Early Childhood Studies

Through our Early Childhood Studies degree, you will become an early years specialist and will learn how to make a difference to young lives. We cover the 0 to 8 age range, with a particular focus on pre-school children.

There are few more rewarding roles than helping children to develop new skills, grow socially and emotionally, and overcome challenges. With our Early Childhood Studies degree you can prepare for roles like this.

You’ll develop a deep understanding of the factors which affect children’s learning, health and wellbeing. You will then put the theory into action, using teaching techniques, play therapy and other practical approaches.

You’ll also build experience across a range of placements. And there’s even an opportunity to spend a summer or a year abroad.

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of places, including schools and nurseries, local authorities, health organisations and charities. Some train to become teachers or move into social work.

There’s no better time to specialise in supporting children and their families.

We offer fantastic University facilities, including access to our £4.4 million Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School. Our strong links with community groups mean you could also be working with real families alongside experienced professionals.

In your second and third years, you can tailor your degree to your individual interests. Either continue with a more general route, or choose one of the following pathways:

• Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Education for our sustainable world

The sustainability pathway includes outdoor learning using the amazing forest school setting.

For those exploring mental health and wellbeing, placements could focus on pastoral care or other aspects of education welfare and support. The SEND pathway provides an ideal platform for students wanting a career working with children who have additional needs.

The course will also cover the leadership and management of early years settings, what childhood looks like around the world, and early years policy.

As an Early Childhood Studies student, you will also be eligible to:

• Gain an approved qualification which meets the Department for Education criteria for counting in the EYFS staff-to-child ratios
• Earn the title of Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner through assessment against the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) graduate competencies.

Work placements

As an Early Childhood Studies student, you will develop knowledge and understanding of the factors that impact on children’s learning, development, health, and wellbeing within the 0-8 age range.

In your first year, you will study three core modules which are shared with the Education Studies programme. Studying within a multi-disciplinary context, you’ll learn in a collaborative manner and develop a deeper insight into the wider educational sector. You’ll develop a firm foundation of the necessary knowledge, academic and professional skills which you’ll build upon in your second and third years.

In the second and third year of your studies, you will develop specialist knowledge through studying a further four core modules. You can then elect to follow a specialist pathway and increase your knowledge in areas of professional interest. Our pathways include:

• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) – this pathway enables students to develop a specialist insight and critical understanding of SEND practice and appropriate pedagogical approaches for children and young people with SEND.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing – this pathway enables students who have an interest in promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing to develop an informed understanding of the factors that can impact on mental health and wellbeing and the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to promote and support children and young people.
• Education for our Sustainable World – this pathway enables students who have an interest in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding required to support and motivate learners to act for sustainable development. Students who elect to study on this pathway will have the opportunity to complete an outdoor learning module which will take place in the Forest School.

As an Early Childhood Studies student, you will also be eligible to:

• Gain an approved qualification which meets the DfE criteria for counting in the EYFS staff:child ratios.
• Earn the title of Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner through assessment against the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) graduate competencies.

The course operates on a modular basis that provides flexibility and choice. Each year, you will study four modules of either 20 or 40 credits. 2 modules per semester Each credit taken equates to a total study time of around 10 hours. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity. Full-time students take modules worth 60 credits per semester, with part-time students taking proportionately fewer credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits for the degree as a whole. Your overall grade for the course and your degree classification are based on the marks obtained for modules taken at levels 5 and 6.  The full-time course has one start point in September.