Warning: the content within this page reflects what was communicated to students in the 2017/18 academic year. As such, this information may no longer be factually accurate.
The Open University has made some changes to the Masters in Childhood and Youth (F55) from October 2018. The final date that a student will be able to claim this qualification under the existing rules is 31 December 2020.
Existing students can complete their studies under the current structure by completing the following compulsory modules:
Students will then need to complete a further 60 credits from:
Please note that the module U810 can only be completed by students who have undertaken at least 150 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) over the last three to four years. Students should consider this carefully if they plan to use this module in conjunction with T877 to complete F55.
The number of optional modules has reduced because some modules have reached the end of their life. However, the following discontinued modules are still eligible to count towards Masters in Childhood and Youth (F55).
If a student has completed Children and young people's worlds: frameworks for integrated practice (E807) they can transfer to the new structure and count E807 as their Stage 1 module in lieu of Children and young people's worlds (E808). Only E807 can be transferred in this way.
Students studying on the new structure from October 2018 will need to complete the following three modules in the prescribed order:
This new structure enforces a study order, removes some module options from the qualification and introduces a dissertation module. This has been designed to give a staged progression through a taught postgraduate masters and each module follows on logically from the previous one. It is more tightly structured and will enable students to build on previous skills in each new stage.
The first two modules will teach key postgraduate study skills as well as the major ideas and themes in Childhood and Youth Studies. The qualification will provide a comprehensive and holistic understanding of children’s and young people’s worlds; how to work with children and young people ethically and responsibly and the impact that policies and professional decisions have on children’s and young people’s lives.
The dissertation module will allow students to follow their interests, and where appropriate, to carry out a small research project which draws on the skills they have learnt throughout the qualification. The introduction of a dissertation module will also mean that this qualification will now better prepare students for onward progress to a PhD.
Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.
