Childhood & Youth
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Open University in Ireland

Childhood & Youth

This postgraduate degree offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of childhood and youth – covering aspects of theory, policy and practice. It is ideal if you are a graduate professional working with children and young people and seek to advance academically and professionally. It’s also suitable if you’re not currently working with children or young people but are looking to move into this professional field. The degree deepens understanding and develops practice through a wide range of case studies within a global context that link theory to practice. It explores the many different contexts of children’s and young people’s lives, analysing policy and organisational changes and exploring what it means to be a critical, reflective practitioner.

It also offers you flexibility within the final dissertation module, where you’ll choose between a small-scale inquiry or an extended literature review and research proposal. It will be of particular interest if you have completed an undergraduate degree in Childhood and Youth Studies, Early Years or Early Childhood, Education Studies (Primary), Social Work or Health and Social Care.

On completion
On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our MA in Childhood and Youth. You’ll be entitled to use the letters MA (CY)(Open) after your name.

If your masters degree is awardable with a distinction or a merit, the qualification regulations explain how you can achieve these.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

You may also be able to claim the related Postgraduate Certificate in Childhood and Youth Studies (K32) – although this is not available if you have used credit transfer or counted previous study towards your qualification – and/or the Postgraduate Diploma in Childhood and Youth Studies (E93).

To gain all three qualifications, you must study them in sequence (postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma and then the MA).

Subjects taught

Modules (Module) Credits
To gain this qualification, you need 180 credits as follows:

Stage 1, 60 credits from:
• Children and young people’s worlds (E808) 60

Or, if you have successfully completed EE806, you may count this module towards Stage 1 of this qualification.

Stage 2, 60 credits from:
• Frameworks for critical practice with children and young people (E809) 60

Stage 3, 60 credits from:
• Masters multi-disciplinary dissertation: education, childhood and youth (E822)60

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Entry requirements

You must have a bachelors degree from a UK university (or equivalent) to study this course. Your degree can be in any subject, although childhood and youth studies, sociology, health and social care, anthropology, psychology or education are particularly relevant.

The multi-disciplinary dissertation at Stage 3 – Masters multi-disciplinary dissertation: education, childhood and youth? (E822) – provides optionality (as do other modules in the qualification in which you are required to engage with research activity), to either undertake a small-scale investigation or an extended literature review and research proposal.

Please note: It is a legal requirement in the UK, rather than an Open University requirement, that you must obtain Enhanced DBS clearance (or equivalent in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) in order to work with children on the module, Masters multi-disciplinary dissertation: education, childhood and youth? (E822). This is the responsibility of you and your employer and not The Open University. If you are in doubt about your eligibility, or to find out more, you should contact the relevant agency in the country in which you are proposing to conduct your study for more information.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Credits

180 credits

Duration

3 – 6 years

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete is 3 years, the maximum time to complete is 6 years.

Enrolment dates

See Course Web Page link for next start date.

Post Course Info

Career relevance
This MA course will be attractive to professionals working with children and young people who are graduates and seeking to advance academically and professionally, as well as those with a related degree but not currently working with children and young people who are looking to move into the profession, and people considering moving between professions within the sector. It should also be of interest to people in a managerial or supervisory role, to senior members of the workforce, and those seeking to move into senior or managerial positions.

This MA in Childhood and Youth will have a strong appeal for students who have completed the BA (Honours) in Childhood and Youth Studies, BA (Honours) Early Years or Early Childhood, BA (Honours) Education Studies (Primary) or the BA (Honours) in Health and Social Care. The content of the qualification will be relevant to graduates working in early years provision, education, social work, nursing, healthcare, youth work, youth justice and the voluntary sector including charities and NGOs. You should ensure that you check entry requirements for specific professional areas before embarking on study.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

More details
  • Qualification letters

    MA

  • Qualifications

    Degree - Masters at UK Level 7

  • Attendance type

    Part time,Flexible

  • Apply to

    Course provider