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Please note, we are showing standard entry requirements on this page. Clearing entry requirements are subject to change. The points will only be confirmed once you call the Clearing Hotline.

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Support. Nurture. Educate.

Northumbria University's Childhood and Early Years degree is designed to help you make a difference in the lives of children. You'll gain knowledge, insight and understanding of a range of issues relating to childhood, children, young people and society.

Covering topics including child development, education, war, poverty, health, disability, the law, you'll analyse the contemporary experience of children, looking at the latest research, historical documents, children's literature and film, and a range of other sources.

This understanding will open up a range of employment opportunities and provide a foundation to go on and study further training courses including teaching, social work, children's nursing and other related professions.

Why choose a Childhood and Early Years Studies degree at Northumbria?

You will reflect upon current developments in childhood provision, policy and practice both nationally and internationally, and you'll be learning from staff who are contributing to the most important debates in the field.

When you graduate, you'll be able to relate everything you learn back to practice, and you'll have undertaken a minimum of 50 hours practical work related experience, which will support you in moving into a profession of your choice.

This course is in line with the QAA benchmarks for Early Childhood Studies as well as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) guidance, both respected benchmarks in professions involving work with children.

  • A Research Powerhouse - Social Policy is ranked 3rd in the UK for research power in the UK out of 76 submissions. This represents a rise of 15 places compared to 2014.
  • Student Rated - Over 98% of students studying Childhood and Youth Studies at Northumbria believed they had chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth (NSS, 2024).

REGISTER FOR CHILDHOOD & EARLY YEARS COURSE UPDATES

 

 

See other similar courses you may be interested in: BA (Hons) Primary Education

Course Information

UCAS Code
W3P9

Level of Study
Undergraduate

Mode of Study
3 years Full Time

Department
Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Location
Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

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Department / Social Work, Education

Within this department, over half of our research in Social Work and Education has been rated as world leading or internationally excellent.

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Book an Open Day / Experience Childhood and Early Year Studies BA (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Childhood and Early Year Studies. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

112 UCAS Tariff points

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator

Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo

Subject Requirements:

There are no specific subject requirements for this course.

GCSE Requirements:

Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.

Additional Requirements:

A suitable DBS Enhanced Certificate is required.

International Qualifications:

We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:

International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535

* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.


International Fee in Year 1: £19,350


Please see the main Funding Pages for 25/26 scholarship information.

 


ADDITIONAL COSTS

Additional costs associated with travel to undertake field work and optional placement on the programme. We would anticipate this being in the region of £100 per student.

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

PP0419 -

Children's Voices (Core,20 Credits)

In this module your focus will be the ‘voice’ of the child. You will begin with a consideration of the current status of the child’s voice in policy and practice; you will then be encouraged to consider the challenges of engagement with children and young people in the many professional contexts in which this occurs; this will then lead to an exploration of theoretical approaches to helping which can be utilised to assist with this process. The module will provide you with the opportunity to begin to debate the status of children and young people in society. You will also be introduced to helping strategies which can assist practitioners in a range of supporting occupations, to help children and young people to find their voice and make it heard.

More information

PP0420 -

Child Development (Core,20 Credits)

The module aims to provide a broad foundation for the study of child development theories and perspectives, and how these relate to the child’s wider context of family, community and society. You will be introduced to the breadth of the discipline as well as the language / key terms used in the literature. Theoretical perspectives on children’s learning and development – physical, cognitive, social, emotional, communication and language, taking into account the holistic nature of child development will be central to your learning on this module.
You will examine a range of issues in relation to the developing child, with emphasis placed on the importance of observation. Through a range of teaching and learning strategies, you will be encouraged to explain and distinguish between the various theoretical perspectives involved in the study of child development and to identify the role of the adult in providing a safe and inclusive environment. Key themes around children’s development will be presented including; parental roles, the environment, the role of the professional, observation and assessment.

