10 Child Psychology Courses In UK

Teaching is not the only way to be involved in the healthy development of children. You could get a degree in child psychology and help tackle problems, as well as be involved, in the development process of children. In this blog post, you will find varieties of child psychology courses in the UK that you can enroll in and kick start an explosive career in the psychology field.

Child psychology is one of the branches of psychology and an important aspect too because children are the future, right? And the way they are shaped influences the decision they will make throughout their lifetime, which in turn, affects their respective communities, societies, and the world at large.

Children are often and easily misunderstood and the things that go on around their environment greatly influence and affect them throughout their life, whether good or bad. However, thanks to expert child psychologists, they are able to understand kids better than regular people, give them a voice to express themselves, and shape them up to become good and responsible members of society.

If you have always been passionate about helping children or involved in their growth process then you may want to consider careers in social care, teaching, pediatrics, and child psychology. There are some free online courses on social work and more health and social care courses that you can enroll in from the comfort of your home if you want to become a social worker and help kids from that space.

And for the ones who want to go into teaching to help kids, then a teaching degree is what you should get in order to kick start a successful career in the field. You will also need a degree to become a pediatric nurse if you decide to follow this route in caring for children.

Aspiring child psychologists must also have, at least, a master’s degree from an accredited institution and be licensed by the state to start practicing. I will show you how to achieve all of these in this post, keep reading.

While there are thousands of universities scattered across the globe offering cutting-edge degree programs in child psychology, we have pin-pointed or narrowed it down to just the ones in the UK. In this article, you will find some of the child psychology courses in UK, the schools offering the program, and other vital information that will help you make decisions on where you’d be applying.

But before we dive into that, you may want to take a look at some of the websites where you can teach English and earn money or start looking for scholarships that will support the cost of your degree. We also have a wide range of articles discussing and giving important details about the best cosmetology schools and top online colleges in different parts of the US and other parts of the world.

Back to the main topic but before we proceed let’s take a moment to see the meaning of child psychology.

What is Child Psychology?

Child psychology is also known as Developmental Psychology and according to Wikipedia, it is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. And according to WWMG, child psychology is the study of the subconscious and conscious childhood development.

As I mentioned earlier, child psychology is one of the branches of psychology. It is a study that focuses on the mind and behavior of children from parental development through adolescence, dealing with how children grow physically, mentally, emotionally, as well as, social development.

As a child psychologist, your expertise will be provided to children and adolescents up to the age of 25 with their families and carers to assess and treat psychological difficulties.

How To Become A Child Psychologist in UK

An academic degree, from master’s and above, is among the requirements to become a child psychologist. It is a branch of medicine and you already know how tough it is to get into any medical field. So, to get into a child psychology program in the UK, you have to possess excellent academic performance and critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as other qualities.

There are certain tests and assessments that universities set up for aspiring candidates who want to pursue a degree in child psychology. The test will measure your performance before you are accepted into the program.

Here are the steps to becoming a child psychologist in UK:

  • Complete A Related Bachelor’s Degree Program

Although there is no bachelor’s program in child psychology which is why you have to go for a related course to start building a foundational knowledge of the profession. You may choose to pursue an undergraduate degree in psychology, sociology, nursing, social work, or counseling, this also increases your chances of getting accepted into the master’s program to study child psychology.

  • Enroll Into A Graduate Program

When you have completed and earned your bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling, or a related program you can now go on to apply for a graduate program to specialize in child psychology. You will first earn a master’s degree to work as a mental health counselor but you won’t be able to conduct psychological testing, you will need to earn a Ph.D. in order to work as a licensed psychologist.

A master’s degree takes 2 years of full-time coursework to complete the whole Ph.D. takes 3-6 years to complete. In your doctoral programme, your study will focus on child development and clinical child psychology.

  • Complete The Training Program or an Internship

As part of your graduate program, you will take up training or internship roles to get equipped with real-life skills as a child psychologist. This training or internship will be a hands-on clinical practice under the supervision of a licensed child psychologist.

It takes about 4 years of full-time study to complete and it encompasses teaching, personal psychoanalysis, and a salaried training post in a Child and Adolescent Mental Service (CAMHS).

