Early Childhood Studies (Joint Honours)

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

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.

• 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

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:

• Critically Reflective Practitioner‌
• Contesting Childhood‌
• Child Protection‌
• Critically Reflective Practitioner‌
• Contesting Childhood‌
• Independent Study‌

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.

General undergraduate entry requirements

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.

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.

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.