Maternal and Child Health: Socio-Cultural Perspectives MSc

Facts about Maternal and Child Health: Socio-Cultural Perspectives

Qualification	MSc
Duration	Full time: one year Part time: two years
Attendance	Full time: two days per week Part time: one day per week
Assessment	Essays; examination; reflective essays and portfolio development; presentations; research dissertation
Course structure

Choose our Maternal and Child Health: Socio-Cultural Perspectives MSc

This interprofessional masters course is ideal for children's nurses, health visitors, midwives and other practitioners working within maternity and children's services. Other practitioners working in health and social care might also find the course content of interest, choosing elements applicable to their area of work.

The course focuses on global concerns about determinants of maternal and child health, alongside an exploration of the impact of government policies on the provisions of care. It also enables practitioners to enhance their critical and analytical skills through the application of theories and concepts underpinning relevant areas of practice.

What will you study?

The overall aim of this course is to enable midwives, children's nurses, nurses and other professionals to explore issues surrounding the health and social care of women, children and young people, while considering their own unique role in service improvements. It also provides the opportunity to research a specific area of maternal and child healthcare in depth through the masters-level dissertation.

Key areas of study include:

determinants of maternal and child health (national and international perspectives);
ethical and legal issues relating to maternal and child healthcare;
specialist and generic knowledge required for collaborative working in maternity and children's services; and
research methods and critical enquiry.

Research areas

Many of our staff in the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences are research active, often in partnership with NHS Trusts. This ensures they are in touch with the latest thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
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Course structure

Core and option modules are listed below.

Core modules

Determinants of Maternal and Child Health
Power, Risk and Organisational Culture
Research Methods
Research Project Planning and Management
Research Project (Dissertation)

Option modules (choose four)

Bio-social Perspectives: Conception to Spontaneous Weaning
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Ethics and Law
Factors Influencing Children's and Young People's Development
Globalisation, Youth and Culture
Leading and Managing People in Healthcare
Managing Information in Healthcare
Managing Pain in Children
Perinatal Mental Health
Professional Development and Excellence in Clinical Practice
Professional Responses to Domestic Violence and Abuse
Sexual Health and Wellbeing
Supervision of Midwives (double module)
Understanding Childhood Experience for Safeguarding Health and Promoting Wellbeing
Understanding Childhood Experience for Safeguarding Health and Promoting Wellbeing

This core module focuses on the use of observation skills to enhance your understanding of child and carer needs and experience. On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
- apply knowledge of recent research about child health, development and wellbeing, including the impact on children and families of loss and transitions;
- demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate risks facing children and carers;
- reflect critically on practice experience, including evaluation of interventions intended to promote positive change for individuals and families; and
- show effective use of research skills and ability to share learning with colleagues.
The assessment of this module requires evaluation of current work with a child and family in the light of learning from three key sources:
- a report of a child observation study, including detailed records of observations;
- individual and small group presentations of practice experience; and
- knowledge of contemporary research surrounding child health, development and wellbeing, including the impact on children and families of loss and transitions.