Children's Literature & Literacies
Programme structure
The Master of Education in Children’s Literature & Literacies comprises of five core-courses, one option course and a dissertation, which will total 180 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF).
Core courses
Reframing Language, Literature and Literacies for 21st Century Life
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course aims to provide participants with an overview of language acquisition, language and literacy development and how theory and its pedagogical implementation have evolved over time. It will offer students the opportunity to challenge and expand their own values and attitudes towards children as literacy learners and users including attitudes towards children’s literature as a vehicle for literacy learning.
Texts for Children: From the Printing Press to Virtual Reality
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course aims to provide participants with an overview of the development of texts intended for children from the 18th century to the present day. Texts provide the organizational focus for exploring wider issues related to language and literacy learning. The course offers the opportunity to analyse texts for children in relation to theories of childhood and historical and cultural factors and critical theory and consider the potential of children’s literature to address social and cultural issues impacting on 21st century life.
Children’s Literature and Literacies: Critical Enquiry
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course aims to develop students’ capacity to critically engage with theoretical and empirical literature in specialist areas in order to obtain an overview of current thinking and recent developments in a chosen field.
Modern Educational Thought
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course explores significant concepts, debates and discourses on theoretical issues that are important for students engaged in the study and practice of education. This course is focussed on central questions around the aims and purposes of education and ways in which modern educational thought plays out in professional practice and/or policy contexts. In addressing these questions, we will take as a starting point the claim that the development of rational autonomy, that is the Enlightenment project, is the central aim of education. Thus the course will begin with key readings in the history of ‘liberal’ thinking on education. It will encourage a critical reading of texts in the history of modern educational ideas, taking into account critiques of the liberal tradition from positions that include Marxism, postmodernism, communitarianism and feminism.
Introduction to Educational & Social Research
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course is an introduction to educational and social research. The overall aim of the course is to provide students with a fundamental level of research literacy. The aims of the course are:
- introduce students to current concerns in the philosophy and political economy of research
- provide students with experience in reading and critically reviewing research
- prepare students to conduct a research project of appropriate scope
- inform students about the intersections between method, methodology and approaches to enquiry
- ensure that students have the preparation they need for further study of research methods and methodology
- develop understanding of applying enquiry methods to a specific problem.
Option courses
Students have a choice of the following option or one of the options that are part of the MEd Educational Studies, MEd Inclusive Education or the MEd English Language Teaching programmes. Please note that options maybe subject to change.
Texts for Diversity: Language across Learning for Children with EAL
20 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
This course aims to provide an overview of current policy and practice in the area of working with children who are learning English as an additional language.
Dissertation
60 credits at masters level 11 (SCQF)
For the dissertation students will conduct an individual research project looking at a specific aspect children’s literature or literacy. The topic is open for students to choose. The research is conducted with the support of an academic staff member, and the final dissertation will be 12,000 – 15,000 words.