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Course details

MSc in Dementia

Three start dates per year: January, May or September

Next welcome week: 25 January 2021

Next course start date: 1 February 2021 

Next application deadline: 18 January 2021

Duration: two years (part-time)

Format: online, with optional face-to-face events

Total fees for the two-year course: £10,300

Additional costs: due to copyright restrictions placed on institutional libraries by some publishers, students may need to purchase some core texts.  

Like to know more about our MSc in Dementia?

Find out more >

Why this MSc?

Dementia is a condition which is taking centre stage in all our lives but continues to be understood primarily as one of deficit and dysfunction.

Taking a person-centred approach, informed by experiences of people with dementia, their families and supporters, this multi-disciplinary masters degree critically challenges common perceptions of dementia as a diagnosis solely of loss and despair.

Taught by experts and focusing on a human rights approach, you will learn how to maintain the wellbeing and dignity of people living with dementia, while promoting the philosophy and practice of living, as well as possible, with dementia.

Our Dying Well with Dementia module was developed in collaboration with end of life specialists from Dove House Hospice in Hull, to give you practical insights into how  people with life-limiting illnesses are cared for in the community.

Apply your learning to your current profession to create a positive impact within the field of dementia today.

What you learn

Designed to give you a critical understanding of dementia, this course will provide you with a deep insight into the experience of those living with dementia and their families. You will develop new critical thinking, giving you practical tools and mindset to lead positive change. 

  • Study the effects of social exclusion, the relevance of participation and diversity. Critically challenge taken for granted models of care in order to promote a holistic, relationship-centred approach
  • Explore biological, psychological and sociological frameworks which seek to explain the experience of dementia and develop a multi-disciplinary research perspective
  • Create care plans focusing on the human rights and specific needs of people with dementia and put your new knowledge to practical use in real life situations
  • Discover and share global perspectives which underpin the diagnosis with your peers online. Join a network of likeminded professionals shaping change around the world.

 

Hear from Programme Directors Emma Wolverson and Liz Price about what sets this masters degree apart:

 

4K Online Msc in Dementia

Student testimonial

"Undertaking an online course has been a new experience for me but I can honestly say it has been the best thing! Support from tutors, course leaders and other students throughout the pandemic has made it easy to combine study while working to support vulnerable people during such an uncertain time. The beauty of this course is that it adapts to whatever situation people are in and supports them to make a difference."

Catherine Wood, MSc in Dementia student and Clinical Lead for a national volunteer charity

Course modules

This course takes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the study of dementia. Providing you with a relationship-centred insight, it focuses on experience, quality of care and how to live and die well with dementia. You study the following compulsory modules.

Dementia: Critical Starting Points (30 credits)

A critical approach to historical and contemporary understandings of dementia. Throughout this module you will explore the multi-disciplinary frameworks and discourses which seek to explain the experience of dementia.

Living Well with Dementia (30 credits)

Develop strategies and plans to create meaningful activities which support life enhancement and wellness. You will also develop a critical understanding of what it means to ‘live well’.

Systems and Ecologies (30 credits)

This module takes account of the wider social systems and ecologies which can both support and undermine the experience of living well with dementia. It will provide you with a systems-based appreciation of the experience of living well with dementia.

The module examines the relationships of people diagnosed with the condition exploring interactions and perceptions of family, care-givers, community and society in general. You will focus on methods and approaches which enable partnerships and collaboration within wider social systems.

Dying Well with Dementia (30 credits)

Gain an understanding of palliative and supportive care in dementia. This module has been developed in collaboration with end of life care specialists from Dove House Hospice in Hull.

Find out more about Dove House in our short video:

Dove House Anna Wolkowski module 4 intro

Dove House Hospice is a charity providing excellent care for people in the local community with life limiting illnesses. They are specialists in palliative care, which is the total care of patients whose illness is no longer curable and for whom the goal must be quality of life. The patient - not the illness - is the focus of Dove House’s care.

Topics covered during this module include defining a palliative care approach, relationship centered care, comfort care at the end of life, and loss and bereavement. At the end of the module, students will understand the legal and ethical issues, advanced care planning and the professional interventions which mitigate for and against a good death in the context of dementia.

Dissertation (60 credits)

Your dissertation (15,000 words) will help you to develop arguments which demonstrate alternative perspectives, challenge common perception and pave the way for new areas of enquiry in the dementia field.

 

Dr Emma Wolverson

Programme Director

A clinical psychologist specialising in working with people living with dementia and their families, Emma's clinical work has spanned the dementia care pathway from early assessment and diagnosis to end of life care. Her research is aimed at supporting people with dementia to live well by promoting wellbeing, reducing stigma and improving care.

Read Emma's powerful response to The Alzheimer's Society report about the impact of COVID-19 on dementia care.

 

Dr Liz Price

Programme Director
A specialist social worker for people living with dementia, Liz worked for many years with people living with enduring mental health problems. Both her teaching and research focus is on developing creative approaches to mental and physical wellbeing.

Ellie Robinson-Carter

Online Tutor
Ellie is a Creative Dementia Practitioner and Researcher, workinig with people living with dementia and their carers to empower and support them to realise what's still possible when given the opportunity. Through designing bespoke projects, she also specialises in working with intergenerational groups and, in particular, how this can benefit those living with dementia and their carers. In addition, Ellie works as Project Officer on the Creative Spaces project at Sensory Trust where she manages 8 dementia-friendly nature-based groups, supporting those living with dementia and their carers in the community to experience the benefits of nature and social connection.

How you're assessed

All assessment for the course is based on coursework and submitted online. Your performance on the course will be assessed through a range of methods including

  • ongoing tutor and peer feedback

  • practical work, including group projects and discussion forums

  • written work, including care plans, case studies, reports and essays

Get more detailed information on the course assessment method page.

Entry requirements

  • A minimum 2.2 Honours degree or international equivalent in a related subject (such as nursing, social work, psychology, occupational therapy, or similar)

  • If you don’t have a 2.2 Honours degree or international equivalent in a related subject, equivalent professional qualifications/personal experience (such as a Diploma in Nursing) may be considered, along with a portfolio of evidence and a 1,000 word essay to support your application. Please contact our Course Advisers on +44 (0)1482 235569 for more information.

  • CV including a current professional or voluntary role which requires regular direct contact with people with dementia

  • One professional or academic reference

  • An IELTS 6.0 score (with minimum 5.5 in each skill) if your first language isn't English (or other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by the University of Hull).

If you're unsure whether you're eligible to apply, please contact our Course Advisers on +44 (0)1482 235569 or email enquiries-online@hull.ac.uk.

Career prospects

Successful completion of this distance learning degree offers health, social work and social care professionals the potential to specialise in the field of dementia. We are also keen to help develop specialist knowledge and skills in people who currently volunteer in the field.

Gaining an insight into care provision and policy-making, from an explicitly ethical and human-rights perspective, will equip you with the knowledge you need to lead positive change and improve existing services for those living with dementia in your community.

 

Student testimonial

"The course is fantastic – I'm learning so much. The structure and weekly learning activities really make you question what you read and see. The tutors are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful."

Jenny Bennett, Support Services worker and Alzheimer's Society volunteer, MSc in Dementia   

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Complete the form below or telephone +44 (0)1482 235569 to speak to a course adviser.