Childhood Studies BA(Hons)

BA(Hons)

Your course

This course helps you understand the issues and gain some crucial insights into what shapes children’s lives from birth to age 19. We believe it’s not enough to study the issues affecting children, you also need to understand them from their perspective. The course prepares you for a wide range of professional possibilities relating to children, young people and families, including teaching, early years, social care, child and youth policy work and more. During the course you will get the opportunity to explore the nature of childhood and youth in contemporary society. The course will examine relevant social theory and research, and draw on current policy and practices out there in the real world.

While you’re here, you’ll undertake a compulsory work placement of a minimum of 80 hours in your second year. This experience will help you build up transferable skills that employers are looking for and gain useful contacts in the children and young people’s workforce. You could gain experience in schools, children’s centres, nurseries, children’s services, young people’s centres, community groups, in a local council, in a museum and more.

Example modules

• Contemporary Childhood Studies • Safeguarding Children and Young People • Working with Children and Families • Theories and Strategies for Learning

Your future

Successful completion of this course enables you to consider a varied range of careers in education, including teaching, early years and learning support roles. Previous graduates have also become children and young people’s workers, primary, early years and further education teachers and higher level teaching assistants, special needs and social support workers.* Many of our graduates also progress onto Master’s level programmes.

This course is a recognised progression route into primary teacher training options.

*Job titles of Childhood Studies graduate members of the University of Huddersfield Alumni Society on LinkedIn

Course info

Course length:

3 years full-time

Entry requirements:

BBC/DMM/112

Additional criteria:

GCSE English Language at grade 4/C or above. Complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check towards the end of Year 1, ready for your placement in Year 2.

“The course leader and my personal tutor supported me not only academically but helped build my self-belief which really helped me to succeed on my course. I am now working as a bid writer for a private company. Using the excellent research, analytical and writing skills gained at University, my specific focus will be responding to social value questions according to the Public Services (Social Value Act 2012) to win contracts from local authorities.”

Mel Wainner, graduated from Childhood Studies BA(Hons) in 2021