Early Childhood Studies

Do you want to make a genuine and lasting difference to children’s lives, families and communities? Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies is an opportunity to get experience and knowledge for graduate roles in education, health, and social care.

This course gives you the recognition of becoming an Early Childhood Studies Graduate Practitioner, enabling you to achieve practitioner status as a Level 6 graduate alongside the Level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) practitioner status if you do not already hold a practical qualification within the Early Childhood field.

You will become research informed and influential in becoming a reflective practitioner, as well as gaining knowledge within policy, practice, holistic child development, early childhood, care, health, and education, encompassing working with young children and their families. You will study a contemporary range of modules which will develop your understanding of theory and practice with real placement experiences. Real life learning lies at the heart of this course. Placement is a core requirement and will be one or two days per week, building your skills in working with children and becoming an Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner.

Why study Early Childhood at NTU?

• Be equipped to work with children and their families aged 0-8 years in the Early Childhood field.

• Study specialist modules which will develop your transferable and employability skills.

• Gain vital work experience in Early Childhood Settings and put your knowledge into practice through placement days and blocked periods of placement in each year of the course.

• You will have the opportunity to gain a dedicated award called Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies which assesses your skills to leave University as a Level 6 Early Childhood Graduate.

Graduate Practitioner Competencies

You will also develop your graduate skills by completing a portfolio of evidence towards becoming an Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner. The Graduate Practitioner Competencies are a set of outcomes that you will evidence throughout your studies to show that you can practice the skills required at Level 6, as well as having the theoretical knowledge. The Graduate Practitioner Competencies ensures that there is a skilful application of knowledge to practice and practice to knowledge.

An Early Childhood Studies graduate who has achieved the Graduate Practitioner Competencies will have evidence to show their skills at Level 6, in the following:

• Advocating for young children’s rights and participation

• Work directly with children and families to promote wellbeing, safety, health, and nurturing care

• Observe, listen, and plan for young children to support their early learning and transitions

• Safeguarding and child protection

• Inclusive Practice

• Partnership with parents and caregivers.

In Year One you will study the following modules: Early Childhood Pioneers; Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood; Childhood Development; The 0-8 Curriculum; The Foundations of Academic Study; and The Role of Observation in Early Childhood.

In Year Two you will go on to study: Creativity in Early Childhood; Research Informed Practice; Safeguarding Children; Sociology of Childhood; The National and International Perspectives of Early Childhood; and Working with Parents, Carers, and Professional Teams.

In Year Three you will cover the following modules: Contemporary Debates; Dissertation; Research Agendas; and The Power of Leadership.

There are no formal exams during this course; we use coursework to allow you to demonstrate your strengths across a number of skill sets.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS