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

This module gives a comprehensive overview of current academic knowledge about philanthropy. Students will gain an advanced level understanding of historical and contemporary issues relating to philanthropy, the various theories and ideologies regarding the existence of philanthropic behaviours and the role of government and policy-makers in shaping the legal, fiscal and cultural context for philanthropy.

The course begins by exploring the different meanings of the concept of 'philanthropy' in relation to related concepts such as 'altruism' and 'charity', then looks at the issues of continuity and change in philanthropic action over different eras, including the influence of varying welfare provision, political context and social impacts such as the declining influence of religion. We will move on to consider how geographic and socio-demographic contexts shape philanthropy, with an exploration of accounts of philanthropic giving across countries as well as in historically different contexts. We will study various different theoretical approaches to understanding philanthropy and giving, before exploring critiques of philanthropic action, the complex interactions between benefactors and beneficiaries, and the relationship between philanthropy and the state. A special focus on institutionalised philanthropy, in the form of charitable foundations and corporate philanthropy will be followed by a focus on key contemporary debates and new concepts for understanding philanthropy, such as the ‘Effective Altruism’ movement, philanthrocapitalism and social investment. By the end of the module, students will have encountered a large breadth and depth of material and will be conversant in key concepts, theories and issues.

Term: Spring Term 

This module will give an advanced level overview of the current state of fundraising in the UK, including the evidence-based techniques and strategies endorsed by the professional bodies (the 'science' of fundraising), and the latest research on the personal attributes of fundraisers that are understood to lead to successful outcomes (the 'art' of fundraising). Aimed at those working in - or seeking to work in - careers that involve generating voluntary income, it will cover a range of topics that will facilitate a detailed and critical analysis of the role of fundraising in practice, and in its wider societal context. It will allow students to explore this knowledge through its application in situations that are encountered in professional practice. We will cover academic approaches to fundraising from a range of disciplinary viewpoints and how these help us understand topics such as donor motivation, propensity to give, charitable decision-making in terms of amounts, methods and destinations of donations, as well as why some people/institutions do not give, and the implications for recipient organisations.

To enable this advanced level knowledge to be used in practice, we will explore the current debates in fundraising management, debates on policy relating to fundraising and philanthropy, legal and regulatory requirements and relevant ethical issues. Students will gain from all of this a critical understanding of fundraising and its role in society.

This module will give an advanced level overview of the current state of philanthropy advising in the UK. Aimed at those working in or seeking to work in the voluntary sector, especially in roles that involve working directly with individual philanthropists and institutional donors, it will cover a range of topics that will facilitate a detailed and critical analysis of the role of philanthropy advising. It will allow students to explore this knowledge through its application in real life contexts that are encountered in professional practice. Academic approaches to advising donors from a range of perspectives including structural issues (tax, legal and wealth management) and strategic approaches (theory of change, goal-setting and distributional consequences) will be covered in order to fully understand and reflect on the role of philanthropy advisers.

To enable this advanced level knowledge to be used in practice, we will explore the current debates in advising donors, including the different approaches, outcome-orientations, methods of measurement and impact assessment. Students will gain from all of this a critical understanding of philanthropy advising and its role in society, and the ways in which private philanthropists and institutional donors are, and can be, supported.

This module will give an advanced level overview of the current state of volunteering in the UK. Aimed at those working in or seeking to work in the voluntary sector, it will cover a range of topics which will facilitate a detailed and critical analysis of the role of volunteering in society. It will allow students to explore this knowledge through its application in real life contexts that they encounter in their professional practice. The module will cover academic approaches to volunteering from a range of disciplinary viewpoints and how these seek to explore who volunteers (and who does not) and what volunteers do.

To enable this advanced level knowledge to be used in practice, the module will explore the current debates in volunteer management, debates on policy regarding volunteering and its management, legal studies on volunteering and on ways in which the impact that volunteers have can be managed. Students will gain from all of this a critical understanding of volunteering and its role in society, and the ways in which volunteers can be supported.

The aims of this module are two-fold:

First, to provide students with the opportunity to independently carry out an in-depth inquiry to investigate a research question(s) of their choice, producing a coherent review of the relevant literature, a logical discussion and a clearly communicated set of conclusions in the form of a dissertation. Second, to provide students with an assessed opportunity to apply their skills as 'research-minded' practitioners with a view to being able to undertake future research in practice settings and/or take a lead role in supervising others in such work.

During the spring term, the students will finalise their dissertation proposal with their chosen supervisor (having received prior guidance on the aims, the structure and the process of the dissertation). If the dissertation requires ethical research approval, an application will be submitted to the School research ethics committee by the beginning of the summer term. During the summer term and vacation, students will meet their supervisor regularly to discuss the progress of their dissertation. The supervisors will provide feedback on written work and will set work plans and targets for the students. The dissertation topic will relate to a key question, issue and problem within social science.

This module will give an advanced level overview of the nature and practice of contemporary philanthropy across the world. It will examine how local contexts and processes of globalisation are affecting different forms of philanthropy found around the world. It will cover the comparative analysis of monetary donations, donor motivations, fundraising practices, tax incentives and welfare/market provision across a range of countries, and encourage students to critically assess how and why philanthropic behaviour varies across different political, cultural and socio-economic contexts. Drawing on current academic theory, knowledge and empirical research, students will gain a broader understanding of philanthropy beyond their own culture, and the growing role of philanthropic institutions in eliciting global change.

To enable this advanced level knowledge to be used in practice, cross-cutting thematic issues, such as the role of regulation and the impact of religion, as well as relevant ethical issues will be explored. Students will gain from this a systematic understanding of the role of global philanthropy in society. Experts in geographically-specific areas of philanthropy (for example, Russian Philanthropy) will provide a small number of guest lectures to illuminate these topics further.

This module offers a critical discussion on the logic and methods of social research within the field of philanthropy. It aims to familiarize students with central topics in research design and the ethics of social research so that they can apply this knowledge to their understanding of fields of social and public policy. The module critically explores students different methodological approaches and the debates behind their selection for conducting research. It will invite them to consider how research questions are generated and answered. It will enable students to identify common mistakes in the social research methods used to develop sector relevant policy and how to effectively and systematically address issues. Topics will also include: ethics and informed consent; sampling for qualitative and quantitative research; methods of primary and secondary data collection, methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. It will give them an opportunity to learn and practise introductory skills in the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.