More information

PP0421 -

Children, Families and Schooling (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will explore the ideas about children and childhood that are constructed and embedded within families and education systems and consider how these might influence who children are, what they know, how they act, and what they become. You will study how children construct their knowledge and understandings about themselves,others and the world around them within diverse socio-cultural contexts and, indeed, actively seek to influence these contexts. The key themes of the module are: culture, diversity, identity and transitions. During the module you will be encouraged to: critically reflect upon your own experiences; identify, explore and theorise the values and principles underpinning different family styles and educational approaches; and engage productively with contemporary debates.

More information

PP0422 -

Social Policy: Children, Families and Communities (Core,20 Credits)

This module provides you with an introduction to the academic discipline of social policy, its key concepts and analytical frameworks. Social policy impacts on all of our lives in some way, this module examines the way in which social issues and policies impact on the well-being of children, families and communities in society. This will be achieved by examining policies that affect children and young people. Specifically, policies relating to safeguarding will be a key focus.

You will explore how individuals shape and are shaped by policy making and welfare practices as well as how social policy is organised, represented and experienced. The intention is to open up challenging questions about the policymaking process locally, nationally and globally both in the past and in contemporary society. The module will cover specific policy areas such as education, health and social care, employment and welfare as well as the development of welfare systems in the UK and Europe.

You will be introduced to key concepts in social policy such as social justice, poverty and inequality. The module focuses on key perspectives, theories and contemporary issues in relation to children, families, communities and social policy. It considers questions such as:

What is the relationship between children, families and the state?
How are children's lives influenced by social policy?
Why are welfare systems and services different in different countries?
What role does social policy play in supporting children, families and communities?
To what extent are our lives controlled by social policy?

More information

PP0423 -

Approaches to Learning (Core,20 Credits)

This module aims to provide you with formal academic induction across your whole first year of study, introducing you to the academic literacy practices required to perform successfully in higher education. The module will equip you to become effective, active, independent learners throughout the rest of your degree. It will enable you to recognise appropriate approaches to study in higher education and begin to develop the academic skills, qualities and competencies expected of students on the programme. The module has been designed to support you to recognise and debate key concepts of your degree by encouraging you to actively engage in discussion and debate to enable you to make-sense of the subject-curricula and discourse communities of childhood and early years and to develop your own standpoint. You will also begin to reflect upon your academic and career motivations, be introduced to the Careers and Employment Service and supported to engage in volunteering and other extra-curricular activities to enable you to begin develop key employability skills and attributes.
The module will illuminate how to use, at various points throughout the programme, the expertise and resources on offer in a range of formats via, for instance, the Northumbria Skills framework including Skills Plus.

More information

PP0424 -

Perspectives on Childhood and Youth (Core,20 Credits)

This module will help you begin to explore the concepts of ‘childhood’, ‘youth’ and ‘adulthood’ from personal, historical, and childhood studies perspectives, with a view to questioning the diverse, often contradictory meanings, assumptions, representations, values and attitudes which people - children and adults - attach to these words. You will reflect deeply on your own standpoint. You will be introduced to the concept of childhood as a social construction and will become aware of the range of perspectives on childhood, and the related issues, tensions and debates that exist within the field of Childhood Studies.

The module draws particular attention to the process of representing childhood and the ways in which the kinds of language and imagery associated with the idea of ‘the child’ and ‘childhood’ help shape social attitudes and practices towards children. As you progress through the module you will identify, discuss and explore multiple representations of children and childhood in the contemporary world, for example, in adverts, news items, films and your local environment.

More information

RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

PP0538 -

Young People in Society (Core,20 Credits)

Throughout this module you will investigate the social, political, economic and cultural factors that have influenced, and continue to influence, the lives of children and young people in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This module will seek to explore the lives of young people through the consideration of a number of pertinent societal issues. Firstly you will critically analyse the proposition that there is a ‘discourse of difference’ in British society when considering young people. You will be asked to consider the extent to which young people are considered as ‘other’. To further develop this theme, the questions of how ‘youth’ is conceptualised within society, and in what ways these concepts are considered negative or positive, will be examined. A detailed exploration of key cultural, social, political and economic factors will support the informed discussion of these questions. In particular, the module will focus on the central issues of class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and inequality in the context of youth cultures and sub cultures.

