BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies Bachelor's degree at UHI
BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies at UHI. You will combine core theory and research methods with applied practice in real-world settings, and shape your learning through specialist options and an independent project.
About this course
BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at UHI, based in UHI Argyll,UHI Inverness,UHI Moray,UHI North West Hebrides,UHI Orkney,UHI Perth,UHI Shetland. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £22,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sociology & Social Sciences, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 60% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Culture, cognition and educationCore
- Introduction to health and social policyCore
- Introduction to the early childhood philosophy and practiceCore
- Nature of healthCore
- Sociology of the familyCore
- The enquiring studentCore
Year 2 15 modules
- Recognising and challenging discrimination and disadvantageCore
- Researching the social worldCore
- Working in partnershipCore
- Youth and global societyCore
- AdolescenceOptional
- Empowering communitiesOptional
- Exploring the urban and rural places, people and policiesOptional
- Health psychologyOptional
- Issues of care and controlOptional
- Memory and languageOptional
- Play and childhoodOptional
- Principles and foundations of health promotionOptional
- Providing a curriculum for lifeOptional
- Specialist provisionOptional
- The individual, society and the health continuumOptional
Year 3 14 modules
- Comparative childcare: a European perspectiveCore
- Ethical issuesCore
- Legislation and childhoodCore
- Literature reviewCore
- Acquisition of languageOptional
- Alcohol and drugs studiesOptional
- Developing professional practice through placementOptional
- Developmental psychology: birth to deathOptional
- Digital futures in health and social careOptional
- Healthy people, healthy places: challenges for public healthOptional
- Introduction to effective management and leadershipOptional
- Issues of riskOptional
- Promoting and enhancing parentingOptional
- Promotion of diversity and equalityOptional
Year 4 1 modules
- DissertationCore
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study how children and young people develop within families, communities and institutions, and how social systems shape their lives. A course like this typically begins with foundational sociology, examining class, gender, race and social order, alongside an introduction to research methods through interviews, surveys and ethics. In Year 2, you'll progress to social theory and data analysis, with applied streams in areas such as criminology, social policy, gender and identity, migration, and social work routes. Year 3 focuses on specialist options, contemporary debates in research-led seminars, and a dissertation where you conduct your own empirical or theoretical research project on a topic of your choice.
Who it's for
You are drawn to understanding how society shapes childhood and adolescence, and want practical experience working with young people. You are comfortable with qualitative and quantitative research, reflective writing, and the ethical questions that arise in practice. You enjoy linking theory to real situations and value the chance to direct your own learning. The course suits you if you want a degree that matters, one where you develop knowledge you can actually use in your career.
Careers & job market
Across Sociology & Social Sciences nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Starting salaries typically range from £23,000 to £30,000. Graduates in highly skilled roles or further study make up 55% of those in work. After five years, earnings for graduates in this field span £24,650 to £34,800. Sectors include youth work, education support, social work, and family services. Salaries and progression depend on role, location and employer.
University & format
This BA (Hons) degree is studied full-time over 4 years at the University of the Highlands and Islands, a university established in 2011 with campuses across Argyll, Inverness, Moray, North West Hebrides, Orkney, Perth and Shetland. Teaching is in English. The University of the Highlands and Islands is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your degree is nationally recognised. Bursaries and scholarships may also be available; check the university's funding pages for details.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 82%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Optional work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 60% |
| another higher-education qualification | 35% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Published UHI fee framework
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Sociology & Social Sciences graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £22,000 | £15,000 – £27,500 | 30 |
| 3 years after | £19,000 | £13,000 – £26,500 | 155 |
| 5 years after | £23,500 | £15,500 – £30,500 | 180 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sociology & social sciences · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sociology & Social Sciences nationally
National figures for Sociology & Social Sciences graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sociology & Social Sciences courses at the same study level.
Compared with 751 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Teaching and Childcare Associate ProfessionalsSOC 2020 323 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £20,261
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
- Leisure, travel and related personal service occupationsSOC 2020 62 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £22,297
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 40; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Sociology & Social Sciences graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Sociology & Social Sciences graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Local authorities
- Charities & NGOs
- Research organisations
- Government & universities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sociology & Social Sciences graduates.
Sociology AdjunctCommonwealth Of VirginiaSociology ECT - High-Achieving Secondary School in BrightonMarchant RecruitmentHead of Psychology and SociologyTeacherActiveIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Fees and funding
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Where graduates go
85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £22,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.7 out of 10: NSS 85.1% · in work or study 85% · continued 60%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of the Highlands and Islands
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Sociology & Social Sciences right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
Related courses
More at UHI
Sociology & Social Sciences at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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