BA Early Childhood Studies (Early Years Educator) with Foundation Year

Engage your passion for education and a fairer society with this innovative degree programme. Designed to give you the skills you need to make a difference in today’s complex and evolving educational landscape, expect to learn about educational processes, systems and approaches within cultural, societal and political contexts.

Build your experience with work placements and project-based learning, study towards Forest School accreditation, and get the chance to explore a semester abroad while studying.

Choose to follow a central programme or specialise in one of three specific areas of interest including Youth and Community Work (YCW), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (SENDI).

The Foundation Year is an extra year of study at the start of your degree. It’s designed to boost your academic skills and knowledge of your specialist area. When you successfully complete it, you can transfer seamlessly into the full degree programme.

Why study at Hull?

• Specialise in what interests you: Gain a core understanding of educational studies with the option to specialise in a range of high-demand optional pathways.

• Gain hands-on experience: Put the theory into practice on work placements and in our Forest School Training Centre..

• Study abroad: Boost your employability by studying abroad at one of our partner universities, gaining a global understanding of educational practices.

Where could this take me?

With the academic grounding and practical skills you’ll learn, there are lots of options for your future career.

Many graduates take up a role in teaching, educational administration and management, while others pursue a research role in an educational setting, or work with training and caring organisations. More specialist careers include work in SEND organisations, as a youth worker, or TESOL teacher.

You can also go on to further study with this recognised route to PGCE and education-related postgraduate courses.

Core modules include:
Ethical Dilemma and the Moral Maze
Education, Power and Knowledge
Social Justice and Social Change
Leadership and Professional Management
Communities of Practice

Optional modules include:
Representations and Realities: The Media, Diversity and Difference
Issues and Interventions in Youth and Community Work
Introduction to English Language Teaching
Working Therapeutically and Inclusively with Children with SEND

You'll be assessed through a combination of written, practical and coursework assessments throughout your degree.

Written assessment typically includes exams and multiple choice tests.

Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.

Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.