B.A. (Hons) Abuse Studies / Childhood and Youth Studies

How does Combined Honours work?

Teaching is organised in units that typically involve lectures, seminars and practical/tutorial work. Most units are assessed by a mixture of coursework and formal examination, although there are a number of units that are assessed by coursework only.

In each year of full-time study, you will take 120 credits, made up of a number of units which are worth 30 credits each.

In Year 1 you will take 60 credits of core units from each of your two subjects.

• Core Units Constructing Childhood and Youth

  This unit draws on theory, policy and practice to introduce key concepts and approaches to understanding childhood and youth, and children and young people’s lives. Learn about and analyse contemporary and historical constructions of childhood and youth and how these influence the everyday lives of children and young people.

  Framing Abuse

  The unit will explore the history of human rights, the framing of abuse through social policy and representation. It will provide case studies of abuse to explore how these have been framed. It will also explore contemporary issues and debates such as freedom of speech versus censorship, trafficking, prostitution and pornography.

  Health and Well Being, Children and Young People

  This unit adopts primarily a psychological approach to the study of health and well being of children and young people.

  Understanding Abuse

  This unit will allow you to explore current understandings of abuse and how abuse is represented, conceptualised and therefore constructed by drawing on a range of disciplinary perspectives. The unit will also explore policy and practice issues and the application of research methodologies. Students will be introduced to career opportunities in the area. Teaching methods will include lectures, seminars and workshops.

In Year 2 you can choose the balance of your two subjects:

Equal study 60 credits from each of your subjects

Major/minor study 90 credits from the major subject and 30 credits from the minor subject.

• Core Units Abuse in Context

  This unit explores different forms of abuse, setting them in context and considering issues of policy, practice and representation. You will engage in a detailed investigation of different forms of abuse such as: abuse of older people, child sexual abuse, spiritual abuse & self-harm. Policy and practice pertaining to these different forms of abuse will be considered. Media representations of abuse and their impact are also explored within the unit.

  Contemporary Social Policy

  This unit explores contemporary UK social policy with specific reference to social divisions and inequalities. The unit provides a sociological underpinning for those students wishing to take a social policy orientated study route. The unit considers the key issues of the role of social policy in dealing with inequalities in relation to different divisions. Ideological perspectives are examined and informed by critiques that have emerged from studying social groups who have experienced inequalities.

  Developmental Issues in Childhood and Youth

  This unit will allow you to explore the process of developmental issues as they relate to childhood and youth. It will also provide the opportunity to explore the nature of some psychological problems in children and young people. This unit investigates the theory and research of human development with the main focus upon developmental processes through childhood and adolescence.

In your final year you can continue with the equal or major/minor route you have chosen in Year 2 or you can choose from the following options:

If you have chosen equal study in Year 2 you can choose major/minor study in Year 3.

If you have chosen major/minor study in Year 2, in most subject areas you can choose units completely in your major subject in Year 3. This option is called named route study and leads to a single subject degree. See below for a list of available named route degrees.

All final year Combined Honours students must complete a directed project, dissertation or independent study unit. If you take equal study you can choose this unit in any of the two subject areas; if you take major/minor study, you will take this unit as part of your major subject.