Early Childhood Studies

A degree from our Early Childhood Studies programme is ideal if you want to gain a graduate-level qualification that will enable you to work with children aged from birth to 8 years old.

You'll have a holistic approach to understanding early childhood, relating appropriate educational theory to practice. You'll look critically at the role of play, considering differing curriculum models and examining the impact of early childhood researchers and theorists on current government perspectives and practices.

This degree will prepare you for many types of employment and is supported by employers within the industry. Graduates from our Early Childhood Studies degree have progressed into primary Teacher Training, early years teaching, social work, further education, charity work and management. You'll gain placement opportunities across the birth to 8 years old age range and you'll establish lifelong networks that you can use throughout your career.

In addition to our ‘core’ Early Childhood Studies degree we offer 3 pathways: Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND), Mental health and well being or which provide a more detailed focus into those area via specific modules and work based learning experiences.

On successful completion of study, we will issue one of the following awards dependent on your chosen pathway:
BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies, BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with Special Education Needs and Disability, BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with Mental Health and Well Being or BA (Hons) with Education for Our Sustainable World

Work placements
Our placement staff will work with you to identify a suitable location for your work placement. Please also note that you are responsible for any costs incurred in travelling to and from your work placement, and for any accommodation costs.
Students on our Early Childhood Studies degrees have worked with:

• Schools

• Colleges

• Early years settings

• SEND settings

• NGOs

• Private training organisations

• Local Councils

• Armed Forces

• Prison Service

• Local Authorities

All students will attend work placements in early years settings throughout the programme, they will be expected to undertake work based activities in preparation for their teaching and learning sessions. These may include information exercises such as locating relevant policies and resource audits for review and discussion. Observations of children or work processes in the placement/work setting may be used to inform discussion, such as analysing children's needs, involvement in the planning process or the preparation of work focused learning materials. Placement records will provide support for learners on placement and all students will be supported by a work-based supervisor within the setting.

Year One Core: Children, Families and Society; Keeping Children and Young People Safe in Education; Play and Pedagogy with Babies and Young Children; The Emergent Graduate Professional
Year Two Core: Approaches to Play Therapy; Contemporary Issues; Developing Professional Practice; Research Methods
Year Two Optional: International Pedagogy and Practice; Introduction to Special Educational Needs and Disability; Mental Health in Context; Principles of Outdoor Pedagogy
Year Three Core: Children’s voices; Digital Future of Education- 21st Century Learner; Independent Research Project; Pedagogical Leadership
Year Three Optional: Approaches to Literacy and Numeracy; Educating for a Sustainable World; Mental Health Practice Provision; Send and the Changing World of Work

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments, for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project, and work-based practice observations (graduate competencies). The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.