Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology

This is an English-medium course. For the Welsh-medium course, please see Astudiaethau Plentyndod ac Ieuenctid a Chymdeithaseg X316.

These subjects enable you to study issues that impact children’s lives within the broader context of social structures. You’ll engage with a broad range of topics relevant to 21st century childhood and youth and investigate social life and the way it shapes our behaviour, beliefs and identity. You’ll examine the face-to-face interactions of daily life, large-scale social institutions, social movements and global processes to better understanding the social world’s impact on children and young people.

The fields of Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology complement each other naturally. They support a combined approach to understanding the development of children and young people from social perspectives, whilst encouraging an understanding of these elements within areas that affect the lives of children and young people most, such as their education, their interaction with peers and adults, and their wellbeing. This course allows you to study Sociology as part of a joint honours degree (50% Sociology, 50% Childhood Studies and Youth).

Sociology investigates social life and the way it shapes people's behaviour, beliefs and identity. Its subject matter ranges from examination of the face-to-face interactions of daily life to large-scale social institutions, social movements and global processes. By understanding the social world, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and our own social situations. For the Childhood and Youth part of the course, you will follow innovative topics led by experienced education staff to develop your understanding of the history of childhood, children’s rights, the nature of childhood and the role of adults working with children in a national, European and international context. You’ll engage in academic study in the fields of psychology, sociology, social policy, education, health and welfare relating to children’s lives.

‘Placement Year’ and 'International Experience Year’ options are available for this course. You will have the opportunity to fully consider these options when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto such a pathway at the appropriate time. You can find more information about these options on our website and if you have any questions, please get in touch.