Program Overview

Program Overview

The Postgraduate Certificate in Children and Young People in Conflict with the Law is a fully online, part-time course designed to appeal to individuals who are already working in the field and wish to enhance their professional development and reflect on the issues pertinent to children and young people in conflict with the law.

Key Facts

• Start date: January
• Application deadline: 31 October
• Study mode and duration: 12 months part-time distance learning
• Part-time study: available

Course Description

This exciting postgraduate course has been developed by the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) for individuals who wish to improve outcomes for children and young people who are on the cusp of, or in conflict with the law. The course provides a great opportunity to gain a postgraduate qualification to contribute towards continued professional development and registration. It aims to equip students with a critical understanding of the issues surrounding the rights of children and young people in conflict with the law and a theoretically informed understanding of their developmental pathways, assessment, formulation, and intervention approaches.

Course Content

• Compulsory modules:
  • Policy & legislative context: Provides a critical understanding of the policy and legislative context surrounding children and young people in conflict with the law, as well as international models of practice that respect and uphold rights.
  • Developmental pathways, assessment, & formulation: Offers a critical understanding of the principal pathways to children and young people finding themselves in conflict with the law and the relevant theories as well as approaches to the assessment and formulation of need.
  • Intervention approaches: Provides a critical understanding of best practice intervention approaches for children and young people in conflict with the law as well as the theories, concepts, and principles underpinning these.

Learning & Teaching

The course is delivered fully online, with a small cohort to facilitate meaningful discussions and learning from each other. Live online seminars are held weekly to consolidate learning and support assignment preparation. Dedicated tutors are available via the University's Virtual Learning Environment and email.

Assessment

Each module will be assessed using a range of written assignments.

Entry Requirements

• Requirements: A relevant undergraduate degree or professional qualification and demonstrate capacity for postgraduate study.
• English language requirements: Please check the University's English language requirements before making an application.

Fees & Funding

• Fees:
  • Scotland: £2,900 (2024/25), £3,183 (2025/26)
  • England, Wales & Northern Ireland: £2,900 (2024/25), £3,183 (2025/26)
  • Republic of Ireland: Same as England, Wales & Northern Ireland
  • International: £2,900 (2024/25), £3,183 (2025/26)
• Available scholarships: Take a look at the University's scholarships search for funding opportunities.

Careers

This course is designed to appeal to individuals who are already working in the field and wish to enhance their professional development and reflect on the issues pertinent to children and young people in conflict with the law, as well as those seeking a career in supporting children on the cusp of, or in conflict with the law. The course is extremely relevant to social work practice and will have a positive impact on practice. It provides the confidence to make more informed decisions in practice and the opportunity to meet people with a wealth of experience in various disciplines, which is integral to learning.