Child Youth & Community

The MA/PDip in Child, Youth and Community is designed for professionals already working in and/or for those who have a strong interest to work in the child, youth and community sector. It is suitable for recent graduates and mature students who wish to acquire a specialised Level 9 qualification, which will add value to their existing qualifications by deepening their knowledge of the sector and providing them with skill sets high in demand.



The MA is designed to accommodate the needs of professionals by offering a flexible and blended approach to learning. Students can avail of a one year full-time or a two-year part-time MA or one year full-time Postgraduate Diploma. Delivered mid-week, each 12-week teaching semester comprises five weeks of on campus teaching across the semester. In the intervening seven weeks students can join the classroom remotely.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

Required SP6146: Research Methods & Methodology

Required SP6145: Research Paper

Required SP6135: Research Workshops I

Required SP6139: Human Rights and Social Justice

Required SP6130: Programme Planning & Evaluation

Required SP6140: Families, Children and Young People: Sociological Perspectives and Policy Issues

Required SP577: Community Development and Families

Required SP6136: Research Workshops II

Optional SP6127: Professional Experience

Optional SP6128: Field-Based Learning

Optional SP530: Working with Specific Populations

Optional GG6109: Gender, Sexuality and Global Health

Optional SP6122: Social and Political Context of Activism and Advocacy

Optional GG113: Applied Gender Analyses

Applicants will require a NQAI Level 8 degree, Second Class Honours (2:1) or equivalent, in child, youth and family studies, sociology, psychology or a cognate discipline.

1 year full-time

2 years part-time

Next start date: September 2026

Typically graduates will seek employment in areas such as youth work, community development, child welfare, national or international public policy and administration, advocacy, research and evaluation.



The MA is designed to respond to the needs of a funding dependent sector and meet the growing national and international donor requirement, to comply with rights-based approaches and provide scientific, robust evidence to measure the impact of social interventions.



For those interested in a PhD or a career in academia, progression opportunities are available through the University of Galway Structured PhD in Child and Youth Research.