Childhood, Youth and Education Studies BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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The Childhood, Youth and Education Studies BA (Hons) degree is designed for people who want to contribute to the learning and development of children and young people across a variety of educational settings.

Course option

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

UCAS codes

L591

Start date

September 2025


Course overview

A Childhood, Youth and Education Studies BA (Hons) degree can open the door to a range of rewarding areas of practice working with children and young people.

  • Our course offers you a flexible learning experience where you will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed to pursue a particular area of work you are most passionate about.
  • You will have the opportunity to explore important areas of educational practice, formal and informal, through in-class learning and practical work experience2.
  • Take the opportunity to engage in a range of exciting international and UK based educational experiences2.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

Investing in the education of children and young people is essential for the growth of individuals and communities that flourish. If you are passionate about achieving the best outcomes for children and young people and you want to learn alongside like-minded people in an innovative learning environment, then the Childhood, Youth and Education Studies BA (Hons) degree aims to both excite and challenge you.

This internationally focused course has employability at its core. You will learn from academics and practice collaborators who have collective experience across a range of study areas and practice.

We have designed this course to prepare you for a range of careers, including teacher training, youth and community work, family support and or social work.

You’ll have the opportunity to hear from a range of guest speakers (subject to availability) which have previously included practice experts in special educational needs, child protection, children and young people’s health and youth violence, or those practising in contexts such as youth work, pastoral care, social care or primary/secondary education.


What you'll study

Your first year will introduce you to key themes within the degree. You will begin to develop an understanding of some of the challenges faced by children and young people including safeguarding, exclusion and social justice. You will also consider the impact of digital media, technology and popular culture on children and young people’s development.

Modules

Your second year builds on first year themes, exploring the major disciplines of psychology, sociology and approaches to research within education. This also includes an introduction to professional experience spanning the first semester in a children’s and/or young people’s setting. Examples of work undertaken by previous students include teaching or SEN support within a primary school, pastoral and mentoring support in a secondary school, youth support work in community settings and play therapy within a hospital setting.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final years of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Your final year aims to prepare you for the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from years one and two. This includes a second professional experience placement2 as well as the special and inclusive needs of children and young people, and contemporary practices. You will also work on a dissertation in an area of your interest.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

The current teaching team is drawn from a wide variety of subject areas, such as psychology, education, youth and community work, which will help to enrich your learning experience by offering a breadth of professional perspective. In addition, the current teaching team hold academic and professional qualifications, such as teaching, youth work and social work including professional engagement with practice collaborators in the form of research activity and/or training and consultancy. (staff may be subject to change)

Upon successful completion of this degree, you will gain knowledge and develop critical and evaluative skills, as well as creativity and applied skills, through a structured series of lectures, tutorials, workshops, group work exercises (e.g. problem-based learning), independent learning activities, and practice-based modules2. These are designed to foster active and experiential learning experiences. These are designed to foster active and experiential learning experiences. As part of your course, you will be expected to show at least 100 hours of experience with children or young adults. Placements and experience opportunities will be sourced by yourself, with help from staff if required. You are encouraged to source a placement locally to help cut down on your travel costs.

We have also developed a range of interactive online resources and practical sessions, in groups and virtually using online documents, incorporating the ‘problem-based learning’ approach, where you, supervised and assisted by a tutor, seek solutions to real-life problems. Role play has been used as a tool to simulate live practice experience of safeguarding children and young people for example, participating in a simulated professional multi-agency meeting.

You’ll have the opportunity to hear from a range of guest speakers (subject to availability) to give you additional insight into educational practices when working with children and young people. These have previously included experts in special educational needs, child protection, children and young people’s health and youth violence, from a broad range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations within the UK and abroad2. These not only translate as opportunities for networking as communities of practice with practitioners, demonstrate working as a ‘multiagency’, but may also offer pathways for placement in settings otherwise considered restricted to social work or nursing.

