Childhood, Youth and Education Studies BA (Hons) with foundation year

Study level: Undergraduate
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The Childhood, Youth and Education Studies 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.

Year of entry

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry) and
Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

L5DF

Start date

November 2024


Course overview

Our degree with foundation year could be the stepping stone you need to achieve your goals. The foundation year aims to prepare you for degree-level study and is a great way to build the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to succeed on your degree course.

Foundation year

The foundation year course offers an introduction to your chosen subject and helps you develop the necessary skills for degree-level study. In addition, you will also explore key skills such as research methods, scientific fundamentals and promotion techniques.

Degree

A Childhood, Youth and Education Studies 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 with children and young people you are most passionate about.
  • You will have the opportunity to explore important areas of educational practice, formal and informal, through both in-class learning and practical work experience2.
  • Get the opportunity to take part in a range of exciting international and UK based educational experiences2.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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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

Foundation year

  • Supports you to gain the academic skills required for degree-level study
  • Provides a grounding in key areas of health, education, psychology and wellbeing.

Degree

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 degree aims to both excite and challenge you.

Investing in the education of children and young people is essential for the growth of individuals and communities that flourish. This internationally focused course has employability at its core, and you can learn from academics and practice partners who currently collectively have experience across a range of relevant areas of study and practice.

We have designed our course to help prepare you for a range of careers, such as social, youth and community work, family support or progression to teacher training.

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.

No.16

Childhood and Youth Studies

The Complete University Guide 2023


What you'll study

The first year will introduce you to the key themes within the degree including childhood and youth in context, theory and practice of education and skills for working with children and young people. 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

The 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. The types of placements may vary significantly, reflecting the range of interests on the course, but you will have an opportunity to access a wide range of practical support and signposting to help you find the right placement for you2. 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 year 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 partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Year three aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from year one and two. This includes a second professional experience placement2 spanning the first semester, alongside highlighting 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, with the support of a supervisor.

Modules

The foundation year offers an introduction to your chosen subject and supports you to develop the skills required for degree-level study.

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 also hold academic and professional qualifications, such as teaching, youth work and social work including professional engagement with practice partners in the form of research activity and or training/consultancy.

The foundation year programme is focused on applied learning geared to high intensity teaching and study throughout the programme, requiring full commitment from students. The delivery of course content is a blend of lectures, tutorials and online mediums.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of a working environment.


Teaching contact hours

You can expect up 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.


Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as provide an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and may include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which generally take place at the end of each six-week block.

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 modules. These are designed to foster active and experiential learning experiences.

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 unique opportunities for networking as communities of practice with practitioners, demonstrate working as a ‘multiagency’, but 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

You will receive around 10 hours of teaching contact time per week. This is made up of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. You will also be supported by APT (academic and personal tutor), a student success coach and Vygo mentoring scheme. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study each week of approximately 12-15 hours depending on the demands of individual modules. As you progress through the course there will be an increased expectation for self-directed study as you have developed independent learning skills.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


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 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 third 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).


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

72 UCAS tariff points. All foundation courses require 5 GCSEs at A-C/9-4 including Maths and English, and at least one A2 level or a BTEC equivalent qualification.

If you don’t fulfil the entry criteria your application may be considered on an individual basis, taking into account any work experience, other qualifications and/or any training you have completed. Speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

For information regarding specific requirements, please fill in our request information form.

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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.

Got higher grades? Have you considered direct entry to the degree without foundation year?


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Foundation year

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £7,950 Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Degree

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Please note: UK (home) tuition fees for the degree course years will be charged at the current Coventry University UK (home) degree fee level. This was set at £9,250 for the 23/24 academic year.

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will 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.

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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

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).

Foundation year funding

In order to receive funding for degree with foundation year courses, you will need to complete a four-year degree programme which includes the integrated foundation year, otherwise you may be responsible for your foundation year fees. For further information, please refer to the 'Tuition Fee Loan' details in the 'Funding your undergraduate course' section of our 'Fees and finance' page.

*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.

**This course with foundation year is not currently available to international students. If you do not meet the entry requirements to directly join year 1 of the degree, please take a look at our International Pathways Programme for additional options.


Facilities

Our foundation years are taught at CU Coventry’s Mile Lane building, a short walk from the city centre. You’re part of the university from day one, so during your foundation year you’ll have access to the wider facilities at Coventry University. Once you successfully complete your foundation year, you'll transfer over to studying your chosen degree at Coventry University, where you'll be taught on campus in the relevant academic buildings.

Located on our Mile Lane campus, you will have access to our Library and Learning Services (LLS), fully equipped seminar rooms and IT suites4. You can also take advantage of reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, make use of sport centre facilities and receive full membership to Your Students' Union.

Two students walking outside with the CU Coventry building behind them.

Mile Lane

The campus is home to an on-site library with bookable one-to-one academic writing service and library support sessions, fully equipped seminar rooms, open-access study areas, a café and an IT suite. Our labs contain industry-standard equipment so that you learn using the same equipment as many industry professionals.

A student working in a booth in The Hub.

The Hub

At The Hub you'll find the Health and Wellbeing Centre, the Students’ Union and Square One (which provides entertainment from quiz nights to live music), the Spirituality and Faith Centre, Tank Studio, Careers Office and a fantastic food court.

External view of the Lanchester Library.

Lanchester Library

Coventry University’s Lanchester Library is open 24/7, 364 days a year and has 1,400 study spaces, including group and silent areas. It also currently offers more than 550 computers and an additional 120 free-to-loan laptops.

 

Teaching and learning take place in state-of-the art facilities on the main Coventry University campus near to the Hub, Students Union and library4. Extensive use is made of seminar and workshop rooms for smaller groups to facilitate active group learning.

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.

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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.

 

 


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 are also opportunities to branch out into other postgraduate courses such as the Psychology MSc for those interested in pursuing Educational Psychology.

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.

This course allows you to explore different avenues around working with children and young people, in order to have a better idea of exactly what you would like to do in the future, and with which age group you prefer working with/are better suited to.

Cristina Roberts, 2019
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