Childhood Studies with Study Abroad

Childhood studies is the social science of childhood and adolescence, examining the lives, experiences and contexts of young people from birth through the teenage years. It asks questions that are fundamental to how societies are organised and what they value: what does it mean to be a child in different cultural and historical contexts, how are children's rights and welfare understood and protected, what shapes children's development and wellbeing, and how do education, family, peer relationships and broader social forces interact in children's lives?

At the University of Bristol this interdisciplinary BSc programme explores childhood from perspectives including sociology, psychology, social policy, health and law, with a focus on children from birth to nineteen years. You will examine issues relating to perspectives on and children's experiences of education, care, work, justice, development, health and rights, in both national and international contexts. The programme includes study abroad, giving you comparative perspective on how childhood is understood and organised in different societies.

The course runs over four years full time.

Graduates of childhood studies are well prepared for careers in social work, teaching, early childhood education, youth work, children's health services, policy and research relating to children and young people. The multidisciplinary grounding and research skills the degree develops are valued by organisations that need people who can understand the complexity of children's lives and bring evidence-based perspectives to practice and policy. Postgraduate study in social work, education, child and adolescent mental health, social policy or related disciplines is a natural further step for those who wish to develop specialist professional qualifications.