Philanthropic Studies (Distance Learning) - PCert, PDip, MA

Entry requirements

• Applicants will normally have a minimum requirement of a 2:1 honours degree or higher in a social science or related subject.
• Applicants with good degrees in other subjects and experience working or volunteering in the philanthropic or charitable sectors will also be considered.
• In exceptional circumstances we will consider students with lower grade honours degrees if they can demonstrate significant experience working or volunteering in the philanthropic or charitable sectors.
• In exceptional circumstances we will consider students who do not have a degree if they can demonstrate significant experience working or volunteering in the philanthropy or charitable sectors.  We may in these circumstances ask for examples of recent written work to help make admission decisions.
• Overseas students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence that they have sufficient skills to undertake an intensive course of studies in English (i.e. average 7.0 in IELTs test). Candidates will receive a conditional offer with a 6.5 test score in IELTS.

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. 

International students

Please see our International website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, international fee-paying students cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.

English language entry requirements

The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.

For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages. 

Need help with English?

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.

Teaching and assessment

• Participation in ’online learning environment’ forums
• Coursework assignments
• Professional documents including strategic plans and critical appraisals
• Dissertation (supported by regular Skype/telephone meetings)

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

• develop the intellectual and professional practice of those working in the philanthropy sector including grant-making, philanthropy support, fundraising and related roles, to develop their knowledge, equip them with skills and extend and deepen their ability to reflect on and develop their practice.
• provide a challenging, high quality and focussed learning environment for students that establishes Kent as a leading UK centre for the study of philanthropy.
• attract outstanding students from the UK and beyond, irrespective of race, background, gender and physical disability,
• enable students to make links to develop their professional practice and to facilitate the sharing of best practice in the philanthropy sector.
• give students the opportunity (when feasible) to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills of fundraising and the charitable sector within Europe and elsewhere.
• provide a flexible learning environment than enables professionals to engage with excellent teaching.
• offer research-led teaching that builds on the body of research undertaken by the Centre for Philanthropy.
• enable professionals working in the philanthropy sector to develop advanced skills in reflection in relation to their professional practice.
  
• facilitate the personal and professional development of those already working in the philanthropy sector and to prepare students to move into working in these roles.
• provide structured learning opportunities that are challenging, flexible and realistic, with opportunities for students to engage with relevant and enjoyable topics in a theoretically and rigorous way.
• provide high quality teaching in a supportive and dynamic environment, delivered by a range of research-active and appropriately qualified and trained staff.
• develop opportunities for self-directed learning and reflection To enable professionals working in the philanthropy sector from a diverse range of educational backgrounds to access and participate in learning that seeks to capture reflection on experience gained in every day organisational practice.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain a knowledge and understanding of:

• An advanced critical understanding of the major theories of philanthropy and how these relate to practice.
• A systematic understanding of the historical evolution of philanthropy and charity across the world and how these relate to and impact upon current debates.
• An advanced knowledge of the range of funding streams available to charitable organisations and the impact and consequences of pursuing different types of income.
• A comprehensive understanding of the theory and practice of key techniques used in the philanthropy sector.
• A critical awareness of the policy environment in which philanthropy and charitable organisations operate and how this impacts upon their work.
• A practical understanding of the rationale and methods for collaborating with a range of stakeholders, including colleagues, trustees, volunteers, donors, funders, beneficiaries and representatives of statutory funders
• An advanced knowledge of qualitative methods for researching outcomes and applying best practice.
• An advanced knowledge of quantitative methods for researching outcomes and applying best practice.
• A comprehensive understanding of how to apply theoretical knowledge in order to reflect upon and develop professional practice.

Intellectual skills

You gain the following intellectual skills:

• To gather and interpret complex information and synthesise this to develop rigorous, reasoned and original arguments.
• To critically analyse a range of theoretical perspectives and empirical findings, demonstrating sound judgement of what to include and exclude.
• To identify problems and be able to use theoretical and empirical knowledge to develop original, effective and innovative responses.
• To design and implement robust research which can contribute to professional best practice.
• To effectively communicate complex topics to a range of stakeholders by verbal, written and electronic means.
• To critically reflect on and manage their own learning and seek to make use of constructive feedback from peers to enhance their academic work and professional practice.

Subject-specific skills

You gain the following subject-specific skills:

• To have an advanced understanding of the key issues in theory and empirical research on philanthropy and charitable organisations from a multidisciplinary perspective.
• To be critically aware of the main sources of information relevant to the study and practice of philanthropy in the UK and internationally.
• To have an advanced understanding of the ways in which useful data for philanthropy practice can be gathered and used.
• To understand the various needs of the wide range of stakeholders in philanthropic organisations and to be able to communicate with them effectively.
• To be able to identify and critically reflect upon the social, economic, political and organisational contexts of philanthropy sector.

Transferable skills

You gain the following transferrable skills:

• To undertake research utilising critically a diverse range of sources, including academic work, national and international data, practice best practice reports and government policies.
• To systematically and creatively summarise detailed and complex information concisely and accurately for a diverse range of audiences.
• The ability to exercise sound judgement in order to recognise, define and prioritise problems and work towards effective solutions.
• To present information and arguments in a range of written forms, demonstrating an ability to adapt to different audiences and mediums.
• To be critically reflective on personal and organisational performance and be able to utilise reflection to improve future practice. 

