Core modules
The core modules on this course will allow students to come to their own understanding of how we belong in our communities, how to conduct meaningful research around topics related to community engagement, and critically reflect on the duties and responsibilities that we all share both as creators of knowledge and members of overlapping communities. The civic focus of this degree will empower students to think in a rigorous, evidence-based, interdisciplinary manner to transform our complex world.
Term One
The Good Life: Flourishing and Belonging within Communities
What does it mean to live a ‘Good Life’? How can personal development improve our communities? Can we lead a meaningful life if we set aside our responsibilities to each other? These questions sit at the heart of a liberal education.
This two-term module will critically examine the concept of engaged citizenship within communities across time periods, cultures, and disciplinary perspectives. Using a combination of case studies, primary sources, and hands-on workshops, students will be trained to understand and navigate complex interdisciplinary questions. Assessments for this module will be dynamic and student-driven, providing an opportunity to apply theories, models of practice, and research skills from other core modules.
Read more about The Good Life: Flourishing and Belonging within Communities moduleLink opens in a new window.
Creating Knowledge for Change: Foundations of Transdisciplinary Approaches
How can we use and combine different research methods for problem-solving and change-making? In this module, students will engage with the methodologies that underpin interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Covering quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research, students will develop a core toolkit of research skills that they can apply to their future projects. An element of the assessment for this module will be to develop a mixed-methods research project plan, including application for ethical approval.
Read more about the Creating Knowledge for Change: Foundations of Transdisciplinary Approaches moduleLink opens in a new window.
Theory and Practice for Community Engagement
This module is designed to help students understand how to build and enhance partnerships between organisations. Students will have opportunities to examine and understand the relationships between knowledge production organisations—such as universities, think tanks, or research and development bodies—and community-based organisations in a range of contexts, from the local to the global.
Read more about the Theory and Practice for Community Engagement moduleLink opens in a new window.
Term Two
The Good Life: Flourishing and Belonging within Communities
Continued from Term One (please see above).
Term Three
Choose one of two intensive knowledge-creation projects, to suit your intellectual passions and career aspirations:
Research Dissertation
Liberal Arts staff will provide bespoke support and mentorship for students as they apply their skills and knowledge of interdisciplinary methodologies to original knowledge creation in the form of a transdisciplinary research project. The focus of the project can be on any area, time period, or case study that aligns with the themes of belonging, community engagement, and the dialogue between communities and sites of knowledge creation (broadly defined). Students will publicly present their work to a community of relevant stakeholders, embedding their own knowledge creation within a community context.
Read more about the Research DissertationLink opens in a new window.
Community-Based Learning Dissertation
Liberal Arts staff will provide bespoke support and mentorship for students as they apply their skills and knowledge of interdisciplinary methodologies and public engagement to an embedded form of knowledge creation; the project will be undertaken with a community partner and students will produce a critical reflection on their work. The project will also be supported by our Employability and Placement Manager and students will have the opportunity to apply for an experienced mentor from the Warwick Institute of Engagement.
Read more about the Community-Based Learning DissertationLink opens in a new window.
Optional modules
In Term Two, students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of optional modules both within the School for Cross-faculty Studies and across other departments. This flexibility will enable students to tailor their degree to their own intellectual passions, interests, and/or career goals. Staff in the Liberal Arts Department have extensive expertise in helping students choose the best optional modules to design a unique degree that suits their interests and students on this degree will benefit from such bespoke support throughout. Students who opt for the Community-Based Learning Dissertation will be encouraged to consider the Warwick Institute of Engagement’s intensive postgraduate module on Public EngagementLink opens in a new window as one of their optional modules (dependent on availability).
Example optional modules from across the University may include:
Please note, optional modules are subject to availability and offerings may change each year to keep students’ learning experience current and up to date. Students will also need to discuss their optional module choices with their personal tutor and receive approval from the Director of Graduate Studies in the Liberal Arts Department.