More information

PP0539 -

Global Perspectives of Childhood and Youth (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will have the opportunity to investigate childhood and youth within a global context. The module will adopt a thematic approach to the exploration of issues such as war, work, health, and poverty, offering a range of theoretical perspectives relevant to the global experiences of children and young people across countries and cultures. You will also explore different research approaches commonly used with children and young people and will therefore have opportunity to explore how knowledge is created, debated and analysed. Your knowledge will be enhanced through the exploration of ethnographic studies of children and young people’s experiences as well as analysing the impact of social, political and cultural difference on concepts of childhood and youth, whilst gaining a theoretical overview of key skills in data collection and analysis related to research with children and young people.

More information

PP0540 -

Play and the Early Years Curriculum (Core,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about the importance of play and its place in the Early Years Curriculum. You will explore ideologies and practices as well as contrasting theoretical perspectives and approaches. In addition you will examine the place given to play within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) reflecting upon its appropriateness for young children. By doing so you will be able to identify and reflect upon the different roles that the adult plays in supporting children’s development and learning through play. You will also differentiate between interaction that is either supportive of, or a hindrance to children’s learning. You will learn about a variety of philosophical and cultural approaches from UK and abroad reflecting upon their contribution within the field of early years play in relation to the Early Years Curriculum. The module will address themes such as the social and cultural context of early years play and provision, the history of play, the contested nature of play, definitions and types of play, leading play, risk and the outdoors and exploration of approaches from different ideologies.

More information

PP0541 -

Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Childhood (Optional,20 Credits)

What will I learn on this module?

Building on your knowledge of child and adolescent development from Year 1, this module will help you understand and analyse psychological, psychodynamic and sociological aspects of wellbeing in childhood. You will explore contrasting ideologies, approaches and theoretical perspectives in relation to the topic. There will be a particular focus on children's social and emotional wellbeing and on how authentic relationships can support and empower all round growth, learning and development in childhood.
Being interdisciplinary, the module offers you the opportunity to reflect on how professional and personal beliefs, values and attitudes influence how practitioners from different disciplines and different cultures assess wellbeing in childhood, and how this may influence the nature of their working relationships with children and their families.

More information

PP0542 -

Professional Practice and Career Development (Core,20 Credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with an opportunity to further develop your employability and understanding of contemporary ways of working by participating in employability activities. You will gain valuable insight e of work settings, explore the roles and responsibilities of professionals and consider some of the challenges and rewards of professional practice, linking to key concepts in Childhood and Early Years Studies. You will reflect critically upon your experiences and consider how these have informed your career identity and contributed to the development of graduate attributes and employability skills.
Exploring entry routes and requirements of occupations through a range of sources (which may include direct contact with professionals) will further develop your research skills as well as develop and utilise networks to help you to enhance your employability. You will have the opportunity to undertake a mock interview in which you will be supported to reflect upon and verbally articulate your graduate skills, attributes and values.

More information

PP0543 -

Children, Young people, families and Substance Use (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about yourself, your attitudes and values in the context of children, young people and families and contemporary substance use. You will be given the opportunity to explore your own and others concerns around different discourses or big ideas about addiction: you will be introduced to a number of different theoretical frames or paradigms that will give you a sound understanding of substance use. You will also explore in detail some of the main theoretical and empirical ways in which substance use and its impact have been researched and understood by different theorists, in a range of different discipline areas. You will be invited to explore a broad curriculum of topics and concerns such as policy, myths around addiction, causal factors and determinants of use, safeguarding and parenting, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), gateway and normalisation, professional competences, as well as different interventions. You will be taught by a range of academics, service users and service managers during the module.

More information

PP0546 -

Developing Inclusive Practice for Children, Young People & Families (Optional,20 Credits)

You will engage with the key issues around inclusion and inclusive practice, specifically in terms of the marginalisation of children and their families, who are representative of minority groups, and the role of professionals who support such families.

