Postgraduate taught 

Educational Studies MEd

Perspectives On Youth And Young Adulthood (ES) EDUC51069

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Education
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course introduces students to some of the key concepts used to understand the lives of young people. Drawing on the work of influential social scientists, practitioners and utilizing up-to-date empirical studies, the course seeks to promote an understanding of the changing lives of young people in a wide range of contexts including education, employment and unemployment, dependency and family relations, youth cultures and lifestyles, identities, values and beliefs, health and health related behaviours, crime and politics and civic engagement.

Timetable

One evening per week

Assessment

70% - Essay

30%- Presentation

Main Assessment In: March

Course Aims

To enable students to understand and critically examine a range of ideas relating to the interpretation of social change and their application to the lives of young people and young adults in contemporary societies. Students will engage with the work of some key theorists and become familiar with empirical research pertaining to the changing lives of young people in advanced societies.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

Critically examine and evaluate a range of contemporary social theories;

Analyse and articulate the complex interplay between theory and empirical research

Identify the key ways in which young people's lives are changing;

Recognise the trends in youth policy in the UK and other advanced societies;

Demonstrate critical thinking and dialogical skills.

 

In order to do this successful students will need to:

delineate, from a critical review of the literature an issue of strategic importance to their field of concern


adopt and demonstrate an ethical approach to the research process and to research materials


develop from such a strategic issue a series of researchable questions which will act as the conceptual basis of the research


develop a research strategy, whether historical, philosophical or other, which is adequate to the research questions


develop rigorous methods of engagement with research material which are adequate to the research strategy


analyse research material in a manner consistent with its nature and the research questions posed


draw conclusions from the research process which are rooted in the research and are in proportion to its scope


reflect critically, in the light of the conclusions of the research, on the literature and, as appropriate, on professional experience or other relevant context where appropriate, arguing priorities for future development


present a text which conforms to the remit and guidelines for completion of the dissertation.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.