Social Sciences (International Childhood) MA
Gain an international perspective on childhood and children’s rights across civilisations, cultures and centuries on our international childhood degree. Take a work placement or field trip to broaden your perspective.
Overview
| Course length: | 1 year full-time 2 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2023 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University |
| Subject(s): | Sociology and Social Sciences |
| Faculty: | Arts and Sciences |
| Department: | History, Geography and Social Sciences |
How do children see the world? Does where they’re born, and how they’re raised, make a difference to this? On our MA Social Sciences (International Childhood) course, you’ll explore the historical, geographical and cultural definitions of childhood across continents, civilisations and centuries. You’ll gain new perspectives on their rights and lived experiences.
Compulsory and optional modules are delivered through blended learning. You’ll explore topics such as child mental health, social relations, and children’s experiences of national and international migration. You’ll develop critical study skills, master social science research methods and work on a substantial independent research project.
You also have the choice of an international field trip. Visiting a different country will give you a fresh perspective on childhoods completely different to your own experience. Or you can take everything you’ve learned and apply it during a work placement. This course is also ideal for those working with children, including teachers and recent graduates.
Course features
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International students can apply
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Work placement opportunity
What you'll study
In your first semester, we’ll introduce you to social research approaches. By critically analysing the history, geography and culture of childhood during different time periods, you’ll come to understand the various lived experiences of international children’s rights.
During semester two, you’ll apply everything you learned in semester one in a practical environment. You’ll choose between an international field trip, or work-based learning. You can also take on self-directed learning, exploring child mental health or social relations.
You’ll complete a dissertation at the end of the programme. It’s an excellent opportunity to undertake supervised social research on a topic of your choice.
Optional modules provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.
How you'll study
The programme is delivered via blended learning, with a combination of face-to-face discussions and online and independent study.
Taught sessions will be delivered in two-day blocks, held three times a semester per module, with the opportunity to participate in additional sessions via the virtual learning environment.
All seminars will be a combination of tutor-led and student-developed interactive learning. You will also engage with tutors on a one-to-one basis.
How you'll be assessed
You will be assessed through a combination of workbooks, essays, reflective journals, independent projects and a dissertation.
There are no formal written examinations as part of the current assessment methods on this programme.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by research-active staff who have expertise in international childhood studies. Some members of the programme team also have previous experience of working as social workers, youth workers, teachers and project workers prior to embarking on their academic careers.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
You should have a degree equivalent to UK first-class or second-class honours (2:2 or above) in a relevant subject such as social sciences or other human sciences.
It may be possible to join the course without a degree if you are in full-time employment, have a minimum of five years’ work experience, and can demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development through a portfolio and written statement.
An interview will form part of the selection process if you do not meet the degree requirements outlined above.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.5, with a score no lower than 6.0 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
How to apply
There is an online application process for this course.
Please choose the application form for your preferred intake date and mode of study.
Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Discover our accommodation
Facilities
The Department of History, Geography and Social Sciences is based in the Geosciences building. The contemporary facilities combine with a friendly and supportive learning environment to ensure that your studies are a rich and rewarding experience.
The Geosciences building features a large lecture theatre, small group teaching rooms, IT facilities and smaller tutorial spaces. There is also a large social area which encourages a more informal and interactive style of learning.
Where you'll study
GeoSciences
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Full-Time
£8,500
for the course
UK Part-Time
£47 per credit
for 180 credits
International
£13,750
for the course
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Your future career
By the end of our MA Social Sciences (International Childhood), you’ll be feeling prepared for a career in children’s services or in international development. You’ll be in a position to help children nationally and internationally.
You might think about pursuing youth and community work, counselling, children’s and young people’s services. Or with local, national and international policy development around children’s rights and protections. You may choose to work with a charity, or train for a career in further education.
You can also choose to study or research even further by completing an MPhil or PhD.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
