(MA) Master of Arts
Childhood Studies
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Colchester Campus
Masters
Full-time
MA L52012
10/05/2023
Details
Professional accreditation
None
Admission criteria
A 2:2 degree or equivalent.
With your online application you must submit a personal statement; this should detail the reasons for wanting to study the course, including any relevant experience (work or voluntary) that may support your application.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
Dr Marie Lavelle
Lecturer Early Childhood Studies
University of Plymouth
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
- Offer an innovative multidisciplinary programme that critically considers advanced scholarship in the academic study of childhood
- Critically explore the social and political constructions of childhood and the implications on children’s lived experiences.
- Advance students’ knowledge of the unique contributions of psychosocial and psychodynamic perspectives on understandings of children and childhood
- Provide a theoretical and practical understanding of undertaking research with children and young people.
- Critically evaluate contemporary debates on the rights, voices, and agency of children
- Provide opportunities for students to explore the diversity of childhoods and children’s lived experiences, historically and contemporarily.
- Develop in students a range of advanced academic skills including self-direction, problem solving, and a commitment to ongoing professional development.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: Systematic knowledge and understanding of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives relevant to the study of children and childhood.
A2: Critical understanding and in-depth knowledge of the conceptual frameworks of contemporary childhood studies, such as agency or generation.
A3: Sustained knowledge and critical understanding of the historical, social, psychological, political, affective, and discursive construction of children and childhood.
A4: Systematic and critical understanding of methodological approaches, principles, tools, and ethical considerations relevant to social sciences research and pertinent to research with children and young people.
A5: Critical knowledge and understanding of the synergies between psychodynamic perspectives, sociology, and psychosocial studies, in understanding the field of childhood studies and the worlds of children.
Learning methods
A1 to A5 are facilitated through formal teaching sessions comprising predominantly of seminars, but also including lectures, workshops, tutorials and supervision.
A4 is particularly facilitated in modules PA944 Research with Children and Young People and PA945 Dissertation – Childhood Studies, where seminars critically explore methodological and theoretical discussions and workshops are deployed throughout to learn and practice with methodological approaches and data collection tools.
A5 is introduced in PA943 Critical Debates in Childhood and Childhood Studies and is particularly supported in PA948, Emotional Worlds and PA947 where psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, psychosocial and sociological ideas are explored, compared, contrasted, debated and applied in seminars.
Assessment methods
Formal assessment is via short written work of up to 1500 words, longer essays of between 2000 and 5000 words, research proposals, presentations, podcasts and a 12,000 word dissertation.
The first assessment in PA943 Critical Debates encourages students to specifically address A5, the research proposal in PA944 Research and capstone project in PA945 Dissertation demonstrate A4, and A2-4 are addressed in written and oral assessments across a range of core and compulsory modules.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: Critically evaluate research and advanced scholarship in the field of childhood studies
B2: Analyse methodologies for the study of childhood and youth and critically evaluate their application.
B3: Develop cohesive and critical arguments demonstrating creativity in the application of knowledge.
B4: Display critical and reflective thinking in academic work and in the development of own academic skills and knowledge.
Learning methods
B1 to B4 are facilitated through formal teaching sessions comprising predominantly of seminars, but also including lectures, workshops, tutorials, drop in sessions, and supervision.
Seminars are grounded in discussion and student participation to explore, debate and critique ideas and perspectives. The discussion and presentation of seminar papers by students, participation in formal debates or using case studies are common teaching and learning strategies across the MA to facilitate criticality and evaluation of advanced scholarship in the field. Students benefit from continuous discussion and feedback in response to their contributions from seminar leaders and peers.
B2 is particularly supported in PA944 Research with Children and Young People where practical workshops and discussion based seminars allow students to practice research skills.
B4 is particularly supported in the PA945 Dissertation where students will develop an effective working relationship with their supervisor facilitating reflective practice and consolidating on learning from across MACS about understanding and applying feedback to academic work.
Assessment methods
Formal assessment is via short written work of up to 1500 words, longer essays of between 2000 and 5000 words, research proposals, presentations, podcasts and a 12,000 word dissertation.
Creative approaches to the application and dissemination of knowledge as indicated in B3 and encouraged and supported in written form in all MACS modules. The principle of encouraging students to creatively share their knowledge and understanding is particularly evident in PA943 Critical Debates and PA946 Geographies where a podcast and a creative ‘non-PowerPoint’ presentation are integrated into the module assessments. Variation in assessment allows for a range of student learning styles and strengths and weaknesses to be accounted for, potentially providing a more inclusive learning experience. Such an approach is also more reflective of the varied tasks and approaches to practice required in graduate employment in sectors with children, young people, and families.
B2 is particularly supported in PA945 Dissertation and PA944 Research, through the formation of a research proposal and 12,000 word dissertation.
