BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies
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What makes young people tick? What shapes and influences children’s development? How can the adults who work with children support them more effectively? Childhood and youth studies is one of the UK’s fastest growing academic disciplines. The OU was a pioneer in this field and over the last 15 years has developed an engaging, wide-ranging, interdisciplinary programme for anyone working with children and young people or with a general interest in the field. You’ll learn about child development and psychology, international childhoods, research with children, and children’s literature – spanning the entire age range from early years to youth. There are three study pathways and a wide choice of module options, enabling you to follow your interests and draw on your own expertise. Whichever route you select, the BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies will develop your knowledge and analytical skills in relation to policies, practices and issues affecting the lives of children and young people across a range of settings.
How to apply
To study for this qualification, you will need to choose a pathway from the list below.
Our qualifications have up to three start points in the year, October, February or April.
You should apply in good time and if you are seeking financial support or applying for credit transfer, check our application
timetable on the How to register page.
Our qualifications are available to residents of the UK and many
other European countries. Read Where can I study? to see the list of countries from which we accept direct
applications.
Key facts
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360
credits
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There are no formal entry requirements to study this degree.
You do not need to work with children in order to study this degree; however, depending on your choice of modules, you may need some level of experience in working with children and young people. If you wish to focus your study on early and primary years, you’ll need to meet the ‘fit person’ criteria for doing so – including obtaining the necessary criminal record clearance required for the setting and country in which you’re working. It’s your responsibility and that of your employer to ensure you meet these requirements – not the OU’s. You should contact the relevant agency in your country for more information if you are in doubt about your eligibility, or to find out more.
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Our fees depend on where you are ordinarily resident. We have a range of funding options to help you with
payment. When you apply to study we will tell you the fee and funding options that are
available to you. Before you apply you can read What you can expect to pay.
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Pathways to your qualification
You can choose from a number of different pathways to your degree depending on your interests and the amount of time you wish to commit to studying.
View the pathway description to see the stages of study, and from there apply online.
Career relevance and employability
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.
This degree course 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. It also develops your awareness of the diversity of modern childhoods. The many module options allow you to expand your expertise and interests, and managing the range of subjects will demonstrate your versatility. This degree will develop your research skills if you want to go on to further study.
There’s more information about how OU study can improve your employability in the OU’s Employability Statement from our Careers Advisory Service. You can also read or download our publication OU study and your career and look at our subject pages to find out about career opportunities.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards an Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for your chosen qualification. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.
Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.
Classification of your degree
On successful completion of the required number and type of modules you will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies degree.
Your honours degree will be classified either as first-class honours, upper second-class honours, lower second-class honours or third-class honours. The class of degree is determined by the best grades you achieve in 240 credits from those modules above Level 1. At least 120 of those credits must come from modules at Level 3.
You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Qualification Regulations, Module Regulations and the Student Regulations.
Qualification Regulations
Module Regulations and Student Regulations
The Module Regulations and the Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for
Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available
on our Essential documents website.
If you have a disability
Choosing the qualification that’s right for you is very important. Depending on your disability, long-term health condition, mental health disability or specific learning difficulty, you may need to consider any challenges posed by:
- the learning objectives: for example, to gain an honours degree in a language you must be physically able to speak the language
- how the modules are taught: for example, some of our science qualifications require that you complete laboratory work
- any work-based competency requirements.
Choosing the right qualification can be a complex mix of the subject requirements and the support you may need. To help you assess whether the qualification you are interested in will work for you, further advice is available from:
Computing requirements
You will need a computer with internet access to study for this qualification. For most OU qualifications a
Microsoft Windows (new since 2006), Apple Mac (OS X 10.5 or later) or Linux computer should be adequate.
However, some qualifications require more specific IT equipment, in which case you will need additional
software to use an Apple Mac or Linux computer. A detailed technical specification for your modules will be
made available when you register. Please note, technical specifications do change over time to match computer
developments and the way we teach.
Not sure if you’re ready? Try a short introductory Openings course
If you would like to try Open University study before you commit to a qualification, our
Openings courses could be the right place for you to start. These introductory-level courses
have been specially designed to help you find out what it’s like to study with the OU, get a
taste of a subject area, develop your study skills, and build your confidence. There is also financial
support available for these courses. Read more about our Openings courses.
Distance learning
The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move. As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone.
For more information about distance learning at the OU read Study explained.
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