Open University

MA in Childhood and Youth

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this qualification, you will have knowledge and understanding of:

• Different theoretical perspectives that contribute to the study of childhood and youth, how these develop a critical understanding of changing organisational structures, how these inform effective communication with children and young people and how they inform integrated practice
• The way ethnicity, religion, caste/class, gender, sexuality and disability shape childhood and youth; the impact of differentiation, inequality and exclusion; strategies designed to tackle these issues, including safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in integrated practice
• Policies and provisions relating to regulation/promotion of children and young people’s status, welfare, health and learning, including how these impact childhood and youth contexts and an appreciation of the importance of multi-agency working
• The principles underlying a rights approach to childhood and youth issues, and to understand and evaluate the links between local and global forces in children and young people’s lives
• Different methodologies used when working with children and young people, ethical considerations, reflective and evidence-based practice, and an appreciation of how these can inform policy and integrated practice.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this qualification, you will be able to:

• Analyse critically concepts, theories, policies and practices concerning children and young people, and critically analyse the impact of social institutions such as the family, the law or the state
• Understand and comment critically on the contributions of different approaches to the study of children and young people
• Critically understand the significance and limitations of theory and research
• Interpret, assess and deploy research methodologies and their evidence
• Identify and critically reflect on connections and discontinuities between knowledge and its application in practical contexts and how this might impact effective communication and welfare promotion with and for children and young people.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this qualification, you will be able to:

• Learn from personal experience and apply theory to practice issues and dilemmas and learn from feedback to improve performance
• Analyse features of contemporary childhood and youth in different economic and socio-cultural contexts within a historical and/or international framework, including multi-agency working
• Identify and reflect on your own values and position, and those of others, and assess their relationships to policy and practice
• Plan, analyse, develop and produce an extended proposal or plan, conduct, analyse and report a small-scale investigation within a professional setting to develop or enhance the understanding of practice
• Accommodate new principles, understandings and evidence and formulate and justify proposals for action in the light of these.

Key skills

On completion of this qualification, you will be able to:

• Organise and articulate opinions and arguments, taking account of appropriate conventions of academic writing
• Communicate accurately and clearly in styles adapted to the purpose and context, including interpretation of numerical and graphical data when appropriate
• Read purposefully and critically, identifying and recording what is relevant from a range of resource material and responding sensitively and critically to diverse viewpoints
• Analyse tasks, plan and manage time
• Learn from a variety of different media and different teaching methods.

To gain this qualification, you need 180 credits as follows:

Stage 1, 60 credits from:

• Children and young people’s worlds (E808)

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)

Stage 3, 60 credits from:

• Masters multi-disciplinary dissertation: education, childhood and youth (E822)

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.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

The teaching, learning and assessment are linked to the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children’s Workforce. They are geared towards the development of professional skills through a critical engagement with policy, analysis of organisational structures and reflection on personal practice. Multi-agency working and inter-professional practice have a central focus.

Knowledge and understanding are taught through diverse online study materials, including multimedia. If you have a learning difficulty or disability that could impact studying online, please speak with us and your tutor so that where possible reasonable adjustments can be made to facilitate your participation.

You will develop your advanced knowledge and understanding through critical engagement with material provided in the Readers and reflection facilitated by activities in the online learning guides. You undertake a significant amount of your own enquiry-based learning appropriate to this level of study, including an extended piece of writing.

Summative assessment is through TMAs and EMAs. There is the opportunity, on some parts of the qualification, for optional collaborative learning through the sharing of your experiences with other students.

Online tutorials, virtual learning communities (in tutor groups) and assignment feedback are designed to build on your academic study skills over the life of the course. You will have opportunities to develop your critical analysis of policy and practice. Key to this will be a developing ability to draw good practice out of theoretical frameworks.

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 to 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.