MA Children's Literature

This module has an interdisciplinary focus and introduces you to the main theoretical frameworks and debates that have historically surrounded the academic study of literature for children. It takes a broadly historical and chronological approach to the history of children’s literature, leading up to the present day. 

In this module, you'll explore:

•  The definitions, historical determinants, discursive limits and functions of children’s literature (i.e., ‘what is children’s literature?’)
• The definitions and discourse around the notion of childhood (i.e., ‘who is the reader of children’s literature?’)
• The nature of the reading and reception process and how this is mediated by social and functional determinants within nurture, education and notions of the ‘classic’ (i.e., how do children - or children and adults together – read children’s literature?).

In this module, you'll examine the connection between literature, culture, and diversity. In recent decades various genres have been appropriated to give voice to other ways of living and new literature has grown up around these experiences.

You'll explore what is distinctive about children’s literature and address a range of issues in relation to culture and diversity. The module encourages knowledgeable and committed readers of literature for children and young people. It raises questions and stimulates debate as you critically examine a range of genres from the earliest oral traditions to picture books, poetry, short stories, graphic novels and young adult fiction, and will look at a variety of texts written for children and young people. 

The module assessment currently contains a book survey, and the mode of assessment will be extended to enable students to present their book survey as a podcast or video presentation. The assessment criteria have been updated to reflect these changes.  

This module provides you with an introduction to research into children’s literature. You'll develop a critical understanding of the main methodological debates and knowledge of the key research methods central to the study of issues within children’s literature.  You'll examine some of the ideas which have been influential in literary theory and some of the approaches used to research literary cultures.

You'll begin with an overview of key methodologies that can be applied to children’s literature studies, and then look specifically at two examples: feminist approaches and critical race theory. You'll explore in-depth the specific research methods for the study of children’s literature such as a focus on genres, themes or authors, reader response and critical pedagogy. Empirical and classroom-based research, close textual analysis, and multimodal approaches are also explored.  The module is designed to assist in studying for the MA more generally and support the work for the dissertation.

The dissertation is an integral part of the MA in Children’s Literature because it builds on the core modules to develop the depth of your critical understanding of theory and research and enables you to select and present advanced and systematic knowledge and understanding of key issues in the field. You'll have the option to complete either a personal enquiry or a portfolio dissertation.

Personal enquiry

The opportunity to engage in the personal enquiry will enable you to formulate your own research questions and develop a sophisticated critical understanding of relevant research methodologies and approaches and apply these as appropriate to your own work. The dissertation will enable you to build a detailed, structured and coherent argument based on analysis of data related to knowledge of theory.

Portfolio dissertation

The opportunity to engage in creative writing practice will enable you to develop as a creative writer, whatever your starting point. You'll explore critical and practical debates related to creative writing and analyse and interpret theories that underpin a range of approaches. You'll need to demonstrate the ability to work creatively and imaginatively within the constraints of the designated project.

In this module, you'll examine the connection between literature, culture, and diversity. In recent decades various genres have been appropriated to give voice to other ways of living and new literature has grown up around these experiences.

You'll explore what is distinctive about children’s literature and address a range of issues in relation to culture and diversity. The module encourages knowledgeable and committed readers of literature for children and young people. It raises questions and stimulates debate as you critically examine a range of genres from the earliest oral traditions to picture books, poetry, short stories, graphic novels and young adult fiction, and will look at a variety of texts written for children and young people. 

The module assessment currently contains a book survey, and the mode of assessment will be extended to enable students to present their book survey as a podcast or video presentation. The assessment criteria have been updated to reflect these changes.  

This is a two-and-a-half-hour workshop which runs throughout the year. In the first term, students are encouraged to experiment with a variety of genres in creative and life writing, and in the second term to develop their individual interests. Students are asked to consider works by significant writers in relation to their own writing practice.

Presentations of their work to each other, with an account of their aims and approach, forms one important element. The students meet a range of practices, concerns and, techniques. The workshop is also the place where the issues raised in the Contemporary Contexts module are further debated in relation to the students’ own practice.

This module introduces you to the practice of writing fiction for children and young adults. You'll have the opportunity to develop creative work in progress, give and receive feedback in weekly workshops and experiment with new forms, readerships and voices.

You'll be encouraged to discuss the work of established writers for younger readers in relation to their own writing practice and consider the theoretical, social and cultural contexts of contemporary writing for children and young adults. The workshop will allow you to develop your own interests and preferences.

Critical analysis, close reading, workshop exercises and critical evaluation methods will help you to develop and demonstrate an ability to produce writing in different forms, from a number of different perspectives. You'll gain an informed critical understanding in this field. You'll be required to read widely and to follow current debates and research. The module will emphasise small group and individual study contributing to the critical dialogue within the wider group.

The dissertation is an integral part of the MA in Children’s Literature because it builds on the core modules to develop the depth of your critical understanding of theory and research and enables you to select and present advanced and systematic knowledge and understanding of key issues in the field. You'll have the option to complete either a personal enquiry or a portfolio dissertation.

Personal enquiry

The opportunity to engage in the personal enquiry will enable you to formulate your own research questions and develop a sophisticated critical understanding of relevant research methodologies and approaches and apply these as appropriate to your own work. The dissertation will enable you to build a detailed, structured and coherent argument based on analysis of data related to knowledge of theory.

Portfolio dissertation

The opportunity to engage in creative writing practice will enable you to develop as a creative writer, whatever your starting point. You'll explore critical and practical debates related to creative writing and analyse and interpret theories that underpin a range of approaches. You'll need to demonstrate the ability to work creatively and imaginatively within the constraints of the designated project.