Skip navigation
You are viewing our beta course page.

Early Childhood (Top-up) (Q90)

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • false false
  • Distance learning
  • 10/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Distance Learning
Awarded by:
The Open University

Course summary

Fast-track your career with our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Top-up, completed in just one or two years. Designed for experienced early years practitioners, this route lets you count previous study in a relevant subject towards your degree. You’ll need a Foundation degree, Higher National Diploma or Diploma of Higher Education in Early Years/Early Childhood. Building on your prior learning and experience, you’ll advance your professional development by completing two modules covering working with children and research with children and young people. Gain your qualification faster while laying a strong foundation for a fulfilling career with young children.

Key features of the course

  • Offers a fast-track route to gaining our BA (Honours) Early Childhood

  • Encourages critical understanding and reflection on contemporary issues and debates in early childhood

  • Equips you with the skills to lead and influence practice in early childhood settings

  • Prepares you for further research, study, enquiry and practice

Modules

This top-up degree has one stage, comprising 120 credits. You’ll start at Stage 3, where you’ll study two modules – one that focuses on the development of a multidisciplinary professional workforce for children and one that will introduce you to a range of research methods and analytical techniques.

How to apply

To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.

Application codes

Institution code:
O11
Campus name:
Distance Learning
Campus Code:
D

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

You must have an accepted qualification in an accepted relevant subject.
You must be an experienced early years (0–7 years) practitioner.
If ineligible for this top-up route, you may apply to transfer credits from your previous study towards our BA (Hons) Early Childhood (Q89) or BA (Hons) Education Studies (Primary) (Q94).

Accepted qualifications:
Diploma of Higher Education
Foundation degree
Higher National Diploma
You must have been awarded your qualification within the last five years.

Accepted subjects:
Early Childhood
Early Childhood Learning and Development
Early Childhood Studies
Early Years

Holders of qualifications in related subjects may be eligible. Contact us at FELS-EY-General@open.ac.uk for advice.

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

2026/2027 academic year fees are not yet available.

Like this page