Early Childhood and Primary Education
University of Chester
UCAS Code: X325 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Chester
UCAS Code: X325 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Merit.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Higher
T Level
T Level with a Pass grade and C or above on the core
UCAS Tariff
Please note that GCSE grade C/4 or above in English (or equivalent) is required. GCSE grade C/4 or above in Maths and Science are desirable.
About this course
The education landscape plays a critical role in children’s cognitive and emotional development, and how they progress through later life. This course specialises in the transformative power within both the Primary Education and Early Childhood sectors, and is perfect if you wish to discuss, discover, and analyse in-depth why learning experiences are vital.
You will explore contemporary thinking relating to play, social and emotional development, and the philosophy of childhood and education. Early education creates intense discussion across political and societal landscapes, exposing tensions between care and education. This course supports you to analyse and assess a range of political and societal ideas about family life and teaching and caring for children that have far-reaching impacts on their schooling and wider society.
This course offers you a great deal of flexibility and supports you to follow your professional interests. In your second year, you will be well-poised to choose a pathway to specialise in either Early Childhood or in Primary Education, and we tailor modules so that they deepen and widen your knowledge in these areas.
We’re particularly proud of our third-year offering; in this year you will author a personal (and often inspirational) research project. Examples of dissertations include how gender influences toy choices, perceptions of sign language between parents and practitioners, healthy eating in a school environment, and the ‘Justifiable Lie’: the magic of Santa!
BA Early Childhood and Primary Education Pathways
This course allows you to study a specialist pathway. Our pathways provide you with specific modules and opportunities to enable you to tailor your studies towards areas you are passionate about, whether through Early Childhood Studies or Primary Education Studies specialisms.
Our Early Childhood Studies pathway will provide a critical understanding of social, political, and cultural perspectives on early childhood learning. It will encourage independent thinking as you analyse theory and practice in early years settings. This pathway is ideal if you’re passionate about the foundational stages of children's development and will prepare you with a Level 3 Early Years Educator licence to practice alongside your degree.
Our pathway in Primary Education Studies is designed for students interested in specialising in the development, learning, and education of children aged 5-11. The pathway emphasises inclusive teaching strategies, equipping you with the skills to support diverse learners and create engaging, responsive learning environments. With a blend of academic study and placement experience, this pathway will prepare you to pursue a career in primary education, with options to further your qualifications through postgraduate study. This pathway is ideal if you are passionate about making a difference in children’s early educational experiences and contributing positively to the primary school setting.
Modules
The BA Early Childhood & Primary Education course contains core modules at each level of study. At Level 4, you are introduced to principles of holistic child development, and the theories of playful learning. Core modules are shared with Level 4 students from similar courses within the department. Level 5 builds upon this foundation with more complex learning that offers you the opportunity to develop your thinking about children’s lives regarding health and wellbeing. This level also supports you to consider how research is undertaken and equips you with early research skills. At Level 5 you are given the choice of a module pathway which offers a focus on working in the Early Years or working in Primary Education
At Level 6 you will undertake a dissertation project focusing on your own area of interest. You will continue learning and developing your personal philosophy, integrating all the knowledge and skills acquired throughout your studies with a focus on critical discussions relating to alternative narratives, marginalised children and what childhood looks like in contemporary society.
You are offered the opportunity to undertake Graduate Practitioner Competencies awarded by the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network. These competencies support you to undertake a higher level of practice supported by workplace placements, assessed practice & portfolio and an end-of-year Viva at Level 6.
The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.
Assessment methods
This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term you will study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately six and ten hours per week depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. This course is delivered through in person. Students can expect to take part in lectures, workshops and peer-led seminars.
Students should expect to spend an average of 30 – 34 hours per week on independent study which might include following asynchronous learning material, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment.
Teaching will be delivered by experience academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.
There will be a broad range of assessment methods so you are exposed to the different types of tasks that you might encounter in the workplace. These will include coursework in the form of portfolios, written pieces (both long and short form), podcasts and presentations. In some modules, you will encounter class tests and practical assessments. We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare you for graduate level employment.
Tuition fees
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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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Childhood and youth studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
When you look at employment stats, bear in mind that a lot of students are already working in education when they take this type of course and are studying to help their career development. This means they already have jobs when they start their course, and a lot of graduates continue to study, whilst working, when they complete their courses. If your course is focused on nursery or early years education, a lot of these graduates go into nursery work or classroom or education assistant jobs; these jobs are not currently classed as 'graduate level' in the stats (although they may well be in the future as classifications catch up with changes in the way we work), and many graduates who enter these roles say that a degree was necessary.
Childhood and youth studies
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.
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.
£21k
£25k
£30k
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.
Childhood and youth studies
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
£30k
£25k
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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Post-six month graduation stats:
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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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