BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies
The Open University old
Summary
Overview
What makes young people tick? What shapes and influences children’s development? How can the adults who work with children support them more effectively? This engaging, wide-ranging, interdisciplinary degree is for anyone working with children and young people or with a general interest in the field. You’ll investigate policies, practices and issues affecting the lives of children and young people across a range of settings, developing your knowledge, your analytical skills and improving your practice.
Description
This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits (equivalent to one year's full-time university study). Stage 1 provides the underpinning knowledge and skills needed for more advanced study at Stages 2 and 3.
Stage 1 brings together perspectives on the development of children and young people, incorporating concepts and theories from psychology, anthropology and sociology. Options explore social and psychological aspects of their lives, and the policies and practices that shape childhood, while introducing theories of childhood studies and social science that you'll draw on throughout your degree.
- Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E102)
This introductory module offers a fascinating insight into topics central to the lives of children and young people, exploring their emotional, physical, intellectual, social and cultural development.
- Investigating psychology 1 (DE100)
- Supporting learning in primary schools (E111)
- The early years: developing practice (E100)
- Working with young people: an introduction (E108)
You’ll explore modern childhoods across the world, drawing on first-hand accounts to investigate children’s experiences and ways of working with them in diverse communities. Optional modules cover topics such as the psychology of childhood and youth, inclusion in learning, multidisciplinary work with children and families, social policy and children’s literature. A final project highlights issues in research with children and young people, including the special challenges posed and different methods and theories you might use.
The modules quoted in this description are currently available for study. However, as we review the curriculum on a regular basis, the exact selection may change over time.
This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; e-learning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.
If you have already studied at university level, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – reducing the number of modules you need to study. It’s not just study completed at a university that can be considered, you can transfer study from a wide range of professional qualifications as well. A full list of the qualifications and institutions we can consider for credit transfer can be found on our credit transfer website.
You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where and when and you will need to provide original evidence of your previous study. We will compare this against the learning outcomes for your chosen qualification and inform you of any award.
Skills for career development
This degree providesan effective foundation for a wide choice of career paths. It emphasises independent thinking, develops analytical and communication skills and will help you become a clear and confident writer – all attributes that are highly valued by employers. Specific skills you’ll develop include:
- analysing, critically evaluating and effectively communicating information to others
- competence in team and project work, supporting and/or supervising others
- organising, synthesising and questioning opinions and arguments
- evaluating the appropriateness of different approaches to problem-solving
- managing and organising time, resources and information to support decision-making
- reflecting on your own learning and performance and taking steps to improve it
- using ICT effectively and being able to interpret data.
Career relevance
A degree in childhood and youth studies gives you skills and knowledge relevant to many careers in childcare, health, education, working with families, playwork, or working with young people. It will develop your understanding of practices and policies that affect children, and introduce you to many new aspects of the subject – helping you make informed choices about future career paths. This degree is not a professional qualification, so many of our graduates choose to undertake postgraduate training before progressing to employment in specialist fields such as:
- teaching
- counselling
- early years work, including play therapy and hospital play
- speech therapy
- voluntary sector work
- youth work
- education support and welfare
- social work
- probation work
- personal and careers guidance
- sport and fitness.
The education sector in particular provides increasing opportunities for teaching and non-teaching staff in schools, further and higher education and non-school settings.
This course will develop your research skills if you want to go on to further study.
Career path
Anyone can study with The Open University, but if it's a while since you did any academic work it's worth checking that your time management, computing and English skills are up to speed.
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