Underpinned by a children’s rights framework, the MA International Child Studies is a multi-disciplinary programme designed to promote a rigorous academic approach to contemporary issues in childhood. Sociological perspectives encourage examination of children’s experiences, the ways in which childhood is socially and culturally constructed, and reflection upon international policy and practice.
KEY BENEFITS
- Multidisciplinary approach.
- Covers latest developments in issues that affect childhood globally.
- Contact with a wide range of external experts.
- Located in the heart of London.
KEY FACTS
Student destinations
The International programme is new for September 2012. Graduates of MA Child Studies typically go on to work in NGO or local government posts in policy or direct work with children, or proceed to doctoral work or professional qualifications.
Programme leader/s
Mrs Jenny Driscoll
Awarding Institution
King's College London
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent)
UK 190/ECTS 95
Duration
One year FT, two years PT, September to September.
Location
Waterloo Campus.
Year of entry 2013
Offered by
School of Social Science and Public Policy
Department of Education and Professional Studies
Closing date
30 September or until programme is full.
Intake
Approximately 15 FT, 10 PT.
Fees
PT Home: £3150 (2013)
PT Overseas: £6000 (2013)
FT Home: £6300 (2013)
FT Overseas: £12000 (2013)
CONTACTS
Contact information
Programme Director, Jenny Driscoll: 020 7848 3101
Postgraduate Officer, Centre for Arts & Sciences Admissions (CASA) tel: +44 (0) 20 7848 7207 fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 7200
Email
Website
PURPOSE
The International Child Studies MA is appropriate for professionals working in the statutory or voluntary sector overseas; those aspiring to work in the statutory or voluntary sector overseas who hold a first degree in a relevant subject; UK professionals working with a diverse population of children/young people.
DESCRIPTION
Underpinned by a theoretical framework of children's rights, this multi-disciplinary programme is designed to encourage students to take a rigorous academic and analytical approach to contemporary issues in childhood which are of relevance to those working or intending to work with or on behalf of vulnerable children. An understanding of sociological perspectives of multiple constructed childhoods is applied to a comparative study of global childhoods, and complements teaching on relevant law and policy, child development, and contemporary issues such as poverty, HIV, child trafficking and child protection.
The curriculum is subject to change to keep up with policy developments.
STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
Core programme content
Indicative non-core content
Compulsory module:
- International Children's Rights (30 credits).
Optional modules: 3 from
- Global Childhoods (30 credits)
- Child Health & Development (30 credits)
- Social Research Methods (30 credits)
- Child Protection (30 credits)
- Contemporary Issues in Education (30 credits) (subject to availability) from Modular Master’s programme.
Students may take up to 40 credits from a programme within the University of London (subject to the permission of the programme director).
FORMAT AND ASSESSMENT
FT: Weekly half-day lecture sessions on two days, currently Wednesday and Thursday.
PT: Weekly half-day lecture sessions one day a week.
Typical Assessments:
- 6,000 word essay (International Children’s Rights, Health & Development, Child Protection);
- 1x oral presentation 15 minutes - book review (Global Childhoods);
- 1x 3,000 word case study -policy or intervention (Global Childhoods);
- Research proposal, qualitative analysis and construction of questionnaire (Research methods);
- 16,000 word dissertation.
MODULES
More information on typical programme modules.
NB it cannot be guaranteed that all modules are offered in any particular academic year.
Teaching staff: Jenny Driscoll,
Dr Hayley Davies,
Dr Ann Lorek, expert external speakers
Module code: 7SSEC006
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 2 (spring)
Assessment:
presentation/s
Case study 4,500 words (global childhood policy) (70%)
Presentation 15 minutes (child studies text) (30%)
The module will take a multi-disciplinary approach to contemporary issues in global childhood, including consideration of cultural and political constructions of childhood; gendered issues; child poverty and associated issues including child labour and child carers; child health, including infant mortality and HIV/AIDS; education; and child protection.
Module code: 7SSEC010
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Full-year
Teaching pattern: Research methodology sessions will be on Thursdays from 14:00 to 18:00.
Dissertation of 16,000 words.
Students undertake a piece of research (which may be empirical or library-based) on a topic of their choice which adopts an international and multi-disciplinary approach to an aspect of child welfare. Dissertations are 16,000 words and the topic must be approved by a member of the programme team. Recent topics have included:
- International adoption law and practice
- A comparative study of residential child care for adolescents in Europe
- Infanticide
- The rights of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Norway and the UK
- The inclusion of physically disabled children in Kenyan schools
Teaching staff: Teaching staff:
Jenny Driscoll,
Dr Ann Lorek, expert external speakers.