You will explore topics such as the meaning of inclusion, integration and exclusion specifically in the context of age, gender/sexuality, impairment, poverty, economic capital, ethnicity and culture. You will also explore issues such as language, labelling and stereotyping and consider the potential benefits of labels in identification of need, risk and resilience factors. Furthermore you will examine state and organisational responsibility through legislation and policy agenda. Critically when studying this module you will engage in the process of reflective practice in support of inclusion.

More information

PP0547 -

Researching Childhood and Early Years (Core,20 Credits)

Building on research understanding and skills developed at level 4, this module will introduce you to key ideas, perspectives and activities in social research relevant to childhood and early years. You will develop knowledge and understanding about what and how things can be ‘known’ (epistemology), ways of seeing the world (paradigms), approaches and traditions in research (methodology), collecting or generating data (methods) and analysing or interpreting findings (analysis). You will learn about the key research methodological approaches and the methods used within them, going on to evaluate others research work before developing your own questions, methodology and methods. Finally you will appreciate how to relate each of these elements into a coherent proposal for research and you will consider relevant ethical issues that apply to your research. This module feeds directly into the level 6 module ‘Childhood and Early Years Studies Project’.

More information

PP0566 -

Promoting Children and Young People's Health (Optional,20 Credits)

This module will encourage you to explore debates about children and young people’s health. You will make use of a range of reading to develop knowledge and understanding of key theories, policies and areas of practice in relation to the promotion of children and young people’ s health. You will learn about a range of topics relating to different aspects of children and young people’s health and examine the complexity of health promotion strategies and activities in relation to issues of social inequality. You will consider the underlying principles and values within, and the historical development of, a range of health promotion strategies, and discuss the inherent tensions in promoting children and young people’s health. In particular, the module will encourage you to think about how health promotion practices might affect, change and even reimagine the relationships between children, families, practitioners and institutions.

More information

RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

PP0622 -

Childhood & Early Years Studies Project (Core,40 Credits)

Building on research understanding and skills developed throughout your programme and specifically in the level 5 module ‘Researching Childhood and Early Years’, this module will build on your knowledge, understanding and application of key ideas, perspectives and activities in social research relevant to childhood and early years. You will develop further knowledge and understanding about what and how things can be ‘known’ (epistemology), ways of seeing the world (paradigms), approaches and traditions in research (methodology), collecting or generating data (methods) and analysing or interpreting findings (analysis). In addition, you will develop a critical understanding of how to relate each of these elements into a coherent piece of research. You will also learn how to conduct research which will be subject to the ongoing ethical scrutiny and protocols of Northumbria University.

More information

PP0623 -

Young Children as Meaning Makers (Core,20 Credits)

This module builds upon your learning of child development theory at levels 4 and 5 and will focus on the young child as a maker and interpreter of meaning. You will consider the ways in which adults can support or hinder children’s developing skills and the extent to which cultural attitudes and government policy may impact on children’s freedom to express and communicate their feelings and ideas. It will immerse you in thinking about the development of young children as meaning makers and communicators. You will be encouraged to explore theoretical approaches to early language and communication and to evaluate critically where appropriate the effectiveness of approaches within current policy and practice to this important area of early child development. You will also become accomplished in applying your understanding of these perspectives through observations of children as communicators. Through this experience you will be able to analyse critically a variety of methodological approaches and theoretical stances within this discipline The module will address themes such as attachment and the importance of early interaction, the environment, the role of the adult, multi model observation techniques observation as a research methodology and report writing for a professional and parent audience

More information

PP0624 -

Leadership and Collaboration in Children's Services (Core,20 Credits)

This module will involve you in thinking about leadership and management in the context of children’s learning, wellbeing and safeguarding in community based children’s services*. The module has a particular focus on working with others who can contribute towards better outcomes for children and their families. It will help you to think about why community based services for children and their families exist, what these services are required to do (with reference to current policy agendas), and how leaders can meet the challenges of working together to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Generally, the module will help you think about the importance of self-awareness and reflection, skills for collaboration with others, and the practical implications of implementing policy on topics such as early learning, public health and safeguarding.

