Why study this course?

Our Early Childhood Studies BA degree was one of the first programmes of its kind in the UK, developed to meet the demand for well-qualified early childhood specialists working with young children and their families across all sectors. This undergraduate degree will equip you to implement effective practice with children and families in a range of situations and to act as an advocate for their rights and wellbeing.

This course gives you the option to graduate with or without the Graduate Practitioner status. To gain the practitioner status you’ll have to complete an additional work placement module in your final year. The practitioner status will enhance your chances of employment in the field of childhood studies and help you progress to leadership roles and/or postgraduate study. We are aligned to the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) Graduate Competencies to deliver the practitioner status qualification.

This course received a 91% overall student satisfaction score in the National Student Survey 2020.

More about this course

Our Early Childhood Studies BA degree is uniquely designed for both experienced practitioners and those new to the early childhood studies field. The focus of the course is the study of play, development and learning of children from birth to six years old in a socio-cultural context and the implications this has for practice in early childhood settings. The course emphasises the links between theory and practice and highly values the development of professional and academic knowledge. It includes assessed practice, which means tutors will visit/appraise you in professional settings. This appraisal is important for your license to practice.

The early childhood studies course team includes writers and researchers at the forefront of the field who are passionately committed to enabling, empowering and inspiring students to make transformational changes to their own lives and to the lives of children, families and communities. You’ll receive exceptional pastoral and academic support from your tutor and academic mentor, whose job will be to ensure you progress through your studies and settle into university life.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2020/21 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:

• Perspectives on Children’s Development (core, 30 credits)
• Safeguarding Young Children’s Health and Well-being (core, 30 credits)
• Understanding Play (core, 30 credits)
• Academic Skills and Professional Placement (alternative core, 30 credits)
• Adults and Children as Learners: An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies (alternative core, 30 credits)

Year 2 modules include:

• Approaches to Pedagogy and Curriculum in the Early Years (core, 30 credits)
• Challenging Inequalities (core, 15 credits)
• Children’s Rights in Today’s World (core, 15 credits)
• Enquiry-based Learning (core, 30 credits)
• Promoting Early Learning Through the EYFS and Key Stage 1 (core, 15 credits)
• Communicating in Multi-lingual contexts (alternative core, 15 credits)
• Early Years Learning and Practice Frameworks (alternative core, 15 credits)
• Creative Thinking and Representation from Birth to Six (option, 15 credits)
• Professional Studies and Practitioner Placement: Part 2 (option, 15 credits)

Year 3 modules include:

• Early Childhood Studies Project (core, 60 credits)
• Leading Practice with Children, Families and Professionals (core, 30 credits)
• Leading Research and Research Methods in Early Childhood (core, 15 credits)
• Debating Children and Childhood (option, 15 credits)
• Professional Practice in Key Stage 1 (option, 15 credits)

Entry requirements

For full-time students:
In addition to the University’s standard entry requirements, you should have:

a minimum of grades BBC in three A levels (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg CACHE Diploma)
English Language GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)
enhanced criminal records check
We recommend that you have GCSE Maths at grade C or above, or an equivalent qualification such as functional skills, however, this is not an essential requirement for entry to the programme. Please be aware you must hold an approved math qualification in order to gain Practitioner status or Graduate Practitioner status.

Where this course can take you

Graduates of this degree go on to pursue a variety of careers in education, health and social care. The success of our graduates reflects the current need for well-trained graduates who can quickly move up to more senior roles in children’s centres, nurseries and primary schools, as well as other early childhood care and education settings.

Some students go on to specialise in a particular area such as special educational needs, while others take up advisory posts in local authorities or government departments.

Continuing your studies with us
The School of Social Professions has a wide range of exciting industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in education, health, social and community work. We offer the following degrees that would be ideal for postgraduate progression:

• Get into teaching with one of our PGCE courses
• Youth and Community Work – MSc
• Early Childhood Studies – MA
• Safeguarding and Security – MA
• Education – MA