C: Practical skills
C1: Demonstrate the ability to formulate a research project and implement the research skills necessary to carry this out.
C2: Communicate concepts and arguments clearly in range of written and oral formats.
C3: Demonstrate the ability to write structured and focused essays and reports that critically evaluate sources and include proper citations and references
C4: Demonstrate autonomy, self-direction and independence in planning and completing complex tasks
Learning methods
C1 to C4 are facilitated through formal teaching sessions comprising predominantly of seminars, but also including lectures, workshops, tutorials, drop-in sessions, and supervision.
C2 to C4 are supported in the teaching and learning strategies across all modules where students are encouraged to both read and produce a range of written material to demonstrate skills of criticality, argument, structure and evidence. Seminar discussions and group activities encourage students to practice the sharing and communicating of ideas and the formative group in-class presentations in Emotional Worlds help to build this confidence too.
C1 is taught via seminars and practical workshops in PA944 Research and developed further in PA945 Dissertation through the supervision relationship.
Assessment methods
Formal assessment is via short written work of up to 1500 words, longer essays of between 2000 and 5000 words, research proposals, presentations, podcasts and a 12,000 word dissertation.
C2 and C4 are assessed across all MACS modules whereby students must communicate effectively and demonstrate self-direction to identify, develop and submit assignments on time and to a good standard. Assessment workshops, written briefs and guides, Q&A sessions, drop ins and academic tutorials all provide support for developing the skills necessary to manage assessments.
C1 is particularly addressed in PA944 Research and PA945 Dissertation as students must design a piece of research, producing a research proposal and then complete a 12,000 word dissertation.
D: Key skills
D1: Ability to disseminate and articulate ideas clearly, coherently, and concisely in written and oral forms.
D2: Employ information and communication technology appropriately and effectively for the retrieval and presentation of information.
D3: Knowledge of how to read, understand and make use of quantitative research in the social sciences
D4: Ability to exercise initiative and creativity in the application of knowledge to solve problems or complete tasks
D5: The ability to listen to the ideas of others, reflect upon them, and critically consider these in the communication of own ideas
D6: Capacity and initiative to reflect upon own learning and use feedback and reflections to support progression.
Learning methods
D1. Students are encouraged to express complex ideas in seminars and benefit from feedback from seminar leaders and peers. Students are required to actively contribute to individual and group tasks in teaching and learning sessions, and often to present the ideas and results of such activities to the wider group.
D2. Students are provided with extensive ICT support within PPS and across the University, many aspects of which are integrated into modules, for example attention to literature searching using library databases and the use of ICT to make a basic bar graph in PA944 Research.
D3. Part 2 of PA944 Research with Children supports the development of numeracy skills as students examine quantitative methodologies and methods. This includes exploration of how to read, understand and evaluate published empirical quantitative research. Specific guidance and supervision allocation can be provided to students by special arrangement if needed for a particular dissertation project.
D4. The application of knowledge of problems and tasks is supported through seminars, workshops and particularly individual tutorials and supervision where students are negotiating their own approaches to knowledge and specific assignments.
D5. Students engage with, teach, and learn from each other in teaching and learning sessions, particularly seminars and workshops. Group based or paired activities in sessions provide a formal framework for this and discussion provides an informal context for listening to and reflecting upon the ideas of others.
D6. Continuous feedback is provided across all learning sessions, particularly in seminars, workshops and tutorials. Peer review is incorporated into the PA946 Geographies module through the presentation assessment in class sessions. Formal feedback is provided on assessments
Assessment methods
D1. Formal assessment via essay, dissertation, podcast, report, and presentation.
D2. ICT skills are not separately assessed but are required to complete assignments successfully including their preparation and submission.
D3. Numeracy is not separately assessed but is evidenced in students understanding and usage of quantitative research and scholarship. Specific guidance and supervision allocation can be provided to students by special arrangement if needed for a particular dissertation project.
D4. Formal assessment via essay, dissertation, podcast or video, and presentation.
D5. Working with others is not separately assessed but is evidenced in student’s incorporation of ideas from across modules in assignments, participation in seminars and other sessions, and participation in presentations and peer review in PA946 Geographies module.
D6. All MACS modules provide ongoing verbal and periodic formal written feedback to students which directly responds to module and programme learning outcomes. Academic and personal tutorials are available to students throughout their time in PPS and students are encouraged to take up opportunities for one-to-one discussion of feedback. Supervision also provides extensive opportunities for discussion and feedback on students’ knowledge, understanding, application of ideas, research design and approaches to project planning and management, for example. PA946 presentation and essay assignments are connected. Students use formal feedback from staff and informal peer feedback from the presentation to further direct their essay on the same topic/issue providing a direct and concrete way of making engagement with feedback of immediate benefit to students.