in employment provided by community/voluntary, public, and private sector development initiatives, local development (partnership) companies, community based social support work, overseas development work, group/facilitation work, youth work and development, policy research, evaluation and analysis.

Fees

Programme Fee for Academic Year 2012-13

E.U. students: €4,745
Non-E.U. students: €13,250 (Subject to ratification)

Please note: fees are correct at the time of online publication, but are subject to change (E&OE); non-E.U. fees must be paid in full prior to registration. (see http://www.nuigalway.ie/student-fees/how-much/postgraduate-fees/)

For More Information

For more information about enrolling in this course, please visit the Postgraduate Admissions Office.

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