Early Childhood Studies

This is a Connected Degree

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview

If you want to help children have the best start in life, there are questions you need to explore. For example: how is their wellbeing affected by factors like digital technologies, race, culture and globalisation? On this course, you'll look for answers across a child's crucial first 8 years.

On your BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree, you’ll discover how a child develops physically, emotionally and mentally. And with plenty of opportunities to work with children, you’ll practice how to make a positive difference for them. You can customise your degree and develop specialist skills that are valued in a variety of professions.

Course highlights

• Learn different ways to measure children’s development from birth to age 8, which you can apply in all kinds of careers

• Choose to do a different work placement in every year of study – from local schools, to other organisations that put young children first

• Develop new skills by working with children in our own play and sensory rooms, and in outdoor environments such as forests and beaches

• Look at how children are affected by society and politics, and discover what psychology and philosophy teach us about early years

• Be taught by experts and hear from guest speakers, with unique insights into childhood and education based on their lived experience

• Gain transferable skills in psychology, sociology, teaching and learning, leadership and management, and creative thinking

You can follow an optional psychology pathway through this degree by choosing specific modules in psychology. This will lead to a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with Psychology award when you graduate.

You can achieve the professional status of 'Graduate Practitioner' for Early Years Practice by undertaking assessed practice in the early years sector in each year of study. This leads to the award BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Graduate Practitioner). This professional accreditation is recognised by the Department for Education and highly regarded by early years employers.

In your final year, you can tailor your studies to include the Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) route, which leads to the award of Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

Careers and opportunities
You’ll graduate with rewarding career options, including working with children, families and communities in a variety of professional roles.

You could also take your studies further on a postgraduate course, such as MA Education Studies or MSc Educational Leadership and Management.

What jobs can you do with an early childhood studies degree?

Our graduates work in a range of educational roles and settings:

• early years teaching – with Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS)

• primary teaching – with a PGCE or SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) leading to QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)

• pedagogical leadership in early childhood

• early years provision and setting management

• forest school leadership and training

• freelance education and private tutoring

• special educational and disability needs

Our graduates also pursue a variety of careers related to health and wellbeing:

• health and wellbeing promotion

• family support

• professional nannying

• therapeutic play – with further training

• play work

Our graduates also become consultants and researchers into early years issues.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-early-childhood-studies#modules

Assessment methods include:

Essays, reports and reflective accounts
Individual and group presentations
Individual and group project work including the opportunity to work towards a Major project in liaison with a local employer
An online portfolio
Developing a simple Wordpress or Google Sites website

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Year 1 students: 8% by written exams, 15% by practical exams and 77% by coursework
Year 2 students: 10% by practical exams and 90% by coursework
Year 3 students: 100% by coursework