StudyQA — Master: Housing Studies — University of Stirling (Page 5)

Photos of university / #universityofstirling

Description Contents Requirements Funding More

Course objectives With a staff group specialising in a wide range of professional competencies ranging from; housing management, project management, policy and strategy, homelessness, social theory, housing finance and housing law, Stirling University is in an excellent position to provide you with the skill sets required to make good a career in a highly competitive age.

Students are introduced to the most up-to-date ideas and debates in housing. We offer students the opportunity to learn about the cutting edge of housing practice. This route uses blended learning, with a significant element of online study giving the student the ideal learning experience in a format which is accessible and engaging.

This course is aimed at graduates wishing to pursue a career in housing. The Diploma programme combines academic study and professional practice over a 12-month period. It equips you with the tools to become a competent and effective practitioner and increases your chances of interesting and rewarding work and future employment.

Anyone who completes the Diploma requirements may register for a further nine months and, depending on progress, study towards a Masters of Science degree (MSc).

The Chartered Institute of Housing is the professional body for housing and validates the Stirling housing studies course. On successful completion of the Diploma, you will have satisfied most of the practical requirements for corporate membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Housing studies attracts people from a variety of disciplines across the social sciences, humanities and built environment.

Structure and content The Postgraduate Diploma is taught intensively over two academic semesters, with the professional practice element internship running June to September.

During the academic semesters you will study eight academic modules, four in each semester.

Semester 1

* The Provision of Housing Services
* Sustainability and Housing Development
* Housing Policy and Law
* Strategic Use of Information

Semester 2

* Paying for Housing
* Organisational Behaviour
* Housing Renewal and Community Regeneration
* Housing, Health and Well-being

Professional Practice

The course also includes a module on reflective practice, preparation for professional practice and attachment to a social landlord to facilitate workplace learning. These precede an internship of at least 10 weeks full-time work experience, linked to the practical requirements of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Workplace attachments and internships are arranged by tutors, taking account of student preferences and interests.

Research

Tutors on the course have wide ranging research interests in housing policy, homelessness and community development.

Delivery and assessment You attend induction in Stirling for a week in September at the beginning of the course and at periodic intervals thereafter. Academic learning is undertaken through a combination of interaction with tutors and other students working with materials available online and occasional sessions on campus or field visits. You are expected to participate in the course actively for two/three days each week and study privately those times.

Most of the time you have flexibility about where you can study and you do not need to travel to Stirling for online classes. Please ensure that your IT specification meets the requirements for the course - see technical checklist available here:
You can, however, access IT facilities on campus. We estimate that the course requires a full-time study commitment of 35 hours per week, including private study. Teaching is concentrated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Assessment on the Diploma course is continuous and takes a variety of forms written and oral, individual and collective, academic and professional.

During the period June September, your internship will consist of full-time attendance at an agreed workplace. Students need to complete 400 hours work which amounts to approximately 10 weeks full-time. Internships are assessed through a series of practice reports and a reflective practice diary.

Students who do not complete the Diploma course may be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.

Masters of Science degree (MSc)Students who successfully complete the Diploma are eligible for progress to the MSc in Housing Studies. This requires a further nine months of study, satisfactory completion of a research methods module, and satisfactory completion of a 15,000-word dissertation.

Recommended reading Contact the School for information.

Entrance requirements Applicants for the Housing Studies (with internship) MSc/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate should be graduates; mature non-graduates with relevant work experience can be considered. 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: Listening 23, Reading 23, Speaking 23, Writing 23. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 577 TOEFL iBT® test: 90 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.