Disability/Advocacy Studies

The Black Oil · 23-11-2009 6:41pm #1

Does anyone here have any knowledge or experience about this area?

I've been hunting around and whilst there are a couple of courses, getting specific information isn't particularly easy, that is, what sort of people do they take on, what skills do students develop on the course, what have past graduates go on to do? One thing I think that's crucial is to have something involving a placement, not something I've come across as of yet.

So far I've noticed that UCD has two courses - one is if you're already in the area/working with a client group, the other is research based - you need a proposal and supervisor ready to go. UCC seems to have a Dip, but I'm not sure about its setup. I don't think there's much else in this country. Sligo IT has a level 6 Higher Certificate in Arts in Advocacy Studies whilst Maynooth's Department of Adult and Community Education has a level 7 course in Disability Studies run through the Centre of Independent Living. Leeds university has a couple of MAs in Disability including ones with emphases on health/illness/gender, etc.

baby and crumble · 25-11-2009 2:59pm

Well try looking/ contacting the National Institute for Intellectual Disabiltities in Trinity if you're thinking of a research masters... I'm doing my PhD here, and it's a nice place, with a wide range of expertise for supervision...

www.tcd.ie/niid

baby and crumble · 25-11-2009 3:00pm

Oh, I just noticed your placement thing... I presume then you wouldn't nec be looking at research masters... sorry. Although the NIID have students with disabilties in every day so you work closely with them as partners in research...

Man, it SO sounds like I'm a pimp for the place!!!

Leeds has a great reputation if you were thinking of there...

The Black Oil · 25-11-2009 3:39pm

Hey, thanks. No, not really a research Masters, or Intellectual Disability, to be honest. I've heard Leeds has a good reputation as a college, but do you mean in terms of its DS courses as well?

Just noticed that Waterford has a level 6 Advocacy course, too.

sparkling sea · 01-12-2009 10:08pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Just noticed that Waterford has a level 6 Advocacy course, too.

This course has not started yet, lack of numbers is the problem

Annasopra · 10-01-2010 12:36am

IT Sligo do it and you can do it in Dublin through IT Sligo

http://www.sligoit.ie/prospective_students/Business_Humanities/advocacy.html

I'm halfway through the course - myself - The course content is very good but I have had problems with ITS administration

The Black Oil · 10-01-2010 12:58pm

Thanks for that. I'm thinking of doing the Sligo IT one. If you don't have links with a placement, etc, is it difficult to find one? Glad to hear the course is good. Are the problems with the admin interfering with how the course is run? I understand if you don't want to go into detail here.

Annasopra · 10-01-2010 6:50pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks for that. I'm thinking of doing the Sligo IT one. If you don't have links with a placement, etc, is it difficult to find one? Glad to hear the course is good. Are the problems with the admin interfering with how the course is run? I understand if you don't want to go into detail here.

I've only just started looking for my placement but I don't think it's a big problem

The admin problems were very incoveniencing at first -but a lot of it has been ironed out - hopefully things are better this year

The Black Oil · 20-01-2010 10:23pm

Thanks

I don't suppose anyone has experience of this course or Carmichael House/CIL?

The Black Oil · 04-02-2010 3:56pm

Can I ask, how are you finding the course workload?

Annasopra · 11-02-2010 7:46pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Can I ask, how are you finding the course workload?

There's a lot in it - a bit tougher than I expected

The Black Oil · 23-02-2010 6:48pm

OK, thanks.

I've applied so I'll see how it goes.

The Black Oil · 20-04-2010 9:58am

Got an email offering me a place 'subject to verification of your results' and they need a €200 deposit. Wasn't expecting word back, but good news.

Annasopra · 23-04-2010 7:27pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Got an email offering me a place 'subject to verification of your results' and they need a €200 deposit. Wasn't expecting word back, but good news.

Best of luck

The Black Oil · 28-04-2010 9:12am

Thanks

Got an email saying they'll make a decision whether or not the course goes ahead in mid August.

Annasopra · 03-05-2010 8:40pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks Got an email saying they'll make a decision whether or not the course goes ahead in mid August.

subject to numbers?

The Black Oil · 05-05-2010 12:25pm

Yep...

Annasopra · 11-05-2010 11:17am

Well good luck - my advice would be -

If the tutor says they want a non academic essay then give them a non academic essay

If the tutor says they want an academic essay then give them an academic essay

Make sure that you are clear what the tutor wants - You'll know what I mean

also with the work placement module try and organise that months beforehand

The Black Oil · 11-05-2010 12:21pm

Thanks for that.

Non-academic? I think it's been a while since I've written one of those. Do you mean purely descriptive or a personal reflection type thing?

A while back I asked about TCD's Postgraduate Diploma in Education Studies (Disability Needs Assessment) which is apparently no longer running.

Seem to be hitting a bit of a brick wall. Maybe I should consider the UK even if the deadlines have passed there's always 2011.‏

The Black Oil · 23-06-2010 6:09pm

Heard that this course was in the works. Little information on it so far. I'll make a few more phone calls.

http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/prospectivestudents/courses/taught/listing/atozpg.php?course_id=200

Annasopra · 05-07-2010 11:07am

This course might be of interest as well

http://www.activelink.ie/node/2540

The Black Oil · 12-08-2010 12:17pm

I applied for that and had an interview in January. They weren't hopeful as less than half of the interviewees showed up. I got a letter about it last month mentioning another interview/meeting with the course team for August, but I think I'm going to pass on it. No word on the Sligo IT Advocacy course yet, are you still doing it?

I'm starting, providing all goes to plan, this distance MA through Leeds in September.

Annasopra · 12-08-2010 1:23pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

I applied for that and had an interview in January. They weren't hopeful as less than half of the interviewees showed up. I got a letter about it last month mentioning another interview/meeting with the course team for August, but I think I'm going to pass on it. No word on the Sligo IT Advocacy course yet, are you still doing it?

I'm starting, providing all goes to plan, this distance MA through Leeds in September.

I finished the advocacy course - am starting the Masters in Equality Studies in UCD in September

The Black Oil · 13-09-2010 5:13pm

Good stuff, I hope it goes well.

Do you think it would be possible to do the Advocacy course alongside a part-time Masters? Sligo rang today, I wasn't in so someone took a message for me. Apparently it's 5 Saturdays per semester or 4 Saturdays and 1 Friday: 9:30-4:30, something like that. I've to read to the UK for 2 weekends for the Masters so I could end up missing some of the Sligo course. At this rate, I need more experience than paper on my CV.

Disability/Advocacy Studies

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