Childhood and Youth Studies with Foundation Year

Make a real difference to the lives of children and their families on a degree course that combines up-to-the-minute theory with practical experience, providing you with a thorough understanding of the needs of children and young people in a digital age. Start by exploring child development and child welfare as well as the social policies and legislation surrounding it before choosing from specialist options, such as mental health, disability, SEND and youth violence, in your second and third years.

Foundation Year
In the Foundation year you will study three days per week. The focus will be on academic writing skills and numeracy, plus subject-specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree. It provides a balance between content related to your chosen subject and the range of wider skills required for undergraduate study. This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will be required to pass the foundation year in order to progress to the first year of your degree. This course is ideal for those who do not meet our standard entry requirements or those with a non-standard educational background. It will allow you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree in your chosen subject in four years.

Facilities and Specialist Equipment

• Four-storey library with extensive range of physical and digital resources.

• Postgraduate lecture theatres and bespoke group study spaces.

• Interactive learning opportunities with the use of case studies and our new, state-of-the-art simulation suites offering a range of relevant practice scenarios.

Partnerships and Collaborations

• Our strong links with local organisations, charities and practitioners open up opportunities for voluntary and work placements in the community. For example, our students have recently undertaken projects in local primary schools, family centres, youth centres and with the Youth Partnership Service.

Your Student Experience

• Learn from a staff team from a variety of professional and practice backgrounds including alternative educational provision; counselling and drugs support; youth work; community work; mentoring and coaching; safeguarding; early years; looked-after children; and relationships and sex education.

• Study alongside academics with on-going research expertise in areas including school exclusion and alternative provision; fatherhood and masculinity; and interventions to tackle harmful sexualised behaviours in schools.

• Make the most of opportunities to learn alongside students from similar subjects in some of your units, benefitting from the diversity of perspectives.

• As you progress in your studies, you explore more specialist topics in your second and third years.

• Take on accredited training leading to a Certificate in Safeguarding in your final year.

• Immerse yourself in our #SASS Change Maker initiative, which works with local charities, policymakers and influences to raise awareness of topical issues in society.

• Be able to recognise and challenge discrimination, oppression and inequality across a range of services.

• Benefit from our ‘Youth work community of practice’ hosted by academic team member (and MA course lead) Dr Tina Salter, where students and regional youth workers or service providers can explore issues around practice.

• Hear from leading guest speakers in our regular workshops and seminars.

• Take part in subject-relevant field trips to sites such as the Museum of Childhood.

• In your final year, choose from completing a research dissertation or a 100-hour placement project of your choice.