Plural and democratic societies, which today are also information-based, multicultural, global and dynamic, are increasingly under pressure to rethink their values and the notions of citizenship that sustain and unite them; to examine to the principles by which they uphold fairness and justice, promote direct community action and attend more closely to the self-fulfilment of their members.

A further challenge to such societies is the legacy of values and notions of citizenship passed on to new generations: the means by which up and coming generations can be taught autonomy and acquire critical ability, learn to reject violence in all its forms, participate fully and freely in community initiatives and, in some sense, sustain their achievements as citizens of a single world.  

Citizenship and values education is a central issue for today’s educators. Above all, however, it is also a challenge that demands a significant portion of their time and energy in their daily activity, given that all those working in this field are by definition involved in the task of values education and the development of young people as citizens of communities. To assist this process, therefore, the Master in Citizenship and Values Education provides students with the specific competences that different professionals need in order to create significant spaces for values education and put that education into practice in each and every of society’s many fields of educational intervention. And bearing in mind that a solid grounding in values education is the common denominator for an otherwise diverse range of professionals, the course designers have made its study in this degree transversal.

The present degree program is addressed to all undergraduates and diploma- and degree-holders who have chosen a career in education and are interested in this subject area. It is particularly suitable for teachers in primary and secondary education,for educationalists working in these contexts, educational psychologists, social educators, and other professionals in formal and non-formal education, technicians in public agencies and people working in the voluntary sector.

Those students applying to study the professional pathway will learn to select the criteria for citizenship and values education projects and then design and implement such projects and assess their outcomes in different intervention contexts.

Those who choose the research pathway and the preparation of a doctoral thesis will examine social needs and theoretical perspectives and acquire the methodological tools to conduct quality research and apply its findings.