Child and Adolescent Studies

BA (Hons) Child and Adolescent Studies
Mode: full-time

The rights of young people feature strongly as a theme throughout the course, as does the belief that young people should have access to equality of services and life chances regardless of social difference.

A willingness to perceive and develop the potential of young people and to value their uniqueness are underpinning principles of the course.

The course is set within a context of current events, research, legislation and policy providing students with a learning experience that places them at the cutting edge of developments in young people’s issues and services. Students will have access to the latest knowledge and will be encouraged to apply this to current practice issues and events.

The course has a strong vocational orientation. ‘Real’ practice issues/experiences inform the curriculum ensuring that students have a realistic basis on which to consolidate their academic development and pursue their child care careers.

The course team actively promotes the programme principles pertaining to young people as a way of ensuring that these are embraced by students and transferred to practice when they graduate.

Teaching on the course is underpinned by active research and the work of our professionally qualified research staff. Students will have opportunities to undertake research for projects and dissertations as well as for broader research and practice experience within the field of child and adolescence care.

Why choose this course?

• Course directly relevant to the issues and challenges facing today’s services for children and young people
• Taught by friendly and supportive staff with a real interest in the welfare of their students
• A great way to access specialist knowledge, skills and experience to help you secure your professional future
• Gives you the knowledge and skills to enter and contribute directly or indirectly to children's and young people's services
• Course underpinned by world-leading research
• Social work related courses ranked 16th in the UK in the National Student Survey 2009

Career Opportunities

An Honours degree in Child and Adolescent Studies provides an ideal way to begin the pathway to a professional career. The course will be of interest for students exploring different directions. These include for example:

• Connexion Advisor
• Education Welfare Officer
• Education Referral Unit
• Social Work Assistant
• Family Support Worker
• Family Centre Worker
• Outreach Project Worker
• Community based project worker
• Children’s Complaints Officer
• Manager/Deputy of residential/day care establishments
• Residential Social Worker
• Therapeutic Work with Children and Families
• Youth Remand Centres/Prisons
• Schools for young people with educational/behavioural difficulties

Managing or working in a wide range of services provided by voluntary/private sectors and/or statutory sectors e.g. Mediation work, Sure Start programmes, Befriender Schemes, Homeless Projects, Sexual Health Projects, Youth Prostitution Projects, Domestic Violence initiatives.

You may prefer to engage in indirect service provision. The following areas are possibilities for you.

• Child Care Policy
• Children’s Community Health Advisor
• Children’s Services Inspector

And by taking post-graduate training the Degree offers entry to a range of related occupations such as for instance:

• Social Work
• Probation Officer
• Teaching
• Assessment

Most assessment is located in course work including essays, reports, extended projects and single or group presentations.

There are also in-class tests and examinations – written, computer and multiple choice – which are part of the overall assessment.

Areas of study include:

• Skills for Social Scientists
• Social Policy and Social Issues
• Foundation to Psychology
• Social Explanations for a Divided Society
• Multi-Agency Working and Career Development in the Human Services
• Welfare Systems
• Research Approaches in the Social World
• Young People, Group Offending and Violent Crime
• Social Processes and Life Span Development
• Ideas and Issues in Globalization
• Safeguarding Children within the Every Child Matters Framework
• Atypical Child and Adolescent Development Theories and Application
• Engaging in Issues within Contemporary Society
• Contemporary Issues in Exclusion and Inclusion within Education