Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology

How can we understand children, childhood and youth today? What influences children’s development into early adulthood? What roles do families, society and culture play? This introductory module offers fascinating insights into children's and young people’s lives. Through anthropology, sociology, childhood and youth studies and psychology, you'll explore themes including mental health, education, diverse families, global childhoods, adolescence, development, and children’s rights. You'll learn about the factors that shape children and young people’s experiences and their emotional, physical, intellectual, social and cultural development from birth to early adulthood. You’ll learn about these thought-provoking topics through audio, video and interactive online materials.

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

Browse qualifications in related subjects

Education, Childhood & Youth qualifications
Health & Social Care qualifications
Psychology & Counselling qualifications
Open qualifications

Module

Module code

E104

Credits

Study level

Level of Study
OU	SCQF	FHEQ
1	7	4

Student Reviews

I enjoyed learning about this module, However in some aspects I found it hard as this was a second topic...
Read more

I thoroughly enjoyed E104 and achieved a great result. It was more online-based than a previous module I had done,...
Read more

Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials

What you will study

This online module will be attractive to anyone with an interest in and concern for children and young people, including those who work with children and/or young people and who want to learn more about contemporary theories and research from a range of different disciplines that help us to understand children, childhoods and youth. The module draws on research and theories from childhood and youth studies and psychology. This interdisciplinary perspective is broader than mainstream psychology or childhood/youth modules. It is designed to introduce you to different ways of thinking about the influences on children’s and young people’s lives and their development. This module is divided into four blocks, each comprising 5-6 weeks of supported study. A 14-chapter book, An Introduction to Childhood and Youth Studies and Psychology (eds. Cooper & Tatlow-Golden, 2023), accompanies the module, and every student receives both a physical copy and a PDF.

Block 1 introduces childhood and youth studies and psychology. The units consider some of the complex influences that shape children’s and young people’s development, including their embodied experiences and how their lives are explored and understood through research.

Block 2 considers social and emotional development, spanning the development of the self (Or the answer to the question, ‘who am I?’); the role of diverse families in children and young people’s lives; the many factors that influence how we can understand and support children and young people’s mental health and psychological wellbeing; and the role of learning, schooling and education in children and young people’s lives.

Block 3 addresses aspects of diversity in contemporary childhoods and youth. It introduces ideas about the social and cultural ideologies of childhood and how these can affect children and young people’s lives. It considers core issues of disability, race, global childhoods with a focus on the global South, and gender in children and young people’s lives.

Block 4 discusses transitions and change in childhood and youth. The units consider children and young people’s new ‘hybrid’ digital lives as well as the transition from childhood and youth through adolescence and into adulthood.

In addition to the book, there are weekly interactive online activities throughout the module to support your learning. The audio and video resources have been specifically designed, recorded, filmed, and written to support the book and expand your insights. They help explain some of the key concepts and theories that the module teaches. They also include personal accounts from experts, parents, and children and young people themselves on important topics so that you can link ideas about childhood and youth with ‘real life’ issues.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You'll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module. They'll help by:

marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
providing individual guidance, whether that's for general study skills or specific module content
guiding you to additional learning resources
facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we'll make recordings available. While they're not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Future availability

Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E104) starts once a year – in October.

This page describes the module that will start in October 2025.

We expect it to start for the last time in October 2030.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Course work includes:; 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
: No examination

Entry requirements

There are no formal academic or other requirements to study this module.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Preparatory work

If you would like to learn more about childhood studies, we highly recommend reading Kehily, M. J., An Introduction to Childhood Studies (3rd edn, Open University Press, 2015). This book gives an excellent and very accessible summary of the field of childhood studies.

You may also wish to explore these free OpenLearn resources to prepare for this module:

Register

Start	End	England fee	Register
04 Oct 2025	Jun 2026	£3892.00	Registration closes 11/09/25 (places subject to availability) Register
This module is expected to start for the last time in October 2030.

Additional Costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

Ways to pay for this module

Open University Student Budget Account

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying. APR 5.1% representative.

Joint loan applications

If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.

As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.

Employer sponsorship

Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.

Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your module.

Credit/debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

Mixed payments

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).

Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.

This information was provided on 04/06/2025.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

be resident in England
have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

monthly payments through OUSBA
part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

You will receive a printed full-colour book, the E104 Module Reader, An introduction to childhood and youth studies and psychology. It has 14 chapters, one on each of the key module topics and an introduction to studying childhood and youth.

You’ll also have access to a module website, which includes:

a week-by-week study planner
course-specific module materials
introductory forum with FAQs and a way to connect with other E104 students your region
a bespoke forum for your individual tutor group
audio and video content
assignment details and submission section
online tutorial access.

The audio recordings, films, and designed activities in this module feature OU academics, experts and professionals from across the UK’s four nations and Ireland, and from around the world. They also feature children and young people, and those who work with them, from the UK, Ireland and internationally.

All resources and content for this module, including the Reader, are designed bespoke to support your learning, and are written by experts in the field. If you are new or returning to higher education, you'll find the online activities include integrated study skills to support your learning.

Computing requirements

Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying E104 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.