Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Childhood Development and Playwork

at Leeds Beckett University - City Campus United Kingdom

In today's media-saturated culture you’re never far from a story.  

As part of your course, you’ll:

• Understand the connections between the study of media and the study of English literature
• Evaluate a range of literary and media texts, forms and styles to learn how society uses narratives from the 18th Century to the modern day to make sense of itself and the wider world
• See how an interdisciplinary approach can offer fresh critical insights into contemporary issues like Black Lives Matter, poverty, climate change and Covid-19
• Identify and use research methods and analytical skills that are transferable to a range of graduate-level careers
• Graduate with a truly relevant degree and a real insight into how media and literature inform the cultures and societies we live in today

We celebrate students and staff with a true passion for the arts and humanities.

Through inspired teaching and intellectual debate, day-to-day interaction with award-winning authors, a rolling programme of media industry professionals, published lecturers and world-renowned researchers, we’ll nurture your passion by developing your creative and critical thinking.

We’ll open your mind to the wide range of opportunities to pursue a career you love, be it anything from writing and teaching, journalism and copywriting, business and marketing, to research and publishing.

As part of this course, you’ll:

• Develop knowledge of the origins, evolution and contemporary dynamics of policy making and challenges to it
• Gain in-depth understanding of public policy informed by current scholarship and research, including a critical awareness of current issues, theories and developments
• Study the concepts, theories and methods used in the study and practice of public policy
• Consider issues from a range of disciplinary perspectives
• Understand the implications of complexity, risk and uncertainty in policy-making
• Use a range of techniques and research methods and digital literacy skills to access, process and evaluate information
• Apply your knowledge with originality and creativity
• Explore how new knowledge is created and synthesised by producing a dissertation

Gain a comprehensive range of knowledge and skills relevant to business and management. This degree will help you excel in a wide range of jobs once you graduate.

As part of your course you’ll:

• Learn how to manage dynamic and complex organisations
• Develop an expert understanding of how businesses operate and build the skills needed to become a strategic and successful manager
• Gain the practical experience needed to impress potential employers
• Learn to understand business and management issues at both a national and global level and across a wide array of industries and sectors
• Put your knowledge into practice through in-class case study work, internships, study abroad and volunteering
• Enhance your entrepreneurial skills through active participation in national student competitions, such as the IBM University Business Challenge

 You’ll also engage with real businesses through live projects, chair discussions and guest lectures. Past speakers include the CEO of the London Stock Exchange, the Chief Executive of the British Bankers Association and the Chief Economist of Yorkshire Bank.

Gain the skills required in design, law, management and technology to become a chartered surveyor on this Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited degree.

As part of your course, you’ll:

• Study the design and construction of new buildings as well as the repair, refurbishment and management of existing structures
• Consider the historic elements of the built environment and discover how different aspects work together
• Learn how to maintain and enhance buildings that are important to our heritage
• Gain hands-on experience during site visits to modern developments and historic projects
• Develop your collaborative working skills
• Study software application and modelling tools

We have strong relationships with companies in the region and you’ll be taught by building surveyors. Visiting planners, architects, researchers and civil and structural engineers will deliver guest lectures and share up-to-date experience of their work in the field.

As a graduate, you’ll be eligible for full membership of the RICS following a period of approved professional practice. You’ll also need to complete a successful final assessment of professional competence by the RICS.

Gain the skills required in design, law, management and technology to become a chartered surveyor on this Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited degree.

As part of your course, you’ll:

• Study the design and construction of new buildings as well as the repair, refurbishment and management of existing structures
• Consider the historic elements of the built environment and discover how different aspects work together
• Learn how to maintain and enhance buildings that are important to our heritage
• Gain hands-on experience during site visits to modern developments and historic projects
• Develop your collaborative working skills
• Study software application and modelling tools

We have strong relationships with companies in the region and you’ll be taught by building surveyors. Visiting planners, architects, researchers and civil and structural engineers will deliver guest lectures and share up-to-date experience of their work in the field.

As a graduate, you’ll be eligible for full membership of the RICS following a period of approved professional practice. You’ll also need to complete a successful final assessment of professional competence by the RICS.

Explore design in the intersection between art, gaming and technology.

