Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education)

Modules and Teaching

• Starting in October 2026

  • Four years part-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: six compulsory modules, including an uncredited study skills module, and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: five compulsory modules and one Level 5 option module
    • Year 3: two compulsory modules, two Level 5 and two Level 6 option modules
    • Year 4: a core and a compulsory module, and three Level 6 option modules

    Year 1 compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Year 2 compulsory modules

    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology

    Year 3 compulsory modules

    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development

    Year 4 core and compulsory modules

    • Psychology for Education
    • Theoretical Dissertation

    Year 1 option modules - Level 4

    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice

    Year 2 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Your Career Development

    Year 3 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Micro-placement
    • Neuroscience
    • Social Psychology

    Year 3 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Qualitative Research in Psychology

    Year 4 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Qualitative Research in Psychology

• Starting in October 2027

  • Four years part-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: six compulsory modules, including an uncredited study skills module, and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: five compulsory modules and one Level 5 option module
    • Year 3: two compulsory modules, two Level 5 and two Level 6 option modules
    • Year 4: a core and a compulsory module, and three Level 6 option modules

    Year 1 compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Year 2 compulsory modules

    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology

    Year 3 compulsory modules

    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development

    Year 4 core and compulsory modules

    • Psychology for Education
    • Theoretical Dissertation

    Year 1 option modules - Level 4

    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice

    Year 2 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Your Career Development

    Year 3 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Micro-placement
    • Neuroscience
    • Qualitative Research Methods
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Psychology

    Year 3 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity

    Year 4 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity

• Teaching

  We encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching to help ensure you have the best learning experience and provide a range of different modes of learning to help you juggle study with work and other commitments.

  Find out more about our teaching and teaching hours.

  What are the methods of teaching?

  The course includes a number of learning and teaching methods offering you a variety of learning opportunities including lectures, seminars, small-group work and a supervised extended essay reviewing relevant literature.

• How will I be assessed?

  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.

  Please see individual modules for more details.

  Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

Entry Requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of your qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. However, as a minimum, you must have a good standard of written and spoken English and a good standard of basic mathematics.

Suitability for admission will be assessed on the basis of your application and all applicants will be interviewed. You can also take a written test of your English and mathematics skills if you do not possess previous qualifications in these subjects.

• Part-time study

  For part-time study our standard requirements are a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.

• Alternative entry routes

  The Certificate of Higher Education in Applied Psychology offers an entry route into the second year of this course.

• What are the English language requirements?

  If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

  If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.

  Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

• What are the visa and funding requirements?

  If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

  The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

  • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
  • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

  International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).

  As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.

  For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

  Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

  Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

• Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

  If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

Fees

• Birkbeck's Lifelong Learning Guarantee

  If you've studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a reduction on the tuition fee of this course.

• Tuition fees and maintenance loans

  Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don't have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.

  Maintenance loans are also available for eligible full-time and part-time UK students, to help cover living costs, such as accommodation, food, travel, books and study materials. The amount you receive is means-tested and depends on where you live and study and your household income.

  Find out more about tuition fee and maintenance loans, and the financial support available to help with your studies at Birkbeck. 

• Am I eligible for a loan if I've previously studied?

  You can apply for a government tuition fee loan for the four- and six-year part-time routes even if you already have a degree or a qualification at an equivalent or higher level (ELQ).

  Find out more about government tuition fee loans and ELQ-exempt courses.

• Can I apply for an international scholarship?

  We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. View Birkbeck's available scholarships.

Careers and employability

On graduating successfully from this BA Psychological Studies (Child Development and Education), you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate material
• effective oral and written communication skills
• independent and critical thinking
• numeracy, problem analysis and problem-solving skills
• knowledge and understanding of key areas of psychology and applied psychology
• reflective and evidence-based practice.

Our graduates have progressed to a wide range of careers, including:

• specialist support workers and special educational needs co-ordinators
• learning mentors and family support professionals
• nursery professionals and nursery managers
• school pastoral and wellbeing roles.

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 specialising in therapeutic work with children and young people. 

Some of our graduates from this course have gone on to be employed in schools and nurseries, local authorities, mental health services and the National Health Service.

Student Support

How to Apply

• How do I apply to study full-time (UCAS entry)?

  If you are applying for a full-time undergraduate course at Birkbeck you apply through UCAS. Use the Apply now button on this course page which will direct you to UCAS. There you will be prompted to sign in and create an account. You will have to give UCAS a few personal details, including your name, address and date of birth, and then you can start working on your application.

  The first UCAS deadline is in January, and the majority of university applications through UCAS are made by then. Find the exact deadline date on the UCAS website. We welcome applications outside of the UCAS deadlines, so you can still apply through UCAS after the January deadline, depending on the availability of places. We also take late applications via the UCAS Clearing system in August.

• How do I apply to study part-time?

  If you are applying for a part-time undergraduate course (usually four or six years), you apply directly to Birkbeck online by using the Apply now button. You will need to prove your identity when you apply.

  Please note that online application opens in September.

• When should I apply?

  You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

  You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

• How can I get help with my application?

  Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

  Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

• International agents

  If you are an international agent applying to Birkbeck on behalf of an international student, please use Birkbeck's agent portal.