Study with icegs

Our MA Career Guidance and Development provides an ideal stepping stone for anyone seeking to enter the career development profession. It should be especially valuable for recent graduates who have studied subjects such as Education, Sociology, Psychology and Social Work and for individuals who are already employed in a variety of relevant roles and settings.

Course Description

• Learn how to design and deliver effective career guidance to make a genuine difference to people’s lives.
• Gain your masters degree alongside a high-quality, nationally recognised professional award, the Qualification in Career Development.
• Achieve high professional standards: this programme is run in association with the Career Development Institute.
• Hone your practical skills and gain fresh perspectives on relevant work-based placements.
• Conduct your own research project on a theme which matches your professional interests and ambitions.
• Draw on the expertise of our International Centre for Guidance Studies, a world-leading centre which is helping shape the future of the career development profession.
• Learn from an enthusiastic and experienced team of staff who are recognised as thought leaders and influencers in this field.
• Enjoy maximum flexibility: take this programme on a full-time or part-time basis so that you can fit your studies around your other commitments.

Where you will study: University of Derby, Derby Campus at Kedleston Road.

Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time.

Start Date: September

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Learn more about the MA Careers Guidance and Development 

The Centre supports doctoral study related to our areas of interest and expertise. Information about this can be found on our website and on the individual pages of the team’s profiles.

Doctoral students will be supported to pursue their research interests and contribute to the evidence base around career and career development. The programmes are open to national and international students with relevant qualifications and experience.

Recently completed doctorates in the Centre have focused on the evidence base in careers work, continuing professional development, youth transitions in working-class communities, and on mentoring disadvantaged young people.

Staff from the Centre are currently supervising doctoral studies on the following;

• Employability for Accounting students in Greece
• The impact of island location on students’ higher education choices and subsequent career narratives: a case study of the Orkney and Shetland Islands
• Young people’s views on the gig-economy as a career option
• Parental involvement in career education and guidance in senior general secondary schools in the Netherlands
• Exploring graduates use of online career-related social networks
• Professional identity of Environmental Health Practitioners

 To discuss ideas for doctoral study please contact Professor Siobhan Neary (Head of iCeGS) at s.neary@derby.ac.uk. 

You can also find out more about doctoral programmes of study on our research degrees pages or learn more about our self-funded options that are aligned to the research interests of our staff.

All iCeGS training utilises research undertaken by the Centre to provide participants with skills and knowledge that is on the leading edge of practice. The training packages have been constructed to allow content and materials to be customised and delivered in a variety of settings to meet the specific needs of the commissioning organisation. Current training and support packages include:

• Advanced Interview Skills - a three-day training package supporting experienced practitioners to review, refresh and enhance their guidance skills;
• Interview Skills for Advisers - a two-day programme providing an introduction to guidance for information and advice workers;
• Introducing Guidance - a one-day training course aimed at managers and those interested in learning about guidance which develops an understanding of the guidance process and how it supports individual progression;
• Effective Advice and Guidance by Telephone - a one-day workshop to introduce and support practitioners in the delivery of quality provision using the telephone;
• Theory for Effective Careers Guidance - a one-day workshop supporting advice and guidance practitioners in developing a better understating of career theory and how it supports practice; and
• Using social media for careers work - this one-day introductory training course provides a basic overview of what is meant by social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and provides a series of ideas and examples of how these technologies can be used in careers work. The course is hands-on and participants will need to be able to access a computer throughout the day.
• Evaluating school and college career guidance programmes – This one-day workshop will introduce the concepts and approaches of evaluation. The workshop will demonstrate how evaluation tools can be used to measure and demonstrate impact. Delegates will consider the evaluation strategies required to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks of good career guidance. Delegates will leave with a draft evaluation plan for their organisation.

For information about these programmes please contact Nicki Moore at n.moore@derby.ac.uk

The team at iCeGS are happy to welcome visitors to the Centre for periods of unpaid study. Study visits are self-directed. iCeGS does not offer a structured programme of study, but we can help you to make the most of your stay by supporting you to think through your research methodology, data collection and analysis. iCeGS also has an extensive reference collection of historical and contemporary materials which students can access during their visit.

Some visitors wish to visit the Centre to learn about our taught programmes. The Centre offers a full range of level 6 (final year undergraduate), postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well as several non-accredited, commercial training opportunities and a calendar of events which support the continuing professional development needs of the sector.

Visiting scholars are invited to consider what they can contribute to the work of iCeGS during their visit. For example, you could provide a guest lecture on one of our taught programmes, a seminar, and a presentation at one of our Associate's meetings or by contributing to a journal article or report.

For extended visits of more than one week, iCeGS will allocate a desk (we operate a hot desk system) and access to a computer, WiFi access, and a supervisor/mentor who will be your point of contact during your visit.

You will need to identify your own accommodation for the duration of your visit.

If you are interested in visiting iCeGS for a period of study, you will need to consider several things:

1. How will your visit to iCeGS complement and enhance your studies or your understanding of the career guidance sector?
2. How will you fund your visit?
3. Where will you stay?
4. What can you contribute to the Centre during your visit?

For an informal discussion about visiting iCeGS, please email Nicki Moore (n.moore@derby.ac.uk)

You will also need to complete an application form: Expression of interest for visiting academics

Visiting iCeGS to help you develop an understanding of the UK career guidance sector

iCeGS welcomes groups of international visitors who wish to make a study of the career guidance sector in the UK. These visits require considerable coordination and may involve visits to organisations offering career guidance such as companies who supply career guidance services, universities, vocational training providers, schools and professional organisations.

Where visitors wish to undertake this type of programme, we provide this service under our commercial business stream. If you want to make this type of visit, please contact Nicki Moore (n.moore@derby.ac.uk) to discuss a bespoke programme and the associated costs.