Childhood and Youth Studies

Our broad focused BA in Childhood and Youth Studies is a highly-rewarding course. It prepares you to have a positive impact on the learning, development, health and wellbeing of children and their families across all sectors.

The programme has children and young people at its centre and draws on expertise from a wide range of relevant disciplines including education, health, sociology, psychology, criminology and social care.

You develop a holistic understanding of the knowledge and skills needed for multidisciplinary and team working alongside children in a range of communities and work settings. These include children’s centres, schools, youth clubs and special educational care settings. This enables you to link theory and policy with practice, which ultimately increases your employability. In fact, our course was developed to meet the growing demand for well-qualified specialists to work in education, youth offending, healthcare, safeguarding, youth and community work.

We provide outstanding knowledge and skills development for those who wish to work in this stimulating field. The programme is taught by an experienced and enthusiastic team of tutors with extensive professional expertise in education, health promotion, community development, social work and more. Recent students have praised staff for their abilities to explain subjects clearly and make them interesting as well as being available for advice and support. In addition, you learn from highly-respected practitioners.

In Year 1, you study child development, contrasting formal and informal learning, inequalities, health promotion and community development.

In Years 2 and 3, this flexible degree enables you to explore particular age groups or specialisms such as education or health and the effects these may have on children’s development. Mandatory modules include: Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Researching Children, Working to Safeguard Children and Young People Rewilding Childhood in a Digital Age. A good range of optional modules include: Early Years Curriculum, Children and Young People’s Mental Health, Sexual Health and Wellbeing, Substance Use and Misuse, Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education (PSHE, Young People and Crime and Working with Young People.

Our graduates develop excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills and enter careers in a diverse range of exciting sectors. These include charities and voluntary organisations, community work, education, health services, leisure and arts projects, policing and children’s services.