Children and Young People’s Participation and Leadership MA

What is special about this course?

The MA Children and Young People’s Participation and Leadership is designed for any professional who works with children, young people and their families, with a special interest in facilitating their rights and active participation. With the new United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, all adults in Scotland will need to implement this within their working lives, particularly if they work with, support or make decisions that will affect children and young people in Scotland.

This unique course is designed with special thanks to the Scottish Government, the Scottish Youth Parliament, Children’s Parliament Scotland, and relevant children’s rights organisations. With a strong focus on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), there is an opportunity to contextualise how children’s rights, active participation and child-led decisions are integrated within your professional role, and their place as a valued and meaningful part of this process.

An opportunity to examine the Children’s Rights Impact Assessments (CRIAs) that are implemented within the Scottish Government will support understanding of the way in which the UNCRC is given consideration to policy making. Critical thinking and evaluation will be encouraged, of both national and international perspectives in establishing a culture of children’s rights, to promote these rights as central to legislation, policies and practices for children and young people. This will enhance your understanding of the way in which the UNCRC underpins all aspects of leadership and participation within both Scotland and an international forum.

Special features

• Modules developed in partnership with the Scottish Youth Parliament
• Links with Scottish Youth Parliament, Scottish Government and Children’s Parliament Scotland
• The course is available to study full time or part time, online through the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), enabling you to fit your study around your personal and professional commitments
• Course content enables students and professionals (already employed) to further their qualification base and to engage in professional development and dialogue on the topics discussed in this programme
• You can choose to study individual modules for continuing professional development (CPD), or work towards the PgCert, PgDip, or full masters degree
• Download the course leaflet

Entry requirements

• 2:1 honours degree, or equivalent OR
• Postgraduate diploma award or a professional qualification recognised as being equivalent to an honours degree 
• Applicants with a 2:2 honours degree or below, or with an ordinary degree or DipHE in a relevant subject, plus relevant professional experience may also be considered.  
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and/or Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) may also be claimed. 

Professional workforce with prior experience:

• Individuals who wish to participate in this programme but who do not yet meet the entry requirements will be looked at on an individual basis.
• Individuals with a wealth of previous experience within a relevant field i.e. education, children’s services, social services, police service, health service or third sector organisations will be considered.
• A discussion will be held between yourself and the Programme Leader to ascertain your prior knowledge, experience, and skills. This dialogue will also allow you to ask further questions to ensure that this is the correct progression route for you.

PgCert Children and Young People

For the PgCert (60 credits) and PgDip (an additional 60 credits) the modules offered are listed below.

You will complete 3 of these modules to obtain the PgCert:

• Article 12: Enabling Participation and Leadership (manadatory for PgDip qualification) (20 credits)
• Building resilience: understanding the impact of ACEs (20 credits)
• Children and young people’s empowerment: the impact on health and wellbeing (20 credits)
• Every child’s right to be heard: research with children and young people (20 credits)
• Investigating inequality, exploitation and youth justice (20 credits)
• The global child: contemporary childhoods (20 credits)

PgDip Children and Young People’s Participation and Leadership

For the PgDip, you will complete the remaining modules from those listed in the PgCert.

MA

To achieve the qualification of MA Children and Young People’s Participation and Leadership, you will complete the following core module:

• Applied critical enquiry (60 credits)

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) or assessed as rest of the UK for fee status, the following fees apply:

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes. These students will get an automatic fee scholarship.

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union, studying online from their home country, or assessed as international for fee status, the following fees apply:

This course is not available to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international postgraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.

Funding

Eligible Scotland-domiciled students studying full-time can access loans up to £11,500 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). This comprises a tuition fee loan up to £7,000 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500. 

Eligible Scotland-domiciled students studying part-time can apply for a tuition fee loan from SAAS.  You must be intending to complete the course in no longer than twice the length of time it would take for a full-time student. For example, if your course is available to full-time students as a one-year programme, you will be funded for a maximum of two years' part-time study. If your course does not have a full-time option, you must complete within three years. You can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £7,000, which will be paid pro-rata for each academic year of study. 

Full details can be found on the SAAS website. Applications for loans open in April.

Students from the rest of the UK who meet the eligibility requirements may be able to apply for a loan from the Student Loan Company.