The BA Contemporary Craft Major is centred around the practice of designing and making combined with the exploration of materials, primarily in ceramic, metal and textile.In the material workshops we celebrate tactility, materiality and haptic technologies, seeking less conventional notions of craft through material exploration and project design. Creating and making gives us the confidence to take risks, the ability to solve problems and builds a sense of identity. Alongside developing individually focused work the course will seek to explore key research emerging within society, exploring challenging issues including climate change, mental health diversity. The course will be theoretically underpinned by a series of lectures and seminars to inform research and practice. A strong focus on employability and real-world scenarios will enable contemporary craft graduates to move confidently into diverse fields of practice and work opportunities. Graduates will be confident in forging links with local industries and harnessing the creative energy of the North West. Professional expertise, digital exploration and contextual studies support the creative practice to provide a rich and exciting major.Childhood & Youth is an exciting, multidisciplinary subject in which you will explore a range of issues and challenges faced by children and young people in contemporary society, both here in the UK and on a global level. Drawing on key ideas from sociology, politics, history, social policy and cultural studies, the degree examines important questions about children and young people and the social contexts in which they live.Topics studied include: how children and young people’s place in society has changed over time how social class, poverty, gender, ethnicity, disability, social policy and so on impact children and young people’s lives the role of risk and risk-taking in children and young people’s everyday lives and how children and young people make sense of and help to shape their social worlds. In exploring such issues you will also look at various political debates and policy initiatives, as well as learning about various ways of researching with children and young people that aim to help them overcome the many challenges that they face.With its strong emphasis on social justice and welfare, the degree will enable you to develop as critical social scientists who value their role within the academic community at Hope and who, as graduates, will be able to use their skills and knowledge to the benefit of their local community and society more broadly.