*The focus will generally be on ‘targeted’ services (such as Children’s Centres, Family Centres, outreach youth work or sexual health services), as opposed to universal (e.g. health visiting) or specialist (e.g. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

More information

PP0625 -

Perspectives on Children's Literature (Core,20 Credits)

This module will involve you in thinking about a range of modern children's authors and their work. You will develop an awareness of the ways in which children's literature can address challenging issues and themes, such as violence, sexuality, bullying, social justice, intolerance, gender and class. You will focus particularly on the ways in which childhood and/or youth are represented in children’s literature.
The module will help you to think critically about the ways in which children and literacy can be viewed, and you will engage with recent research on this topic, in relation to child agency. The module focuses especially on emergent research about the value of recreational reading and reading for pleasure.

More information

PP0626 -

Changing Childhoods (Core,20 Credits)

You will engage in a critical analysis of the changing nature of 'childhood and youth'. You will explore contemporary 'childhood and youth' in the context of technological, societal and global change, and will be supported to engage in critical reflection upon the future ‘childhood’, through analysis of emergent themes and issues based upon contemporary research.

More information

RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

PP0419 -

Children's Voices (Core,20 Credits)

In this module your focus will be the ‘voice’ of the child. You will begin with a consideration of the current status of the child’s voice in policy and practice; you will then be encouraged to consider the challenges of engagement with children and young people in the many professional contexts in which this occurs; this will then lead to an exploration of theoretical approaches to helping which can be utilised to assist with this process. The module will provide you with the opportunity to begin to debate the status of children and young people in society. You will also be introduced to helping strategies which can assist practitioners in a range of supporting occupations, to help children and young people to find their voice and make it heard.

More information

PP0420 -

Child Development (Core,20 Credits)

The module aims to provide a broad foundation for the study of child development theories and perspectives, and how these relate to the child’s wider context of family, community and society. You will be introduced to the breadth of the discipline as well as the language / key terms used in the literature. Theoretical perspectives on children’s learning and development – physical, cognitive, social, emotional, communication and language, taking into account the holistic nature of child development will be central to your learning on this module.
You will examine a range of issues in relation to the developing child, with emphasis placed on the importance of observation. Through a range of teaching and learning strategies, you will be encouraged to explain and distinguish between the various theoretical perspectives involved in the study of child development and to identify the role of the adult in providing a safe and inclusive environment. Key themes around children’s development will be presented including; parental roles, the environment, the role of the professional, observation and assessment.

More information

PP0421 -

Children, Families and Schooling (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will explore the ideas about children and childhood that are constructed and embedded within families and education systems and consider how these might influence who children are, what they know, how they act, and what they become. You will study how children construct their knowledge and understandings about themselves,others and the world around them within diverse socio-cultural contexts and, indeed, actively seek to influence these contexts. The key themes of the module are: culture, diversity, identity and transitions. During the module you will be encouraged to: critically reflect upon your own experiences; identify, explore and theorise the values and principles underpinning different family styles and educational approaches; and engage productively with contemporary debates.

More information

PP0422 -

Social Policy: Children, Families and Communities (Core,20 Credits)

This module provides you with an introduction to the academic discipline of social policy, its key concepts and analytical frameworks. Social policy impacts on all of our lives in some way, this module examines the way in which social issues and policies impact on the well-being of children, families and communities in society. This will be achieved by examining policies that affect children and young people. Specifically, policies relating to safeguarding will be a key focus.

You will explore how individuals shape and are shaped by policy making and welfare practices as well as how social policy is organised, represented and experienced. The intention is to open up challenging questions about the policymaking process locally, nationally and globally both in the past and in contemporary society. The module will cover specific policy areas such as education, health and social care, employment and welfare as well as the development of welfare systems in the UK and Europe.

