Course summary
Gain the skills and experience you need to safeguard and protect the most vulnerable. Our MSc in Child Protection and Adult Safeguarding offers you the chance to get a unique point of view into both children and adult safeguarding, covering the latest trends and policies in safeguarding, and highlighting specific groups who might be at risk of abuse or targeting. We will give you the skills to identify and refer to services that could be used to protect and provide a safeguarding framework. Why study this subject? Many practitioners, regardless of their field, are often appointed safeguarding responsibilities or roles whilst there is a dearth of specific knowledge available. This course will help fill that gap in knowledge, offering those in these roles the opportunity to develop confident, ethical practice and enhance their leadership styles in sharing their knowledge of good practice and reflection. If you are unsure if the master's programme is for you, there is the opportunity to complete a stand-alone module: ‘Critical Practice in Safeguarding’. This might be enough to enhance your practice with an option then to continue onto the master's programme, knowing that one module has already been completed. Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? Our course is unique in that it explores contemporary safeguarding for children and adults. This enables practitioners to work across a range of roles post-qualifying and offers a robust learning experience that can be immediately applied to the practice environment as well as influence policy within organisations. So, if you’re a professional who holds safeguarding responsibilities as part of your role, this course is ideal for you. Our teaching staff are experienced professionals and have links in social work and healthcare, and these links enrich the course through visiting lecturers who specialise in specific areas, such as safeguarding in prisons, safeguarding and mental health and many health-related areas. We also have links with experts who investigate abuse in faith settings and the use of Serious Case reviews provides a basis for considering various forms of cultural considerations in safeguarding practice. This course will provide you with a strong skill set and the confidence to improve the quality of care and communication with vulnerable children and adults. *What facilities can I use? * The university offers a substantial range of facilities and the library is even accessible to you offsite through the online databases and journals, many of these specific to child and adult protection and the environmental factors that increase or minimise risk levels. What will I study? The contemporary nature of the course means that any current trends in safeguarding are explored and changes in policy are considered from the impact on safeguarding practice. Our course is delivered through the use of various media and teaching approaches, which include discussion-based seminars where students are able to explore safeguarding practice in their own organisations, lectures and the use of media such as blogs to consider specific topics during the teaching programme. Some modules demand your input to shape the content, giving you the opportunity to influence what is addressed through the teaching to benefit your practice. The teaching is spread across a number of disciplines including health, social work and psychology. This is supported by experts and specialists who share their knowledge on specific modules, offering a diverse range of knowledge of safeguarding in the practice environment. The individual role as a leader and manager in safeguarding is given its own module, as understanding the impact of your ability to lead in safeguarding is essential to developing good practice across your current organisation and those you may work with in the future.
Modules
For modules, please visit our website: bucks.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-child-protection-and-adult-safeguarding-pt Core modules
- Comparative Safeguarding Studies
- Reflective Practice and Supervision in Safeguarding
- Safeguarding Legislation: Children and Families
- Safeguarding Legislation: Adults and Mental Health
- Dissertation
- Critical Practice in Safeguarding OR
- Critical Perspectives in Safeguarding
- Leadership, Management and Professional Issues
Assessment method
Flexible study spread over one or two years, allowing you to study full-time or part-time alongside employment. Whether you're training to build your skills in your current role or change your career path, this course ensures you can immediately apply your increased knowledge in a professional setting. As well as support from your lecturers, who are experts in their field, you will also benefit from a range of guest speakers who provide specialised workshops that add to your knowledge. Their expertise and real world experience will inspire and emphasise how your qualification can be used to benefit others. There are a range of processes used across the course to assess you which include: informal and formal blogs presentations to the student group posters exams essay submissions. For the dissertation, you are encouraged to complete either primary research or a specific project that can change practice within their organisations. This makes the course relevant to improving safeguarding for at risk groups within your chosen specific area of practice. You are supported through two modules to prepare for the dissertation and have the opportunity to apply for APEL if the research modules have been completed in another relevant course.
Entry requirements
We usually expect candidates to have a second-class honours degree in a related field or discipline. We also consider candidates with professional qualifications and directly relevant work experience. Because this isn't a practice-based course, you don't have to be currently working with vulnerable people to be accepted as a student.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | We require an IELTS score of 6.0 (with no element lower that 5.5) or a recognised equivalent. |
If English is not your first language or if you have studied in a non-majority English-speaking country, then you will typically be required to demonstrate your English language ability (speaking, listening, reading & writing) by way of a test such as IELTS.
BNU English Language Requirements
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Buckinghamshire New University tuition fees cover the cost of instruction, assessment, and core academic materials. However, additional costs may be incurred for course-related items or requirements, such as, but not limited to:
- Text books and supplementary reading materials
- Specialised equipment or resources required for specific courses
- Field trips, placements, or external activities
- Printing, photocopying, and binding
- Accommodation, travel, and living expenses
Additional costs will vary by course. It is your responsibility as a student to budget for any additional expenses associated with your studies.
For further details on what is included in your tuition fees, please check bnu.ac.uk/fees-and-funding
Sponsorship information
There are several ways you can fund your studies, including sponsorship and student loans. You may be able to use ELCAS credits for some of our courses. We also have scholarships and bursaries to help support our students, and if you’re a recent BNU graduate, you may even qualify for a fee discount on your postgraduate studies.
Provider information
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe
HP11 2JZ
Course contact details
Visit our course page Enquiry form