Child and Family Studies BA

This top-up degree is designed for people working or volunteering with children, young people and families, who are keen to develop a deeper understanding of their work.

Building on your Foundation Degree or previous experience, the degree focuses on the interaction between professional practice, work-based research and current policy within the sector.

You’ll consider theoretical perspectives and approaches along with the key professional and policy developments within the sector. The emphasis on reflective practice will help foster a deeper understanding of your own professional development and the impact on your practice of the professional standards framework. Work experience and continuing engagement with your workplace are key elements of the course.

Our Child and Family Studies BA can help you develop in your present employment or access a diverse range of careers, including primary school teaching, social work, youth work and other family services through postgraduate progression routes.

The course runs one afternoon or evening a week so you can fit in study alongside your work and other commitments.

If you're interested in studying full-time you may also be interested in the Child and Family Studies specialist pathway available through our Professional Studies BA degree.

Additional support

Part-time study allows you to fit study alongside work and family commitments. You’ll be taught by friendly, supportive staff in the Lifelong Learning Centre experienced in working with adult learners and with substantial professional experience in the sector. We know that many mature and part-time students face unique challenges, including balancing academic study with family and employment commitments. For that reason, the Lifelong Learning Centre provides specialist guidance, advice and support to mature and part-time students, from pre-application right through to graduation and beyond.

Flexible study times enable you to choose to attend classes either one afternoon or one evening a week, depending on which fits best with your other commitments.

This top-up degree will build on the learning outcomes of the Foundation Degree Child and Family Studies and your professional experience. The core modules will cover leadership and management, contemporary issues and debates, advanced work-based learning and research methods. In your final year you'll focus on your dissertation.

You’ll examine theoretical approaches to leadership and management in the public sector, and develop your ability to reflect on, and analyse, what’s happening around you, both in the workplace and in your personal life. You’ll also consider, from an in-depth theoretical perspective, areas of contemporary policy, such as restorative practice, leading you to better understand current demands on the workforce. In preparation for your final year research, you’ll deepen your understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods in social science.

In your final year, you’ll undertake a piece of independent research, supported by a tutor who has knowledge and understanding of the practice, theory and research relating to the topic you have chosen. You’ll learn how to conduct research to sound ethical standards, choose and apply appropriate methodologies and write up your findings in a 10,000-12,000 word dissertation.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Child and Family Studies BA in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Discovery modules

Throughout your degree you will benefit from a range of opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside or within your subject area.

This course gives you the opportunity to choose from a range of discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Find out more about discovery modules on our Broadening webpages.

Learning and teaching

Teaching is imaginative and supportive to make sure that you are intellectually stretched and helped to become an independent inquirer. Group sizes are small enabling you to engage actively and be well supported.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Assessments are varied and include essays, projects, case studies, individual and group presentations and posters. This wide range gives you the opportunity to work to your strengths and to gain skills in different forms of expression.

Entry requirements

GCSE: English and Maths grade C/4 or equivalent.

T Levels will be considered on a case by case basis.

Other course specific tests:

A Foundation Degree, Diploma in Higher Education or equivalent qualification in Child and Family Studies or a similar discipline.

OR

A qualification at NVQ Level 4 with at least two years experience in a senior post working with children, young people or families evidenced through a portfolio of work and an extended piece of writing (to be set after interview).

AND

Applicants must also be engaged in relevant work (paid or voluntary) with a minimum 4 hours contact each week.

If you are a mature student, or want to study part-time the Lifelong Learning Centre offers a free, confidential and impartial pre-entry guidance service. Our experienced staff can also talk to you about how you might meet the entry criteria and what support may be available to you. Contact the Lifelong Learning Centre for more information.

• Access to HE Diploma

  60 credits overall, with 45 grades credits at Level 3 of which 30 must be at Merit and 15 at Pass.

Alternative entry

Alternative entry scheme for Mature applicants

If you are a mature applicant (over 21 at the point of entry) and you don't have the required GCSE qualifications you can complete our Alternative Entry Scheme (subject to meet the eligibiity for the Scheme). As part of this you may be asked to take tests in English and maths. Contact the Lifelong Learning Centre for more information.

How to apply

For guidance on applying to a Lifelong Learning Centre course, visit out admissions guidance page.

Apply to this course through the Lifelong Learning Centre.

We will treat all applications individually. We'll take into account an applicant's life experience and the circumstances in which they have gained prior qualifications and we encourage you to cover these things in your personal statement. Your application will be reviewed by the Admissions team, and if you’re successful you’ll be invited to an interview which will involve a written task.

Once you’re made an offer you’ll be asked to engage with KickStart. This is a pre-entry programme designed to ease your move into studying at the University of Leeds. You’re welcome to contact us for further information.

Admissions policy

Lifelong Learning Centre Admissions Policy 2023

Fees

UK: See fees section below

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2022/23
For UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2022/23 the fee will be £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students for 2023/24 have been agreed by the UK Government and will remain at the current fee level of £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 should be available on individual course pages from September 2022.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

You will study at 67% intensity (80 credits) in year 1. Fees for 2021/22 are £6,167 (67% of £9,250). In year 2 you will study at 33% intensity (40 credits) and the fee will be calculated at 33% of the full-time fee agreed for that year.

There are no upfront fees to pay. All eligible students are able to borrow the entire cost of tuition fees making study free at the point of entry, with good repayment terms. You are eligible if you are studying for 30+ credits per year on a programme which is at a higher level than any qualification already held. Previous study in Higher Education may affect your eligibility.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Depending on your circumstances, non-repayable financial support is available from the Leeds Financial Support scheme.

This course provides you with skills that can help you develop in your present employment or access a diverse range of careers, including primary school teaching, social work, youth work and broader family services through postgraduate progression routes.

Successful students often stay within their organisations but are more likely to progress to managerial positions. Other graduates have taken roles in quality assurance, child-minding support and at OFSTED, or progressed to postgraduate qualifications leading to careers in teaching or social work.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.