Programme features

This Master programme emphasizes independent individual work. The courses consist of lectures, working groups, examinations, preparing individual or group assignments and writing papers. In addition to being present, we expect students to make an active contribution to the sessions and submit assignments and papers on time.

During the Master’s research project, students work together in project groups of about six students to prepare individual articles and individual final presentations.

The programmes of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences use the electronic learning environment Blackboard, which is administered by the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

Course guide

Every course has an extensive course guide containing the content of weekly sessions, the literature to be studied each week and the assignments and the assessment criteria. The course guide is posted on Blackboard several weeks before the start of the course.

Other uses

Blackboard is also used for such purposes as posting daily announcements and lecture notes, and assigning students to groups.

The faculty assigns an email account to each student. The programme requires that students check their email regularly, as well as the announcements for each course on Blackboard.

The Master’s programme Youth Development and Social Change aims to train students to become professionals who possess the knowledge, competences and skills that qualify them for a range of jobs in the field of youth care, youth policy and youth research.

The Master’s programme trains students to become professionals who are able to: 
 

• understand and analyse complex youth issues from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary perspectives;
• analyse, develop and evaluate youth policies and interventions, based on academic knowledge;
• turn complex societal issues into research questions and research  into policy recommendations;
• conduct (applied) academic research on complex youth issues independently;
• contribute to building bridges between researchers and professionals from different disciplines.

Knowledge and insight  

Graduates have knowledge of and insight into: 
 

• Contemporary social challenges, policies and interventions concerning: 
  • Young people; 
  • Health and wellbeing, (combining) work and care, sustainable behaviour and sustainability transitions, and social cohesion and diversity;
• Disciplinary and interdisciplinary theories and concepts to understand and address: 
  • Young people and the diverse contexts young people shape and are shaped by; 
  • Health and wellbeing, (combining) work and care, sustainable behaviour and sustainability transitions, and social cohesion and diversity, and the diverse context that these shape and are shaped by; 
• Appropriate research methods and strategies for examining these social challenges, policies and interventions; 

Applying knowledge and insight 

Graduates are able to: 
 

• Analyse complex social issues from a variety of disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives; 
• Reflect on the various disciplinary perspectives, and make motivated decisions for a mono-, multi-, or interdisciplinary approach; 
• Conduct independent research and make explicit the knowledge, motives, values and considerations on which this is based; 
• Consider the bi-directional relationship between science and practice in the development, implementation and evaluation of policy and intervention practices (transdisciplinarity). 

Forming judgements 

Graduates: 
 

• Are able to critically reflect on: 
  • The appropriateness of mono-, multi-, or interdisciplinary theories and concepts for understanding and addressing social challenges; 
  • Policy and intervention practices with the use of theoretical and methodological considerations; 
  • Existing interdependencies and relationships between stakeholders in research, policy and practice, including the target populations; 
  • Their own actions as academic professionals in relation to these stakeholders; 
• Are able to arrive at academically justified judgements in situations in which information is incomplete, unfamiliar and/or complex; 
• Consider the ethical aspects of science and of the application of academic knowledge in the professional field. 

Communication 

Graduates are able to: 
 

• Communicate appropriately and take responsibility as a scientist and professional; 
• Communicate effectively and clearly on the results of academic research regardless of the medium (writing, oral, etc) and audience (scientists, laypeople); 
• Contribute to building bridges between various disciplines in research, policy and practice; 
• Communicate honestly and critically about research; 
• Communicate with a respectful attitude when collaborating with others. 

Learning skills 

Graduates are able to: 
 

• Describe or present the results of an academic analysis in a sound manner; 
• Use theories and concepts for the purposes of developing a research proposal, conducting research and reporting on it; 
• Critically reflect on their own academic and professional activities, and learn from the feedback of and discussions with others; 
• Keep up with the latest scientific innovations in the field; 
• Conduct academic research in a multi-, trans-, or interdisciplinary team; 
• Assess the academic work of colleagues and provide academically sound constructive commentary on it taking various (stakeholder) perspectives and disciplines into account; 
• Develop and implement policy and intervention proposals in a complex societal context, taking account of the specific characteristics and disciplinary backgrounds of the actors involved; 
• Learn how to flexibly use, choose between and/or integrate different disciplinary perspectives to approach a societal problem.