COURSE CURRICULUM

In the first year of the MA in Childhood Studies, students complete a combination of compulsory and optional modules designed to provide both a strong theoretical foundation and the opportunity to tailor their learning to specific interests. Compulsory modules include Theorizing Childhood and Youth, which introduces key concepts, debates, and frameworks for understanding children and young people in diverse social and cultural contexts, and Research with Children and Young People, which develops practical and ethical skills for conducting research directly with children and youth. The Dissertation module allows students to undertake an independent, substantial research project, applying theoretical knowledge and research skills to explore a topic of their choice in depth. Optional modules enable students to further personalise their studies, with choices such as Creativity and Play for Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Education 2, Special Educational Needs: Inclusive Curriculum, Child Poverty and Well-being, Children’s Family and Personal Relationships, and Teaching Languages to Young Learners. These optional modules allow students to explore areas such as education, wellbeing, social inequality, technology, and learning, supporting their professional or academic ambitions. Overall, the combination of core and optional modules equips students with a critical understanding of childhood and youth, alongside practical research experience, preparing them for careers in education, social services, policy, child-focused organisations, or further academic research.