Early Childhood Studies with Foundation Year
About this course
**Roehampton is internationally renowned for its work in Early Childhood Studies, and we are ranked number 1 in London for Education (Complete University Guide 2021)**
On this engaging course, you will learn about children, their families and communities from before- birth until the age of eight. Looking at the intellectual, emotional, physical, social and cultural experiences of young children, you will learn about promoting understanding and respect for young children and their families. With a team of highly-regarded tutors who are experts in their specialism, you will learn from some of the best in the field. With demand for early years specialists and leaders continuing to grow, this course will equip you for a range of potential careers.
This four year degree in Early Childhood Studies includes a foundation year, which will give you a sound introduction to key elements needed for studying Education at degree level. The foundation year is carefully designed to build confidence in your abilities, develop essential academic and study skills, and provide the subject specific knowledge essential for success.
This course is designed to provide you with a deep understanding of young children and early childhood through three key areas; theory, which includes policy and practice to help provide you with an informed perspective; research, which is led by your tutors who are experts in their field and influence current national and international policy; and practice, which can be gained through a work placement module.
The course is informed by Froebelian philosophies and traditions and it seeks to ensure that these ideas and principles inform current thinking. These include a belief in the need for people who work with young children, or who are responsible for the administration or policy formation in this field, to be knowledgeable about research in early childhood and to understand essential characteristics in young children's growth, development and learning.
This course will provide you with a sound understanding in Early Childhood Studies and equip you to draw upon this knowledge in promoting the best possible provision for children.
Taught on our south-west London campus, on this degree you will have access to many opportunities for work experience through our Careers Team, and access to face-to-face and 24/7 online careers support, whether you choose to live on campus or commute to us.
**This course offers all students the option of a one-year paid work placement, to boost your employability even further. If you choose this route, you will take the placement following year two of the main degree, and then return to complete your degree. A placement year is the perfect opportunity to gain valuable work experience, to build on the career skills we will teach you on this degree. The connections you make on the placement will improve your career prospects further, and equip you with the skills you need to secure graduate-level employment.**
Modules
During the foundation year, you will take modules in English and Maths which will develop your core academic and study skills. The syllabus includes a year-long module relevant to your chosen degree subject such as Education Essentials: Learning and Development. This will provide you with a subject specific knowledge in Education which is essential for success in your degree.
During your first year of study, you consider the impact of cultural influences on the lives of babies, toddlers and young children and their development. You will research topical issues and concerns in early childhood and consider the concepts of equity and inclusion. You will explore the importance of observation in the study of young children and learn fundamental skills needed to carry out early years research.
In the second year, you will analyse the significance of play, imagination and creativity in children's development, and examine the impact of the early childhood pioneers on current perspectives and practice. You will have an opportunity to undertake a work placement in an early years setting plus you will consider a variety of curriculum models, children's wellbeing and their understanding of themselves and others. Whilst deepening your understanding of research methods in early childhood settings, you will start a research proposal for your third year project.
In your final year, you will carry out a substantial research project in an area of your choice and develop expertise in this subject. You will also spend time learning about how to interact with young children so that you can engage with their perspectives and consider the influences that society has on them. A strong and effective relationship with the parents of the children you care for is paramount to the welfare of the child. You will learn how to maintain a balance of power between the parents and yourself as a professional, as well as how to address issues such as cultural diversity and support systems.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
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.
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.
Childhood and youth studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
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.
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
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here