BA Childhood and Youth Studies
About this course
BA (Hons) in Childhood and Youth Studies, a degree in early childhood studies that explores the lives and welfare of young people. Core topics include research methods. Students complete a final-year research dissertation and a community-based project. The first year introduces academic skills, social enquiry, human development, and relation-based practice. Year two explores digital childhoods, policy discourses, and includes a work-related experience module alongside optional choices such as disability in society, addictions and society, and leadership and management in early years. The final year focuses on child protection and safeguarding, with further optional topics covering global contexts, violence in modern society, and youth justice.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
96 UCAS tariff points including 80 from at least 3 A-levels or equivalent. With Foundation Year: 48 UCAS tariff points including 32 from at least 1 A-level or equivalent.
What students say
Based on about 23 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 93%
- Learning opportunities: 95%
- Assessment and feedback: 87%
- Academic support: 90%
- Organisation and management: 98%
- Learning resources: 86%
- Student voice: 85%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 55 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 60%
- Gained a higher qualification: 19%
- Left higher education: 15%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 6%
What graduates do next
Based on about 25 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 60%
- Working and studying: 5%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 5%
Most common jobs
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 45%
- Teaching and Childcare Associate Professionals: 15%
- Teaching Professionals: 10%
- Welfare and housing associate professionals: 10%
- Sales occupations: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 75%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 70%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 70%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 65 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- East Midlands: 8%
- West Midlands: 2%
- East of England: 70%
- London: 8%
- South East: 11%
- Wales: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 45 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 55%
- A degree: 5%
- Other HE qualification: 25%
- Other qualifications: 5%
- No formal qualifications: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Bronze overall, Silver for student experience, Bronze for student outcomes.
Modules
- Research 1: collecting data
- Introducing academic skills
- Introduction to research and social enquiry
- Career planning for social scientists
- Narratives of childhood and youth
- Development in childhood and youth
- Relation-based practice
- Research 2: exploring data
- Digital childhoods
- Perceptions and discourses of childhood
- Work-related experience in childhood and youth
- Disability in society
- Addictions and society
- Living with mental health conditions
- Leadership and management in early years
- Child protection and safeguarding: the contexts of vulnerability
- SASS Change Maker project
- SASS Change Maker research dissertation
- Childhoods in a global context
- The lived experiences of children and young people in diverse family and social circumstances
- Violence in modern society
- Issues of childhood and social justice
- Youth justice, gangs and serious violence
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Childhood and Youth Studies at University of Bedfordshire earn?
The median salary is £24,000 after 15 months, £25,500 after 3 years, £24,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £16,500 and £37,500. The £24,500 median after five years is £2,000 more than the UK median for Childhood and youth studies.
What do graduates of BA Childhood and Youth Studies at University of Bedfordshire do next?
75% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2022-23).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Childhood and Youth Studies at University of Bedfordshire?
93% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2024-25.
What grades do I need for BA Childhood and Youth Studies at University of Bedfordshire?
The average entrant had 98 UCAS points.
How many students continue on BA Childhood and Youth Studies at University of Bedfordshire?
60% of students continued into their second year, and 15% left higher education.