**Location of study:
Level 3 – ARU Cambridge Campus
Level 4-6 – ARU Chelmsford Campus**

Explore the world through a child’s eyes - discover how they develop, learn and think, and pick up practical skills and experience to help you shape their future. You’ll also attend placements, and have the chance to achieve your Early Childhood Practitioner Competencies.

On our Early Childhood Studies degree, you'll discover how children from 0 to 8 years old develop, learn and think, and how you can forge a rewarding career with children and families in a variety of early years settings.

Working with young children is hugely rewarding and enormous fun, but can also be very challenging - education is a fast-paced sector. Our course will help you develop your understanding of professional and inclusive practice, and how you can support both the child and the family, to deliver a high standard of professional practice in the workplace.

Using the latest theory and practical experiences you’ll explore current research around key topics including contemporary issues in education and pedagogical approaches, while building your leadership skills and considering possible careers across the early childhood sector.

You’ll also have the opportunity to achieve your Early Childhood Practitioner Competencies, ensuring you graduate with a full and relevant early years qualification to meet the requirements of the graduate workforce.

If you've already completed a foundation degree (or equivalent), you can gain a full honours degree in just one or two years with our Top-Up options.

If you study on the face-to-face version of this course, you’ll need to attend lectures on campus one day a week and spend one day a week in your chosen placement setting.

Our Education courses ranked 7th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2024, and scored 90% for the Teaching on my Course in the National Student Survey 2023.

On this course you’ll learn through practice as well as theory, in our Early Childhood Resource and Research Room and on placements, allowing you to hone your skills and get hands-on practical experience. Over the three years of the course you'll complete at least 80 placement days with out dedicated Placement Coordinator on hand to help you find them. Or, if you study by distance learning. and are already working in a relevant environment, you can usually complete your placement with your current employer

You’ll also have access to additional volunteering and work experience as well as opportunities to take part in further professional development training, enrichment trips, research groups and various early childhood and education events.

Throughout your studies you’ll be taught by experts in the field of early childhood, who have experience of working in the education sector. They will support your independent learning with a variety of teaching methods - including group activities, lectures, seminars and class debates / discussions – as well as interactive technology such as padlets, mentimeter and other interactive apps.

You’ll also receive regular feedback and personal tutorial support throughout the course to develop both your academic and professional skills, as well as benefitting from the educational links and research our lecturers are involved in through our Early Childhood Research Group.

Guided by the Early Years Professional Framework, we work with employers to ensure our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies will give you the knowledge, skills and abilities that they need. You’ll be qualified to work in any registered setting in England, including nurseries and pre-schools, and with additional training you could also consider a career in educational psychology or social work.

You’ll complete at least 80 placement days over three years of the course, helping you hone skills and get hands-on experience. Our Placement Coordinator will help you source your placements.