MA in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) (Part Time)

Course details

The Masters in SPHE offers participants a unique opportunity to finely tune their facilitation and personal skills through practical experience, group process and advanced personal development. The aim of the programme is to build on the learning of the Higher Diploma in SPHE and further enhance knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies resulting in effective facilitation of SPHE in the school setting, with groups, individuals and key populations.

The Masters in SPHE also aims to develop academic capabilities underpinned by relevant academic theory and to enable participants to make an original and significant contribution at the forefront of the field of study of SPHE, and thus to advance SPHE as an academic discipline.

The programme is jointly run by the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Science and the Department of Adult and Continuing Education in partnership with the HSE.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the Masters in SPHE participants will be able to:

• Develop, plan and facilitate SPHE in a variety of settings;
• Exhibit a thorough grounding in the principles and concepts of health promotion;
• Develop and plan a programme of participative workshops;
• Apply the principles of SPHE in their social, personal and professional lives;
• Evaluate their process and performance and those of others;
• Understand introjection, projection and retroflection;
• Formulate new understandings of the principles of health promotion and health education;
• Identify, describe and critique theories from health, education, life-span psychology and research relevant to SPHE;
• Demonstrate further planning and facilitation skills;
• Scrutinise and reflect on social norms and group processes;
• Research and write a Masters dissertation;
• Make an original contribution to knowledge in the field.

Outline

Semester 1

• Advanced Facilitation Skills 20 credits
• Individual and Social Influences on Health 5 credits
• Quantitative Research 5 credits

Semester 2

• Qualitative Research & Evaluation 10 credits
• Applied Health Psychology 5 credits
• Advanced Personal Development 10 credit
• Negotiated Learning Module 5 credits

Semester 3

• Dissertation 30 credits

Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold a level 8 qualification or its equivalent and have completed the Higher Diploma in SPHE, or the existing extramural certificate in SPHE or an equivalent programme deemed to be a suitable alternative which incorporates a high level of experiential learning and self-development.

Equivalent programmes being considered will require written confirmation of qualification and portfolio presentation including applicants’ relevant experience and learning.

All participants on the MA in SPHE must demonstrate that they have a level of maturity and life experience adequate to cope with the modalities of the programme. The programme board will require an interview with applicants to ascertain this.

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English.