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Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education) at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Birkbeck, University of London

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of London

Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education)

Course options

2025 - 20262026 - 2027
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Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

28Jun
Birkbeck, University of London - Undergraduate open day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Whether you already work with children and young people or would like to work with them, our BA Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education) will prepare you for a wide range of jobs and help enhance your career progression. It offers you the opportunity to gain skills and understanding in how psychological theory and research can be applied to supporting children’s and young people’s learning and development more effectively. Why choose this course?

  • This course is ideal if you want to work with children and young people. You will learn about their development, mental health, emotional wellbeing, and how psychology can be applied to support wellbeing and learning.
  • It will allow you to explore how psychological theories and research can be applied to professional contexts.
  • It will also help you develop professional skills, as well as strategies and approaches that will be directly applicable in your work.
What you will learn Drawing on our expertise in psychological sciences, this course focuses on a range of relevant issues, including:
  • intellectual, social and emotional development
  • children’s mental health and wellbeing
  • learning and learning difficulties
  • communication and relationship building
  • special educational needs, inclusion and diversity
  • reflective practice.
You will study key issues in developmental and educational psychology, critically analyse theories and research, and explore how these can support your professional practice. Throughout the degree you will be able to select option modules to reflect your interests. In your final year you will produce an extended essay on a topic of your choice. How you will learn This course is available to study part-time in the evenings with some Saturday attendance in the first year. Our approach is highly student-centred with a focus on building your skills including through additional study days and workshops. You will also have the opportunity to reflect on your own career and professional practice, as well as obtaining valuable experience through a short placement. Highlights
  • Birkbeck is strongly oriented towards research in psychological sciences and we are home to the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, , the Birkbeck-UCL Centre for Neuroimaging and the Centre for Cognition, Computation and Modelling. We also recently became members of the Bloomsbury Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Statistics.
  • In the 2023 National Student Survey, Birkbeck's School of Psychological Sciences ranked 5th in the UK for teaching. We are consistently regarded as one of the top institutions teaching psychological sciences in the UK. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, and for the third time, we were ranked in the top ten universities in the UK.
Careers and employability On graduating successfully from this BA, you will have gained an array of transferable skills, including:
  • the ability to critically analyse and evaluate material
  • oral and written communication skills
  • independent and critical thinking
  • numeracy, problem analysis and problem-solving skills
  • knowledge and understanding of key areas of psychology
  • reflective and evidence-based practice.
Our graduates have progressed to a wide range of careers, including:
  • specialist support workers and special educational needs co-ordinators
  • learning mentors and family support professionals
  • nursery professionals and managers
  • school pastoral and wellbeing roles.
Others have continued their studies to master’s level or gained professional qualifications, for example, as teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, counsellors and psychotherapists specialising in therapeutic work with children and young people. Some of our graduates from this course have gone on to be employed in schools and nurseries, local authorities, mental health services and the National Health Service.

Modules

For information about course structure and the moules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Essays, including essay plans and an extended essay; case studies; research reports; critical analyses of published papers; class presentations; learning and reflective journals; and examinations. You can find more specific details of assessments on the individual module pages.

How to apply

To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

There are no formal IELTS requirements for this course and students undertake a written test prior to interview to determine their level of English. International students must also have a placement working with children or young people in the UK before their application can be considered.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome all interested applicants with and without formal qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. However, as a minimum, applicants must have: - a good standard of written and spoken English - a good standard of basic mathematics - basic computer skills - an active and ongoing engagement in the education sector working directly with children or young people (as a paid employee or as a volunteer) for a minimum of one day (six hours) a week, for the duration of the degree. - a workplace mentor (to support your reflective practice at work) Confirmation of your placement and mentor will only be required when you enrol. ALTERNATIVE ENTRY ROUTES The Certificate of Higher Education in Applied Psychology offers an entry route into the second year of this course.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £7145 Year 1
Northern Ireland £7145 Year 1
Scotland £7145 Year 1
Wales £7145 Year 1
International £13545 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education) at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS