Career opportunities - Childhood Studies (Master's Programme)
Career opportunities
MPhil in Childhood Studies will be relevant for building a career related to children and childhood in different public sectors in governmental organizations. This may include policy and planning for children’s living conditions in ministries and institutions which concern children, both locally and internationally. Another important area is Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's), such as Save the Children and the Red Cross. In addition, the master’s programme qualifies for work related to research, consultancy, teaching and supervision in the field of children, welfare and development.
According to a survey done by Kantar in 2022, 70 % of the candidates from Childhood Studies had a relevant job within 6 months after they finished the programme. Within 18 months all candidates had a relevant job.
Student interviews

The best thing about my job is being able to do what I love, working with children
Name: Mispah Mawusi Mamah
Study programme: Master of Philosophy Childhood Studies
Profession: Project coordinator at SOS Children's Villages Ghana
I better understand the different situations that shape people's way of life/habits as I work with people from diverse backgrounds.
What do you do at work? What are your tasks?
I manage an Oral Health Project. The project aims at helping children in basic schools aged 4-12 in Ghana to develop good oral care habits. As the coordinator of the project, my responsibilities include:
- Creating and maintaining comprehensive project documentation, plans, and reports
- Developing and maintaining partnerships with government institutions and development organizations
- Liaise with stakeholders in local communities for implementation of the project
- Organize outreach activities to educate children on good oral care practices
- Arranging for accommodation for staff on outreach programs
- Create content of project activity updates for the organization’s website and social media handles
- Budget preparation and acquisition of logistics
- Responding to correspondences
- Scheduling and attending meetings
What is the best thing about your job?
I would say the best thing about my job is being able to do what I love, working with children.
How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?
After graduating, I returned to my home country Ghana. Even though securing a job in Ghana is particularly difficult because of the high numbers of qualified graduates, I was able to secure a job within six months. What helped me was that I offered myself for volunteer work with SOS Children's Villages Ghana. I did the volunteer work for two months and later on had the offer when the Project Coordinator position became vacant.
How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?
With my knowledge of social construction from Childhood Studies, I better understand the different situations that shape people's way of life/habits as I work with people from diverse backgrounds.
Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?
Yes, I did part-time work even though not related to my current job it added value to my CV. Employers always look for work experience whether relevant to the job or not, it says a lot about the candidate's readiness to fit into the labour market.
What is your best job/career advice for our current students?
Think about post-graduation life, which career paths they would like to take and start working towards that whilst still in school. Search for opportunities for internship/volunteer work to gain professional experience. Take advantage of the alumni networks and connect with graduates that are doing well professionally.

Jeg har fått god bruk for barnevennlig metode, både i møte med barn og i oppstart av nye aktiviteter for barn
Name: Mira Mariella Fiskum Myhr
Study programme: Master of Philosophy Childhood Studies
Profession: Regionrådgiver på Redd Barnas regionkontor i Trondheim
Bli frivillig i en organisasjon du brenner for, og vis engasjementet ditt også utenfor studiene.
Hva jobber du med?
Jeg jobber som regionrådgiver på Redd Barnas regionkontor i Trondheim. Som regionrådgiver har jeg en mangfoldig hverdag, men mye tid går blant annet til å rekruttere, lære opp og følge opp frivillige i vår region. I tillegg til dette arrangerer vi også enkeltstående aktiviteter, besøker skoler eller holder markeringer
Tidligere relevante jobber
- Miljøarbeider i Røde Kors ved Danmarks største asylmottak
- Assistent ved barnehager i Danmark og Norge
- Assistent i en studie på vegne av Bolig og urbanismedepartementet i Chile
Hva er det beste med jobben din?
At det er en meningsfull jobb.
Hvordan var veien til denne jobben etter studiene?
Siden jeg har flyttet til både Chile og Danmark etter studiene, har jeg hatt litt forskjellige jobber. I tillegg har jeg alltid vært frivillig i mange ulike organisasjoner, noe som gjorde det naturlig for meg å søke på jobb i en frivillig organisasjon som Redd Barna.
Hvordan bruker du kompetansen fra studiene i jobben din?
Redd Barna er en rettighetsbasert organisasjon, og barnekonvensjonen er dets viktigste arbeidsverktøy. Å komme med bakgrunn i Childhood Studies er derfor en stor fordel. I tillegg har jeg fått god bruk for barnevennlig metode, både i møte med barn og i oppstart av nye aktiviteter for barn.
Hadde du verv eller deltidsjobb i studietiden som er relevant for jobben din i dag, eller som bidro til at du fikk jobb etter studiene?
Jeg var frivillig i Redd Barna under studietiden, og har også vært frivillig i Redd Barna når jeg studerte i Oslo. Gjennom dette ble jeg godt kjent med organisasjonen og frivilligheten, noe som nok har bidratt positivt når jeg søkte på jobb senere.
Hva er dine beste jobb- og karrieretips til de som studerer i dag?
Bli frivillig i en organisasjon du brenner for, og vis engasjementet ditt også utenfor studiene.

