Course summary

• Develop a career working with children and young people from 0-19.
• Select modules that reflect your specific interests and career aims.
• Complete placements each year – and even a placement year.
• Learn from experts in social work, healthcare, teaching, playwork, psychology and research with children and young people.

This course introduces you to contemporary research in childhood and youth, including diverse experiences in educational, community and family contexts. You’ll prepare for highly skilled careers – such as teaching and mentoring, working with children with special educational needs and alternative provision, playwork and play therapy, pastoral support and children’s social care and social work.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

The teaching on this course emphasises experiential learning and real-life problem solving – helping you to make the links between academic study and future employment. Key areas include children and young people's mental and physical health and wellbeing, the experience of difference, safeguarding and protection, development and education, children’s rights, relationships with peers and community participation.

You learn through

• self-managed learning tasks
• group learning tasks
• lectures and mini lectures within seminars
• seminars
• peer-group discussion
• mini projects and independent research
• workshops
• placement tasks and reflections using e-portfolios
• peer feedback and evaluation of individual and joint tasks
• work placements and work-based learning

The course reflects the most current developments in research and practice with children and young people – embedding these into taught modules and work-based learning. You’ll focus on promoting positive mental health in children, trauma-informed approaches to working with children, the benefits of outdoor play, and children’s participation and online safety in digital worlds.

Course leaders and tutors

Ester Ehiyazaryan-White

Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies

Staff profile for Ester Ehiyazaryan-White Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies

• LinkedIn

Applied learning

Work placements

You’ll complete work placements to explore the different career paths you might like to work in. They’re available in every year of the course – with the option to undertake a year in placement as well.

You’ll have opportunities to attend placements in a variety of settings, working with children across the 0-19 age range. You can gain experience in schools, special schools, children and young people’s charities, youthwork, alternative educational provision settings, health settings and forest schools.

Future careers

There’s the potential for a broad range of employment opportunities – many of which will be easier to access due to the course’s focus on 0-19 years. (Some of these opportunities will require additional training and qualification.)

This course prepares you for a career in

• education
• teaching
• social work
• working with children, young people and families
• youth work
• health

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for

• primary schools
• special schools
• forest schools
• education mental health practice
• school pastoral care management
• social work
• colleges and universities
• local councils
• community sports centres
• hospitals
• community centres
• community organisations
• third sector organisations
• children's charities
• nurseries and pre-schools*

All students gaining an honours degree are guaranteed an interview for a Hallam PGCE course – subject to terms and conditions. You’d need GCSE grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and mathematics and science, or equivalent, and usually a 2.2 degree or above. You’d also need to successfully complete the Professional Skills Tests in numeracy and literacy – as designated by the Department for Education.

* Are you aiming to work in nurseries and pre-schools? If so – after completing the Childhood Studies degree – you’ll also need to successfully complete the one-year fully-funded PGCE with Early Years Teacher Status, which qualifies you to work as an early years practitioner.

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | Campus facilities | Keeping safe on Campus

Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

Get directions

Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

Learn more

Entry requirements

Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Fees and funding

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.