All modules are supported by a virtual learning environment which supports student learning which houses the provision of all content related material and or links (weekly lecture content, reading lists, assessment support). This fosters an online learning community taking presence outside of the classroom and practice, whilst actively engaging students in a hybrid capacity.


Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 10 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods, to support and encourage application of newly acquired knowledge and skills to a variety of contexts. Primarily, this course is assessed by coursework which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

  • academic essays
  • reflective essays
  • a portfolio assessing placement
  • oral presentations
  • poster presentations
  • digital projects
  • research report.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

Teaching across all subject areas is informed by international perspectives, and each year you may have the opportunity to take part in an international field trip2. In the past, students have spent a week in South Africa, attending a range of settings in the Townships, including schools and youth clubs. On other occasions, they visited both Stenden University in the Netherlands and University of Graz in Austria. These involved visiting a range of educational and social care projects and attending local lectures to study and experience practice in an international context.

In your final year, your professional experience placement can be done within the UK or internationally2. We currently have contacts with a range of placement settings including schools, children’s centres and youth clubs across the globe, in places such as South Africa, Spain, New York-USA, Malta, Austria, Finland, and the Netherlands (subject to change).

We have also developed a range of associations with institutions across the globe which currently include: the University of Graz in Austria, Stenden University in Netherlands, Stenden University in South Africa, Newton Paiva in Brazil, Laurea and Metropolia Universities in Finland, Calabria University in Italy and Loyola College in India (subject to change).

Please note that all UK and international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 104
A level BCC, excludes General Studies
GCSE Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 4 / C including English and Maths
BTEC DMM
IB Diploma 27 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma to include 30 Level 3 credits at Merit or higher. Plus GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 / C or above

Students will be required to undergo a DBS check for all placements. Select placement opportunities may also require you to pass an advanced DBS check, but this is up to the discretion of the individual placement.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, you may want to consider studying this course with an international foundation year. Upon successful completion our International Foundation Year - Public Health will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to progress onto this undergraduate degree.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Students will be required to undergo a DBS check for all placements. Select placement opportunities may also require you to pass an advanced DBS check, but this is up to the discretion of the individual placement.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall, with at least 5.5 in each component area

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.


Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year
Not available
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip
  • any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

The Alison Gingell building provides facilities for teaching and research, featuring two full-size homes which can be used for workshops mimicking working scenarios with children, young people and their families.

Students participating in a role play scenario in the community house

Community houses

The Alison Gingell building features two full-size residential homes. Our students use these to simulate working scenarios with different client groups.

 

 

Students walking in and out of the library entrance.

The Library

The Lanchester Library has a team of dedicated academic liaison librarians to give you specialist help and support. You’ll also have access to subject-specific databases of journal articles related to social work, social sciences, health and education.

Academic support staff assisting a student at a reception desk.

Academic support

No matter which degree you’re studying, you’ll find a lot of support on campus, including the Centre of Academic Writing and sigma, which offers mathematics and statistics support.

 

 

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

The practical nature of the course means, upon successful graduation, you should have substantial placement experience, practical knowledge and problem-solving skills which will support a move into a range of different child-related professions or to study towards further professional qualifications, such as the PGCE if you would like to enter teaching, or an MA in Social Work if a career as a social worker appeals. There may also be opportunities to branch out into other postgraduate courses such as the Psychology MSc for those interested in pursuing Educational Psychology (subject to further training, application and registration which may incur additional costs and have eligibility criteria).

Past students who have successfully completed this course have had the opportunity to enter directly into a range of exciting roles in a range of settings. Examples of these include teaching assistant, play specialist in a primary school, SENCO, learning mentor, LAC (looked after child) advisor/advocate, youth worker, children and family support worker, children and young person’s case worker, children’s residential worker (therapeutic), as well as potentially setting up your own social enterprise.

Where our graduates work

Previous graduates have gone on to be employed in a range of practice settings including primary schools, children’s services, family support, residential care, youth offending institutions, alternative education providers and local and national children and young people’s charities.

Further study

You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

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