Childhood and Youth Studies

This is a Connected Degree

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview

Learn the skills and get the workplace experience you need to give children their best start in life – whatever their circumstances – on this Childhood and Youth studies degree.

You'll discover how factors such as the education system, youth culture and social media affect children's development. You’ll also have the chance to explore optional topics such as outdoor education, safeguarding and the role of play in a child’s development, and to focus your studies on a particular specialism - education and teaching, community and youth/family provision, or leadership and enterprise.

Develop the knowledge and skills to support children with special educational needs (SEN) and those from a care background, making sure no child misses out on the educational and development opportunities available to them.

After the course, you’ll be set for a career supporting children and their families in areas such as youth work, social care and education.

Course highlights

• Get at least 60 hours of experience working with children in your second year with the option of a placement year between years 2 and 3

• Learn from lecturers with diverse professional backgrounds – from youth work and policing to teaching and SEN

• Gain current insights from your lecturers’ research on themes such as child bereavement, the impact of the pandemic on education and the role of digital tools in supporting learning and wellbeing

• Develop relationships with potential employers through events and workshops with organisations such as an immersive theatre company and a charity that helps children develop life skills through sport

• Build a professional eportfolio featuring examples of your work – essential for standing out in the job market after the course

Endorsed by:

On this course, you can choose modules lead to the exit award BA Childhood and Youth Studies with Social Pedagogy. This pathway is endorsed by the Social Pedagogy Professional Association (SPPA), which means you can graduate as a "Social Pedagogy Practitioner".

This demonstrates that you meet the SPPA's Standards of Proficiency, which are central to developing relationship-centred, dialogic practice that supports children and young people, particularly those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged.

Careers and opportunities

There will always be a demand for skilled and knowledgeable professionals to work with children and young people.

As well as specialist expertise, this course helps you develop transferable skills valued by all kinds of employers, such as:

• teamworking

• leadership

• people management

• contextual communication

• self-organisation

• time management

• resilience

What areas can you work in with a childhood and youth studies degree?

After the course, you could work in areas such as:

• youth work

• social care

• educational welfare

• probation

• teaching (with further study)

• policing

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-childhood-and-youth-studies#modules

You’ll be assessed through:

essays
group and individual presentations and projects
examinations
a dissertation

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.

You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:

Year 1 students: 8% by written exams, 7% by practical exams and 85% by coursework
Year 2 students: 5% by practical exams and 95% by coursework
Year 3 students: 100% by coursework