Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MA:

Professional Studies in Children’s Play

Introduction

The University of Gloucestershire is exploring the development of a revised postgraduate Award provisionally entitled ‘Professional Studies in Children’s Play’. It would build on the considerable experience and high profile gained within the University Play and Playwork Team in both the content and delivery of the programme. The proposed start date for this new programme would be September 2012.

The programme is intended to support professional practitioners in the design and management of children’s play spaces. It is aimed at a diverse range of roles including playworkers, landscape designers, early years care and education practitioners, environmental educators and the growing movement to encourage and support children’s access to natural spaces. The programme would encompass and extend much of the existing University postgraduate programme in Play and Playwork which is currently designed specifically for those professionals who have a direct role in the development of adult-staffed play provision. For detail of the existing programme see: http://resources.glos.ac.uk/subjectsandcourses/postgraduatetaught/plp/current.cfm

The distinctive feature of the programme is that it places an understanding of the nature and benefits of play for its own sake at the centre of study rather than seeing play as an instrument to achieve other purposes. We feel that such a programme is very timely given the increasing concerns in the minority world about the ‘state of childhood’ and the current focus within the UNCRC on Article 31 and children’s right to play.

We consider this cross-professional distance-learning programme has the potential for international application. At this stage of development we are seeking feedback on the relevance, structure and content of the outline programme from organisations/groups involved in the development and support of children’s play and play spaces.

We would greatly appreciate your comments on this draft proposal by completing and returning the brief online questionnaire at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CZXJWQH

Further background information about the proposed programme can be found at:

http://www.playwork.co.uk/our-courses/higher-education.aspx

Also, we would appreciate it if you would circulate this to other appropriate organisations within your networks.

Many thanks for your contribution to this stage of the process and if requested, we will keep you informed about the future development of this programme.

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