Early Years Education and Care

The BA Early Years Education and Care is a full-time two-year degree programme designed for those who want to understand how young children develop and learn. This course is perfect if you are passionate about working with children and making a positive difference to their lives. If you already work with, or have experience working with, children, families, or in related fields, this flexible learning route is designed for you. It is delivered around your work commitments to support your return to study.

Throughout the course, you will study important areas such as early childhood development, child development, and the health and wellbeing in early years. The programme provides a strong foundation in understanding the different ways children grow and learn. You’ll explore the factors that affect a child’s progress, including their well-being, and how you can support their holistic development.

The programme is structured to cover topics such as safeguarding in early years and the importance of reflective and holistic practice. You will also learn about leadership and management in early years, giving you the skills needed to take on roles in leadership within early years settings.

If you already have an early years qualification, there is an option to top-up to a full BA (Hons) degree. This flexible route allows you to directly enter the programme and build on your existing knowledge, helping you to advance your career in early years education.

This degree not only gives you a deep understanding of children’s well-being and how to support them but also prepares you for a range of career opportunities including possible progression to PGCE Primary teaching training qualification. If you are keen to make a difference in young children’s lives, this course is the ideal next step.

Course Modules

In the first year, you will explore the foundations of human development and children’s play, as well as the importance of the first 1000 days of life. You will also develop key academic skills and gain insights into multilingual practice in early years settings, preparing you for reflective and professional practice.

Human Development (20 credits)
The Professional Practitioner (20 credits)
Children's Play: Theory and Practice (20 credits)
The first 1000 days (20 credits)
Developing Successful Academic Skills (20 credits)
Multilingual Practice in the Early Years (20 credits)
Safeguarding: practice, legislation and the multi-disciplinary team (20 credits)
Well-being, care and healthy living (20 credits)
Research for Learning (20 credits)

In your 2nd and final year, you’ll focus on the development of literacy, numeracy, and scientific curiosity in children, alongside essential topics such as safeguarding and well-being. You will explore leadership and teamwork in early years, while honing your research skills to support learning and professional growth in the field.

Language and Literacy in the Digital Age (20 credits)
Awe and wonder- science, mathematics and the outdoors (20 credits)
Leadership and teamwork in the early years (20 credits)
Inclusive leadership: working together to support families (20 credits)
Regaining Paradise? Sustainability in the Early Years (20 credits)
Supporting Children with Additional Learning Needs (20 credits)
Early Years Curricula (20 credits)
Leadership and Management for systems of quality (20 credits)
Leadership skills in entrepreneurship (20 credits)

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/undergraduate/youth-work-and-early-years-studies/early-years-education-and-11