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Child & Youth Research - Structured

Postgraduate
PHD-CYR

The PhD in Child and Youth Research is a four-year full-time or six-year part-time structured PhD programme delivered as part of a collaboration between the School of Psychology and the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC) at the School of Political Science and Sociology.

Award Name Degree - Doctoral (Level 10 NFQ)
NFQ Classification Major
Awarding Body National University of Ireland
NFQ Level Level 10 NFQ
Award Name NFQ Classification Awarding Body NFQ Level
Degree - Doctoral (Level 10 NFQ) Major National University of Ireland Level 10 NFQ
Course Provider:
Location:
Galway City
Attendance Options:
Full time, Part time, Daytime
Qualification Letters:
PhD
Apply to:
Course provider

Duration

4 years full-time
6 years part-time

Entry Requirements

Entrants will be expected to have an upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent international qualification) in a social science. If applicants do not have a degree of that kind, they must have demonstrated high ability by some other means (e.g., through publications or achievement in a higher degree). Garda vetting is required for students participating in this programme.

Course Web Page

Further information

Fees: EU
€5,750 p.a. (€5,890 including levy) 2024/25
Fees: Non EU
€14,500 p.a. (€14,640 including levy) 2024/25
Extra Information
EU Part time: Year 1 €4,250 p.a. (€4,390 including levy) 2024/25

All students, irrespective of funding, must pay the student levy of €140.

Structured PhD (Child and Youth Research), full-time
Structured PhD (Child and Youth Research), part-time

Applications are made online via the NUI Galway Postgraduate Applications System.

Course Overview

This interdisciplinary programme responds to an identified need for researchers with the requisite, high-level and wide-ranging experience and skills to undertake the kind of work that is needed in an evidence-informed policy environment.

The programme combines thesis and taught modules. All students must complete a major dissertation (c.80,000 words). The taught modules which are delivered in years one and two provide course participants with the opportunity to widen their knowledge and skill base as well as feeding into the development of their thesis work.

A wide range of topics are covered including:

Children’s rights
Child protection
Working with Commissioners
Randomised controlled trials in applied social settings
Social context of child development (role of family, peers, culture)
Pro-social behaviour and risk-taking in young people
Masculinity and emerging adulthood
Theories of child development
Early years provision
Spaces and places of childhood
Political Theory, Children, and Young People
Participatory Research Methods with young people
Sociological perspectives on childhood

Programme aims
-To prepare programme participants to conduct high quality policy and practice-relevant research and programme evaluation with children and young people
-To develop programme participants’ knowledge and skills in key theoretical, methodological, policy and practice areas relating to children
-To provide graduates with the set of generic work-skills to facilitate their successful entry into the full range of employment settings

Research Areas:
The Social World of the Child
Research Ethics and Pragmatics
Qualitative Research Methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Global Policy and Research
Youth and Society

General Programme Queries:
Nuala Donohue, Programme Administrator
E: nuala.donohue@universityofgalway.ie
T: +353 91 493 678

Course Provider:
Location:
Galway City
Attendance Options:
Full time, Part time, Daytime
Qualification Letters:
PhD
Apply to:
Course provider