Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Childhood Studies

Course Title

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

6 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-time Evening

Information for International applicants

Applicants must be in possession of:

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

A Bachelor's degree pegged at least at Level 6 on the Malta Qualifications Framework, in an area of study related to childhood studies or any other area deemed suitable by the Board, awarded by this University or any other higher education institution recognized by Senate, provided that applicants in possession of a degree classified with Third Class Honours or Category III shall be allowed to proceed to the research component subject to the attainment of an average mark of at least 55% in the taught component.

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The MA in Transdisciplinary Childhood Studies is an inter-Faculty, interdisciplinary programme studies consisting of 90 ECTS taught study units and dissertation spread over three years of part-time study. It provides course participants with an in-depth, advanced study of childhood studies from a transdisciplinary, children's voice perspective. The critical, reflexive, and research skills and the expert and detailed knowledge in childhood studies facilitated during the course, will enable you to inform related policy, practice and research and ensure that children's voices and perspectives as well children's interests, wellbeing and welfare, will help to drive policy and practice in services and systems working for and with children in social welfare, care, education, health and community services. The programme also provides an opportunity to engage in research with children with a particular focus on the use of participatory research methods.


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

CVL5047	Contemporary Debates and Issues in Children's Rights	5 ECTS
PSY5800	Child Development and Learning	5 ECTS
RSE5010	Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Childhood	5 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

RSE5011	Children's Voices, Participation and Agency	5 ECTS
RSE5012	Children Resilience and Wellbeing	5 ECTS
SWB5008	Research Methods	5 ECTS


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

EPE5015	Participatory Methods with Children: Enabling Children's Voice in Research	5 ECTS
HSC5007	Children's Health: Supporting Optimal Development	5 ECTS
RSE5013	Contexts of Childhood, the Family, the School and the Community	5 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

TEM5012	The Digital Child	5 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)Students are required to choose TWO* elective study-units from the following.*

CMT5050	Developmental Speech and Language Disorders in Childhood	5 ECTS
EDU5919	Strategies for Inclusive Practices, Early Intervention, Inclusive Schooling and Vocational Designing	5 ECTS
SWB5006	Poverty, Social Exclusion and Risks to Children's Wellbeing	5 ECTS


Year (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

RSE5020	Dissertation	30 ECTS

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Childhood Studies - M.A. - under the auspices of the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health.

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

develop an understanding of the development of childhood studies as an evolving, multi-disciplinary area of study and consider how its construction as an interdisciplinary field may be advanced;
critically engage in contemporary debates and issues in children's rights and advocacy and how children's voices, participation and agency may underpin research, practice and policy.
analyse children's development and learning, children's health, and children's resilience and wellbeing, through a strengths-based, cultural diversity, and systemic lens and a child-focused perspective;
critically examine the impact of such issues as cultural diversity and disability, poverty and socio-economic inequality, bullying, violence and safety, in children's development and wellbeing and identify effective policy actions and interventions for children in such situations;
appreciate the role of digitalisation in children's development and experience, and critically engage with such issues as digital competences and digital communication including media and technology, cyber bullying, internet addiction and online safety.

develop an understanding of the development of childhood studies as an evolving, multi-disciplinary area of study and consider how its construction as an interdisciplinary field may be advanced;
critically engage in contemporary debates and issues in children's rights and advocacy and how children's voices, participation and agency may underpin research, practice and policy.
analyse children's development and learning, children's health, and children's resilience and wellbeing, through a strengths-based, cultural diversity, and systemic lens and a child-focused perspective;
critically examine the impact of such issues as cultural diversity and disability, poverty and socioeconomic inequality, bullying, violence and safety, in children's development and wellbeing and identify effective policy actions and interventions for children in such situations;
appreciate the role of digitalisation in children's development and experience, and critically engage with such issues as digital competences and digital communication including media and technology, cyber bullying, internet addiction and online safety;
challenge simplistic reductionist views of childhood development, and explore the influence of the context, particularly the family, the school, the community and the socio-economic and cultural contexts on children's development and wellbeing;
analyse the ontological, epistemological and other methodological issues arising in research with children, with a particular focus on participatory methods with children;
identify ethical dilemmas and ethical codes of conduct when engaging in research with children;
contribute to the promotion and creation of optimal contexts which support children's development, education, health and wellbeing;
engage in professional practice informed by a child's voice and children's rights lens, including protection, advocacy, and empowerment.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800
Yr 1: Eur 5,400 - Yr 2: Eur 5,400 - Yr 3: NIL

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As a graduate, you will be able to engage in professional practice and policy development informed by a child's voice and children's rights lens, including protection, advocacy, and empowerment. This specialised knowledge base and expertise may also serve for career advancement and employability in education, social welfare, health care, prevention, community services and other sectors. The course also provides an opportunity for those wishing to engage in further research work with children, with a particular focus on participatory methods with children, and may lead to further studies at postgraduate and doctoral level in childhood studies or related areas.

https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/pmatcspet1-2024-5-o/