How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Childhood Studies

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies

Our MA Childhood Studies offers a unique psychosocial focus, seeking to understand not only the outer social experience of children but also their complex inner, emotional worlds.

Building upon our existing expertise in postgraduate courses like refugee care, psychoanalytic studies and psychodynamic counselling, this programme offers much more than you would find in other MA Childhood Studies courses.

Our inherently interdisciplinary programme is rooted in psychosocial, sociological and psychodynamic approaches. Drawing on the history of Childhood Studies and the best contemporary research, including the excellent research and practice experience of our academics, modules will explore a variety of subjects, including:

Families and peer relationships
Emotions and the inner worlds of children
Education
The role of play and leisure
Generation and intergenerational relationships
Gender and sexuality
Race and ethnicity
Cross-cultural experiences of childhood
Children, popular culture and literature,
Children with disabilities
Children and the state
Ethical research with children and young people
Spaces and places of children's lives
Intersectionality

Our MA Childhood Studies programme will equip you for a career in sectors including education, health, international fields such as the charitable sector and NGOs, social care including children's homes, therapeutic communities and supporting children and their families. This course is available to study full-time or part-time, and also acts as a stepping stone to further qualifications in specific professions such as social work or counselling as well as PhD study.

If you're committed to understanding the child as a whole, incorporating their complex emotional worlds, and want to use this knowledge to improve the experience of children in a variety of settings, welcome home.

Why we're great.

Our unique interdisciplinary approach combines psychosocial, sociological and psychodynamic approaches
You'll be taught by lecturers who bring both academic and practical knowledge from years of working with children
Close links with health, education and social care services ensures our courses are highly credible

Our expert staff

Within Childhood Studies, our faculty are specialists in some key research areas, including: childhood geographies; relational and psychosocial approaches to childhood; childhood and popular culture; postcolonial and decolonial theory; critical methodologies for research with children; children's learning and education; feminist and queer theory; child psychoanalysis; YA literature and film; the social history of childhood; and critical race studies. As active writers and researchers, we are on the cutting edge of current trends in our field and publish regularly in leading academic journals like: Children and Society, History of the Human Sciences, Sexualities, Psychoanalysis, Culture, and Society, Sociological Research Online, Studies in Gender and Sexuality, and Psychoanalysis and History. Check out three of our recent publications here, here and here.

Our Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies is internationally recognised as one of the leading departments for work that focuses on the role of the unconscious mind in mental health, as well as in culture and society generally. Our research and teaching is deeply grounded in the highest standards of academic thinking and derived from clinical practice.

Being part of a leading university in the study of social sciences means you are surrounded by strong departments that fully support and enhance our work. This allows you to gain the opportunity to work with and be taught by senior clinicians and world-class scholars in their fields.

Specialist facilities

If you are studying within our Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, you will have access to our extensive facilities to aid your learning and research. In particular, our Albert Sloman Library is well stocked with books, journals, electronic resources and major archives relevant to our work and, in addition, we have our own library of specialist books and journals.

Our Centre for Childhood Studies will offer a unique, international experience for students and staff, developing a collegiate research culture that is based on theoretically-applied research, relevant for child-focused academics, clinicians and policymakers. With regular internationally acclaimed speakers, postgraduate students will enhance their theoretical understanding, knowledge, and practical experience with children and young people, being a part of a learning community that is dedicated to the development of cutting edge research.

We hold free evening Open Seminars, which are open to students, staff and members of the public.

Your future

You will develop key employability skills including thinking analytically, evaluation, essay-writing, research methods in psychoanalysis and an understanding of psychoanalytic thinking, applicable to clinical and academic work. Our MA Childhood Studies will equip you for a career in sectors including education, health, international fields such as the charitable sector and NGOs, social care including children's homes, therapeutic communities and supporting children and their families. This course also acts as a stepping stone to further qualifications in specific professions such as social work or counselling as well as PhD study.

"The MA in Childhood Studies equipped me with a unique interdisciplinary and psychosocial understanding of childhood and youth through the lens of psychoanalysis, sociology, and psychology. Through this comprehensive approach to understanding experiences, I was able to weave the various social, cultural, historical, and political processes and structures with the complex inner worlds of children and young people”

Ameya Jain, MA Childhood Studies 2022-2023

"As a BA Childhood Studies graduate I could not wait to join the MA and explore the field of Childhood Studies further within the Psychoanalytic and Psychosocial Department at Essex; and the exciting modules offered. I believe this is still a young and vibrant field with opportunities for us (MA Students) to really contribute to the future of Childhood Studies. My course was filled with inspiring students from many academic backgrounds and lecturers. This is an opportunity to study Childhood Studies in a unique environment where inner and outer world's meet. I enjoyed the many opportunities to attend fabulous guest lectures and inter departmental events, broadening and enhancing my overall experience”

Rachel Bown, MA Childhood Studies 2021-2022

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 degree or international equivalent in one of the following subjects:

Anthropology
Childhood Studies
Classics and Ancient History
Communication and Media Studies
Counselling
Creative Writing
Criminology
Drama and Theatre Studies
Early Years Studies
Economics
Film Studies
Health and Social Care
History
History of Art
International Relations
Journalism
Languages
Law
Literature and English
Nursing
Philosophy
Politics and Government Studies
Psychology
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Social Policy
Social Work
Sociology
Teaching and Education
Youth Work

