Woman and Child Abuse (MA)

Overview

This course provides a comprehensive grounding in theoretical frameworks, research, policy and practice approaches to woman and child abuse. Whilst the main focus will be on the UK, intellectual and practical approaches from across the globe will be drawn on. Courses will encompass all forms of violence against women and child abuse, including sexual exploitation, domestic violence, sexual violence and harmful traditional practices.

The course content and required work will be cross disciplinary addressing sociology, social policy criminology, criminal justice, gender studies and social research.

Themes covered include:

• the history of how woman and child abuse became social problems
• definitions and conceptual boundaries
• connections between forms of violence against women and child abuse
• the theoretical, methodological and ethical considerations when researching abuse
• the current knowledge base on incidence, prevalence, evidence-based policy and promising practices in responding to victims/survivors and perpetrators
• what we know about prevention
• contemporary theoretical and policy debates, including on intersectionality and critical men's studies

The University incorporates the Child & Woman Abuse Studies Unit which conducts independent research and training in this area.

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

www.londonmet.ac.uk/depts/fass/

Applying and entry

PLEASE NOTE There is no official closing date for this course, but you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only consider your application if there are places available on the course.

Tel: 020 7133 4202
Email: admissions@londonmet.ac.uk

A good Honours degree in a relevant subject and/or experience of developing/delivering policy or service provision in the field. A degree in an unrelated subject and lower qualifications may be acceptable if balanced by extensive relevant experience. Applicants for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in both written and spoken English. All applicants are interviewed, but importance is also placed on the statement of application.

Course contents

The course consists of four core modules:

• Violence Against Women: Issues, Research and Policy
• Sexual Exploitation of Children and Young People
• Sexual Violence: Causes, Consequences and Interventions
• Researching Communities

Other modules

• One elective module from any other postgraduate course within the university

One designate module from the following list:

• Collecting Life Histories
• Protecting Children
• Researching Women’s History
• Children and Families: Policy and Practice
• Finding Gender in the Archives
• Women, Gender and Human Rights
• Evaluation: Principles and Practice

You also undertake a triple-module dissertation.

Read more details about the modules

Other study options:

1)Postgraduate Diploma in Woman and Child Abuse
(six modules, no dissertation)

2)Postgraduate Certificates (three modules each)

• Woman and Child Abuse
• Violence against Women
• Child Abuse

Assessment

Assessment approaches vary according to the aims of each module and how it is delivered. Examples include essays, group or individual presentations, course work and seen examinations. A 12-15,000-word dissertation is to be submitted at the end of the MA course.

Careers

The course is particularly suited to those who are working in specialised services for women and children who have experienced violence, in policymaking or delivery at local, regional or national levels, or are wishing to establish careers in these sectors.

What former students have to say about the course

“Working in the violence against women and girls sector, I found the MA Woman and Child Abuse invaluable. It gave me an excellent grounding in the subject and I have been able to apply my learning directly within my day to day work. The fact that many of the other students taking the MA also work in different roles within the sector was an added bonus, enabling me to develop productive working relationships as well as good friendships.”

The MA was a challenging, thought-provoking and an immensely rewarding experience for me. I found the CWASU teaching to be inspiring - the tutors had a fantastic depth and breadth of knowledge. The course has certainly improved my own knowledge of international violence against women and children issues, something which I’ve really been able to utilise within my work. I really missed the course after I had completed it!!