Childhood & Youth Studies

This certificate will be attractive to anyone with a personal or professional interest in exploring different aspects of children and young people’s worlds and who wish to develop critical analysis skills. It is relevant for graduates working with children or young people who wish to advance academically and professionally or those with a background in childhood and youth studies; youth work; youth justice; sociology; health and social care; social work; nursing; anthropology; psychology; education and the voluntary sector including charities and NGOs. It also gives those not currently working with children and young people, the opportunity to move into the profession or move between professions.

Key features of the course
• Suitable if you already work with children and young people, or hope to do so
• Explores diverse perspectives on childhood and youth and strategies designed to promote their welfare
• Examines the links between theory and practice, with a strong emphasis on your own context.

This certificate is the first stage of a study programme that progresses to a postgraduate diploma and finally a masters degree. You can step off at any point, or study the whole programme.

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete this qualification is one year.

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:
60 credits from:
Module
• Children and young people’s worlds (E808) 60 Credits

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

For module details please see "Course Web Page".

You must have a bachelors degree from a UK University (or equivalent) to study this course. Your degree can be in any subject, although childhood and youth studies, sociology, health and social care, anthropology, psychology or education are particularly relevant.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

1 year

See Course Web Page link for next start date.

Career relevance
This qualification will be attractive to anyone with a personal or professional interest in exploring different aspects of children and young people’s worlds. It is aimed at those who are graduates and seeking to advance academically and professionally, as well as those with a related degree but not currently working with children and young people. It will enable those with a related degree but not currently working with children and young people the opportunity to move into the profession and will help those people considering a move between professions within the sector. It should also be of interest to people in a managerial or supervisory role, to senior members of the workforce, and those seeking to move into senior or managerial positions.

The content of the qualification will be particularly relevant to graduates working with children or young people for example in early years provision or with a background in childhood and youth studies; youth work; youth justice; sociology; health and social care; social work; nursing; anthropology; psychology; education and the voluntary sector including charities and NGOs. It will be of particular interest to those who have completed the BA (Hons) in Childhood and Youth Studies, BA (Hons) Early Years or Early Childhood, BA (Hons) Education Studies (Primary) or the BA (Hons) in Health and Social Care. You should ensure that you check entry requirements for specific professional areas before embarking on study.