The Tizard Centre is a leading UK academic centre working in autism, learning disability and community care.
About us
The Tizard Centre is at the forefront of research into autism, intellectual disability and community care. Celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2019, our work is highly influential and has helped to improve lives across the UK and internationally.
We aim to share our expertise via study programmes and research projects. The Centre has strong links with health and social care organisations and many students come to Tizard thanks to a personal recommendation.
Our pioneering approach dates back to our first Director, Jim Mansell who in 2012 was awarded a CBE. In 2013, the Centre received a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of its outstanding work in the field.
The Tizard Centre is at the forefront of research into autism, intellectual disability and community care. Celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2019, our work is highly influential and has helped to improve lives across the UK and internationally.
I was in the first cohort of MA students. The experience was definitive for me – I still apply the learning from that time to my work on a daily basis.
Postgraduate study
Our programmes are designed for practitioners, giving you the confidence to apply an advanced level of knowledge to many real-life situations.
MA/MSc (Master of
Arts/Master of Science)
Comprehensive
postgraduate degree
In-depth study,
research, and coursework.
Requires completion
of credit hours, thesis, and exams
Often a prerequisite
for further research or PhD
PDip (Postgraduate Diploma):
Postgraduate qualification
Similar academic rigour to MA/MSc
Focuses on coursework
No research component like a thesis
PCert (Postgraduate
Certificate)
Shorter postgraduate
qualification
Completed in a year
Fewer credit
hours/modules than a master's degree or a PDip
Focuses on coursework
No research component
like a thesis
A PDip takes longer than a PCert and is worth more credits.
The PCert and PDip are qualifications at the same level of study as a Master's degree but are shorter and you don't have to write a dissertation.
Credits
Typically, each qualification is equivalent to:
MA/MSc:180 credits
PDip: 120 credits
PCert: 60 credits
But ABAI verified courses (ie ABA/PBS), are typically equivalent to:
The Tizard Centre is currently considering applicants to Research programmes only in connection with our September 2023 entry PhD Tizard and Tizard/PSSRU Studentships. Please ensure you apply for a Studentship in addition to submitting a PhD application.
I had a fantastic experience studying at the Tizard Centre. Lectures were always interesting and engaging.
Our mission
The Centre has an enduring commitment to social justice and our work is underpinned by values relating to anti-discriminatory practice, social equality and rights. We keep people with intellectual
and developmental disabilities and their families as our main focus, and work enhancing the health, care and
education systems surrounding them in proactive ways. This distinctive approach allows us to make a
sustained positive difference to people's lives.
We are also pioneering in our focus on people
with more complex needs. Our
work includes deinstitutionalisation, support for people’s sexuality, supported employment, special education,
autism and neurodiversity, and behaviours that challenge.
The most useful aspect of the course is listening to the academics who are pioneers in the field. They ask pressing questions and have shaped the way I think.
Research
The Tizard Centre is the leading
UK academic group working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and
those who support and care for them. It is known worldwide and has an international reputation of excellence. Members
of the Centre are selected both for their academic record and for their
practical experience in services and in supporting people and
their families.
Our consultants are either staff who work within the Tizard Centre or highly-skilled professionals from external organisations who we have experience of working with. These include clinical psychologists, social workers and Tizard graduates (with a Master's or a PhD). All our external consultants are supervised by staff within the Tizard Centre.
The Tizard Learning Disability Review (TLDR), is a highly esteemed peer-reviewed
journal specifically tailored to professionals working in the field of learning
disabilities. Recognised for its readability and thought-provoking content,
TLDR brings together the invaluable experiences and insights of managers,
practitioners, academics, researchers, people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and carers. The journal's primary focus is on
applied research that directly benefits practitioners, offering them practical
knowledge and innovative approaches to enhance their work. By providing a
platform for diverse perspectives, TLDR fosters collaboration and encourages
the sharing of best practices in the field of learning disabilities.
Join our growing network of practitioners in the field – open to professionals who have been involved with our work as well as to Tizard Centre students, past and present.
As a member of the network, you will receive information about:
Jack Tizard (25
February 1919 – 2 August 1979) was a research psychologist, Professor of Child
Development, Research Unit Director, an international adviser on learning
disability and childcare, and a President of the British Psychological Society.
He was among the first psychologists to undertake epidemiological research,
study the learning potential of adults with learning disabilities
experimentally, and promote the de-institutionalisation of people with learning
disabilities.
He was a great pioneer of the scientific approach to social
policy, particularly in developing services for adults and children with
learning difficulties. The influence of his work is evident to this day. Our
research centre has been named after him to honour his contributions to
improving the quality of life of people with learning disabilities.
