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Early Years Education and Disability Studies

University Centre South Essex

UCAS Code: X310 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

University Centre South Essex

UCAS Code: X310 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff

64

A minimum of 64 UCAS points from one or more of the following: • Access to Higher Education Diploma • A Levels • T Levels • BTEC/UAL Extended Diploma • Or equivalent EU/International qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma • GCSE English Language and Maths at Grade C (old specification) or Grade 4 (new specification) OR a Level 2 equivalent such as Functional Skills. This list is not exhaustive, other qualifications may be considered. Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio/show reel of work, personal statement and reference.

About this course

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2025

Subjects

Early years education

Special needs teaching

The fundamental aim of the BSc (Hons) Early Years Education and Disability Studies programme is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to apply theory, concepts, and ideas across multiple domains of the Early Years and Disability studies sector. In doing so, this programme will provide students the opportunity to hone skills and develop a strong understanding of the current educational landscape where inclusive practice is a key component. This degree brings together Early Years and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) practice across multiple domains, acknowledging the holistic view of human development and social justice.
The programme focuses on the four key disciplinary strands of Early Years Education, Disability Studies, research methods, and employability. The combined focus on these core strands will ensure a well-rounded understanding of core concepts and theories both within and across multiple disciplines, fostering a level of critical thinking and personal development which will provide essential transferrable skills for a multitude of employability scenarios. It is anticipated that graduates from the BA (Hons) Early Years and Disability Studies programme would progress to a wide variety of careers spanning Mental Health and Wellbeing, Special Educational Needs Advocacy and Support, and Education sectors. Some examples may include, although might require further training: Early Years Teacher; Special Educational Needs (SEND) Teacher; Education Consultant; Family Support Worker; Learning Mentor; Play Therapist; Subject Teachers; Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO); Community Development Worker.
Year 01 provides core knowledge covering Early Years Education and SEND theory. Students progressing to year two are able to choose an Early Years pathway or SEND pathway, depending on their interests and career goals. Year three allows students to complete a placement module and dissertation, combined with optional modules covering further aspects of Early Years Education and / or SEND studies.
In addition, the programme will also provide an enriched learning experience through a combination of tutor support, multidisciplinary teaching, and student commitment that creates both a challenging and supportive academic environment. Modules in years 1 & 2 link and then come together in year 3 to support students with independent study.

Modules

Year one modules
• Play based Teaching and Learning
• Professional Practice in the Workplace
• Introduction to Neurodiversity
• Social Construct of Human Development
• Perspective on Children’s Development
• Introduction to Research

Year two modules – SEND pathway
• Social Justice and SEND Practice
• Communication Development and SEND Practice
• Developing and Delivering Learning Support Programmes
• Understanding Autism and Neuro-diverse Needs in Practice
• Research Methods and Proposal

Year two modules – Early Years Pathway
• Social Constructs: Social Constructs of Childhood: Families, Inequality and Social Justice
• Transitions and the Role of the Professional
• Pedagogy and Early Learning
• Exploring Science Mathematics and Literacy
• Research Methods and Proposal

Year three modules
• Dissertation
• Professional Practice
2 from:
• Childhood in context; Where are we Heading?
• Psychological Perspectives on Children’s Behaviour
• Safeguarding and Protecting the vulnerable families
• Mental Wellbeing in Childhood and Adolescence.

Work Placement
Work placements are necessary during every year of the course which will be evidenced through a portfolio linked to Y03 Professional Practice module.

Assessment methods

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops, which enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of Independent learning. You will have 13 hours of contact time per week across two days. Contact time will consist of:

2-4 hour lectures/seminars
Tutorial and dedicated one-to-one support when necessary
Independent learning
When not attending lectures, seminars or workshops or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue to learn independently through self-guided, independent activities. This may typically include reading journal articles, books, periodicals and preparing coursework and presentations. A range of excellent facilities, including the library and online learning resources, the Learning Resource Centre and the Forum supports your independent learning.

You will be assessed using a variety of methods including:
• Essays
• Research Projects
• Presentations
• MCQ Exercises
• Short Answer Tests
• Portfolios

Feedback
You will receive formative feedback as part of your modules and taught sessions with your module lead. You will also receive summative comments on all formal assessments undertaken by coursework.

Tuition fees

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

England
£8,500
per year
EU
£17,930
per year
International
£17,930
per year
Northern Ireland
£8,500
per year
Scotland
£8,500
per year
Wales
£8,500
per year

The Uni

Course location:

University Centre Southend

Department:

Faculty of Higher Education

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What students say

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

100%
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

95%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
95%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
90%
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

85%
Library resources
85%
IT resources
75%
Course specific equipment and facilities
80%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

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

Special needs teaching

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.

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.

Early years 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.

90%
med
Employed or in further education
95%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.

What about your long term prospects?

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

Early years 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.

£20k

£20k

£25k

£25k

£20k

£20k

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.

Special needs teaching

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

£20k

£20k

£25k

£25k

£20k

£20k

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.

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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