Early Childhood Studies with Foundation Year

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

Interested in our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies but worried that you don’t have the formal qualifications you need? We now offer the degree with a foundation year so that you can enjoy all the benefits of this distinctive course and achieve your full honours degree in four years.

• Start at foundation year stage if you have the ability and ambition to study for a degree but don’t meet the formal entry requirements to apply for the full honours degree
• Progress to a career where you can make a genuine and lasting difference to children’s lives: this course is an excellent foundation for fulfilling roles in health, education and social care
• Discover how children develop, learn and think from birth to eight years, gaining the professional skills and knowledge to meet their needs
• Enjoy learning which is relevant, up to date and meets the highest professional standards, inspired by our multi-disciplinary academic team

By taking a foundation year, you will gain a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need to complete our full BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies. It provides an excellent introduction to a fascinating subject and gives you the opportunity to complete the honours degree in four years – even if you don’t possess the formal qualifications you would normally need.

From stage one onwards, you'll undertake a work placement for one or two days each week to gain valuable practical experience working with young children. This includes the opportunity to obtain either level 3 or level 6 practitioner status alongside your academic degree, should you wish to do so. Please note, for either of these options formal GCSE or Functional Skills qualifications in English and Maths are required. If you do not already hold either of these, we can provided funded options which can be completed alongside your undergraduate studies. 

Explore how children develop

You’ll gain a thorough understanding of early childhood from birth to eight years, exploring how children develop, learn and think. You’ll look at the importance of early childhood from a broad range of perspectives.

Our focus throughout is on identifying and meeting children’s holistic needs, so you’ll consider all the challenges and opportunities faced by early years professionals working in a variety of children’s services.

The role of professional and personal development is an important theme for this course. By spending a substantial amount of time on placement, you'll draw on your own practical experiences with young children to advance your knowledge. 

Professional credibility

Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies course enables you to gain practitioner recognition if you do not already hold a practical qualification relating to the field. Please note, to gain level 3 or 6 practitioner status, you will need to hold a GCSE or Functional Skills qualification at grade C/4 or above in English and Maths. If this is not the case, we can provide funded options to undertake these, alongside your undergraduate studies.

A contemporary and relevant course, it is included in the Department for Education’s new qualifications list for settings that deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage for children. Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies enables you to gain practitioner recognition if you do not already hold a practical qualification relating to the field. We offer the following routes to the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies:

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies, on completion of Stage 3 (360 credits). This is an academic route and is academic only, with no full and relevant practitioner status attached to it. The Level 5 work experience (within the Developing Employability Module at Stage 2) links to the University employability agenda.

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Practitioner Options), on completion of Stage 3 (360 credits). This is an academic route which includes the level 3 practitioner status via assessed work placement.

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Graduate Practitioner Competencies) (360 credits). This is an academic route which includes the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies (gov.uk).

You’ll have a conversation with your personal tutor when you start your studies to decide which of these routes you’re going to take and the practitioner status you’ll graduate with, following completion of your degree.

Information about qualifications and assessed placements can be found on the Department for Education website and the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) website.

It means that your qualification will be well regarded by prospective employers – and this is reflected in our strong track record for enhancing students’ career prospects. Latest statistics show that 98.2% of our Early Childhood Studies graduates were in employment or further study within six months of completing the course. 

You have the opportunity to achieve extra qualifications as part of your studies, such as the British Red Cross Paediatric First Aid certificate which is an important asset for employers. 

Graduate level practitioner competencies

The University of Derby offers graduate level practitioner competencies for students studying BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies from Stage 1 of the degree.

The Competencies have been developed by members of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) in consultation with students and employers, with an aim of ‘strengthening a graduate-led Early Childhood workforce that is responsive to workforce needs and improves outcomes for children’ (ECSDN, 2018). 

Students that achieve the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner competencies will meet the nine competencies through assessed observations of practice, practice-based tasks and academic assessment.

