Develop your knowledge, skills and confidence to work with children, young people and families, engaging with diverse communities, challenging inequality and transforming people's lives.
Develop knowledge of theories, concepts and principles related to children and childhoods
Study child development, therapeutic approaches and adverse childhood experiences
Put learning into practice by working with children and families on real-world placements
Apply theory, research and evidence as you develop as a critically reflective practitioner

You’ll be taught by academics with specialist knowledge and expertise in a range of areas – from psychology and early years to teaching and counselling. You’ll collaborate with your tutors to model and create inclusive teaching and learning strategies and environments, and be supported to challenge accepted ideas and practices. You’ll also be joining a wider learning community of students and academics across the Sheffield Institute of Education. 

You learn through:  

• Diverse learning, teaching and assessment methods
• On-campus lectures
• Guest speakers  
• Individual reflection  
• Peers engagement  
• Class debates  
• Group tutorials  
• Research-informed practice 
• Collaborative projects
• Real-world projects and placements  
• Opportunities to study abroad  
• Coursework-based assessment  

Key themes

You will explore topics including child development, mental health and wellbeing, therapeutic approaches, working with families and professionals, and adverse childhood experiences.

You’ll learn how to evaluate academic research, literature and policy while developing skills of reflection. You’ll also have chances to co-construct learning through dialogic teaching methods to improve the quality of classroom discussion.  

We focus on applied learning, with innovative teaching to help you engage in problem-based, active learning with enriching educational experiences. As well as understanding the current practice, you’ll have the opportunity to apply research to real-world projects – gaining great experience that stands out to employers.

Course support

You’ll be taught by a close-knit community of qualified and highly experienced teaching staff who take the time to get to know you. Throughout your time, you’ll receive personalised support, such as:

• Specialist Hallam tutors and placement-based mentors, to support your development across the learning experience
• Access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development
• Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
• Career support for up to five years after you graduate

Placements

As part of your course you’ll work with professionals and employers in a range of ways. In your first year, you’ll engage on campus with professionals from a range of settings and organisations. In your second year you’ll apply for a four-week placement in a setting that supports children and families across a range of education, health and social care employers.

You’ll have the opportunity to complete a year-long placement between your second and third year. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV. In your final year, you’ll work on an extended project tailored to making a difference to children and families within a particular setting.

Travel abroad

You may have the opportunity to spend time abroad as part of your course. After completing their second-year studies, previous students have travelled to Mauritius to work in a range of schools and settings – with funding provided by the Turing Scheme.

Live projects

Throughout the course you’ll complete work-integrated learning modules. Here, our Careers & Employability Service will help you find work with organisations and employers on a range of problem-based learning tasks and projects. 

You will also work with an organisation to critically review an element of their practice or a challenge they have. You’ll take responsibility for the process of reflection and review and completing a report to share your findings.

This course prepares you to progress into a career in: 

• Education 
• Family liaison 
• Counselling 
• Social work 
• Youth work 
• Mental health work 

Some of these careers require further postgraduate training such as the following Hallam courses: 

• Post Graduate Certificate in Education 
• MA in Education 
• MA in Art Psychotherapy Practice

 

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Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Module	Assessment
Children As Communicators And Thinkers	20	Coursework(100%)
Introduction To Children And Childhoods	40	Coursework(100%)
Learning To Learn	20	Coursework(100%)
Practice to Keep Children Healthy And Safe	40	Coursework(50%) Practicial(50%)
Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Module	Assessment
Play And Enabling Environments	20	Coursework(100%)
Responding To Childhood Adversities	40	Coursework(100%)
Elective modules
Autism	20	Coursework(100%)
Forest Schools	20	Practicial(100%)
Introduction to Counselling Skills	20	Practicial(100%)
School And The Curriculum	20	Practicial(100%)
Teaching English to Speakers Of Other Languages	60	Coursework(100%)
Trauma Informed Practice	20	Coursework(100%)
Working with Professionals	40	Coursework(100%)
Year 3 Compulsory modules
Placement Year
Final Year Compulsory modules
Global And Contemporary Issues	20	Coursework(100%)
Learning And Wellbeing In Childhood	40	Coursework(100%)
Project	40	Coursework(100%)
Working In Partnership With Children And Families	20	Practicial(100%)