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Early Childhood Studies

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,C

Typical offer BBC (112 points from two or more A levels)

Access to HE Diploma

D:6,M:24,P:15

Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject is acceptable for entry. You will need 60 credits overall with 6 credits with Distinction and 24 at Merit and level 2 passes in Communication units. QAA accredited course required.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

28

At least 15 points at the higher level and a minimum of 4 points in English at standard level.

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

DMM

Scottish Higher

C,C,C,C,D,D

A minimum of 114 UCAS tariff points to include four passes at Higher level.

UCAS Tariff

112

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Part-time | 2024

Subject

Early years education

**Why study this course?**

Our Early Childhood Studies BA degree was one of the first programmes of its kind in the UK, developed to meet the demand for well-qualified early childhood specialists working with young children and their families across all sectors. This undergraduate degree will equip you to implement effective practice with children and families in a range of situations and to act as an advocate for their rights and wellbeing.

**More about this course**

Our Early Childhood Studies BA degree is uniquely designed for both experienced practitioners and those new to the early childhood studies field. The focus of the course is the study of play, development and learning of children from birth to six-years-old in a socio-cultural context and the implications this has for practice in early childhood settings. The course emphasises the links between theory and practice and highly values the development of professional and academic knowledge. It includes assessed practice, which means tutors will visit/appraise you in professional settings.

You’ll receive exceptional pastoral and academic support from your tutor and academic mentor, whose job will be to ensure you progress through your studies and settle in to university life.

In your first year, the focus will be on developing key skills that are indispensable for academic study at university, including reading, writing and constructing arguments. The study of these academic skills will be linked to other subjects on the course, including theoretical perspectives of holistic development, the use of play in supporting development, the safeguarding of children and inclusion. You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake a work placement module, which will require you to work for two days per week with children aged four to five. You will be supported by a placement supervisor, a visiting tutor and a placement liaison officer.

Your second year will focus on developing research skills and analysing key information in childhood development, such as key legislation, pedagogical and curricular approaches. You’ll also learn how to engage in reflective discussion of how these approaches underpin inclusion and children’s rights.

In your final year you’ll undertake an independent project based on your early years practice experience, which will allow you to explore areas of your own academic interest. You’ll also have the opportunity to critically evaluate current debates in early childhood practice leadership and management, and consider the impact of this on the quality of care and education provision.

Modules

Example Year 1 modules include: Perspectives on Children's Development (core, 30 credits); Safeguarding Young Children's Health and Well-being (core, 30 credits); Understanding Play (core, 30 credits); Academic Skills and Professional Placement (alternative core, 30 credits); Adults and Children as Learners: An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies (alternative core, 30 credits).
Examples Year 2 modules include: Approaches to Pedagogy and Curriculum in the Early Years (core, 30 credits); Challenging Inequalities (core, 15 credits); Children's Rights in Today's World (core, 15 credits); Enquiry-based Learning (core, 30 credits); Promoting Early Learning Through the EYFS and Key Stage 1 (core, 15 credits); Communicating in Multi-lingual contexts (alternative core, 15 credits); Early years learning and practice frameworks (alternative core, 15 credits); Creative Thinking and Representation from Birth to Six (option, 15 credits); Professional Studies and Practitioner Placement: Part 2 (option, 15 credits).
Example Year 3 modules include: Early Childhood Studies Project (core, 60 credits); Leading Practice with Children, Families and Professionals (core, 30 credits); Reading Research and Research Methods in Early Childhood (core, 15 credits); Debating Children and Childhood (option, 15 credits); Professional Practice in Key Stage 1 (option, 15 credits).

Assessment methods

Assessment is based on coursework with no formal examinations.

Tuition fees

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

Channel Islands
£17,600
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£17,600
per year
International
£17,600
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£17,600
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Holloway

Department:

School of Social Sciences and Professions

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.

76%
Early years 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

75%
Staff make the subject interesting
82%
Staff are good at explaining things
93%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
86%
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

59%
Library resources
64%
IT resources
63%
Course specific equipment and facilities
57%
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?

99%
UK students
1%
International students
11%
Male students
89%
Female students
68%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

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.

£19,000
high
Average annual salary
99%
med
Employed or in further education
57%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

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

£22k

£22k

£26k

£26k

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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