The MSc in Co-operative and Social Enterprise may be taken full-time over 12 months or part-time over 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme.

Applicants for the MSc (Co-operative and Social Enterprise) will be required to:

• be 23 or over on the 1st January of the year of enrolment;
• have ability to access and use the Internet;
• have two years' experience in a voluntary or professional capacity in a co-operative or social enterprise;

and either

• hold a Second Class Honours, Grade II 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, have sat the MSc (Co-operative and Social Enterprise) Qualifying Examination and attained at least a Second Class Honours Grade II therein, and present for interview (if required) by the Department of Food Business and Development at UCC.

Students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I

Core Modules
Students take 30 credits as follows:
FE6701 Co-operative and Social Enterprise (10 credits)
FE6702 Social and Co-operative Entrepreneurship (5 credits)
FE6703 Co-operative and Social Enterprise Governance (5 credits)
FE6704 Education and Marketing for Co-operatives and Social Enterprises (5 credits)
FE6711 Research Methodology (5 credits)

Elective Modules*
Students take 30 credits from the following:
FE6705 Innovation and Enterprise in Financial Co-operatives and Mutuals (10 credits)
FE6706 Community Co-operatives and Social Enterprises (10 credits)
FE6707 Worker Co-operative Strategies (10 credits)
FE6708 Co-operative Food Processing and Supply (10 credits)
FE6709 Social Enterprises and the Developing World (10 credits)
FE3824 People Management in Member-Based Organisations (10 credits)
FE6712 Leadership and Change Management in Co-operative and Social Enterprises (10 credits)

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

* Note: Students are advised that the provision of any elective module in a particular session cannot be guaranteed.

The Programme Director will ensure that there is a balanced workload between Semesters 1 and 2.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2015/2016.

Exit award: Postgraduate Diploma in Co-operative and Social Enterprise (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
Students who pass taught modules to the value of 60 credits in Part I, may opt to exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Co-operative and Social Enterprise.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MSc (Co-operative and Social Enterprise) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Think critically about social and economic problems and have the confidence to propose organisational solutions
• Articulate the role of co-operatives and social enterprises in the creation of an alternative economic system to a wide range of audiences, including the public
  private and third sectors, as well as society in general
• Participate meaningfully and effectively at leadership level in the decision-making, management and entrepreneurial processes of co-operatives and social enterprises
• Apply the specific marketing, governance, leadership and management skills necessary in co-operatives and social enterprises
• Appraise critically the multiplicity of activities, strategies, skills and approaches in the co-operative and social enterprise field
• Choose optimal courses of action for specific situations in co-operative and social enterprises
• Discuss and debate professional opinion on the functioning and roles of co-operatives and social enterprises
• Research and report analytically on different types of co-operative and social enterprise.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Co-operative and Social Enterprise (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Think critically about social and economic problems and have the confidence to begin to propose organisational solutions
• Articulate the role of co-operatives and social enterprises in the creation of an alternative economic system to a wide range of audiences, including the public, private and third sectors, as well as society in general
• Participate meaningfully and effectively at leadership level in the decision-making, management and entrepreneurial processes of co-operatives and social enterprises
• Apply the specific marketing, governance, leadership and management skills necessary in co-operatives and social enterprises
• Appraise critically the multiplicity of activities, strategies, skills and approaches in the co-operative and social enterprise field
• Identify courses of action for specific situations in co-operative and social enterprises
• Discuss and debate professional opinion on the functioning and roles of co-operatives and social enterprises.