Working with Children and Young People BA(Hons)

How this course is delivered

COVID-19 has changed everything. We’ve made some changes to the way our courses are taught to keep everyone safe and that will help you stay connected and involved in university life.

From the start of term in September, you’ll learn through a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that will provide lots of opportunities to interact and engage. Together with carefully managed access to libraries, labs, workshops and studios this means your studies are as collaborative, practical and flexible as possible.

Course structure

The Working with Children and Young People BA(Hons) is a part-time work-based programme, studied over four years.

The modular design of the programme enables you to reflect on your professional experience, to increase your awareness of current issues and practices and to develop your academic and research skills.

Typically you will:

• attend university for one half-day, twilight session each week as well as approximately one Saturday a month between September and May. This will not always be face to face at university; methods of learning include small group seminars, participatory workshops and online learning experiences as well as attending lectures led by experienced practitioners, tutors and researchers
• be supported in your individual learning and career progression throughout
• take on a series of structured work-related tasks and assignments, supported by an individual work-based mentor
• visit other settings and complementary learning environments
• conclude your studies with an individual extended professional enquiry of your own choosing.

Year 1

Modules

• The Practitioner as Learner

  This module is an introduction to studying at university and aims to build confidence in academic writing, reading and reflective practice. The module will help you to develop your awareness and understanding of you as a learner, the impact of social and contextual issues on your own and others’ learning and prepares you to meet the academic requirements of the course, including foundations for professional development and critical reflection on practice.

• Children and Young People’s Learning and Development

  This module will introduce you to key areas of learning and development for children and young people. Theoretical perspectives are considered in relation to your professional experience and via the construction of a case study enabling you to consider the inter-relationships between these areas. The implications for professional engagement are also explored.

• Understanding Barriers to Learning

  This module explores the nature of potential barriers to learning. You will consider key theoretical perspectives and models which underpin inclusive practice, key legislative demands and responsibilities and the nature and reality of a range of barriers to learning. You will examine the specific contexts where barriers to learning are identified and consider what underpins these.

• Informal Learning and Alternative Learning Strategies

  In this module you will explore informal learning and alternative learning strategies in the context of your work-based setting. Content will include a range of alternative settings.

• Professional Reflective Practice in Learning and Development

  This module will introduce you to reflective professional practice and enable you to develop your capacity to engage in informed, constructive reflection to support and develop your professional practice.

Year 2

Modules

• Relationships and Interventions with Children and Young People
• Group Work with Children and Young People
• Contemporary Issues for Children and Young People
• Safeguarding and Promoting Welfare and Wellbeing
• Further Professional Reflective Practice in Learning and Development

Year 3

Modules

• Equality and Inclusion
• Managing, Transitions and Change for Children and Young People
• Critical Perspectives on Personal, Social, Health and Emotional Education Interventions with Children and Young People
• Organisational Culture and Leadership in Children and Young People's Services
• An Introduction to Critical Perspectives in Education, Learning and Development

Final year

Modules

• Practitioners as Researchers
• The Professional Enquiry: Education, Learning and Development

Staff profile 

Dr Jane Melvin
Dr Jane Melvin is a Principal Lecturer and Programme Leader for the Undergraduate Work-based Learning Programme at the University of Brighton.

Jane is also Vice-Chair of the Professional Association of Lecturers in Youth and Community Work and an author, contributing chapters to recent youth work and children’s workforce texts and resources within the UK, Europe and the Commonwealth.

With over 25 years’ experience in both local authority and voluntary sector youth services, Jane came into youth work through outdoor education.

Her research interests now centre on the use of digital technologies as a vehicle for engaging young people in informal and experiential learning, and her current focus explores ideas of ‘digital space and place’ and their relationship to youth work practice.

Find out more about Dr Jane Melvin.

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Course fees

Concerned about university fees?

You do not need to pay tuition fees upfront. If you are a UK or EU undergraduate student studying for the first time, you can apply for funding from the government to cover these. Once you leave university, you will only repay the loan if you earn above a certain amount. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan for living costs. Find out more about student finance for part-time students.

Money Saving Expert take you through the system and explain what you’ll really pay to study as a part-time student.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Education are listed here.

• You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
• In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget approximately £30 for printing.
• For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your travel expenses but you may be able to claim some travel costs back from the university, depending on where your placement is in relation to where you live.
• Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £150 to buy your own copies
• You may wish to consider budgeting up to £25 for stationery/teaching materials.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

Where UK/EU students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

Visit our advice for part-time students page. If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

Local area

Campus where this course is taught

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