You will be introduced to key concepts in social policy such as social justice, poverty and inequality. The module focuses on key perspectives, theories and contemporary issues in relation to children, families, communities and social policy. It considers questions such as:

What is the relationship between children, families and the state?
How are children's lives influenced by social policy?
Why are welfare systems and services different in different countries?
What role does social policy play in supporting children, families and communities?
To what extent are our lives controlled by social policy?

More information

PP0423 -

Approaches to Learning (Core,20 Credits)

This module aims to provide you with formal academic induction across your whole first year of study, introducing you to the academic literacy practices required to perform successfully in higher education. The module will equip you to become effective, active, independent learners throughout the rest of your degree. It will enable you to recognise appropriate approaches to study in higher education and begin to develop the academic skills, qualities and competencies expected of students on the programme. The module has been designed to support you to recognise and debate key concepts of your degree by encouraging you to actively engage in discussion and debate to enable you to make-sense of the subject-curricula and discourse communities of childhood and early years and to develop your own standpoint. You will also begin to reflect upon your academic and career motivations, be introduced to the Careers and Employment Service and supported to engage in volunteering and other extra-curricular activities to enable you to begin develop key employability skills and attributes.
The module will illuminate how to use, at various points throughout the programme, the expertise and resources on offer in a range of formats via, for instance, the Northumbria Skills framework including Skills Plus.

More information

PP0424 -

Perspectives on Childhood and Youth (Core,20 Credits)

This module will help you begin to explore the concepts of ‘childhood’, ‘youth’ and ‘adulthood’ from personal, historical, and childhood studies perspectives, with a view to questioning the diverse, often contradictory meanings, assumptions, representations, values and attitudes which people - children and adults - attach to these words. You will reflect deeply on your own standpoint. You will be introduced to the concept of childhood as a social construction and will become aware of the range of perspectives on childhood, and the related issues, tensions and debates that exist within the field of Childhood Studies.

The module draws particular attention to the process of representing childhood and the ways in which the kinds of language and imagery associated with the idea of ‘the child’ and ‘childhood’ help shape social attitudes and practices towards children. As you progress through the module you will identify, discuss and explore multiple representations of children and childhood in the contemporary world, for example, in adverts, news items, films and your local environment.

More information

RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

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PP0538 -

Young People in Society (Core,20 Credits)

Throughout this module you will investigate the social, political, economic and cultural factors that have influenced, and continue to influence, the lives of children and young people in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This module will seek to explore the lives of young people through the consideration of a number of pertinent societal issues. Firstly you will critically analyse the proposition that there is a ‘discourse of difference’ in British society when considering young people. You will be asked to consider the extent to which young people are considered as ‘other’. To further develop this theme, the questions of how ‘youth’ is conceptualised within society, and in what ways these concepts are considered negative or positive, will be examined. A detailed exploration of key cultural, social, political and economic factors will support the informed discussion of these questions. In particular, the module will focus on the central issues of class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and inequality in the context of youth cultures and sub cultures.

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PP0539 -

Global Perspectives of Childhood and Youth (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will have the opportunity to investigate childhood and youth within a global context. The module will adopt a thematic approach to the exploration of issues such as war, work, health, and poverty, offering a range of theoretical perspectives relevant to the global experiences of children and young people across countries and cultures. You will also explore different research approaches commonly used with children and young people and will therefore have opportunity to explore how knowledge is created, debated and analysed. Your knowledge will be enhanced through the exploration of ethnographic studies of children and young people’s experiences as well as analysing the impact of social, political and cultural difference on concepts of childhood and youth, whilst gaining a theoretical overview of key skills in data collection and analysis related to research with children and young people.

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PP0540 -

Play and the Early Years Curriculum (Core,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about the importance of play and its place in the Early Years Curriculum. You will explore ideologies and practices as well as contrasting theoretical perspectives and approaches. In addition you will examine the place given to play within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) reflecting upon its appropriateness for young children. By doing so you will be able to identify and reflect upon the different roles that the adult plays in supporting children’s development and learning through play. You will also differentiate between interaction that is either supportive of, or a hindrance to children’s learning. You will learn about a variety of philosophical and cultural approaches from UK and abroad reflecting upon their contribution within the field of early years play in relation to the Early Years Curriculum. The module will address themes such as the social and cultural context of early years play and provision, the history of play, the contested nature of play, definitions and types of play, leading play, risk and the outdoors and exploration of approaches from different ideologies.

