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University College Cork

Co-operative & Social Enterprise

Course Outline
The main aims of this programme are:
• to equip you for management careers and/or voluntary service at a senior level in a wide range of co-operative and social enterprises
• to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to participate meaningfully and effectively at a leadership level in the decision-making, management and entrepreneurial processes of co-operative and social enterprises
• to develop your capacity to respond creatively to the needs and problems of the wider community and society, if you are either a voluntary or a salaried practitioner in a co-operative and social enterprise
• to provide you with access to postgraduate and personal development opportunities whilst allowing you to combine family responsibilities and employment.

Learning outcomes: On successful completion, it is expected that you will be able to:
• Communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard
• Demonstrate advanced analytical and problem-solving skills associated with effective practice
• Engage in advanced application of frameworks and techniques in organizational settings
• Appraise self-practice
• Propose and conduct empirical research for organizational and academic audiences

The MSc in Co-operative and Social Enterprise is delivered by distance learning and comprises eight taught modules (taught in Part I) and a dissertation (undertaken in Part II). In total, students take 90 credits. Part 1 consists of 60 credits. Part II consists of 30 credits.

Why choose this course?
If you are interested in pursuing or developing a professional or voluntary career in the co-operative or social enterprise field, the MSc in Co-operative and Social Enterprise is designed with you in mind. This course will suit a variety of people from different walks of life. It is flexible because it is delivered by distance learning and can be taken over one or two years. It is graded by continuous assessment and there are no written end-of-year examinations.

Entry requirements

To apply for this course you must:
• be at least 23 at time of enrolment
• be able to access and use the Internet
• possess two years' experience in a voluntary or professional capacity in a co-operative or social enterprise,

and either
• hold at least a 2.2 primary degree or an equivalent academic qualification

or
• have at least five years' extensive practical, professional or scholarly experience in the co-operative and social enterprise field as approved by the School of Business, and present for interview (if required) by the Department of Food Business and Development at UCC.

If you are applying with Qualifications obtained outside Ireland and you wish to verify if you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements for this programme please click here to view the grades comparison table by country and for details of recognised English language tests.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements available at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/postgraduate/

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Duration

CKL10: 2 years Part-Time
CKL42: 1 year Full-Time

Additional Teaching Mode Information
This programme will be taught online.

Careers or further progression

Skills and Careers Information
This course is designed for you if you are interested in pursuing or developing a professional or voluntary career in the co-operative or social enterprise field. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to participate meaningfully and effectively at leadership level in the decision-making, management and entrepreneurial processes of co-operative and social enterprises. Whether you are a voluntary or a salaried practitioner, this course will develop your capacity to respond creatively to the needs and problems of the wider community and society.

Further enquiries

Contact details for this course
Dr Olive McCarthy
o.mccarthy@ucc.ie
+ 353 21 490 3354

https://www.cubsucc.com/programmes/postgraduate/msc-co-operative-and-soc...

Dr Carol Power
cpower@ucc.ie
+353 21 490 3354

Subjects taught

Part I
Core Modules (30 credits)
• FE6701 Co-operative and Social Enterprise
• FE6711 Research Methodology
• FE6702 Social and Co-operative Entrepreneurship
• FE6703 Co-operative and Social Enterprise Governance
• FE6704 Education and Marketing for Co-operatives and Social Enterprises

Elective modules (30 credits)
You will select any three of the following elective modules:
• FE6705 Innovation and Enterprise in Financial Co-operatives and Mutuals
• FE6706 Community Co-operatives and Social Enterprises
• FE6707 Worker Co-operative Strategies
• FE6708 Co-operative Food Processing and Supply
• FE6709 Social Enterprises and the Developing World
• FE3824 People Management in Member-Based Organisations
• FE6712 Leadership and Change Management in Co-operative and Social Enterprises

Part II
• FE6710 Dissertation in Co-operative and Social Enterprise (30 credits): You will complete a 15,000–30,000-word Dissertation in Co-operative and Social Enterprise. Students must pass Part I before they are allowed to submit the dissertation.

Further details on the content and modules are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar.

Comment

Course Practicalities
All our academic staff are experts in their field with PhDs and/or significant experience of working and researching in co-operative and social enterprises. Because we combine academic teaching and research into co-operative and social enterprises, with practical involvement with co-operative and social enterprises on the ground, we have unique insights into the key strategies, issues and problems they face.

Full-time staff involved in the MSc include:
• Dr Olive McCarthy (Course Director)
• Noreen Byrne
• Bridget Carroll
• Dr Olive McCarthy
• Dr Mary O'Shaughnessy
• Dr Carol Power
• Professor Michael Ward

Assessment method

You will be assessed by way of continuous assessment, e.g. essays, group work, virtual contributions, etc. This means that there are no end-of-year written examinations for this course.

Application date

Applications for academic year 2020/2021 are open.

EU Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught courses, which means offers are made four times a year on a rolling basis. Some courses have one specific closing date, please check your course prospectus page for this information.

The UCC rounds closing dates for postgraduate taught courses are below. Applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of full applications:
For all completed applications received by January 10th 2020
Offers will be made by January 24th 2020

For all completed applications received by March 2nd 2020
Offers will be made by March 16th 2020

For all completed applications received by May 1st 2020
Offers will be made by May 15th 2020

For all completed applications received by July 1st 2020
Offer will be made by July 15th 2020

Late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity.

Non-EU Closing Date: 15 June
Non-EU Applicants: Information for Non-EU applicants may be found on the International Office Website https://www.ucc.ie/en/international/