Supporting you to develop professional community development practice in order to transform communities.
This is the only 3rd level qualification in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland which provides you with a specialised degree in Community Development. Endorsed by professional bodies in both jurisdictions, the course will enable you to gain employment in a wide range of settings across the community/voluntary sector and public sector, e.g. local councils, health trusts.
You will have the opportunity to gain high level skills to work effectively in communities, to empower those without a voice in a society, to bring about social change, build capacity and improve the quality of life in disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
You will be introduced to a core body of knowledge and debate on issues relating to inequality and social injustice. You will have an opportunity to explore local and international contexts, in order to gain critical awareness of the role which community development can play in tackling inequality, socio-economic disadvantage and marginalisation across the world. In addition, the course examines the role which community development plays in societies transitioning from conflict, through local and international examples. Modules draw on experience and scholarship from elsewhere in Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Europe as well as developments in other urban, post-conflict societies.
You will be encouraged to put knowledge and skills into practice through engagement in critical reflective practice. The course makes links between theory and practice throughout the modules and you will frequently be asked to draw on your own knowledge and experience, to understand and challenge current theories, policies and practice. You will also be equipped with the skills required to engage in community development work, including community engagement, group-work, collaborative working, community learning, good governance and organisational development. In the final year, you will have an opportunity to select a practice project of your choice, related to community development.
Recognising that community development work occurs in multi-disciplinary settings, the course provides students with opportunities to learn alongside those specialising in youth work. Modelled on best community education practice, active participatory learning forms the core teaching practice on this course.
Attendance is part-time. Students normally attend one day per week 9:30am - 4:30pm over four years throughout this academic year. Study day will change according to the year of entry.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
In this section
Year: 1
Status: C
This module examines the historical context which has given rise to the current field of community development practice across Ireland and the UK, in framing the context in which community development is practised, the module will also draw upon international models and key thinkers who have influenced how community development is practised today.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module enables students to gain knowledge and understanding of community and informal education and the roles they play in community development. The module encourages students to reflect upon the learning they have gained in a variety of ways and situations throughout their lives, applying theoretical models and approaches to these. In addition, it enables students to gain an enhanced understanding of how people learn and the barriers to learning. The skills developed will enable them to facilitate an informal education session.
Year: 1
Status: C
The module explores how the approaches of political theory, sociology and social policy can produce practitioners who are better informed about soci-political processes and their impact on young people and communities.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module aims to introduce students to national occupational standards in community development, to give students the opportunity to reflect on issues of professionalism and to pinpoint areas for professional development. It enables students to gain skills in critical reflection necessary and to practice these skills in order to develop reflective practice.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module enables students to engage in a justice conversation about grassroots knowledge and global experience. The module uses a flexible 5 Pillar framework to examine local and international post-conflict processes of: institutional reform; truth; reparation; reconciliation; prosecution and amnesty. Students assess what has worked well so far, what remains to be done and consider implications for community praxis.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will give students the opportunity to critically explore what constitutes a just society where goals and outcomes reflect norms of fairness. Students will rigorously critique the patterns of gender and racial inequality along with other marginalised groups, come to recognise the values that underpin diversity. Students will gain knowledge and sound understanding about the rights of social integration and identity.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module will give students the opportunity to explore how they can critically reflect on and develop their professional understanding through critical thinking and engagement within a community development practice situation that has a different focus than their working environment. This module will allow students the opportunity to investigate emerging and contemporary practices that requires synthesis of main and secondary sources that inform their practice. There will also be an emphasis on students being independent and self-directed learners.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module will equip students with the necessary skills to work within contested spaces using community development approaches. Students will gain a sound understanding of the historic and current political processes and begin to develop models of practice. The module focuses on the Northern Ireland perspective using a social policy lens. Students are also encouraged to compare and contrast these approaches from a global perspective.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of the theories, principles and practice of community education, enabling them to develop and enhance skills in facilitating community learning.
Year: 4
Status: C
This module seeks to equip participants with the necessary skills to carry out the demanding multivariate managerial tasks confidently and effectively. Students will gain an understanding of organisational context design and structure. The module will introduce students to the facets of about organisational behaviour and they will learn how to manage effective communication systems.
Year: 4
Status: C
This module relates to the independent study or evaluation of practice within community and/or youth work practice. This module introduces students to the range of skills and methods employed in community and youth work based research. Students systematically investigate and critically reflect on key aspects of practice thus developing critical discourse and analysis within a professional frame of reference. The final written piece of 6,000 to 7,000 words will reflect the student's autonomous learning and development, knowledge and conceptual understanding of current community or youth work practice.
Status: O
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module will give students the opportunity to explore how they can critically reflect on and develop their professional understanding through critical thinking and engagement within a community development practice situation that has a different focus than their working environment. This module will allow students the opportunity to investigate emerging and contemporary practices that requires synthesis of main and secondary sources that inform their practice. There will also be an emphasis on students being independent and self-directed learners.
