1999 Arts Handbook - Childhood Studies

Childhood Studies

Master of Arts in Childhood Studies
General

Master of Arts in Childhood Studies

General

(Offered subject to approval.)
Course code: To be advised
Course fee: Local students: HECS; International students: $12,000
The social and economic role, legal status, community construction and perception of children has changed considerably in the postwar decades in the industrialised countries as birth rates have fallen, on the one hand, and the structure of families has changed, on the other. With the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have emerged with a new and separate identity in society.
New professions focusing especially on children have been developing within existing ones and interdisciplinary collaboration is emerging as a mechanism to support the new services being established especially for children. This course is a unique development which is responding to the changes for children; it is aimed at bringing together disciplines across the university to present units, ranging from reflective studies to action studies, covering the plurality and difference of children and childhood.
The course is intended for a range of professionals involved in working with children such as teachers, social workers, psychologists, legal practitioners, medical practitioners, nurses and others.

Objectives

The course is intended to prepare and support those in the newly emerging professions in the specialist services for children, such as those in the educational, community, medical, legal and other services, that have emerged in the post war era, especially since Australia became a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The course aims for a broad cross disciplinary approach, reflecting the need for cross disciplinary cooperation in dealing with children, either directly or in policy, program and management tasks.

Entry requirements

Students will be required to have an honours degree or masters qualifying, with a grade of H2B or above, or a graduate or postgraduate diploma, with a credit average or above. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with credit grades in the third part of the major or in the last part of the degree plus a minimum of three years work experience at senior level may also apply. Such relevant experience would include work in children's, educational, social and community services, the health, legal and other related services. Evidence of relevant work experience, two references related to that experience, a full curriculum vitae, and a statement of up to 1000 words indicating the applicant's career objectives and reasons for applying to the course, must accompany the candidate's application.

Duration

The course may be taken on a full time or a part time basis. The full time course takes twelve months and the part time course is normally completed in twenty four months. Students are required to complete four twelve-point units.

Course of studies

ALM5270 Literacy
ALM5290 Child language acquisition
EDN8037 Social and political context of early childhood
ENM5210 Writing the child
MAH5000 Children and society
MAH5010 Children and the legal process
MAH5020 History of childhood
MAH5030 Children, society and disabilities*
SWM5160 Child abuse, child protection and the state

* THIS SUBJECT IS OFFERED IN THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE IN HECS BAND 3.
Subjects will be on a two-year timetable and students are advised to obtain details of subject availability from one of the course co-ordinators, Professor Thea Brown (Department of Social Work and Human Services) and Dr Heather Scutter (Department of English), prior to enrolment.