Adult in a green sweater using a laptop while sitting on the floor next to a child holding a wooden stick, in a cozy room with a radiator and beige curtains.

Childhood Studies (Top-up) (Online), BA (Hons)

Expand your understanding of child development and professional practice to make a real difference in children’s lives. 100% online, self-paced study.

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Time investment: 1 year part-time

Location: Online

Cost: £4,758

Language: English

About this degree

Adult in a mustard yellow top holding a child in a striped shirt who is playfully wearing oversized eyeglasses, indoors with a plant and neutral wall in the background.

Deepen your expertise in childhood studies

Childhood is shaped by family, community, and society—and understanding these influences is vital for anyone working with children.

This online top-up degree helps you build on your existing knowledge, exploring theories of child development and their practical application in real-world contexts.

Designed with professionals in mind, the flexible format lets you balance study with work while advancing your expertise in the field.

Explore ethical, inclusive, and global perspectives

From safeguarding and confidentiality to diversity and inclusion, this degree challenges you to think critically about your professional responsibilities.

You’ll study modules such as Ethical Practice for Working with Children and Global Childhoods, broadening your perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing children worldwide. These insights empower you to approach your work with confidence, compassion, and a stronger commitment to equity.

Four people sitting around a table interacting with a colourful tactile object, with a projection screen in the background displaying diagrams and numbers in a classroom setting.

Woman kneeling and gesturing toward a young girl seated at a small table with colorful geometric blocks, in a room with toys and educational materials.

Conduct research that drives change

Develop the independent research skills you need to make a meaningful impact in childhood studies. Through methodology modules and a dissertation project, you’ll learn to analyse evidence, reflect on practice, and address complex issues affecting children and families.

By the time you graduate, you’ll not only have honed your academic skills but also gained the ability to influence practice and policy in your professional context.

Where you’ll be studying

Studying at Teesside University

Teesside University delivers 100% online, career-focused education designed to help you thrive anywhere in the world.

With a Gold rating (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023) and recognised for outstanding student experience, Teesside combines expert teaching with research that drives real-world impact.

Flexible and innovative, they offer online courses that fit around your life, empowering you to upskill, reskill, or take the next step in your career.

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Learning outcomes

See childhood through new lenses

Apply multiple theoretical perspectives to understand and support children and families in practice.

Explore the whole self

Examine child development in the context of family, community, and wider social and political environments.

Build on what you know

Consolidate and extend the skills and knowledge you gained in level 5 childhood studies.

Navigate ethical challenges

Analyse safeguarding, confidentiality, and professional boundaries using ethical frameworks relevant to the children’s workforce.

Additional information

Applicants are normally expected to hold an Edexcel or BTEC HND, or an equivalent Level 5 qualification, in any engineering or technology discipline.

If you’re an international student or English is not your first language, you’ll need to demonstrate English language skills equivalent to IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in each component. You can do so with one of the following accepted tests:

UKVI approved IELTS (Academic)
Non-UKVI approved IELTS
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – B2 and C1 tests
Pearson’s PTE Academic
PTE Academic UKVI
LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
TOEFL iBT
WAEC grades A1 to C6
NECO grades A1 to C5
SPM grades A to C
Kenya High School Certificate Grade C+ or Higher
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6
Uganda Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6

This course is delivered entirely online, and you’ll learn through a variety of methods, including lectures, seminars, guided discussion and assigned reading.

You’ll be assessed through a combination of exams, in-course tasks, project work, and verbal or poster presentations.

This degree prepares you for roles that support and enhance the lives of children and families. You could work as an early years educator, youth worker, family support officer, or child protection practitioner.

You’ll also gain skills in research, advocacy, and ethical practice, which are valuable for careers in policy, community outreach, or further study in social work and education.