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Course information

Department

Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies

Length

2 years part-time or 3 years part-time

Course overview

Examine the impact of being abusive or being abused. This course will look at international, cultural and social contexts.

  • This MA Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse – distance learning provision is unique and represents the first distance learning psychologically informed programme of its kind.
  • It is particularly suitable for people wishing to increase their understanding of the interplay between mental distress, domestic violence and sexual abuse. The programme is available as a distance learning programme, and includes innovative, interactive, experiential and reflective online teaching. Students will learn how to become reflective and inclusive through both theoretical and experiential activities.
  • Your learning will be underpinned by a unique synthesis of psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive behavioural and social theories to examine the impact of being abusive and/or of being abused. The programme focuses on looking at practice and research from these theoretical perspectives and will consider abusiveness and its impact in different cultural and social contexts from childhood to older age. 
  • Students are required to take 180 credits at Masters level over two calendar years.

IT requirements

Students must ensure that

  • they have regular and reliable access to the internet via a broadband connection to use Learn.gold, which is the name of the Goldsmiths Virtual Learning Environment.
  • they make their own arrangements for IT support for their own equipment and Internet connection.
  • they are computer literate and are able to understand basic computing terminologies necessary to undertake the required learning materials available online.

Students are required to pass a basic computer skill test before their enrolment on this programme.

Time commitment

The distance learning MA Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse requires students to actively engage with the provided written and presented material through regular participation in online discussion groups and occasional participation in online live sessions and group discussions.

Students can assess their progress by using various knowledge assimilation checks throughout the modules, and at the end of each module, a formal assessment will be submitted.

We estimate that participation in the programme will require approximately 15-20 hours per week and encourage applicants to ensure that they can meet this time requirement.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Doireann Larkin.

What you'll study

Year 1

Students will undertake the following compulsory modules across the following months:

September (2 weeks): Induction

October - December (12 weeks): Theories, Research and Policy - Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse (30 credits)

February - April (12 weeks): Group Work: Power, Identity and Conflict (30 credits)

June - July (8 weeks): one optional module (15 credits) out of the following:

  • Working with Children in the Context of Domestic Violence (15 credits)
  • Working with Adults in the Context of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse (15 credits)
  • Adolescents as Victims and Perpetrators (15 credits)
  • The Impact of Trauma - Distress, Resilience and Post-traumatic Growth (15 credits)

Year 2

October - November (8 weeks): one optional module (15 credits) out of the following:

  • Working with Children in the Context of Domestic Violence (15 credits)
  • Working with Adults in the Context of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse (15 credits)
  • Adolescents as Victims and Perpetrators (15 credits)
  • The Impact of Trauma - Distress, Resilience and Post-traumatic Growth (15 credits)

January - February (8 weeks): one optional module (15 credits) out of the following:

  • Working with Children in the Context of Domestic Violence (15 credits)
  • Working with Adults in the Context of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse (15 credits)
  • Adolescents as Victims and Perpetrators (15 credits)
  • The Impact of Trauma - Distress, Resilience and Post-traumatic Growth (15 credits)

April - May (8 weeks): Research Methods (15 credits)

July - October (12 weeks): Dissertation (60 credits)

Assessment

Assessment is through a combination of extended essays, journals, reports, assignment and dissertation and an e-portfolio. 

Download the programme specification. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

For 2021-22 and 2020–21, we have made some changes to how the teaching and assessment of certain programmes are delivered. To check what changes affect this programme, please visit the programme changes page.

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a relevant/related subject. You must also be able to demonstrate significant experience in either health and social care, psychological therapies, or experience from the third sector in a specialist abuse service.

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2023/2024 academic year.

  • Home - part-time: £4860

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

  • Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
  • The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
  • A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement.
  • If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September. 

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification. 

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an earlier application deadline.

Selection process

Admission to many programmes is by interview unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally, we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Find out more about applying.

Careers

Skills

The MA will develop skills including:

  • a knowledge various theoretical perspectives
  • an understanding of cross-disciplinary work within the field
  • an understanding of the different international, cultural and social contexts from childhood to older age within the field

Careers

It is expected that a number of professionals will use either the course credit or the degree to supplement their CPD portfolios, which are a requirement for the majority of these professionals.

For workers with extensive experience, this programme (or its constituent courses) will provide a sound basis in theoretical knowledge and current research which will help them develop their current work and increase their potential for further advancement in the field.

The UK has developed recognised forms of intervention in this field that have an international application and relevance. Issues regarding domestic violence and sexual abuse have an international public health and human rights dimension, which makes the programme internationally relevant.

Find out more about Goldsmiths and employability.

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