The Early Childhood Graduate Competencies are: Advocating for young children’s rights and participation

1. Promote holistic child development
2. Work directly with young children, families and colleagues to promote health, well-being, safety and nurturing care
3. Observe, listen and plan for young children to support their well-being, early learning, progression and transitions
4. Safeguarding and child protection
5. Inclusive practice
6. Partnership with parents and caregivers
7. Collaborating with others
8. Professional development

Practical experience on placement

Whilst studying our degree you will undertake a variety of placements which will allow you to develop your professional identity whilst working within the early childhood sector. Whilst on placement you will be able to apply theory to practice using a critically reflective approach.

There is also the opportunity to go on fieldtrips to places such as the Museum of Childhood, Think Tank Museum and Eureka Children’s Museum.

Boost your employability with a placement year

Take an optional placement year to put your skills into practice in a real-world setting. We’ll support you in finding a placement and throughout your time in industry. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience for your CV, build contacts, and explore career options before you graduate. You can choose to take an optional placement year on the BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies route. The optional placement year is not available on the BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Practitioner Options) route or the BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Graduate Practitioner Competencies) route.

Broaden your horizons

Thanks to our strong professional links overseas, you’ll have the chance to apply for an international placement. It’s an experience which will build your independence, give you valuable new perspectives and provide an impressive addition to your CV.
 
Other European fieldtrips have seen our students visit the famous Peto Institute in Budapest to gain insights into its ground-breaking work with children who have complex disabilities.

Be inspired by leading experts

Our course is delivered by a highly experienced team, including influential researchers and published authors. It means your course is shaped by the latest thinking and innovative ideas which are changing the face of early childhood studies.

Our staff have conducted important studies into a wide range of subjects, from creativity for early years professionals to social constructions of childhood, from the pressures faced by new parents to ways of engaging fathers in early years settings.

You may even take part in fascinating research initiatives yourself. Our students have, for instance, worked with school children and community groups to draw up ideas for improving the play and educational potential of various parks in Nottinghamshire. 

Our annual conferences also give you the chance to share findings from your own projects with an audience of fellow students and practitioners.

A vibrant learning experience

We pride ourselves on offering a friendly, welcoming learning environment where you will receive plenty of encouragement and guidance. Our tutors are approachable, dedicated and passionate about their subjects.

You’ll learn in our Kirtley Building which offers first-rate facilities for our Education and Childhood Studies students. It includes specially designed collaborative learning spaces and a large hall for practical activities and observing learning in action.

Students will also learn off site which includes opportunities to learn off site e.g. forest school sessions.

Flexibility and choice

If you already have appropriate qualifications and experience, you could start this course at stage two or three.

We offer a variety of optional modules so that you can tailor your studies to match your personal interests and career aspirations. These could cover themes as diverse as children’s literature, family dynamics, leadership, ISEND, health and inequality, child protection and children across the world.

Guaranteed interviews for our PGCE Primary

If you complete this degree and meet the entry requirements for our PGCE Primary, we will guarantee you an interview during your final year of undergraduate study (subject to places being available). 

Places on our PGCE are highly sought after, so we recommend you apply as early as possible once UCAS opens.

Terms and conditions:

• There are a limited number of places on the PGCE Primary. Once the course is full, applications will close and no further interviews will be held
• Interviews are guaranteed for students who meet the entry requirements for the PGCE Primary, including GCSE grades, degree classification, experience and successful completion of the Skills Tests
• An interview does not guarantee an offer to study on the course

Your first steps into a rewarding profession

There can be few more worthwhile careers than working with young children, helping them to reach important milestones and to develop skills that will last a lifetime.

On our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with Foundation Year you’ll consider the importance of early childhood from a broad range of perspectives and gain a solid understanding of how children develop, learn and think from birth to eight years.

You’ll build your skills in identifying and meeting children’s holistic needs and explore all the challenges and opportunities faced by early years professionals working in a variety of children’s services.

The role of professional and personal development is an important theme for this course. By spending a substantial amount of time on placement from stage one onwards, you'll be able to draw on your own practical experiences with young children.

We also give you the opportunity to achieve extra qualifications as part of your studies, such as the British Red Cross Paediatric First Aid certificate which is valued by employers. 