There are 5 of these training centers in the UK. Two are situated in London and the others in Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow. Through this internship program, you will be able to apply your knowledge and offer experience creating treatment plans and assessing patients.

Another benefit of this internship is that you get to work closely with industry professionals and when you want to get a job, they can give you strong recommendations and/or reference letters as well as refer you to job offers. After completing your internship, you can then proceed to the next phase.

  • Apply For A License

Before you get to this point, that means you have completed your bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral programme, and internship or training programme in child psychology. If you have, then you can proceed to apply for a license.

To get the license, you must take the licensure exam administered by the board of the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP). If you meet the exam pass mark, you will be awarded a license and be confirmed as a licensed child psychologist.

  • Apply for Child Psychologist Jobs

After you have gotten your license, the next thing is to start practicing your profession. You can either apply for jobs or set out on your own. As a licensed child psychologist, you can work in clinics, schools, children’s hospitals, research centers, and foster care and child care settings or organizations.

These are the steps involved in becoming a child psychologist in the UK. You must attend a recognized university in order to set out in the field. Compiled below is a list of child psychology courses in the UK that you can apply for. The courses are offered by some of the best in the UK, without any further ado, let’s get into them.

child psychology courses in UK

10 Child Psychology Courses In UK

If you are looking for child psychology courses in UK whether you are a citizen or from another country, this section will help you make better decisions on where to attend. Let’s get started.

  • MSc Family and Child Psychology – The University of Chester
  • Applied Child Psychology (MSc) – Birmingham City University
  • Child Psychology MSc – Kingston University London
  • MSc in Applied Child Psychology – Nottingham Trent University
  • Child and Adolescent Psychology, MSc – The University of Greenwich
  • MSc in Clinical Child Psychology – Anglia Ruskin University
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology with Child Development – The University of East London
  • BSc in Psychology of Child Development – The University of Central Lancashire
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology in Child Development – London South Bank University
  • Diploma in Child Psychology QLS Level 4 – Brentwood Open Learning College

1.     MSc Family and Child Psychology – The University of Chester

The University of Chester is offering a Master of Science in Family and Child Psychology that focuses on contemporary issues in family and child psychology. The course is offered in full-time and part-time study formats and takes 1 and 2 years, respectively, to complete.

The program admits both international and domestic students, as well as students from the EU. Applicants are required to possess a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 2:2 or its equivalent in psychology or a related degree that contains some components of psychology.

International students are required to meet the English language requirements. The fee for international/EU students is £13,450. You can see a breakdown of the fees here.

2.     Applied Child Psychology (MSc) – Birmingham City University

The MSc Applied Child Psychology degree is one of the child psychology courses in UK that offers a specific, in-depth study of child psychology across a range of contexts and settings. The course is offered in full-time and part-time study mode which takes 12-18 months and 2 years respectively to complete, and international students are accepted into the program.

Applicants for this program are required to have a 2:2 honors degree in psychology or a related degree. International students whose first language is not English are required to take the English language proficiency test like the IELTS and score 6.0 overall with a 5.5 minimum in all bands.

For UK students, the tuition for full-time is £9,000 and for part-time, the fee is £1,000 per 20 credits. The fee for international students is £16,300 to £17,930 for the full-time program. The MSc Applied Child Psychology is one of the child psychology courses that should be top of your list.

3.     Child Psychology MSc – Kingston University London

Kingston University London is offering a Master of Science in Child Psychology program to international and domestic students who meet the entry requirements. The course is offered in part-time and full-time study mode which takes 1 and 2 years respectively to complete.

The entry requirements for the course include a minimum of 2:1 honors degree in psychology or a related degree. GSCE or equivalent at grade C/grade 4 or above in math.

Non-UK applicants are required to take the IELTS and get an overall score of 7.0. For UK students, the full-time tuition is £9,860 and £5,423 for part-time. For international students, the full-time tuition is £16,200 and £8,910 for part-time.

4.     MSc in Applied Child Psychology – Nottingham Trent University

The MSc in Applied Child Psychology at Nottingham Trent University explores the advanced study of psychological development with regard to children and adolescents. The program duration is 1 year and 2 years for full-time and part-time respectively. An undergraduate degree of 2:1 in psychology or a related degree is one of the academic requirements to get into this program.

