Early Childhood Studies (Joint Honours)
What is Joint Honours?
With joint honours, you can study for an honours degree in two or even three subjects. Find out more about joint honours.
Why choose this course?
- If you are interested in gaining an insight into childhood and the experience of being a child today, then this course is for you.
- There is an emphasis on the development of your transferable skills such as teamwork, reflection and the ability to use research that you'll need for successful employment.
- You'll have a range of relevant modules to choose from which are designed to challenge your ideas about childhood.
- You can combine this course with a range of other subjects including sociology, education studies, psychology, popular culture and media, theatre arts, sport and exercise studies, maths, English and law. This allows you to keep your options open.
Fact file
UCAS code: Y002
Start date: September
Course length: full time: three years, part time: up to six years
Campus: Kedleston Road, Derby
This course is available to international students
About this course
This course will enable you to develop your understanding of early childhood from birth to eight years old, discovering how children develop, learn and think. You'll explore the importance of meeting children's needs and how these needs can be met. You'll consider the challenges and opportunities in children's services, and look at childhood from a range of perspectives. We'll encourage you to use your own experiences in early years to enhance your knowledge and develop your understanding of early childhood.
To provide you with an insight into working in the early years sector, you'll have the option to take a stand alone joint honours work experience module. This can be discussed with a Joint Honours academic counsellor. You'll develop your observational and reflective skills, as well as your practical knowledge of early years settings.
You'll be taught by lecturers from backgrounds including early years, primary teaching, social work, nursery management, health visiting, social sciences, law and ICT, so you'll gain a wide range of knowledge and expertise.
What can I combine this programme with?
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and American Studies
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Applied Criminology
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Biology
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Education Studies
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and English
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Geography
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Mathematics
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Psychology
- BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Zoology
What you will cover
Stage one
You'll choose a selection of these modules:
- Self Management and Study Skills
- Early Language and Communication
- Early Emotional and Social Development
- The Growing Child
Stage two
You'll choose a selection of these modules:
- Placement for Employability and Reflective Practice
- The Early Years Researcher
- Children Across the World
- Creativity in Children's Early Learning
- Wellbeing from Birth
- Family Dynamics
- The Young Child in School
- Children's Literature
- Children in a Multimedia World
Stage three
You'll choose a selection of these modules:
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are usually 220-300 UCAS points, of which at least 200-240 will be from your core A2s (full A levels) or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Diploma, International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers etc.
We'll accept up to 60 points towards the total from level 3 qualifications such as AS levels (where those AS levels are not taken on to A2 level), the Extended Project or Music qualifications.
We don't accept points from Key Skills Level 3. If you have any questions about what is or isn't accepted, please contact our Admissions team.
We also accept the Access to HE Diploma.
Your points at level 3 will be in addition to 5 GCSEs at grade C or equivalent level 2 qualifications.
The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.
How to apply
UK/EU students
- Full time students should apply for this course through UCAS.
- Part time students should apply directly to the University.
International students
- If you want to start in September, you usually need to apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Information for international applicants
Fees and finance
Fees for 2013/14
This is a classroom based course.
UK/EU students
Full time:
- If you combine this subject with another classroom based subject or a resource intensive subject it will cost £7,700 per year.
- If you combine this subject with a specialist subject it will cost £8,250 per year.
We'll be announcing our part time and international fees for 2013/14 later in the year.
*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2013 and August 2014. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.
How you will learn
Throughout the course you'll be taught through lectures, seminar activities and tutorials in order to support you through your assessments. Throughout the course you'll take part in group work which provides a good opportunity for discussion and interaction. It will help you to develop your confidence and to explore ideas as you learn. We believe it's important that you have the time to listen, discuss and think through ideas in a really supportive atmosphere.
At each stage of the course you'll be able to choose from a range of different modules to tailor your degree to suit your own interests. You'll be assessed through essays, reports, posters, presentations, case studies, online tests and independent research. You won't have to take any exams.
Careers and employability
This course will prepare you for a career in the private, voluntary or independent sectors, and with further postgraduate training, teaching and social work. If you want to become a teacher, this course will prepare you so that you can go on to study either our Graduate Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector to teach adults, or our PGCE Primary to become a primary school teacher.
You'll develop your own knowledge, skills and confidence in ways that are looked for in a wide range of early years management and services. You could progress onto our Early Years Professional Status which will enable you to lead practice across early years and mentor other practitioners.
