Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Early Childhood Studies with Early Years Practitioner Status

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-C,C,C

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum grade C or grade 4 pass in GCSE (or equivalent) English or Welsh is a requirement for entry to all our degree schemes. Level 3 KS/FS Communication may be acceptable in lieu of GCSE English or Welsh.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

26-30

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM-MMM

UCAS Tariff

96-120

Aberystwyth University welcomes the Welsh Baccalaureate as a valuable qualification in its own right and considers completion of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate to be equivalent to an A level grade.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Primary education

The BSc Early Childhood Studies with Early Year Practitioner Status at Aberystwyth University will enable you to discover that children’s early years are crucial to later learning and development and practitioners have a vital role to play in these years. This course, taught by the School of Education will give you the opportunity to delve into the factors which influence ‘early childhood’ and how these can affect later development. During the course, you will undertake extensive placements which will equip you with a practical perspective, while theoretical study draws upon a variety of disciplines including sociology, psychology and educational studies in order to help you to understand the childhood years. If you are interested in how children grow, develop and learn, then this course will allow you to experience and explore this intriguing stage of development. Combining the practical and the theoretical will enable you to develop both academic and professional skills that are needed to work with children.

**How will I learn?**
In the School of Education we provide a variety of learning opportunities:
- Lectures in larger groups allow you to gain outline knowledge of the ideas and concepts involved in each module. You will be encouraged to discuss key points with your fellow students, to answer questions and to develop your opinions and consolidate your learning. Sound recordings of all of our lectures are available for as long as you are registered on the course at Aberystwyth.

- Seminars in smaller groups involve work in more detail on specific aspects of modules. These may involve more practical applications of ideas from lectures, or detailed analysis of pieces of research or other reading.

- Placements - Because of the practical element of the course, students will require an enhanced DBS check which they will need to pay for. There may also be travel expenses within the Aberystwyth area.

**What will I study?**
- In each year, modules give you a solid foundation in essential aspects of Early Childhood Studies, for example:

- In Year 1, modules cover topics such as how young children learn, the importance of health and well-being in the early years and learning through play. You will also undertake sessions relating to professional practice in an early years setting.

- In Year 2, you will explore the importance of literacy development, multi-agency working and safeguarding young children. Year 2 also involves an extensive placement opportunity.

- In Year 3, you will again develop your practical skills through a placement. You will explore the importance of social and emotional development and look at how key communication is to everyone involved in young children's learning and development.

**How will my work be assessed?**
- A variety of assessment techniques will allow you to play to your strengths.

- Some modules are assessed through essays, but you may also complete projects, bibliographic exercises, reflective diaries, posters, and presentations. During your placements, you will keep a folder of evidence to show that you have the skills to work as an early years practitioner.

Successful completion of this degree leads to "Early Years Practitioner Status". This means that you will have a degree that allows you to work as a professional within early years setting (subject to appropriate literacy and numeracy qualifications). Many students progress to become nursery managers and leaders. Furthermore, successful completion of this degree may also lead to progression to a one-year primary school teacher training course (PGCE). The qualification is also an ideal basis for anyone wishing to work in the social work profession or within different types of educational therapy.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,000
per year
England
£9,000
per year
EU
£16,520
per year
International
£16,520
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

Extra funding

Aberystwyth University offers a valuable package of scholarships and bursaries to support students. Our long-established Entrance Examination competition means you could get up to £2,000 a year towards your living and study costs. You can combine that with any or all of our other awards, to make your financial package more valuable. Our awards include Sport and Music Scholarships, Bursaries for Care Leavers/Young Carers/Estranged Students and a range of department specific awards. Please visit our website for full details.

The Uni


Course location:

Main Site (Aberystwyth)

Department:

School of Education

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

97%
Primary education

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Education

Teaching and learning

100%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
94%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
76%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

95%
Library resources
98%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
97%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

96%
UK students
4%
International students
6%
Male students
94%
Female students
71%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Education

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£14,400
low
Average annual salary
98%
med
Employed or in further education
74%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

27%
Childcare and related personal services
25%
Teaching and educational professionals
10%
Welfare and housing associate professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Education

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£15k

£15k

£21k

£21k

£23k

£23k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Chester | Chester
Early and Middle Childhood
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-108
Lower entry requirements
University of Hull | Kingston upon Hull
Primary Teaching Studies
BA (Hons) 2 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112
Same University
Aberystwyth University | Aberystwyth
Childhood Studies
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 96-120

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here