Early Childhood Studies with Foundation Year

With this foundation year course, you'll gain all the credentials you need to begin your career in early childhood studies. It's ideal for you if you don't yet meet the entry requirements of our undergraduate degree, if you're returning to study after a break away, or you need a bit of extra support to get uni-ready.

You'll spend a year studying with us on campus, through ICP. You'll get the knowledge and academic skills needed to take on a bachelor's degree, learning how to analyse information, do research, and improve your academic writing.

The skills you'll learn will help you work in teams as well as on your own in culturally diverse workplaces. You'll develop your understanding of new workplaces and environments, and how to adapt to new environments.

After your foundation year, you'll be ready to move onto the first year of BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies.

A guaranteed place
Once you’ve successfully completed your foundation year, you'll be ready to progress onto BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with a guaranteed place.

Course highlights

• ICP is based on the University of Portsmouth campus so you'll have access to all facilities, support and societies

• When you finish your foundation year successfully, you get a guaranteed place on BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies

• Get used to how lectures, seminars and tutorials work, so you can move onto your degree ready for success

• Learn how to meet the demands of taking on a bachelor's at university

Careers and opportunities
When you complete this foundation year, you'll be all set to continue on to our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies. 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.

Course Modules

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 the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-early-childhood-studies?studyMode=4-years-with-foundation-year&startDate=september-2026#modules