Module code: 7SSEC007
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 1 (autumn)
Assessment:
coursework
6,000 word essay from a choice of at least 3 titles.
The aim of the module is to provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the significance and application of children’s rights in relation to the professional practice of all disciplines involved in working with children, in an international context. Part of the module is taught jointly with Child Studies. The content will cover the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as well alternative children’s rights covenants and charters (such as the African Charter on the Rights and Well-being of the Child) and the European Convention on Human Rights. Children’s rights in a variety of contexts will be considered, including health and well-being, education, youth justice and immigration.
Teaching staff: Dr Ann Lorek, expert external speakers
Module code: 7SSEC002
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 1 (autumn); Semester 2 (spring);
Assessment:
coursework
6,000 word essay from a choice of at least 3 titles
Pregnancy and birth; neonatal care; genetics; child development (physical, emotional and psychological); attachment and resilience; pervasive developmental disorders; anti-social behaviour; physical health (including obesity); mental health (including eating disorders and self-harm).
Teaching staff: Jenny Driscoll, Dr Hayley Davies, Dr Ann Lorek, expert external speakers
Module code: 7SSEC003
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 2 (spring)
Assessment:
coursework
6,000 word essay from a choice of at least 3 titles.
Vulnerable families (including poverty, parental drug use, domestic violence, bullying); children 'in need'; inter-agency co-operation and information sharing; child maltreatment, including recognition, assessment and management; child protection investigations and emergency intervention; care and supervision proceedings; 'looked after' children
Teaching staff: Professor Justin Dillon and David Pepper.
Module code: 7SSEM061
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 2 (spring)
Assessment:
coursework
One 6,000 word assignment.
What can you learn from comparing education systems, schools or teachers? International comparisons have recently risen to prominence in the education policy discourse. At its best, comparative education can inform us about learning in different places or times and can provide us with fresh perspectives on ourselves. When we engage in international comparative education, differences are often stark. A world of alternatives opens up to us - with the capacity to challenge and reassure in equal measure. But caution is advisable. When we observe differences, what are the less visible factors we need to account for? When we find trends across countries, do they reflect national consensus or international pressures? What then is the influence of organisations such as the OECD, UNESCO, the World Bank and the EU? The question arises: are policy makers’ interpretations justified or do they merely reflect pre-set political imperatives? In this module, we will: familiarise ourselves with the field of comparative education; consider the relationship between education and aspects of national contexts; evaluate the methodology, contribution and limitations of international comparative education; and, identify international trends in curriculum, assessment and pedagogy. During the module, students will be required to identify a topic for their written assignment. One session will be devoted to short presentations on initial exploration of the topic and formative feedback for the full assignment. Students will benefit from the international perspectives of the tutors, outside speakers, and their fellow students.
Teaching staff: Jenny Driscoll,
Dr Anwar Tllili among others.
Module code: 7SSEM060
Credit level: 7
Credit value: 30
Semester:
Semester 1 (autumn)
Teaching pattern: Research methodology sessions will be on Thursdays from 14:00 to 18:00.
Assessment:
coursework
- Essay: one analytic report on qualitative research interview dataset (2,500 words)
- Essay: one analytic report on a quantitative dataset (2.500 words)
- Research Proposal (research topic; rationale; research questions/aims/objectives; selecting and justifying methodological approach; data analysis; ethical considerations) (2,000 words)
In this module, students will be introduced to the range of research methods available to social scientists. They will be provided with a theoretical and critical understanding of the qualitative and quantitative research paradigms, and of mixed methods, and equipped with methodological skills and analytic techniques with which to formulate research questions and develop a valid and reliable approach to both quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, data analysis and data representation.
This module will also enable students to identify and address methodological and practical issues that may be encountered in conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research; and to reflect on and address the ethical and political implications pertaining to the collection, analysis and dissemination of research data.
ACADEMIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
General entry advice
You will normally be required to have an upper second class honours degree or an equivalent qualification in a subject relevant to work with children and/or substantial professional work experience in a relevant field.
APPLYING TO KING'S
To apply for graduate study at King's you will need to complete our graduate online application form. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely.
King's does not normally accept paper copies of the graduate application form as applications must be made online. However, if you are unable to access the online graduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/School Office at King's for advice.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please submit an application form, transcripts of your previous degree(s) or results to date if the degree is yet to be completed, and two references, including at least one academic reference.
