B.A. (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies

The programme draws upon relevant theory and research in psychology, sociology, philosophy, social policy, and health and educational studies, to engage with current issues and debates concerning children and young people.

You will study key concepts and debates in social science in relation to childhood and youth. This includes the study of key aspects of children’s psychological development, and the acquisition of language and intelligence, societal influences on children and young people, policy as it relates to childhood and youth, health and well-being in childhood and youth, and related ethical and moral issues. You will study how to conduct your own research and inquiry in the subject area and have the opportunity to specialise in childhood and youth related topics of your choosing as you progress through the course.

In undertaking reflective reviews of your learning, you study the theories and application of reflective learning and practice. This has relevance to your academic studies and future employability.

• Core Units Childhood and Youth on Screen

  This unit will examine the various ways in which childhood and youth have been represented on screen. Organised thematically, the unit will examine how childhood and youth have been represented in film and television. Drawing on a number of theoretical models, you will use these to both analyse and contextualise specific film and television texts

  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.

  Health and Wellbeing: Children and Young people

  This unit has two main purposes: firstly to take a biographical approach to health issues of children and young people and secondly to begin to demonstrate the ways in which Psychology contributes to our understanding of health and well-being. The unit investigates health and disease from birth to adolescence, examining a number of central themes appertaining to health issues appropriate to that period in the life-cycle, and highlighting a limited number of case-studies to enable more thorough investigation. There will be consideration of such topics as developmental progress in children, risk taking behaviours and teenage pregnancy. Students will be able to assess the contribution of Psychology to an understanding of issues related to the health and well being of children and young people to demonstrate their abilities to present a detailed written argument of different theoretical positions. They will also be in a position to evaluate the subjective experience and professional views on health problems of children and young people.

  Social Welfare Provision and Society

  This multi-disciplinary unit draws upon relevant perspectives from Sociology, Social Policy and political ideologies to explore key aspects of welfare provision in UK society. The materials covered explore aspects of welfare provision both historically and in a contemporary context. The key issues covered reflect social divisions and inequalities still prevalent in contemporary UK society. This unit is underpinned by various theoretical and ideological concepts and debates within the social and political sciences and provides students with the opportunity to develop knowledge of key concepts in welfare provision.

In Year two you will take three core units and will also be able to choose one further unit from the options listed below.

• Core Units 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.

  Learning with Changing Communities

  This unit enables you to undertake volunteering or paid work experience in local communities and to gain credit through examining contemporary issues in relation to this work in a community profile. The curriculum deploys social science perspectives on: how we can define community, exclusion and inclusion issues, social groups and subcultural issues, social change, migration and 'new comers', multiculturalism, integrationism and diversity, social cohesion and belonging and community work/organising in context. At the same time practical issues of safeguarding, work roles, the expectations of volunteering and so forth are also covered. Students will spend at least 15 hours in local community settings to prepare them to write the community profile.

  Researching Vulnerable Groups

  This unit will explore issues of vulnerability & sensitivity in social research. It will also investigate methods & analysis used in social research. The unit will explore research methods which are employed when conducting social research, including narrative, interview & focus groups. Techniques for analysis including thematic and content analysis will be examined and applied. You will explore a range of issues emerging from research with 'vulnerable' individuals and sensitive topics including, autobiographical research, researching with children and young people and ethics. You will also develop research proposals for final year dissertations.

  Youth Transition

  The unit provides a forum for you to apply your developing sociological skills and awareness to several important and contemporary substantive areas including youth culture, training, education and jobs. In the first term, an historical overview is provided on sociological contributions to understanding the relationships between youth sub-cultures, the world of work, youth labour markets and wider society. In the second, the changing political, social, economic and personal positions of "youth" will be explored, set within the context of recent social changes. Policy responses to youth issues on education, training and jobs are also investigated.

In your final year you will take three core options including a dissertation and you will also choose one further option.

• Core Units Childhood and Youth in Context

  This multi-disciplinary unit draws upon relevant perspectives from Sociology, Social Policy, Social Anthropology and Human Geography to explore key aspects of children and young people's lived experiences in local, national and global contexts. Underpinned by various theoretical and ideological concepts and debates within the social and political sciences, this unit explores some of the diverse social, economic and political contexts in which children and young people are situated, affected by and belong to.

  Contemporary Practices: Children and Young People

  This multi-disciplinary unit considers a range of contexts, policies, and practice approaches in work with children and young people. This unit explores ways of working with children and young people in contemporary UK society. It considers how theory, policy and practice intersect and influence one another in this field. Students gain insight into the different sectors, professional discourses and principles that frame work with children and young people.

  IDS Dissertation

  This unit enables students to undertake independent work to create a dissertation on a topic of their choosing within one of the designated subject areas in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies.

• Option Units Contemporary Issues in Abuse

  This unit will allow you to critically explore contemporary issues in Abuse Studies from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The unit will begin with an exploration of contemporary issues in Abuse Studies. These issues will be explored from a range of social science perspectives such as: psychological, sociological, philosophical and cultural studies perspectives. The implications of the issue for policy & practice will also be examined. You will then explore a further contemporary issue in abuse studies giving consideration to the implications of this issue for policy and practice.

  Creating Childhood

  This unit is a survey of English literature for children. Placing particular emphasis on the cultural construction of the child through texts, the unit considers a selection of texts over time. Beginning with a brief history of publishing and English children’s relationship to texts, this unit explores a range of texts, from the canonical such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Treasure Island, through to popular contemporary novels such as the Tracy Beaker and Harry Potter series.

  Education Outdoors

  This unit evaluates the range of outdoor educational perspectives, policies and practices both in the UK and elsewhere (for example Friluftslif). You will develop a knowledge and critical understanding of both the formal and informal processes of outdoor education in the environmental context. The unit enables you to investigate educational approaches and environmental interpretation and begins with a consideration of the development of outdoor and environmental education, addressing a variety of approaches and methods.