Early Childhood Education and Care

UCAS code: 887B

Here's what University Centre Somerset says about its Early Childhood Education and Care course.

Whether you are already working in an early years setting or have no experience with children, this course enables you to gain theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills through class-based learning and placement/work links.

As the course is mapped against the QAA benchmarks for Early Childhood degrees and includes assessment in practice, students graduate with a BA (Hons) degree at Level 6 which is counted as full and relevant at Level 3 by the DfE. This means graduates are qualified to work as a practitioner in any Ofsted-registered setting.

In addition to this, students are offered the opportunity to be assessed against the new Graduate Practitioner Competencies, developed by the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN).

Successful completion of this optional module provides you with an additional certificate.

Progression Opportunities You could secure employment in family support and projects working in a range of early years settings such as children’s centre worker, early years practitioner or a role within a primary school. The Honours Degree could also lead to management and leadership roles within early years settings, children’s centres and schools.

Postgraduate qualifications such as PGCE and Masters degrees are frequent destinations for students.

The modules studied may include: • The Child in Society • Child Health and Wellbeing • Introduction to Leadership and Management • The Reflective Practitioner • Dissertation: Primary Research or Secondary Research.

There are no exams on this programme, each module is assessed by means of assignments which may include reflective essays, the development of learning resources and presentations. Assessments are linked to practice on several occasions and placement/work weeks are integral to learning opportunities. Teaching sessions take the form of short lectures, supervised discussions, small group work and guest speakers. Personal tutor and academic support is provided and facilitates individual and whole group progression.