Do you work in or aspire to work in forensic service lines for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities? Do you want to increase your knowledge and expertise in how best to work with and support service users based on the latest available evidence?
The deadline for applications in consideration for entry in September is the 18 July.
At the Tizard Centre, you will receive cutting-edge, critical, and career-driven education in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Forensic Issues,approved by the British Psychological Society for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). You will learn about the aetiology, assessment, and treatment of offending and/or offending-like behaviour in this group of people and how best to support them to lead meaningful, law abiding lives in the community.
We will embed your knowledge and expertise within the current legal and policy framework surrounding specialist forensic services, offer opportunities for practice and/or research in the field, and support the development of your career as an evidence based practitioner.
The postgraduate diploma and certificate are approved by the British Psychological Society for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The Tizard Centre is part of the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR) and has excellent links with health and social care organisations, and other relevant establishments.
The Centre is at the forefront of learning and research in autism, intellectual disability and community care, and in 2013 received a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of its outstanding work in these areas.
The Centre has excellent links with health and social care organisations, and other relevant establishments. Our primary aims, through research, teaching and consultancy, are:
The Tizard Centre is recognised as leading the field in deinstitutionalisation and community living, challenging behaviour, quality of staff support, sexuality and autism, and has had a significant impact on national policies in these areas. We are committed to addressing issues arising from social inequality.
We welcome applications from applicants who have obtained at least a second class honours degree including all the required examinations at a university in the United Kingdom or at another approved university.
Mature applicants without a degree are asked to provide evidence of their ability to complete a postgraduate programme successfully, and are eligible to enter the programme following the completion of an assessed task.
We encourage international applicants with the relevant academic/professional background and competence in spoken and written English. However, we require them to have some experience of UK services. We also require applicants to have 7.5 IELTS, minimum 6.5 in any element or equivalent in other tests.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires an Excellent level of English language, equivalent to C1 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in each component
PTE Academic 76 with a minimum of 76 in each sub-test
A degree from the UK
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
The aim of this module is to teach students about research methodology and the knowledge needed to access and interpret the research literature. For those who take the statistical analysis element, the aim is also to teach appropriate statistical techniques for the analysis of quantitative data. The emphasis will be on methods of data collection and analysis which will be useful in practice settings, so that advanced multivariate techniques will not be taught.
All students will write one essay on a topic which requires them to draw on material from the service issues, social psychology and behavioural analysis and intervention modules. This will be done over the course of the year for full time students and in the second year for part time students and will be submitted during the third term of the final year.
This module provides students with in-depth understanding of the definitions and causes of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the epidemiology of IDD and of offending, issues of screening for IDD in criminal justice setting, transitions between settings, and the effects that IDD and offending can have on the family. It will consider social relationships, social networks and sexuality issues (attitudes of staff, issues of abuse etc.) in people with IDD and forensic issues, as well as the vulnerabilities of people with IDD (to physical and sexual abuse, exploitation, and wrongful conviction). In addition, behaviour phenotypes and offending (including specific diagnosis- e.g. autism, Klinefelters syndrome, Foetal Alcohol syndrome etc.) as well as mental health issues and offending will be considered.
This module will provide students with an in-depth understanding of service issues in intellectual and developmental disabilities and forensic issues, including an understanding of normalisation/Social Role Valorisation (and race/gender issues), deinstitutionalisation, current services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including forensic services. Students will learn about the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation, the role of the police, courts, prisons, and probation. They will consider how to assess quality of care, quality of life and service user views, and will examine advocacy and self-advocacy movements, organisational issues and interventions to improve quality of life and care.
This module provides students with in-depth knowledge and understanding of assessment and treatment methods for people with IDD and forensic issues. It considers the definitions, measurement and epidemiology of challenging behaviour, the distinctions between challenging behaviour and offending, and the causes of challenging behaviour and offending behaviour. It also covers assessment, including rating scales, interviews and observations, for challenging and offending behaviour, and functional analysis for challenging and offending behaviour, treatment interventions (behavioural and cognitive behavioural approaches) for offenders with IDD in forensic and community settings, and risk assessment and risk management of offenders with IDD in forensic and community settings.
All students will be required to work in one placement during their programme. They will be attached to a local clinical psychologist or psychological therapist in a secure unit or a forensic IDD team or a learning disability team which takes forensic cases. They will be required to complete both service level work and individual client-level work during the placement and will submit one report on each. The service-level work will involve assessing the quality of care of the service (or part of the service), helping the service to develop an actual plan to deal with issues raised, and monitoring the effect of their intervention. The clinical/client-level work will involve assessment and intervention for one client or a small group of clients. Typically, full–time (one-year) students will spend two days per week throughout the year on placement. Part-time (two-year) students will spend one day per week on placement throughout the two years.
During their first terms students will select the topic for their research project. Students will then complete a written plan for their research project and where fieldwork or other empirical research is concerned, complete the ethical review checklist, with advice from their dissertation supervisor during term 2 (or Term 3 for part-time students). The proposal will then be assessed and the ethical review checklist sent to the Tizard Ethics committee for approval.
At least one day a week is set aside for data collection during term 3 and two or three days per week after the end of term 3, for the full-time (one-year) students. There is equivalent time spread over the two years for the part-time students.
Duration: 2 years part-time
Teaching includes lectures, guided study using Moodle, with seminars and group exercises to enhance understanding of the underlying concepts. The MA is awarded for the achievement of 180 credits from taught modules and the successful completion of the dissertation.
The assessment methods include unseen examinations, mixture of essays and assignments.
The aims of this programme are:
You gain the following knowledge and understanding:
You will develop intellectual skills in:
You will develop skills to:
You gain the following transferable skills:
The Tizard Centre runs an annual seminar series where staff or guest lecturers present the results of research or highlight recent developments in the field of social care. The Jim Mansell Memorial Lecture invites public figures or distinguished academics to discuss topics that could interest a wider audience. The Centre also publishes the Tizard Learning Disability Review (in conjunction with Emerald Publishing) to provide a source of up-to-date information for professionals and carers.
The Tizard Centre provides consultancy to organisations in the statutory and independent sectors, both nationally and internationally, in diversified areas such as service assessment, person-centred approaches, active support and adult protection. The Centre also teaches a range of short courses, often in conjunction with other organisations.
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Mental Health; Journal of Applied Research and Intellectual Disabilities; American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; and Journal of Intellectual Disability Research.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Current research areas include: social inequalities and community care; IDD and challenging behaviour; offending and IDD; early intervention; autism; abuse; service quality.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
Our postgraduate courses provide detailed knowledge of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Graduates will have gained a very good understanding of the matters arising within this population and will be able to analyse and conduct relevant research.
Our postgraduate courses improve employability prospects for both those with established careers and new entrants to the field. Many of our students already work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in professional, management or supporting capacities. Our programmes support their continuing professional development and enhance their opportunities for career advancement.
Other students, who are at the beginning of their careers, move on to a range of professional roles in health and social care including:
This particular programme will also provide the necessary skills to work in secure services or forensic community teams.
The postgraduate diploma and certificate are approved by the British Psychological Society for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Next steps
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
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