Childhood and Youth Studies MA

OVERVIEW

Explore global expectations of children, theories of belonging, free will, and individual empowerment. Develop your understanding of how communities and families shape children and young people, and reflect on how policy affects whether children fulfil their potential.

On our full-time masters course, you’ll explore how issues relating to education, social care, health and society affect childhood in different parts of the world.

You’ll reflect on ways to enhance equality and empower children and young people, as well as considering the interaction between individual differences and the structures of society.

Some of the topics you’ll study include global attitudes towards children, communities’ expectations of young people (such as the age of consent), and children’s rights across cultural contexts.

You’ll study three core units and two option units of your choice. The option units give you the opportunity to delve deeper into the areas you are passionate about.

You could choose to look into topics such as how families shape children, rights and responsibilities, ideas of discipline, or philosophies of belonging. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose the Practice Based Project unit, where you will observe and reflect on teaching in an educational setting (from museums to schools).

Your final assignment is a dissertation where you’ll choose the topic. Past dissertation topics have included the importance of play, how schools manage competing models of behaviour management, outdoor education, and the youth justice system.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Our masters degree in Childhood and Youth Studies helps to develop your career across the education, arts, social care, criminal justice, and healthcare sectors.

As a graduate, you might work with children and young people in places such as local government services, social enterprises, and charities. Students will also achieve PgCert and PgDip awards during this course.