Real-world learning on placement

You’ll undertake a placement for one or two days each week, building your skills in working with children and boosting your employability.

Thanks to our close partnerships with nurseries, children’s centres and other early years employers across the region, you will have the chance to experience working in different settings. As well as developing your observational and reflective skills, this will help you make more informed career choices for the future.

There is also the opportunity to go on fieldtrips to places such as the Museum of Childhood, Think Tank Museum and Eureka Children’s Museum.

Build a global outlook

We offer you the chance to apply for an international placement so that you can gain valuable new perspectives on the profession. 
 
Other European fieldtrips have seen our students visit the famous Peto Institute in Budapest to gain insights into its groundbreaking work with children who have complex disabilities. Such international experiences look great on your CV, while enhancing your confidence and independence.

Experience and expertise

Our academic team is highly experienced and includes renowned researchers and published authors. This means your course is underpinned by the latest thinking and innovative ideas which are changing the face of early childhood studies.

We undertake important studies into subjects ranging from creativity for early years professionals to social constructions of childhood, from the pressures faced by new parents to ways of engaging fathers in early years settings.

There may even be the chance for you to contribute to fascinating research initiatives yourself. Our students have, for instance, worked with school children and community groups to draw up ideas for improving the play and educational potential of various parks in Nottinghamshire. 

We also run annual conferences where you can share findings from your own projects with an audience of fellow students and practitioners.

High student satisfaction rates

You will receive plenty of encouragement and guidance from tutors who are approachable, dedicated and passionate about their subjects.

You’ll learn in our Kirtley Building which offers first-rate facilities for our Education and Childhood Studies students. It includes specially designed collaborative learning spaces and a large hall for practical activities and observing learning in action.

Explore your personal interests

The variety of optional modules on offer means that you can tailor your studies to match your personal interests and career aspirations. These modules could cover themes as diverse as children’s literature, family dynamics, health and inequality, child protection and children across the world.

More about Carrie Ann's experience and career so far:

"I began my career as a Family Domestic Abuse practitioner, providing direct support to parents and children who have experienced domestic abuse. I developed and delivered programmes for parents focusing on the impact of domestic abuse on themselves and their children and strategies for recovery. Additionally, I wrote and facilitated an 8-week group programme for children, which included things such as police attending, to build positive relationships with the children, due to their lived experiences and the police involvement they may have experienced during domestic abuse incidents."

Explore Early Childhood Studies at Derby

Take a look at the video below to hear from the teaching team, learn about the type of placement settings our students go into and the sort of careers they have their sights set on following graduation. 

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

You’ll be taught through lectures, seminar activities and tutorials to support you through your assessments and group work.

How you're assessed

During your foundation year you will be assessed mainly by coursework, and with some in-class tests.

From stage one onwards, you’ll be assessed using case studies, essays, independent research, online tests, posters, presentations and reports. There are no exams.

This is the ideal time to embark on an Early Childhood degree. Well qualified and dedicated early childhood professionals are now in demand across health, education and social care settings. This is a rapidly growing area of employment in the UK, with new opportunities emerging in the independent, private, public or voluntary sectors.

This qualification is your chance to shape and influence many young lives – and the value of the foundation year route is that you can start your study journey even if you don’t initially meet the entry requirements for the full honours degree.

Our graduates are now pursuing successful careers as early years practitioners and nursery managers. There are ample opportunities for promotion and progression to leadership positions in children’s services too.

You could also advance to further studies to broaden your career scope. Some of our graduates have, for instance, gone on to train as children’s nurses by undertaking a shortened two-year Paediatric Nursing qualification. You could also consider our exciting range of postgraduate courses, including the MA Education or MA Social Work.

Please note that this course does not lead to Qualified Teacher Status. However, if you’d like to train to be a teacher, you can apply to study our PGCE Primary.

2026 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2026 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

Additional entry requirements

• An Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service certificate cleared by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this once you have applied

*This is the fee for the Foundation Year. Subsequent UK fees are £9,535 per year. Subsequent International fees are £16,900 per year.

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.