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Child & Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing MSc

Become the children’s mental health leader you want to see. Champion change that promotes and protects the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people based on evidence-backed research. Explore this and more on a course that has been assured for Department for Education (DfE) grant-funded senior mental health lead training.

Overview

Course length: 1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Start dates: September 2024
September 2025
Location: Edge Hill University
Subject(s): Mental Health
Faculty: Health, Social Care and Medicine
Department: Allied Health, Social Work and Wellbeing
Three students in a seminar in the Faculty of Health and Social Care.

Did you know there has been a significant rise in the rate of mental health issues in young people? Evidence shows that early help can make a big difference.

Our MSc Child & Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing gives you the knowledge and skills to deliver better results for children. We’ve designed the course around key legislation, policy, guidelines and practice.

You’ll learn to develop and challenge current thinking and reflect on how to deliver best practice. We’ll help you develop your leadership skills as you learn to bring about effective transformation.

Develop a dual approach as a result of your evidence-based reading and research. Early help as a preventative measure and the importance of protecting and promoting lifelong mental health and wellbeing.

This Masters is ideal if you work, or want to work, in children and young people’s mental health. You’ll develop broad applied research skills relevant to today’s education, community, health and social care sectors.

This course has been assured for Department for Education (DfE) grant-funded senior mental health lead training. This means that eligible state-funded schools and colleges in England can apply for a grant of up to £1,200 to support staff in mental health and wellbeing training.

Course features

  • International students can apply

Cameron Heaton

Beyond the expertise of my postgraduate lecturers, a great strength remains in their enthusiasm and consistent ability to make the sessions engaging, collaborative and critically stimulating.

Cameron Heaton

MSc Child & Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing

View student profile

What you'll study

Examining wellness in children and young people’s mental health, you’ll consider the value and efficiency of early help and assess the impact of trauma and complexity.

You’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of leadership and transformation in mental health services from a range of perspectives. This will lead you to a collaborative approach, working effectively as part of a team and across service boundaries, to ensure the maximum benefit for young people and their families is achieved.

Learn research skills as you look at contemporary children and young people’s mental health theory and practice. You’ll enhance your employability as you explore your creativity, embrace new innovations, and learn positive ways to challenge yourself and others.

The MSc Child & Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing course culminates in a choice of dissertation of a publishable standard in your chosen discipline.

Compulsory modules:

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Impact of Trauma and Complexity on Children and Young People
Innovation in Mental Health
Leadership and Transformation in Children and Young People's Mental Health
Research Methods
Wellness and Early Help With Children and Young People
Working Across Boundaries from Theory to Practice in Children and Young People's Mental Health

One of:

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Dissertation
Dissertation 2

How you'll study

The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, student-led seminars, tutorials and experiential activities.

You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.

How you'll be assessed

Our varied and creative approach to assessment will include written assessments, scenario-based activities, creative presentations, patchwork text production, written and verbal self-reflection, and portfolio development.

Who will be teaching you

The research-active programme team has current and direct experience of working with children, young people, families and communities, including experience of working in the mental health sector and in a range of child and adolescent mental health related services.

Additional expertise will be provided by guest lecturers who will be invited to share their knowledge and experience of subjects such as trauma and complexity, early interventions, leadership and transformation, innovation, and a variety of applied therapeutic interventions and approaches.

The research interests of the programme team include collaboration with children, young people and their families, early intervention and wellbeing, systems working, trauma and complexity, mental health and family interventions, leadership and innovation, and primary and secondary education.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

You should have a degree equivalent to UK first-class or second-class honours (2:2 or above) in a relevant subject such as child and adolescent mental health, child health and wellbeing, health and social care, psychology, sociology or education.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.5, with a score no lower than 6.0 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

How to apply

Please note, this course is now closed to international applications for 2024 entry.

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred mode of study.

For applicants wishing to apply for the DfE funding via their school or college, please visit the gov.UK website for further information.

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Visit Edge Hill University

There’s plenty of opportunities to come take a look around campus. Attend one of our open days to see what life at Edge Hill University is all about.

Book an open day

Facilities

Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine

The Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine offers outstanding facilities for the education and training of health and social care professionals.

The contemporary teaching and learning resources include leading edge clinical skills facilities, an 860-seat lecture theatre, and a variety of teaching rooms and social learning spaces.

Where you'll study

Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine

Finance

Tuition fees

UK Full-Time

£9,000

for the course

UK Part-Time

£50 per credit

for 180 credits

International

£16,500

for the course

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.

Your future career

You’ll leave us ready to support children and young people in a range of roles, such as:

  • pastoral support worker
  • special educational needs coordinator
  • children’s centre worker
  • youth worker
  • social care worker
  • teaching assistant
  • learning mentors
  • family support officer
  • parent liaison

Your skills and training also opens doors to research-based career opportunities. You could also consider further training in child psychology, social work, psychotherapy, nursing or teaching.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Track changes to this course

Download our course leaflet