With your online application you must submit a personal statement; this should detail the reasons for wanting to study the course, including any relevant experience (work or voluntary) that may support your application.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Course structure

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Critical Debates in Childhood and Childhood Studies

(30 CREDITS)

This module draws predominantly on psychosocial studies, sociology, and childhood studies and aims to explore and respond to debates at the forefront of childhood studies and of the experience of being a child. The historical development of both childhood studies and the concept of `children` and `childhood` are outlined and you are introduced to core disciplines including developmental psychology, psychoanalysis and sociology. You will be encouraged to reflect upon the position of certain bodies of knowledge within the field of childhood studies. This includes analysing the figure of the child embodied within each disciplinary approach and interrogating how this is manifest in theory and in children`s everyday lives. The module will use this foundation to go on to discuss core aspects of the conceptual frameworks which guide or govern childhood studies including agency, subjects, actors, relationality, and generation. Included crucially here are approaches to the rights, voices and participation of children.

View Critical Debates in Childhood and Childhood Studies on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Research with Children and Young People

(30 CREDITS)

This module introduces students to the philosophies and practical tools which characterise research with children to enable students to undertake primary research in their dissertations and future professions. The module considers a range of methodological approaches to both quantitative and qualitative research. Specific tools such as surveys and questionnaires, observation, interviews, focus groups, ethnographic approaches, and virtual approaches, are examined and practiced. You will critically consider ethical issues in research with children, adult and child power relations, and spaces and places of research with children and young people, including schools, children's homes and the therapeutic space.

View Research with Children and Young People on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Children’s Emotional Worlds

(15 CREDITS)

The study of emotions in the social sciences was a once relatively neglected field and now is one burgeoning with a huge diversity of different perspectives, approaches, and priorities. This module will explore how such understandings of emotions as social, developmental, individual, unconscious, discursive, and collective are applied to the study of childhood and to children's experiences. Within this module you will be introduced to the historical study of emotions in sociology and consider how children`s emotional development is framed in developmental psychology, psychoanalytic studies and neuroscience perspectives. The module will explicitly propose and consider the benefits of a psychosocial approach to understanding children's emotions and apply such perspectives to a range of topical issues in relation to children`s emotional experiences, wellbeing, and mental health.

View Children’s Emotional Worlds on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Geographies of Childhood and Youth

(15 CREDITS)

This module `Geographies of Children and Youth` will critically examine the diverse experiences of children and young people across time and space and consider how the discursive and material construction of childhood is shaped by these geographical concepts. Theoretical frameworks such as post-structuralism, post-colonialism, and critical race theory will be deployed to examine core issues in childhood studies such as home and homelessness, institutions and the institutionalisation of childhood, the street, cultural and community participation, and nation and nationhood. A critical approach to children`s rights is adopted throughout, taking a rights-respecting approach while evaluating the articulation and application of rights to diverse childhoods and children`s lived experiences.

View Geographies of Childhood and Youth on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(20 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Relational Childhoods

(15 CREDITS)

The sociology of childhood emerged in the latter part of the twentieth century, developing the well- established paradigm of the social construction of childhood to examine the active construction of children`s lives, the lives of those around them and of the societies in which they live. This module on `Relational Childhoods` will critically explore the dominant theoretical assumptions that lie behind the social construction of childhood, developing an interdisciplinary perspective that can integrate the relational aspects of three related disciplines, sociology, developmental psychology and psychoanalysis. Relational concepts such as `habitus`, `love and learning` and `interdependencies` will be used to examine core issues in childhood studies such as parenting in families and educational institutions.

View Relational Childhoods on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: CORE

Dissertation - Childhood Studies

(60 CREDITS)

This module provides the framework for students to complete their dissertation projects. Dissertations are an important and represent an intellectual journey where students can apply the knowledge gained and use this in a creative way to deepen understanding of themes and issues they are interested in. Time and energy can be devoted, in a supported environment, to demonstrate something significant about your insights and understanding. It can be thought of as the culmination of your course. Although you should be thinking and working on dissertations by developing ideas and exploring literature throughout the year it will be mainly written over the summer term and summer vacation period. Throughout this time you will be supported by your dissertation supervisor.

View Dissertation - Childhood Studies on our Module Directory

Teaching

Postgraduate students in the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies typically have 2 hours of contact time for each module per week. This consists of a two-hour seminar or workshop, or a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar.
Teaching takes place in relatively small seminars and fora, with a focus on group discussion
You also have a personal tutor who advises you about your work on an individual basis

Assessment

For most modules, assessment is by coursework only, typically an essay of between 3,000-5,000 words

Dissertation

You develop a dissertation of 12,000 words, in which you define and research into an area of special interest to you
We provide you with advice and guidance on researching and writing your dissertation
Your dissertation is submitted mid-September in your final year of study

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£10,500

International fee

£22,750

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

You can apply for this postgraduate course online. Before you apply, please check our information about necessary documents that we'll ask you to provide as part of your application.

We aim to respond to applications within two weeks. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.

For information on our deadline to apply for this course, please see our ‘how to apply' information.

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If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

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