Childhood and Youth Studies and Psychology

Highlights

Studying Childhood, Youth Studies and Psychology enhances your knowledge and understanding of the thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and many external factors that affect the lives of children and young people. Teaching is informed by internationally renowned research in diverse areas, such as children’s rights, family law, education, social care, inclusion, emotion, social behaviour, perception, and physical and mental health. Strong emphasis on employability: network with leading providers in children’s services, develop skills as diverse as filmmaking for young people and undertake short-term work placements.

Participate and conduct research to promote psychological wellbeing at all stages of life - via our student and specialist participant panels and online surveys, using industry-standard tools like Qualtrics and Pavlovia. You can study part of your course through the medium of Welsh, which could help you secure a professional career within Wales. Plus, a range of financial incentives are available for those students who would like to study part or all their degree in Welsh.

Our Childhood and Youth Studies and Psychology programme achieved 100% Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2025.

Course overview

This joint Childhood and Youth Studies and Psychology degree offers a fascinating insight into the social, educational, cultural, biological, and psychological factors impacting the lives and behaviour of children and young people today. Combining these two complementary disciplines makes an ideal study choice for those interested in better understanding, supporting, caring for, protecting, or representing the rights of children and young people. At Bangor University, we provide a multilingual, multicultural environment in which you are taught by internationally renowned staff at the forefront of research to promote physical and psychological wellbeing at all stages of life.

Our teaching team has expertise and backgrounds in psychology, sociology, children’s rights, linguistics, education, forensics, health and welfare. Their insight and experiences prepare you to listen to what children and young people have to say, adopting an approach that firmly places children and young people’s voices at the centre of discussions. This Childhood and Youth Studies and Psychology degree examines childhood and youth experiences from conception to the transition to adulthood, including children’s rights, adolescence, development, identity, and diversity.

It considers how different factors affect the human psyche, from our biology and physiology to sociological influences, including parenting, socialisation, education, and the impact of therapeutic approaches like mindfulness. We place a strong emphasis on developing your employability. Regular formal, and informal, peer-led oral presentations help build your confidence in public speaking, while educational visits and guest speakers give you a head start building and engaging with professional networks.

Past guest lectures have included a children’s TV producer who shared how techniques are used in both current affairs and drama-based programming to raise and address key issues that affect children and young people. You will have opportunities to undertake work placements or voluntary experience. Previous students, for instance, have worked as teaching assistants in schools and nurseries, for outdoor education centres and charities that support children and young people on a range of issues, from mental health to working with young carers.

Others have obtained placements with Public Health England, North Wales Women's Centre Ltd, CAIS Ltd and Health Boards (HBs) in Wales, to name just a few. Over the course of your degree, you will develop a broad range of specialist and general transferrable skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis, data handling, project management, and working and communicating with others.