Status: O
Year: 4
This module is optional
This module aims to equip students equip students with the necessary skills to design and implement a training programme/s or project event/s. Students will be introduced to the skills and techniques of leading projects and tutor training. The module provides students with the support mechanisms to implement and review their ideas and critically reflect on these within a practice placement environment. A unique feature within this module is the use of peer reviewers of placement practice to support students with their self-reflection. Students will gain knowledge of learning maps that demonstrate the links between National Occupational standards and practice.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
In this section
Applicants should satisfy the University General Requirements e.g.
Provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE English Language grades A-C/ 4-9 or equivalent); and Provide evidence of passes in five subjects, two of which must be at A level (grades A-E) and three at GCSE level* (grades A-C/4-9); or Provide evidence of passes in four subjects, three of which must be at A level (grades A-E) and one at GCSE level* (grades A- C/4-9); or Provide evidence of an approved qualification at an equivalent level such as a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma or Access to Higher Education qualification or equivalent; or Provide evidence, for a process of formal accreditation by the University, of learning you have gained through work or other experience. The Subject Committee will consider a range of qualifications, experience and other evidence of ability to complete the course satisfactorily when considering applications for part-time study.
* GCSE English Language (grades A-C/4-9) may be used as part of the GCSE requirement.
Overall Access profile [Minimum 40%]
GCSE Profile to include minimum English Language Grade C or equivalent.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Preference will be given to those applicants who are currently working or volunteering in the field of community development, undertaking a minimum of 6 hrs per week. Applicants who do not currently meet this requirement but are accepted onto the course, are expected to secure voluntary or paid employment in this field, for a minimum of 6 hrs per week.
Applicants who have significant experience in the field of community development are welcome to apply directly to the university via the university's Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) procedures. For further information please contact the course director Dr Rosemary Moreland. Tel: +44 (0) 2890 368333. Email: rj.moreland@ulster.ac.uk
Applicants with significant experience in working in or with the community or voluntary sectors may apply for exemption from Level 4. Candidates who submit a satisfactory APL portfolio, are eligible for entry directly to Level 5.
Applicants who have successfully completed the Certificate of Higher Education in Community Development are eligible for direct entry to Level 5.
Applicants who have a qualification equivalent to the Certificate of Higher Education in Community Development are eligible via the university's APL process to apply for direct entry to Level 5.
For further information please contact the Course Director.
In this section
Graduates from this course are now working for:
With this degree you could become:
This professional qualification equips graduates with the skills to work in a wide range of positions within the community and voluntary sectors, as well as in the public sector. Whilst graduates often find employment managing projects and organisations within the community and voluntary sector, increasingly areas of the public sector, including local councils, neighbourhood and rural regeneration, health trusts and allied health professions require expertise knowledge and skills in community development approaches.
The course team encourages further study and we currently co-deliver an MSc Community Planning and Governance. There are also opportunities for doctoral research and we welcome applications from graduates for PhD study.
There are three work-based, assessed practice modules over a four year period, each of which require approximately 15 hours per week over 20 weeks. Two of these modules will be in students' current work or voluntary community practice. Students will normally undertake one work-based assessed practice in a different context, in order to further develop their skills and understanding of community work in alternate settings. There are opportunities for those who wish, to undertake this placement abroad and the staff team will support students in accessing these opportunities.
The Community Development Team have a wide range of local and international networks, to facilitate students in choosing a suitable placement.
For the purpose of providing a robust system of endorsement of quality for all types of training and learning in Community Development.
For the purpose of benchmarking community work/development as a profession in its own right requiring specific skills.
The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
For modules commenced in the academic year 2024/25, the following fees apply:
| Credit Points | NI/ROI Cost | GB Cost | International Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
120 | £4,750 | £9,250 | £16,320 |
60 | £2,375 | £4,625 | £8,160 |
30 | £1,187 | £2,312 | £4,080 |
20 | £792 | £1,542 | £2,720 |
NB: A standard full-time undergraduate degree is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.
*Please note our on campus part-time undergraduate courses are not open to international (non-EU) students.
Students are required to pay any additional costs incurred as part of their Ex-Agency work-based assessed practice, including but not restricted to travel, accomodation, subsistence and child-care. If students undertake placements with children or vulnerable adults, they will be required to undergo police vetting and will be responsible for paying the appropriate fee.
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
"Support and guidance was very good...the tutors were fantastic and I learned so much from others in the class".
"I did my placement with Community Restorative Justice...I learned so much about human rights....this has guided my career and my post-graduate learning".
"You can get bogged down in your own community...you are with like-minded people all the time. In a mixed group you are likely to be challenged and this makes you question your own biases and prejudices. I must admit I had not sat down and heard the 'other' perspective. I am a lot more confident now in dealing with different views".
"Beforehand, I never felt capable...doing the degree has transformed my confidence...I see posts advertised, now I think 'why not? I could apply for that!'"
"The degree was a challenge alright...but worth it. The qualification opens doors, the learning supports my practice and there are half a dozen of the class I am still in regular contact with".
"I just feel the degree has given me so many career options...and I have made lasting friendships with ones I have met on the course 7 or 8 years ago...we still catch up, the odd email, coffee in town. I have asked for help with funding...and they would ask me".
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
