Migration Studies: Policy and Practice

Why study this subject? MSc Migration Studies: Policy and Practice offers a deep exploration of one of the most pressing global issues of our time. Our degree will equip you with the critical skills needed to analyse complex migration dynamics and understand the lived experiences of migrants, helping you navigate and respond to the challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing global landscape.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? Our programme provides a comprehensive, socially engaged approach to migration, combining cutting-edge academic research with practical, real-world application. You will benefit from engaging lectures and thought-provoking discussions led by experts in the field, allowing you to critically analyse migration from a multidisciplinary perspective, incorporating insights from sociology, economics, politics, and anthropology.

To ensure your learning extends beyond the classroom, the programme also incorporates interactive workshops and seminars delivered by professionals with extensive experience working directly with or within migrant and diaspora communities. These guest sessions will expose you to real-life case studies, providing practical insights into the realities of migration and the skills required to navigate complex issues in professional practice.

In addition, we are proud to offer modern day slavery training to students, in partnership with Hope for Justice, an internationally recognised organisation that works to bring an end to modern slavery and human trafficking, and to protect the human rights of victims and survivors.

What will I study? Throughout the course you will develop a comprehensive understanding of techniques and research methods applicable to research or advanced scholarship on international migration and diaspora communities. You will also develop a critical awareness and systematic understanding of the current knowledge, theory and evidence-based practice relevant to the field of migration studies, as well as current areas of scholarly interest and policy relevance. Close attention is paid to ethical perspectives and social justice considerations throughout the course.

On completion of this course you will be able to evaluate migration policy formulation and interventions, whilst effectively communicating the implications and practical applications of your research. You will also be able to demonstrate a critical awareness of the lived experiences of migrants in society, the social construction of their identities, and their agency. Your learning will support the development of a systematic and critical understanding of processes through which policies impacting migrant, minority and diasporic communities are formulated, implemented, developed and evaluated.

How will I be taught and assessed? Teaching methods on the course will include:

online lectures

online classroom-based activities (utilising Blackboard Collaborate)

independent learning methods

practical online based sessions (including role-playing and simulations).

A range of summative assessment methods may be employed on this course, as follows:

time-constrained assignments

poster presentations

reflective accounts

oral presentations

time constrained examinations

essays

research reports

professional style reports e.g. court reports, expert witness reports

risk assessment/management reports.

The final empirical dissertation represents a major piece of independent research activity within your chosen field of migration. This will involve a number of options including collecting original empirical (quantitative or qualitative) data from participants, or equivalent alternatives such as computational modelling of empirical or secondary data analysis, making use of large data sets, or an extended literature review or a performance piece. It will be undertaken with support from an academic supervisor.