Exciting news from the University of Glasgow: for you and for those in your organisation wishing to further develop their knowledge and skills of working with young people through postgraduate study, our popular MSc in Youth Studies has just been added to the Scottish Award Agency for Scotland’s (SAAS) list of programmes so part-time and full-time students in Scotland the rest of the EU are now eligible to apply for funding*.

The programme (also available online) provides an in-depth exploration of the complexity of social change and decision making processes that impact on young people’s lives across a wide variety of contexts.

Recent students have this to say about the programme:

I recommend this programme unreservedly both to those who are looking to work with youth and those who already do so and wish to add to their knowledge and understanding. I particularly enjoyed the diverse nature of the programme with optional courses and topics, which meant we could concentrate on the areas that interested us the most. The programme really helped me with gaining employment initially and now in the development of my career.

Arlene FE College Lecturer

I feel very fortunate to have chosen this Master’s programme. As a part-time student, it gave me the time to reflect on my professional practice and expand my knowledge. The teaching staff are very friendly and approachable and help was always given when required. I would recommend this course to anyone.

Ekhoe: now working in Children’s Services

With theory and research concerning patterns of social change, and the role of young people in society at large, this MSc has been everything and more I would want in a graduate programme. The staff are very involved and help the students relate topics of interest to deeper issues in the curriculum. There is no other course I have read or heard about like it

Lauren: now working as Head Fitness Trainer

What do students gain from the programme?

• A good understanding of the ways in which young people’s lives are changing in modern societies and how they respond both individually and collectively

• The opportunity to choose youth-related topics for in-depth study

• Sound knowledge and understanding of research, policy and practice relating to young people’s experiences in a wide range of contexts

• The chance to explore youth experiences in different parts of the world

• An awareness of issues affecting vulnerable groups such as those with mental health issues, teenage parents, homeless young people and those looked after by local authorities.

• The chance to study how young people develop emotionally and physically and the ways in which these processes are affected by social change.

• A focus on different areas of young people’s lives, including leisure, post-school education and training, crime and the criminal justice system, sexuality, disability, drugs and alcohol and the family.

The programme

Students are taught by researchers and visiting speakers in the field of youth and young adults who have experience working with organisations such as the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Commission, UK local and national government and the Scottish Government, NGOs and third sector organisations.

The programme comprises four core and two optional courses, as well as a dissertation on a topic of the student’s choice. The courses are:

• Perspectives on Youth and Young Adulthood
• Working with Youth: Education and Learning for Change
• Modern Educational and Social Thought
• Introduction to Educational and Social Research

The optional courses include: Identities, relationships and behaviours; The evolving concept of inclusion; Rehabilitation and desistance from crime; Sexualities and society; Social theories for community learning & development; The disabling society. The full list can be found online at http://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/youthstudies/.

For further details of the programme:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/youthstudies/

or contact [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

*The funding available is a loan to help students pay all or some of the tuition fees up to a maximum of £3,400 for full-time courses and up to £1,700 for part-time courses. For further details, please visit: http://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/sas9.pdf and look for ‘Youth Studies’ on the postgraduate programme list