PERSONAL STATEMENT & SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Your personal statement should explain why you would like to take the International Child Studies MA, and how it would contribute to your career plan or development. It would be helpful to state where your particular area of interest lies, and how that specialism would be enhanced by a multi-disciplinary approach. If your first degree is in a subject not related to international development or issues affecting children, you should set out what professional or other skills and experience you would bring to the programme.
FUNDING
See the postgraduate funding pages:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources/index.aspx
Student profiles
International Child Studies MAHaving studied Educational Science for my undergraduate degree in Germany, I chose the MA in Child Studies at King’s College in order to further my knowledge of child-related issues. I felt that in order to work with children successfully I needed to understand the different factors which contribute to a child’s welfare.
Courses in Child Studies were taught by university staff members as well as external lecturers, which enabled us to study current research and policy developments, as well as problems in practice settings. I particularly felt that the mixture of full- and part-time students was beneficial to the MA, as both groups were able to learn from each other’s experiences. The course work was demanding, but continuous supervision offered me the necessary support in order to reach a high academic standard.
After graduating from King’s College I returned to Germany in order to begin a training programme in child and adolescent psychotherapy. Already in my first week of work at a psychiatric unit I have had to draw upon the multidisciplinary knowledge which I had gained during my year in London. My studies at King’s College benefited me in so many ways and I can highly recommend this programme to anyone interested in a child-related career.
Staff profiles
International Child Studies MA
I worked for four years as a consultant in hospital paediatrics and neonatology, and have been a consultant community Paediatrician since 1999. I love working with an inner city diverse population and hold a broad case load of developmental and disability work, immunisations and public health, child death meetings, child protection and Looked After Children assessments, as well as on call commitments for the Haven sexual abuse service in Camberwell. I am committed to a clinical approach that enables children (and carers) to reach their potential, and allows the voice of the child to be heard. My research interests include the health needs of refugee and asylum-seeking children and public health related paediatrics. I joined Child Studies as co-director for health in 2006 and love the opportunity to reflect on my work from an academic perspective as well as learning more from multidisciplinary perspectives on the needs of the child. Over the years I have also valued a number of opportunities to work abroad for short periods teaching and learning in both hospitals and community settings and welcome being able to maintain this international interest within the Child Studies programme.
International Child Studies MABefore working at King’s, I studied for a BA in History and Sociology, an ESRC-funded Masters in Social Research and PhD (Department of Sociology, University of Warwick). My PhD was a sociological study examining children’s (age 8-10 years) understandings of family and close relationships, in particular, the meaning children give to relationships and connectedness in contemporary society. Building upon the data generated for my doctoral research, I have undertaken postdoctoral research at King’s College (Keeping each other safe) which examined the extent to which children perceive themselves, and children more generally, to be able to help and provide emotional and practical support for one another. Asking children to identify those they turn to for support, and the people that they provide support for enabled an exploration of the people at the centre of children’s personal lives. Both projects form the basis of a book about children’s personal lives, which I am currently working on.
This research informs my teaching on the MA Child Studies and the MA International Child Studies. A sociological approach to child studies encourage students to examine children’s experiences of childhood internationally, the ways in which childhood is socially and culturally constructed, and to reflect upon how such constructions manifest in policy and practice, which in turn shapes aspects of childhood experience.
The relatively small cohort of MA Child Studies students allows students and staff to get to know one another well, and makes teaching on, and studying for this MA a rich and rewarding experience. Staff teaching on this programme work hard to ensure that there are opportunities to socialise with those studying on and contributing to the Masters programmes through end of term parties and post-presentation drinks and nibbles. Whilst the primary aim of such get togethers is social, the network of international contacts that students develop and foster throughout these programmes will be invaluable to a future child-related career.
- Listen to Hayley on BBC Radio 4 - Thinking Allowed, Surnames - War, Politics and comic strip Superheroes
International Child Studies MAI practised at the Family Law bar for over a decade, specialising in child protection cases before moving to work at King’s in 2005. I was a trustee of The Children’s Society from 2003-2011, and was a member of the Good Childhood Inquiry steering committee. As a graduate of the MA Child Studies myself, I am convinced of the value of a multi-disciplinary approach to childhood issues, the importance of evidence-based research to professional practice, and also the stimulation and excitement of learning with and from others from different disciplinary and cultural backgrounds.
I’m interested in all aspects of the child protection system, particularly the state’s responsibility for children in state care, and the apparent tensions between children’s rights and their welfare. My current research is concerned with the educational transitions of care leavers and has led to my interest in ethical issues arising from research with vulnerable children and young people.
If you would like further information about the either of the programmes, or to discuss their suitability for you, you are very welcome to contact me directly at jenny.driscoll@kcl.ac.uk.