As part of your course you’ll:

• Apply the fundamentals of design theory to game art and related visual media
• Develop practical 2D/3D visualisation and compositional skills
• Establish your practice in the form of a personal portfolio
• Understand the application of critical studies in relation to game art and what is required when working on the production of digital assets within game engine and visualisation technologies
• Undertake personal, detailed academic and practical research in relation to your specialised subject area
• Validate your creative process through your dissertation and portfolio of work

You’ll engage with a series of stimulating summer projects before your course starts, designed to prepare you for first year of study.

Informed by an intellectually stimulating and challenging academic environment and developed in consultation with industry, including game studio and Rockstar Leeds, you’ll build a strong practical skillset focused on developing your creative practice.

Your learning will be results-driven, taught by staff with a wealth of experience in the principles, theory and application of design.  Our strong links with industry will give you opportunities to start building your professional network whilst you study.

Your attendance at annual events such Games Republic, London’s Vertex 2D/3D art conference and guest lectures by leading practitioners such as Disney Animator Aaron Blaise will give access to the world's best creatives.  

Specialist facilities:-
Within specialist facilities, software such as ZBrush, 3ds Max, Maya, Substance Painter, Adobe Creative Suite and HD screen-based drawing tablets, will provide you with the opportunity to reach your creative potential.

As part of this course you’ll:

• Understand the policy-making process and how it impacts everyday lives
• Look at why social problems persist, and explore what more can be done to address them
• Have the opportunity to explore the welfare state, the impact of globalisation, social inequalities, the complexities of making successful policies, and social and economic justice
• Have a choice of optional modules and a dissertation in your second and third years, which you can tailor to your interests

With our range of events and guest speakers, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in a rich learning environment that will prepare you for the career you choose.

Our careers advisors will be on hand to offer guidance and to help you recognise and sharpen your employability skills. This course will develop your transferable skills in team working, time management and written and oral communications. We value student support extremely highly. You’ll be allocated an academic advisor in your first week at university who you can contact to discuss any issue.

Build on your existing knowledge of finance and economics with a thorough examination of international banking and investment. You will learn about banking regulations across the globe and how economic factors can affect investment growth and financial stability. You will explore theories relevant to understanding current industry practices in the UK and further afield.

You will be taught by a team of supportive tutors, and you will be able to draw on their considerable industry experience in economics and finance, which includes consultancy work with the International Monetary Fund.

Complementing the strong international dimension of this course, you could find yourself working alongside students from around the world, sharing experiences, new ideas and different ways of working.

Your course is international in every sense - from the mix of students, to the backgrounds of our teaching staff to the course content itself - producing a multi-cultural learning environment to prepare you for the international employment market. Our highly-qualified and experienced teaching team also bring valuable industry backgrounds and contacts so you will benefit from an ideal blend of theory and practice.

You will specialise in either contemporary literature or creative writing. Taught in workshops held on weekday evenings, you will be able to fit your studies around your existing commitments.

Contemporary Literature
Specialise in researching contemporary literature. You will be introduced to a range of recent literary texts in English and develop an advanced, critical understanding of recent debates on the contemporary creative process.

You will be encouraged by expert tutors to develop your skills in close reading, creating and delivering presentations and formal discussions. Modules will explore how contemporary literary studies is a creative process, and will enable you to specialise in topics at the cutting edge of the discipline.   

Your independent project will enable you to experience the process of defining your own area of investigation and conducting in-depth research and writing.

Creative Writing
Study creative writing at an advanced level. From the outset, you will focus on developing particular expertise in the writing process, and the texts and theories you study will enhance your writing practice.

As part of your course you’ll:

• Study in a truly interdisciplinary way as you explore how history and media intersect
• Join the vibrant, research-led academic community in the School of Cultural Studies & Humanities
• Be taught by active researchers who can help guide your studies
• Have the opportunity to choose practical, career-focused option modules to boost your CV and improve your employability upon graduation 

Course structure
You’ll study a balance of history and media modules in your first year, helping you develop a strong skillset and knowledge of methodologies in each discipline. Things like source analysis and media interpretation.

In your second year, you’ll bring your skillset together by completing your first interdisciplinary module. You’ll also begin driving your studies in the direction you want through a wide range of module options.

Your third year culminates in the completion of your dissertation, which explores and celebrates the interconnections between history and media. Employability is embedded throughout your course.