BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (0 - 8 years)

When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

You can also start this course in January

Why choose this course?

• You'll have lots of career opportunities in early years as it is a fast growing area of employment within the UK.
• You can study for the Early Years Professional Status qualification during this course. It's essential if you want to work at leadership level.
• You'll be taught by lecturers from a variety of backgrounds including early years and primary teaching, social work, nursery management, health visiting, social sciences, law, and ICT, so you can be sure that you'll gain a wide range of knowledge and expertise.
• You can study this course part time or full time, so that your learning can fit around your other commitments
• In the 2011 National Student Survey, 91% of our students said they were overall satisfied with this course. Check out the National Student Survey results.
• You can also study Early Childhood Studies as a joint honours if you wish to combine your study with another subject area such as psychology, or biology for example. 

About the course

During this course you'll explore the importance of meeting children's needs and how these needs can be met by professionals working in early years. You'll use your own experiences to enhance your knowledge and develop your understanding of early childhood.

To make sure that you're ready to work in early years when you graduate, you'll undertake a placement for two days each week. This will develop your observational reflective skills, as well as your practical knowledge of different settings. You'll also have the opportunity to on visits to places like the Museum of Childhood, Think Tank Museum and Eureka Childrens Museum.

During stage one your lectures will be taught throughout the day, but once you get to stage two and three, your lectures will take place in the day and the evening.

You'll be assessed using essays, reports, posters, presentations, case studies, online tests and independent research. You won't have to take exams.

You'll be studying an up to date course which is listed in the new qualifications list for those settings delivering the Early Years Foundation stage. This means it is considered full and relevant by the Children's Workforce Developmental Council (CWDC).

You'll look at the importance of early childhood and consider children's holistic needs and how these can be met by professionals working in early years. The role of professional and personal development is an important theme. You'll be able to use your experience with young children to enhance your knowledge and develop your understanding of early childhood.

Listen to Ellen Yates who teaches on this course, talk about one of the modules you'll study, The Playful Child.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

Your career

You'll gain the skills and approaches you'll need to work with young children in early years settings. Currently, political interest and funding are focused on education and care for children under five, which means more posts are becoming available in these areas.

If you want to be a teacher, you could study our PGCE or take the Graduate Teacher Programme when you graduate, or you may want to do further training in social work or nursing, for example.

When you graduate you could also find employment in the private, voluntary and independent sector, or you could even join a graduate employment scheme.

What our students say

Debra Dawson, one of our graduates
"Because I didn't start higher education until my early forties I sometimes can't believe it is me who is achieving this, all those years of not knowing I could study at university never mind do so well at it!"

Kay Culow, one of our graduates.
"This course is stretching my thinking and learning with regards to child development."

Carol Lewis, one of our graduates.
"A welcoming environment to study in and the part time option has been such a great opportunity esecially as I have young children."

Laura Gill, one of our graduates.
"I have really enjoyed my time on the course and tutors are so helpful and always available for that extra support."

Joanna Antoniadou, one of our graduates.
"The staff are friendly and supportive and make you feel comfortable and part of a team."

How you'll learn

Modules can be studied in the day or evening depending on what stage you're at. Your tutorials will be flexible to meet the needs of a diverse range of students some of whom work full time.

The bulk of the course is delivered on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. As a new student you'll study throughout the day whereas when you progress into stage two and three you'll be taught throughout the day and evening. Whilst the majority of modules are taught, the professional practice modules and research modules are much more self directed and promote independent learning. You'll be encouraged to undertake personal development planning throughout the course and produce action plans related to career goals and progression.

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed through coursework which will consist of essays, reports, presentations, case study and independent research. There are no examinations.

Fieldtrips

Student trips have included the Museum of Early Childhood, Bethnal Green and the Museum of Slavery in Liverpool.

Work placements

Work placements allow you to link theory with practice and so you'll need to complete a work placement for one day per week. There is a professional practice module at each stage of the course in a setting with children between ages 0-8 years.

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