This course focuses throughout on different representations of childhood in the texts that are studied and examines what is meant by the contested term 'children' literature'. Participants will be expected to engage with some of the key debates in the field and to consider a range of theoretical perspectives - from Romanticism to reader-response theory; gender issues to post-modernism; historical studies to new historicism; sociocultural viewpoints to semiotics - as well as examining critically views of young readers and their reading choices. It is assessed through two essays and a thesis, each designed to be personally rewarding as well as professionally enlightening and intellectually challenging: a theorised reading autobiography, focusing on texts for children with particular reference to changing constructions of childhood; an empirical study of children responding to a selected visual text; and a thesis on a topic of the student's own choosing, which may be either a purely literary study or a small empirical research project. By the end of the programme, students will have: a comprehensive understanding of research techniques, and a thorough knowledge of the literature applicable to their specific educational domain; demonstrated originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field; shown abilities in the critical evaluation of current research and research techniques and methodologies and demonstrated self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and acted autonomously in the planning and implementation of research. Students wishing to continue from the MPhil in Education to PhD are required to achieve a mark of 70 or higher for the thesis.