Housing Studies

The Diploma in Housing Studies offers a unique combination of academic study and professional work experience. The programme combines strategy, policy and frontline services to people and brings together the study of buildings, people and money in the interests of better housing for all.

Our full-time programme is unique in that it is the only one in the United Kingdom supported by a critical mass of studentships, which allows us to fully integrate all of the academic components of the professional qualification with a structured, assessed period of relevant work experience. This sets up graduates for a ‘fast track’ into a career with housing organisations in the social, private and voluntary sectors.

Our programmes make a substantial contribution to supplying the sector with new, qualified staff, who are known to be ready to ‘hit the ground running’. There are a number of funded studentships each year and our graduates usually find relevant work very quickly after completing their studies.

Programme objectives

The Diploma programme combines academic study and professional practice over a 12-month period. It equips you with the tools to become a competent and effective practitioner and increases your chances of interesting and rewarding work and future employment.

You have the option of a further year of research part-time, to qualify for the MSc in Housing.

The Chartered Institute of Housing is the professional body for housing and validates the Stirling housing studies programme. On successful completion of the Diploma, you will have satisfied most of the practical requirements for corporate membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Entrance requirements

Applicants for the Housing Studies (full-time) MSc/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate should be graduates; mature non-graduates with relevant work experience can be considered.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each skill) or TOEFL 577/233/90 (Paper/Computer/Internet).

Funding

A number of studentships are available each year.

Support for the fees element of the Diploma programme is available from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for eligible Scottish and EU students. See:

www.saas.gov.uk

SAAS Scholarships

We also offer places to students with other sources of funding which they have arranged for themselves.

Prospective students should make enquiries are encouraged to contact the course team:
housing@stir.ac.uk

Modes of study

Full-time: 12 months

Programme start date

September

Structure and content

The Postgraduate Diploma is taught intensively over two academic semesters, with the professional practice element – internship – running June to September.

During the academic semesters you will study eight academic modules, four in each semester:

Autumn Semester

• The Provision of Housing Services
• Sustainability and Housing Development
• Housing Policy and Law
• Strategic Use of Information

Spring Semester

• Paying for Housing
• Management of Housing Organisations
• Housing Renewal and Community Regeneration
• Housing, Health and Wellbeing

Professional practice
The programme also includes a module on reflective practice, preparation for professional practice and attachment to a social landlord to facilitate workplace learning. These precede an internship of at least 10 weeks full-time work experience, linked to the practical requirements of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Workplace attachments and internships are arranged by tutors, taking account of student preferences and interests. 

Delivery and assessment

You attend induction in Stirling for a week at the beginning of the programme and at periodic intervals thereafter. Most academic learning is undertaken via interaction with tutors and other students working with other materials available online. You are expected to participate in the programme actively for two/three days each week and study privately outwith those times.

Most of the time you have flexibility about where you can study and you do not need to travel to Stirling for all classes. You can, however, access IT facilities on campus. We estimate that the programme requires a full-time study commitment of 35 hours per week, including private study. Teaching is concentrated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Assessment on the Diploma programme is continuous and takes a variety of forms – written and oral, individual and collective, academic and professional.

During the period June – September, your internship will consist of full-time attendance at an agreed workplace. Students need to complete 400 hours work which amounts to approximately 10 weeks full-time. Internships are assessed through a series of practice reports and a reflective practice diary.

Students who do not complete the Diploma programme may be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.

MSc
Students successfully completing the Diploma are eligible to proceed to the MSc by undertaking original research. This can be completed by re-registering for a further year, on a part-time basis.

Learning materials for the MSc are available online. You are also supported via personal supervision by a member of the teaching staff. The MSc is assessed through a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Timetable

Contact the School for information on your timetable and reading lists.

RAE Rating

In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), 95 percent of the research in Applied Social Science at Stirling was ‘Internationally Excellent’ with the top 10 percent of that judged to be ‘World-leading’.

Career opportunities

Stirling housing graduates normally move immediately into employment, often in housing associations, local authorities, trade organisations, government agencies, research and consultancy.