Fees

The 2020/21 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

Philanthropic Studies (Distance Learning) - MA at Canterbury

• Home/EU part-time £3725
• International part-time £3725

Philanthropic Studies (Distance Learning) - PCert at Canterbury

• Home/EU part-time £1240
• International part-time £1240

Philanthropic Studies (Distance Learning) - PDip at Canterbury

• Home/EU part-time £2483
• International part-time £2483

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

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent. 

Funding

Blackbaud, developers of software and services for non-profit organisations, is offering a partial scholarship to support an MA Philanthropic Studies student starting in September 2020. The partial scholarship will be paid towards tuition fees for the degree programme which is part-time over two years.

Find out more about the Blackbaud Scholarship including criteria and how to apply.

Search our scholarships finder for more possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at: 

• University and external funds 
• Scholarships specific to the academic school delivering this programme.

Research areas

The Centre for Philanthropy is one of the leading European academic centres for philanthropy research, teaching and public engagement. We conduct robust and relevant research in partnership with charity sector partners on a range of topics, including fundraising, major donors, giving circles, giving across the lifecourse, corporate philanthropy, and philanthropy’s relationship with social justice.

This research informs our teaching, in which we use innovative methods to engage with both undergraduate and postgraduate students, many of whom work in the charity sector or have ambitions to do so. Our expertise makes us a regular source of comment and analysis for the media in Britain and beyond, and we are always keen to explore new opportunities to share our work with diverse audiences. We also regularly speak to local, national and international charities to explore ways in which our research can inform their work and in turn how their experience can guide our future research.

The Centre's research projects include:

Million Pound Donors Report : Since 2008 researchers in the Centre for Philanthropy have compiled annual data on the incidence, size and destination of philanthropic donations worth £1 million or more. Case study interviews with donors who give at this level help to bring the data to life. All editions of the report are freely available on the Centre’s website. 

The New Fundraisers: Dr Beth Breeze received funding from the Leverhulme Trust for a three-year project which explored how fundraisers’ personalities interact with their professional skills to affect the amount of money they raise for good causes.

Giving Circles in the UK: in collaboration with Dr Angie Eikenberry of the University of Nebraska, this project looks at giving circles in the UK.

Beacon Project - 50 Years of Philanthropy at the University of Kent: as part of the University's 50th Anniversary celebrations, this project involved research into the history of philanthropy at and to the University, and included a number of debates on philanthopy and a major international conference

Rising to the Challenge - a study of philanthropic support for unpopular causes: this project explored the uphill struggle that some charities face when seeking to fundraise. Such charities may support issues which are complex to communicate, may have beneficaries who don't easily engage donors' emotions and may not be able to easily identify potential donors.

Social Justice Philanthropy: Implications for Policy and Practice: this study offered a critical appreciation of social justice philanthropy by investigating ‘social justice’ funders, foundation trustees and leaders. By exploring how a number of foundations and individual philanthropists pursue social justice and change, we learnt how they make judgments about what and to whom to give, what moral resources, traditions, customs and rules they draw upon in reaching their evaluation about giving, and what they mean by social justice philanthropy. The research team consisted of Balihar Sanghera and Kate Bradley.

Richer Lives: Why Rich People Give: In 2013 we worked with the author of 'Why Rich People Give', to produce a ten year update of this seminal work. Data collection is currently underway, including surveys and interviews with major donors, philanthropy advisers and other influential figures in the UK philanthropy sector.     This work is funded by The Pears Foundation, with matched funding from the University of Kent. For further information please contact the lead researchers Beth Breeze or Theresa Lloyd.

You can find out more about our work and range of publications on our website. 

You can also view individual staff research profiles on the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research website.

Staff research interests

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.

Dr Beth Breeze : Director, Centre for Philanthropy

Dr Alison Body : Lecturer in Philanthropic Studies

Dr Lesley Alborough

Careers

Understanding philanthropy is a crucial skill for anyone aspiring to be effective in a role in a charity or grant-making body or as a philanthropist. The knowledge and skills that you gain through this Master's programme will equip you with an essential and highly practical understanding of the history, methodologies and impact of philanthropic activity.

The distance learning delivery of the Master’s programme enables you to fit learning around your life and work commitments and you have the chance to apply your knowledge as you progress. Each cohort contains a unique mix of experiences and professions, providing a valuable opportunity for information exchange and networking.

Study support

This course offers you the opportunity to study philanthropy through distance learning using innovative and cutting-edge techniques and technology. Teaching is delivered through the use of expert lectures from academics and practitioners, in the form of audio and video podcasts; online seminars, weekly guided study using a range of accessible sources, and discussion forums. You access materials and online forums via Moodle, the University's Virtual Learning Environment and are assigned an academic adviser to support you through the duration of the course.

As a postgraduate student at Kent you will also be a member of the Graduate School and of a community of students from a range of backgrounds, identities and experiences. Postgraduate students have access to dedicated study space with computer and printing facilities.

Global Skills Award

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.