MSc Migration Studies: Policy and Practice

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. 

All Migration Studies students will automatically be enrolled on the Modern Slavery Awareness course delivered by experts from Hope for Justice. The course is designed to equip people who are specialists in their own field with relevant, comprehensive and practical guidance, to increase the number of victims identified and improve the response and help offered. It is CPD-accredited and you will receive a CPD certificate when you pass.

The combination of academic knowledge, professional insights, and practical training ensures that our degree not only prepares you for a successful career in migration-related fields but also fosters your development as a compassionate advocate for human rights and social justice. You'll gain essential skills to address modern migration challenges, making this course a strong foundation for both academic and professional success.

What facilities can I use?

Learning materials are uploaded to our virtual learning environment (VLE) to allow you to work flexibly and at your own pace. Via the VLE, you can access course materials, participate in ‘live’ seminars and workshops, and find recommended resources to support your studies. 

Online access to the University library’s digital collection will allow you to find all the information you need for your assignments. You’ll have access to hundreds of ebooks, articles, and specialist online resources.

What will I study?

Throughout the course you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the techniques and research methods applicable to research work on international migration and diaspora communities. You will also develop a critical awareness and understanding of the current knowledge, theory and evidence-based practice relevant to the field of migration, 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, while 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?

This is a full-time course. You can also choose to study it part time which is over a 2 year period this gives you an additional year to focus on your research dissertation. 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 several 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 delivered via regular meetings throughout the academic year.