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  • International Field Leadership (Postgraduate Certificate)
  • 2012/2013 entry
  • Contact us
  • Assessment

    • A combination of reflective writing and critical essays.

  • Attendance
      • Two-and-a-half-day Raleigh pre-expedition staff development workshop.
      • Raleigh 8- or 13-week overseas expedition in the role of volunteer manager (includes staff induction).
      • One-day post-expedition workshop at Birkbeck.
  • Duration
      • One year part-time.
  • Entry requirements
      • A first degree or equivalent qualifications from a recognised university.
      • Good command of English language, written and oral (normally IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent).
      • To be accepted on, or to have completed within the last five years, a Raleigh 8- or 13-week overseas expedition as a volunteer manager (typically a role for 25 year olds and over). Please refer to Raleigh's website for details of their application process.
      • For non-standard entries, applicants may be asked to attend an interview, or submit a short admissions task of no more than 500 words.

      Find out about our international entry requirements

  • Fees and funding
    • Fees (2012/13)
      • Part-time (home/EU students): £1975 pa
      • Part-time (overseas students): £3875 pa
  • Location
      • Central London and overseas expedition.
  • Teaching

    • You will need to take part in a Raleigh overseas expedition in the role of volunteer manager – please refer to Raleigh's website for more information.

      Teaching is delivered through seminars, lectures, interactive workshops and presentations from Birkbeck and Raleigh staff, and facilitated through e-learning. An additional post-expedition workshop will be held at Birkbeck. You will be expected to undertake approximately four–six weeks of post-expedition self-study, including preparing for assessment.

International Field Leadership (Postgraduate Certificate) - 2012/2013 entry


  • Overview

    • This is an innovative programme delivered in partnership between Birkbeck and Raleigh International. Raleigh International is a youth and sustainable development charity that undertakes meaningful overseas development projects. It is committed to inspiring people from all walks of life, ages and nationalities, involving them more deeply with people, places, communities. The charity challenges and empowers participants to be all they can be and is committed to working in partnership with local communities to make a much needed difference to their lives. Raleigh offers core expeditions to Borneo, Costa Rica and Nicaragua and India.

      The programme offers you an intensive experiential or work-based learning opportunity, leading a team of volunteers (17–24 years old) undertaking worthwhile community, environmental and adventure projects, in an international expedition context. It aims to develop a set of transferable professional skills and personal developmental skills, as well as developing advanced knowledge of the key areas.

  • Why study this course at Birkbeck?
      • Develop a deeper understanding of leadership, intercultural learning and global citizenship in a dynamic real-world setting.
      • Develop skills for your professional or personal development, including leadership, team and project management, problem-solving, facilitation, coaching, crisis and risk management, intercultural communication skills, reflective learning skills, critical thinking skills, and academic study skills in an intercultural and global education context.
      • Ideal if you want to pursue a career in international development or work with people from different cultural, ethnic or linguistic backgrounds, or go on to further academic study.
  • Course structure

    • The programme consists of two compulsory modules:

      • Module 1: Field Leadership: aims to develop advanced understanding of the key areas of leadership, intercultural and global education, that are relevant to the role of a volunteer manager, such as empowering and facilitating a diverse team of young people undertaking worthwhile challenges in an international expedition programme context.
      • Module 2: Reflective and Experiential Learning: is designed to help you get the most from the experiential learning experience for yourself and those you lead. Therefore, it aims to develop learning and study skills and to teach experiential learning theory and the Raleigh methodological framework.
  • Study resources

    • As Birkbeck student, you will have access to a range of library and learning resources offered by the College and the University of London. For this programme, many indicative readings for each module and topic will be accessible as e-resources.

  • Further study opportunities

    • Graduates could apply to related courses, including our MA Intercultural Communication for Business and Professions or our MA Communication.

      This programme is relevant to professionals from any discipline who wish to convert their intensive experiential learning experience into a transferable leadership and management qualification to further their career development. Individuals interested in international careers may also find the combination of the overseas expedition and academic study useful for this aim.

  • Apply now