Course summary
Are you interested in how children and young people learn? Do you want to know more about their development, mental health, emotional wellbeing, and how psychology is applied to learning and teaching? Whether you already work with children and young people or would like to work with them, the BA Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education) at Birkbeck will prepare you for a wide range of jobs and career progression. This degree will give you significant skills and understanding in how psychological theory and research can support children more effectively. Drawing on our expertise in psychological sciences, you will focus on issues of relevance to professionals working with children and young people, including:
- intellectual, social and emotional development
- mental health and wellbeing
- learning and learning difficulties
- communication and relationship building
- special educational needs, inclusion and diversity
- reflective practice.
- This BA Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education) will equip you with knowledge and a critical appreciation of contemporary psychological theory and research, and key issues in educational and developmental psychology.
- The degree is unique in its highly applied focus, allowing you to explore how psychological theories (especially in educational psychology) can benefit both teachers and students. It will support you to develop your skills as a professional and to develop strategies and approaches that will be directly applicable in your work with children and young people.
- You will have access to extensive support as part of your lectures and through additional study days and workshops.
- Our graduates have successfully progressed to a wide range of careers, including specialist support workers, learning mentors, family support professionals, nursery managers, pastoral managers and Special Educational Needs coordinators. 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.
- Birkbeck is strongly oriented towards research in psychological sciences and we are home to the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues, the Birkbeck-UCL Centre for Neuroimaging and the Centre for Cognition, Computation and Modelling.
- 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.
- mentors
- family support workers
- behaviour specialists
- primary or early years teachers.
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
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
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
Provider information
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street
Bloomsbury
London
WC1E 7HX
Course contact details
Visit our course pageBirkbeck Student Advice Service
0203 907 0700