The best thing about my job? Dedicating 100% of my worktime to researching and learning about the topic that I am passionate about.
Name Anneke Kneppers
Study programme: Master of Philosophy Childhood Studies
Profession: PhD Candidate at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU
Try to make the most out of your time as a student. Do well in your studies and find work or volunteering opportunities besides it.
What do you do at work? What are your tasks?
I do research for my PhD project, write articles and I teach general pedagogy and didactics at the department.
What is the best thing about your job?
Dedicating 100% of my worktime to researching and learning about the topic that I am passionate about. In addition, having deep conversations and exchanging thoughts with people who are in the same field of research.
How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating? How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?
After graduation from the master, I worked again as a primary school teacher while I was searching for other jobs and PhD positions.
The MPhil in Childhood Studies is an excellent preparation for applying for a PhD. I was able to write a good project proposal because I had gained knowledge about different theoretical perspectives in the social sciences while I could also use my practical experience as a teacher. I was also able to engage with high quality research concerning children.
Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that is relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?
I worked as a substitute teacher assistant during my masters and also did volunteering work with Redd Barna. I think it definitely helped my to become familiar with the Norwegian work environment.
What is your best job/career advice for our current students?
Try to make the most out of your time as a student - do well in your studies and find work or volunteering opportunities besides it. It is helpful to start building a network.
Further studies
Code | Title | Credits | Term | Admission |
---|---|---|---|---|
GEOG3006 | Quantitative Methods | 7,5 | Autumn | Open |
GEOG3053 | Discourses of Development and Globalization | 7,5 | Autumn | Open |
GEOG3522 | Migration and Development | 7,5 | Spring | Open |
SARB3518 | Global Migrations and Ethnic Relations 1 | 7,5 | Spring | Open |
GEOG3517 | Social Difference, Identity and Place | 7,5 | Spring | Open |
Interview with former students
The best thing about my job is being able to do what I love, working with children
Name: Mispah Mawusi Mamah
Study programme: Master of Philosophy Childhood Studies
Profession: Project coordinator at SOS Children's Villages Ghana
I better understand the different situations that shape people's way of life/habits as I work with people from diverse backgrounds.
It is crucial for broader perspectives and resilient approaches in any job sector
Name: Tanu Biswas
Study programme: Master of Philosophy Childhood Studies
Profession: Postdoctoral scholar at the University of Bayreuth (Affiliated through Independent Fund)
The best thing about my job is that I get to participate in the global knowledge production industry and raise awareness of the marginalised position of children in academia and beyond.
Take up a job in which you will be using the skills you enjoy
Name: Jonnathan Mtonga
Study programme: Master of Philosophy in Childhood Studies
Having knowledge on how to work and conduct research with children gave me an upper-hand in being successful and professional.
Find a way to combine your studies with the social aspects
Name: Ida Farstad Engan
Study programme: Master of Philosophy in Childhood Studies
Childhood Studies gave me new perspectives on how to understand childhood and children's everyday life. I have integrated the perspectives in my current position as a PhD at NTNU.
Read the whole interview with Ida (in Norwegian).