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PP0541 -

Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Childhood (Optional,20 Credits)

What will I learn on this module?

Building on your knowledge of child and adolescent development from Year 1, this module will help you understand and analyse psychological, psychodynamic and sociological aspects of wellbeing in childhood. You will explore contrasting ideologies, approaches and theoretical perspectives in relation to the topic. There will be a particular focus on children's social and emotional wellbeing and on how authentic relationships can support and empower all round growth, learning and development in childhood.
Being interdisciplinary, the module offers you the opportunity to reflect on how professional and personal beliefs, values and attitudes influence how practitioners from different disciplines and different cultures assess wellbeing in childhood, and how this may influence the nature of their working relationships with children and their families.

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PP0542 -

Professional Practice and Career Development (Core,20 Credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with an opportunity to further develop your employability and understanding of contemporary ways of working by participating in employability activities. You will gain valuable insight e of work settings, explore the roles and responsibilities of professionals and consider some of the challenges and rewards of professional practice, linking to key concepts in Childhood and Early Years Studies. You will reflect critically upon your experiences and consider how these have informed your career identity and contributed to the development of graduate attributes and employability skills.
Exploring entry routes and requirements of occupations through a range of sources (which may include direct contact with professionals) will further develop your research skills as well as develop and utilise networks to help you to enhance your employability. You will have the opportunity to undertake a mock interview in which you will be supported to reflect upon and verbally articulate your graduate skills, attributes and values.

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PP0543 -

Children, Young people, families and Substance Use (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about yourself, your attitudes and values in the context of children, young people and families and contemporary substance use. You will be given the opportunity to explore your own and others concerns around different discourses or big ideas about addiction: you will be introduced to a number of different theoretical frames or paradigms that will give you a sound understanding of substance use. You will also explore in detail some of the main theoretical and empirical ways in which substance use and its impact have been researched and understood by different theorists, in a range of different discipline areas. You will be invited to explore a broad curriculum of topics and concerns such as policy, myths around addiction, causal factors and determinants of use, safeguarding and parenting, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), gateway and normalisation, professional competences, as well as different interventions. You will be taught by a range of academics, service users and service managers during the module.

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PP0546 -

Developing Inclusive Practice for Children, Young People & Families (Optional,20 Credits)

You will engage with the key issues around inclusion and inclusive practice, specifically in terms of the marginalisation of children and their families, who are representative of minority groups, and the role of professionals who support such families.

You will explore topics such as the meaning of inclusion, integration and exclusion specifically in the context of age, gender/sexuality, impairment, poverty, economic capital, ethnicity and culture. You will also explore issues such as language, labelling and stereotyping and consider the potential benefits of labels in identification of need, risk and resilience factors. Furthermore you will examine state and organisational responsibility through legislation and policy agenda. Critically when studying this module you will engage in the process of reflective practice in support of inclusion.

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PP0547 -

Researching Childhood and Early Years (Core,20 Credits)

Building on research understanding and skills developed at level 4, this module will introduce you to key ideas, perspectives and activities in social research relevant to childhood and early years. You will develop knowledge and understanding about what and how things can be ‘known’ (epistemology), ways of seeing the world (paradigms), approaches and traditions in research (methodology), collecting or generating data (methods) and analysing or interpreting findings (analysis). You will learn about the key research methodological approaches and the methods used within them, going on to evaluate others research work before developing your own questions, methodology and methods. Finally you will appreciate how to relate each of these elements into a coherent proposal for research and you will consider relevant ethical issues that apply to your research. This module feeds directly into the level 6 module ‘Childhood and Early Years Studies Project’.

