BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies (Progression route)

Program Overview

The Early Years and Childhood Studies program is a graduate-level pathway designed for professionals working in early childhood settings who aspire to primary school teaching. Delivered part-time over one or two years, the program emphasizes early intervention, child health, and professional practice, culminating in an independent dissertation project. Students benefit from one-on-one personal tutoring and a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face sessions with online learning.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Early Years and Childhood Studies (progression route) is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time program designed for those working in early years who want to achieve graduate status. It is suitable as a pathway to primary school teaching, requiring students to also achieve GCSE maths, English and science.

Course Modules:

The program covers areas of study including early years, care and education, children's services, and play work.

Modules:

• Child Health: This module critically reviews child health through relevant social theory, exploring social provision that affects child health, intervention strategies to reduce health inequalities, and contemporary ideas of a healthy lifestyle.
It examines child health using sociological and psychological theory through concepts of gender, race, poverty, empowerment, and health promotion, focusing on issues like childhood obesity and alternative therapies.
• Practice: This module focuses on developing students' practice through research into their own strengths and weaknesses.
It is largely negotiated and self-directed, enabling students to inform and develop their practice, promoting independent learning, problem-solving, reflection, and flexible enhancement of their practice. It reviews interventions in light of the holistic needs of children within an increasingly inclusive and culturally diverse society, examining changing trends in supporting families. It presents current theoretical and statutory frameworks and models for interdisciplinary and participatory partnership working. It equips students with the skills of project planning, design, analysis, and critical evaluation. The module involves independent study under the guidance of a research supervisor, requiring students to engage in a wide literature search and support either a library-based, primary, or secondary research study. Prior approval from the Ethics Committee is needed before primary research can be undertaken, and students are required to produce evidence of DBS checks as necessary.

Teaching:

All students are allocated a personal tutor who offers pastoral support and visits students in their settings. Academic tutorials are an integral part of each module, allowing students to clarify and review teaching and learning with their tutors. Some modules adopt a "blended learning approach" where students can access part of the module via the virtual learning environment supported by face-to-face group tutorial sessions.

Careers:

Future employment opportunities exist in schools, children's centres, playgroups, nurseries, social care, and voluntary organisations.

Other:

The course is designed with the child care practitioner in mind, combining studying while working in a busy childcare setting. It enables students to earn while they learn and maximize the amount of time spent at work.

|---|---| | UK Full-time Tuition Fee | £9,250 | | UK Part-time Tuition Fee | £1,454 | | International Full-time Tuition Fee | £14,610 |