School of Social Sciences Postgraduate Studies
MA Refugee Studies
Dean’s Welcome
Welcome to the University of East London’s School of Social Sciences. If you want to develop your professional or academic interest in the Social Sciences, there are few more culturally diverse, historically rich and intellectually stimulating settings than east London. And, we believe, there is no other School of Social Sciences that is better connected to this world, or more actively engaged in the most pressing issues of our global world, its shifting boundaries and its transient populations. When considering postgraduate study you’ll want to be certain that you’re being taught by the people who are right up to date with the emerging issues of your subject, people who are actively researching and contributing new knowledge to these areas. You’ll be reassured, then, that our Sociology submission was the highest rated of any modern university, and one of the largest in the country with 75% of its work judged of international significance and 10% rated as world class. 75% of our Social Policy and Social Work research was judged as of international quality. The issues with which we deal benefit from multiple viewpoints and that is why we welcome students from such different backgrounds. If you have been working with immigrant or refugee communities, volunteering or involved in the charity sector, our postgraduate courses can help you make the next step in your career or to build a completely new one. Our research centres are genuinely unique and use their east London location to tap into global issues in a way that is authoritative and has real impact.
Our centres include: –– The Centre for East London Studies (CELS) which is stimulating debates about the changing nature of east London and the impact of initiatives such as urban regeneration ––
ur Centre for Narrative Research is the O leading international voice for this area. Interdisciplinary in approach, it recently started working with residents at the Jungle refugee camp in Calais on a Life Stories project
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he Centre for Research on Migration, T Refugees and Belonging has internationally recognised expertise in this very current area. Its location in east London is ideal as one of the best established hubs of international settlement, historically and to the present day. CMRB oversees the Refugee Council Archive and other valuable collections.
We hope that you will join us and use the professional skills and experiences you gain here to make a real difference to the world.
Professor Allaine Cerwonka Dean, School of Social Sciences
MA Refugee Studies
Our MA Refugee Studies course enables you to examine displacement as a global phenomenon and to engage critically with the multiple factors associated with the growing number of people forced to become refugees. You’ll consider the economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental pressures which lie behind the search for asylum from the point of view of human security. This course will encourage informed understanding about contemporary conflicts, forced displacement and human security. A distinctive feature of this course is that it considers the perspective and experiences of the people forced to flee conflict, generalised violence, and human rights violations. This refugee centred approach highlights agency of the people victimised by displacement. It enables you to examine critically social, cultural and community responses to people in search of sanctuary in the contexts of restrictive border practices and assess their effects on refugees and the receiving societies. This course highlights problems associated with limitations of asylum rights in the European states and the climate of hostility towards refugees from countries outside Western Europe, and considers alternative, positive approaches to asylum rights. This MA Refugee Studies course is an accredited pathway of the UK Economic and Social Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership.
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The course is designed to: –– Equip you with advanced skills in interdisciplinary analysis and research of forced migration and refugees –– Help you to develop a full appreciation of refugee experiences, achievements and needs, and to analyse them on a global and local scale –– Provide you with skills in data collection and analysis, as well as research design
Course structure You’ll be required to complete two core modules plus two optional modules and a compulsory dissertation. Core modules Introduction to Forced Migration Research Methods Dissertation
School of Social Sciences
Optional modules Current Issues in Forced Migration Conflict, Displacement and Human Security International Human Rights International Refugee Law University Wide Option Throughout your course we will assess you by your coursework, which includes essays, reports, presentations, a research proposal and your dissertation. Typically, there are two assessment components per module, and four per semester. Students begin the dissertation during the summer semester and submit in September.
Your future career The MA in Refugee Studies will develop your general conceptual and analytical abilities, as well as research skills, which are appropriate to professional employment. This course will prepare you for employment in areas related to refugee and migration issues, notably in the fields of immigration and refugee advocacy, community development, both locally and internationally. You could expect to work in non-governmental organisations, social service departments, and local and international charities. This course also provides a theoretical and practical grounding for those who wish to advance academic work and progress to doctoral research in the fields of migration studies, legal studies, and social and cultural theory.
Resources You’ll benefit from access to workshops and conferences organised by the Centre for Migration, Refugees and Belonging, the Centre for Social Justice and Change, the Feminist Research
Group and other university-wide research centres and groups. This means you have the opportunity to link up with key researchers in the area and gain an insight into the latest thinking on critical issues. We encourage students to take up internships with local or national NGOs working with refugees. Through this type of voluntary work, while you study, you are able to engage with some of the pressing problems affecting refugees and organisations that work to support them. This is an opportunity for you to learn from experience and reflect upon it in class, with your peers and tutors. You’ll also benefit from access to the Refugee Archive at the University of East London, which is one of the largest collections of materials on refugees and forced migration. The archive contains materials on refugees in all parts of the world, with special emphasis on the UK. For more than 30 years it was housed at the Refugee Council – the lead organisation in Britain on refugee issues.
Entry requirements Applicants should have a degree with a minimum 2:2 honours. We would also normally expect you to have a grade C in GCSE English and maths. You should be able to demonstrate a clear commitment to refugee related work and issues. Experience of any refugee related work at the time of application is welcomed.As an inclusive university we recognise that applicants who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required for entry to a course. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have relevant life/ work experience that equips them to succeed on the course.
“ Studying for an MA in Refugee Studies at UEL gave me the confidence, knowledge and skills to switch direction in my career. I enjoyed the collaborative approach and the recognition of the relevant experiences we each brought, whether as students or tutors.”
Debora is currently the Policy and Research Manager at the charity, Asylum Aid, where she has worked since 2004. The organisation provides legal representation for asylum seekers as they go through the asylum process and does political lobbying on their behalf. In 2006 she obtained a distinction for her Master’s degree in Refugee Studies at University of East London. Asylum Aid published her MA Dissertation research on women asylum seekers and international human rights mechanisms, which has had an impact on various campaigns and policy documents. As part of her work, Debora launched the Charter of rights of women seeking asylum in 2008, to persuade the UK to adopt a gender sensitive asylum system. Debora has become well known for her persistence and enthusiasm in lobbying strategically and achieving long
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term impacts. A well-respected campaigner, responsible for a series of creative campaigns on the rights of women seeking asylum Debora was awarded an MBE for services to women in the 2012 New Year Honours List.
Debora Singer MBE MA Refugee Studies Graduate
School of Social Sciences
Further information
Fees and funding Up to date course fees are published on our website. To support you in your postgraduate studies, we offer a generous package of scholarships, bursaries and discounts. Please check our website to see what you may be eligible to apply for.
How to apply Visit our website uel.ac.uk and search for the course you wish to apply for. Use the How to Apply button to apply directly using UEL’s secure online form.
Enquiries For further information contact our Applicant Enquiries team Tel: +44 (0)20 8223 3333 Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Disclaimer This publication has been prepared some months before the academic year to which it relates, and whilst every care has been taken to ensure accuracy at the time of going to press, its ongoing accuracy cannot be guaranteed. In particular, we are constantly developing and improving the programmes, modules and options described in the publication, and we reserve the right to modify or discontinue them. No part of this publication is to be construed as an offer or the basis of any agreement between UEL and an individual.
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For comments and queries regarding this publication, please contact study@uel.ac.uk