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PP0566 -

Promoting Children and Young People's Health (Optional,20 Credits)

This module will encourage you to explore debates about children and young people’s health. You will make use of a range of reading to develop knowledge and understanding of key theories, policies and areas of practice in relation to the promotion of children and young people’ s health. You will learn about a range of topics relating to different aspects of children and young people’s health and examine the complexity of health promotion strategies and activities in relation to issues of social inequality. You will consider the underlying principles and values within, and the historical development of, a range of health promotion strategies, and discuss the inherent tensions in promoting children and young people’s health. In particular, the module will encourage you to think about how health promotion practices might affect, change and even reimagine the relationships between children, families, practitioners and institutions.

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RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

PP0622 -

Childhood & Early Years Studies Project (Core,40 Credits)

Building on research understanding and skills developed throughout your programme and specifically in the level 5 module ‘Researching Childhood and Early Years’, this module will build on your knowledge, understanding and application of key ideas, perspectives and activities in social research relevant to childhood and early years. You will develop further knowledge and understanding about what and how things can be ‘known’ (epistemology), ways of seeing the world (paradigms), approaches and traditions in research (methodology), collecting or generating data (methods) and analysing or interpreting findings (analysis). In addition, you will develop a critical understanding of how to relate each of these elements into a coherent piece of research. You will also learn how to conduct research which will be subject to the ongoing ethical scrutiny and protocols of Northumbria University.

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PP0623 -

Young Children as Meaning Makers (Core,20 Credits)

This module builds upon your learning of child development theory at levels 4 and 5 and will focus on the young child as a maker and interpreter of meaning. You will consider the ways in which adults can support or hinder children’s developing skills and the extent to which cultural attitudes and government policy may impact on children’s freedom to express and communicate their feelings and ideas. It will immerse you in thinking about the development of young children as meaning makers and communicators. You will be encouraged to explore theoretical approaches to early language and communication and to evaluate critically where appropriate the effectiveness of approaches within current policy and practice to this important area of early child development. You will also become accomplished in applying your understanding of these perspectives through observations of children as communicators. Through this experience you will be able to analyse critically a variety of methodological approaches and theoretical stances within this discipline The module will address themes such as attachment and the importance of early interaction, the environment, the role of the adult, multi model observation techniques observation as a research methodology and report writing for a professional and parent audience

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PP0624 -

Leadership and Collaboration in Children's Services (Core,20 Credits)

This module will involve you in thinking about leadership and management in the context of children’s learning, wellbeing and safeguarding in community based children’s services*. The module has a particular focus on working with others who can contribute towards better outcomes for children and their families. It will help you to think about why community based services for children and their families exist, what these services are required to do (with reference to current policy agendas), and how leaders can meet the challenges of working together to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Generally, the module will help you think about the importance of self-awareness and reflection, skills for collaboration with others, and the practical implications of implementing policy on topics such as early learning, public health and safeguarding.

*The focus will generally be on ‘targeted’ services (such as Children’s Centres, Family Centres, outreach youth work or sexual health services), as opposed to universal (e.g. health visiting) or specialist (e.g. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

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PP0625 -

Perspectives on Children's Literature (Core,20 Credits)

This module will involve you in thinking about a range of modern children's authors and their work. You will develop an awareness of the ways in which children's literature can address challenging issues and themes, such as violence, sexuality, bullying, social justice, intolerance, gender and class. You will focus particularly on the ways in which childhood and/or youth are represented in children’s literature.
The module will help you to think critically about the ways in which children and literacy can be viewed, and you will engage with recent research on this topic, in relation to child agency. The module focuses especially on emergent research about the value of recreational reading and reading for pleasure.

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PP0626 -

Changing Childhoods (Core,20 Credits)

You will engage in a critical analysis of the changing nature of 'childhood and youth'. You will explore contemporary 'childhood and youth' in the context of technological, societal and global change, and will be supported to engage in critical reflection upon the future ‘childhood’, through analysis of emergent themes and issues based upon contemporary research.

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RV5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Nursing, Midwifery and Health; Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.

Childhood and Early Years Studies BA (Hons)

Home or EU applicants please apply through UCAS

International applicants please apply using the links below

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