International applicants who are non-native English speakers are required to satisfy English language requirements either by taking the IELTS or TOEFL. The full-time fee for domestic students is £7,700 and the part-time fee is £3,850. For international students, the full-time fee is £15,850 while the part-time fee is £7,925. This is one of the cheapest child psychology courses in the UK.

5.     Child and Adolescent Psychology, MSc – The University of Greenwich

If you are interested in working with children and younger people, then this is the course for you. The course explores current issues in child and adolescent psychology and equips you with skills to apply the theory in the real world. The course duration is 1 year for full-time and 2 years for part-time.

International students are accepted into the program and charged tuition of £15,100 while domestic students pay £9,000. An honors degree with a minimum of 2:2 in psychology or a related degree is one of the academic requirements to enter this program. Preference will be given to those with experience in a professional setting.

6.     MSc in Clinical Child Psychology – Anglia Ruskin University

This postgraduate program is offered in part-time and full-time study mode and takes 2.5 years and 15 months, respectively, to complete. If you are interested in this program then you must satisfy the entry requirements which include completing a B.A or BSc in Psychology with Graduate Basis for Recognition (GBR) for the British Psychology Society (BPS) with a 2.2 or a minimum of 2.1 in non-accredited BA or BSc in psychology or a related discipline.

Non-native English speakers are required to take the IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 or higher or equivalent but have to be recognized by Anglia Ruskin University. The tuition fee for domestic students is £8,400 for full-time and £4,200 for part-time students. International students in the full-time program are charged £15,000 and part-time students will pay £7,500.

7.     BSc (Hons) Psychology with Child Development – The University of East London

This is one of the child psychology courses in the UK for those who want to pursue a career in child psychology. Completing this degree will not make you a licensed child psychologist but it will prepare you for the field because it will offer you foundational knowledge and also satisfy the requirements for a master’s and doctorate degrees.

The course is offered in part-time and full-time study modes and takes 3 and 4 years respectively to complete. The tuition for full-time is £9,250 and £2,310 respectively for UK students. International students are charged £13,740 for only full-time.

8.     MSc in Psychology of Child Development – The University of Central Lancashire

This is one of the child psychology courses in UK that explores varieties of theories and topics relating to the psychology of child development. The program is offered in part-time and full-time study mode. The part-time program takes 3 years to complete while the full-time one takes 1 year to complete.

The entry requirements into the program include a 2:1 in an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related discipline. Your degree has to be from an accredited university. Non-UK students are required to demonstrate English language proficiency with an IELTS score of 6.5 and above, also, a satisfactory DBS check is required.

The tuition for UK students enrolled in the full-time program is £7,800 while the part-time fee is £867 per 20 credits. For international students, the fee is £14,500 and is only for full-time. All accepted students are open to scholarship awards.

9.     BSc (Hons) Psychology in Child Development – London South Bank University

If you want to be a licensed child psychologist, you will need to earn a graduate degree and one of the major requirements is to have an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related discipline. The BSc (Hons) Psychology in Child Development is one of the child psychology courses in UK that will prepare you for a license in the profession.

This degree will offer you the fundamental knowledge of the field, as well as prepare you for graduate education. The course is offered in full-time and part-time mode, international students are also accepted. The full-time mode takes 3 years to complete while the part-time takes 4.5 years to complete. See a breakdown of the entry requirements, application process, and tuition here.

10. Diploma in Child Psychology QLS Level 4 – Brentwood Open Learning College

This is an online/distance learning program endorsed by Quality License Scheme. The course duration is 400 hours and is for those who are already practicing in the field but are looking to sharpen their knowledge, skills, and expertise in their profession.

There is no entry requirement for the program and the fee structure is designed to meet your demand. You can decide to pay in installments which will cost £560 or pay in full at £460.

With this, I’m wrapping up the list of child psychology courses in UK. These courses are offered by some of the top universities in the UK and they all accept international students just in case you are from another country and aspiring to pursue a degree in UK.

With the courses curated here, you can compare them to find the one that suits you best.

Child Psychology Courses in UK – FAQs

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