Children's Literature MA

This programme will enable you to explore the relationship between reader, writer, text and context, and consider the processes that underpin those interactions. This course will deepen your familiarity with a range of children’s literature, from ‘classic’ works, to contemporary texts. Through this, you’ll develop a detailed knowledge of the issues and debates in the field, analysing children’s literature using theories from education, cultural studies, anthropology, sociology, history and philosophy. You’ll interrogate why certain texts appear on the national curriculum while others don’t, and what this tells us about the way children are expected to learn. Students on this programme's creative writing pathway will be able to work with published creative writing lecturers to create short stories, novels, and poems for children. The programme aims to incorporate and respond to your unique background as an individual with an interest in children’s literature, and strives to remain open and responsive to the experiences students bring with them. You may come from a publishing background or work in education or children's media. If you have a passion for the academic study of children's literature then this is the course for you. Graduates will be well placed to specialise in children’s literature in a range of careers: Teaching; Publishing; Children’s media; Writing texts for children; Librarianship; Academic study; Youth and community work; Skills. You will acquire a wide-ranging understanding of the field of children’s literature and the social, political cultural processes that surround it. You will also develop your critical thinking, communication and research skills.

Students should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a related field. Students might also be considered for some programmes if they aren’t a graduate or their degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that they have the ability to work at postgraduate level.