Children, Young People and Family Wellbeing - 2012 entry

Course content

This is an internationally-focused course, which invites professionals and students from the UK, EU and overseas to study in an online, research-based environment that challenges how work with children, young people and families is conceptualised and conducted.

The course aims to develop your:

• ability to critically evaluate contemporary evidence and issues in the promotion of child and family wellbeing
• knowledge of theories about children's cognitive, affective, social and cultural development
• understanding of psychosocial interventions and their effectiveness
• understanding of the multiple factors that correlate with outcomes for children and young people
• awareness of the political, policy and statutory paradigms within which interventions are based
• skills in working with others in a national and international online community.

To complete the MSc, you will undertake nine modules:

1. Children and Families: Building the Evidence

This single module explores the theories and research that underpin work with children and adolescents. Taking as its starting point an introduction to critical appraisal and building the evidence, this module will encourage you to explore the research and policy evidence, both national and international, on parenting, child development and contexts of being, and to challenge current theories and debates.

2. Vulnerable Children and Young People

Adopting a risk and resiliency framework, this single module will seek to explore children and young people caught in situations of vulnerability and challenge. These may be situations which they, their parents and their communities have little experience of, and few mechanisms for coping with (ie children in conflicted families, children as carers, children in war zones, children in modern society, children in cultural crossfire, children with challenges, children who are exploited).

3. Risk and the Protection of Children 

This single module critically examines contemporary childhood from an international perspective including children's rights, child welfare and wellbeing, and children's experiences of harm in society. The module looks at the current evidence on the signs and symptoms of child maltreatment, including incidence and prevalence rates and the risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect. Child protection prevention strategies, interventions and responses to child maltreatment are debated in relation to social and cultural contexts.

4. Substance Misuse

This single module will explore how substance misuse can be understood in a historical and societal context, including the extent of substance misuse. It will examine and critically assess evidence on what works in preventing and intervening with young people and families in the context of substance misuse.

5. Children and Families: Evidence-Based Social Interventions

This single module will guide you in exploring and critically appraising the strengths and limitations of the research literature on evidence-based and developmentally-appropriate psycho-social interventions with children and adolescents. Interventions studied include those suggested for emotional and behavioural dysregulation, bullying and peer-victimisation, self-harm prevention and children with chronic health conditions and disabilities. The assessment offers an opportunity to apply the appraisal skills to a personal topic area of interest. 

6. Advanced Research Design

You will be given an opportunity to design and conduct a small research project or dissertation. The focus is on helping you to understand the relationship between methodology and method, and to appreciate the philosophical and theoretical underpinning of research-related decisions and their practical application within a work setting. A broad range of research designs will be examined with due consideration given to ethics and rigour.

7 - 9. Dissertation (MSc students only)

The triple dissertation counts as three single modules, and allows you to carry out and evaluate your own research or to submit a systematic review or literature review to further understanding and/or development of a specific area of study in children, young people and family wellbeing. Research designs may vary considerably, but examples include:

• The psychological wellbeing of children with HIV in Bangkok
• Interventions in homelessness among problem drug users: a systematic review
• Psychosocial interventions with girls who self harm: a literature review.

Please note: as courses are reviewed regularly, the list of modules may vary from that shown here.

Faculty

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Social Work and Public Health

Course length

Full-time: MSc: 12 months, PGDip: 8 months, PGCert: 4 months.
Part-time: The course may be taken on a module by module basis, or individuals may choose specific modules of interest.

Teaching location

Distance learning

Start date

September 2012
January 2013

UKPASS code

P038227

Entry requirements

You can enter on the basis of your undergraduate degree and/or previous appropriate knowledge and experience. A framework is available for the Accreditation of Prior (Experience and) Learning (APEL and APL), which awards credit appropriate to your background, qualifications and experience. The nature of this course and its emphasis on interprofessional training means that students from a range of backgrounds will be accepted on the course.

Applicants for the postgraduate course must have an honours degree OR equivalent experience, plus fluent writing skills.

On occasion, applicants may, in addition, be asked to submit evidence of their ability to study at postgraduate level. Evidence requested may include a comprehensive portfolio of relevant prior work experience or a reflection in essay format of 1,500 words on previous work undertaken.

This is a distance learning course, so you will need to have reliable access to the internet, preferably through a broadband connection. You will need good IT skills and be proficient in the use of the internet and online communication.

Note: The university offers a pre-master's programme which has been designed to fully prepare you for your future master's course if:

• your undergraduate qualifications do not meet the level required for postgraduate study
• you wish to take a master's in a subject that is different from your undergraduate degree
• you need to improve your study skills and use of academic English.

Go to the pre-master's pathway page for more information.

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

• funding for students from the UK and EU
• funding for students from outside the EU

Why Oxford is a great place to study Children, Young People and Family Wellbeing

This is a distance learning only course. You will not be expected to visit the campus during the course. However, the density of experts with knowledge and skills based in Oxford, enhanced by our international contributors, makes this a unique global learning experience.

Support for students studying Children, Young People and Family Wellbeing

All our courses adopt a student-centred approach to teaching and learning and are strongly focused on encouraging you to attain your full potential as lifelong learners. 

There is a range of support mechanisms for students, such as academic advisers, who will facilitate your academic development, and student support co-ordinators, who provide a contact point for queries, covering both academic and personal welfare.

The university’s support services include Upgrade which is available by email, which provides advice on study skills such as planning and writing essays, assignments and dissertations, research, or preparing for an exam. They also give advice on statistics and maths. There is a dedicated Student Disability and Dyslexia Service, which provides support for students with disabilities including sensory and mobility impairments, dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties, mental health problems and medical conditions. Here, staff offer advice and support on a range of issues, including physical access, funding, alternative assessment arrangements and liaison with teaching staff to ensure that they are aware of your requirements.

Recognising the special needs of distance learners from many different countries, the module leaders, e-learning technologists, subject librarians and course administrator utilise multiple communication methods (ie email, phone, podcast, skype) to ensure that students are fully supported as they develop their comfort and competence in the virtual learning environment.

How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Research excellence

The course is taught by academics with a rich track record in research and publication. The school is very pleased with the results received in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). 70% of our research in Allied Health Professions and Studies was rated as being of international significance in the assessment of research, of which 10% was rated as world-leading. The university has been careful to nurture emerging research strengths, and the international standing achieved by subjects allied to health demonstrates significant progress since 2001. For more details about our research portfolio, go to our website.