Accredited Programme - MA in Practice Based Play Therapy

This course is the third part of a programme leading to an MA in Practised Based Play Therapy by dissertation. It is at stage 4 of the PTI four stage training model

Our new APAC Learning Management System (ALMS) makes it easier for you to manage your work with the help of your Academic Supervisor. Our experience shows that getting the research proposal ‘right’ is absolutely crucial.

By helping you to concentrate on the comprehensiveness and quality of the proposal’s research methods you will need less time to carry out your research and draft your dissertation. The course will provide a springboard for students to understand and apply research methodology to a variety of play therapy related scenarios, and understand approaches to evidence-based practice. For instance, how can research be used to inform policy and practice and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and programmes? As play therapy is an emerging profession, it is essential that practitioners enhance its establishment by developing high quality research capability to create new models of practice that serve to improve the quality of therapeutic interventions for some of the most marginalised and troubled children.

Students will explore the purposes and values of research by studying a hierarchy of positivist, qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods techniques to analyse practice experiences. The course will provide the knowledge and skills for postgraduates to: produce a research proposal for ethical approval and research governance; design and implement a research programme, choosing the most appropriate methods to produce a play and creative arts therapy related dissertation.

Original research may be either qualitative or quantitative in nature. Students have up to 2 years to complete their dissertation.

• in addition students will be expected to present and submit dissertations in accordance with accepted conventions of academic writing and in accordance with the requirements set out in the University’s published Dissertation Guidelines
• the Dissertation must be of publishable quality in terms of written accuracy

Developing a Research Proposal

A 4000 word research proposal. Working within the limits of what is viable within a nine month or year long, dissertation-based research project; the proposal will address a subject of the student’s own choosing, highlighting the philosophical, conceptual and strategic processes necessary to design and implement a robust and ethical research study.

By the end of the module students will be able to:

Identify an area of play and creative arts therapies research (education, health and social care practice) that needs systematic investigation and present a clear rationale for the proposed research

Critically analyse the ethical dimensions of research, highlighting methods of engaging participants in ways that respect their rights and needs

Defend the aim of the proposed study and the research question(s) and selection of a research paradigm and research approach

Anticipate the type(s) of data that are likely to result from the proposed study and critically evaluate their relevance to the aim of the study and the research question(s)

Producing a Research Dissertation

A dissertation/project report of 12,000 words which is organised into discrete chapters to meet the learning outcomes.

By the end of the module students will be able to:

1. Organise documentation to convey clearly and accurately the processes undertaken and what has been achieved
2. Critically evaluate relevant literature utilising an appropriate theoretical framework and prior empirical studies
3. Select and justify an appropriate research design, sample population and data collection instruments and adopt a critical, ethically sensitive stance towards the conduct of the research study
4. Summarise, analyse and interpret data using suitable statistical or other tools where appropriate
5. Synthesise findings in relation to theoretical perspectives, prior empirical studies and professional practice issues

Students will be required to read around the topic before each session. Suggested texts will be given against the session content. Optional assessments will be used to check their knowledge as a part of progressive monitoring.

On line learning is a well established technique and allows students the opportunity to work at their own pace but have regular contact with each other and their tutor. Work may be posted on a regular basis and tasks allocated. When undertaking learning over the internet students access and share information, and engage in discussions through a computer and a modem.

Blended learning, which includes E-Learning can be described as an approach that offers a third medium for learning. It is different from distance learning courses that require students to work alone at home processing information that has been posted to them. E- Learning, on the other hand, is more akin to the classroom experience because it involves students working together synchronously and asynchronously, learning and sharing experiences as part of an online community of learners. Although the technology exists via the use of web cams and conferencing for students to physically observe each other on line, e-learning students are not physically together but rather virtually together on line. In e-learning the lecture hall is replaced by the virtual lecture hall. E-learning, therefore, is qualitatively different from distance learning or classroom based learning.

• Further develop students’ conceptual, theoretical and methodological models in the design and implementation of play therapy-related research at MA level.
• Refresh informed play therapy practice by extending the understanding of research methodology and differing approaches learned at Certificate and Diploma stages.
• To provide methodologies for Master’s level research to answer a unique question(s) that will take the play therapy profession forward
• To encourage students to debate the nature of play and creative arts therapies research, including therapeutic media, conditions, settings, systemic factors and related topics
• To enhance students ability to appraise the literature underpinning the evidence base for children’s therapeutic interventions
• To integrate and apply research principles to a play and creative arts therapies related topics

The successful completion of the dissertation carries 60 ‘M’ points.

Students successfully completing all three parts of the programme (Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play, Post Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy and the MA by dissertation) will be awarded a total of 180 ‘M’ points.

The course also includes 3 individual and 1 group supervisions to provide guidance upon the topic (per year). Specialist optional advanced 3 day modules will be available for further support in the chosen subject areas.

• APAC
• PTUK
• PTirl