FdA Early Years and Childhood Studies

Program Overview

The Foundation Degree in Early Years and Childhood Studies provides a pathway to graduate status for early years professionals. Delivered over two or three years, it combines theory and practice, emphasizing multi-agency collaboration and improving standards of care for children. Students explore diverse topics such as child development, child protection, and early intervention, preparing them for a wide range of careers in the early years sector, including childcare practitioner, nursery manager, and early years educator.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Foundation degree in Early Years and Childhood Studies is designed for those working in early years who want to work towards graduate status. It is suitable as a pathway to primary school teaching (with the requirement of GCSE maths, English and science). The program welcomes applications from those working in the childcare sector and from students who may not have childcare experience but wish to enter this field.

Outline:

The program is delivered over two years full-time or three years part-time. Students attend one day per week (2.00pm - 9.00pm) and need to have face-to-face contact with children for at least 20 hours per week.

Course Modules:

The areas of study include early years, care and education, children's services and play work. The course is designed with the child care practitioner in mind and combines studying while working in a busy childcare setting. Some modules have adopted 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.

Year 1 Modules:

• Supporting Children’s Care Learning and Development (Work based Learning): This module focuses on developing current practice.
Students will develop resources and activities to improve an area of practice. They will need to critically apply current theory e.g. research on working with colleagues, parents and other agencies, leadership, children’s learning etc. Students will do a presentation on their activities and show how they have developed their learning and practice since year one.
• Negotiated Research Project: This module is designed to enable students to develop a critical understanding of formal methods of enquiry and select and justify appropriate methods of investigation.
It introduces students to both the theoretical and applied aspects of educational and social research. This will involve a detailed introduction to a number of different methodologies and research strategies. It will also consider the use and application of concepts, practices and processes within research requiring students to both evaluate the methodological elements of the research process, followed by the formulation of a research proposal. As an integral part of the module, students will select, design and apply a range of research methods. This will be done within the context of students identifying a research issue or question and then exploring it using the methods they have chosen. In addition to the above the module seeks to establish strong links between theory and practice so as to enable the students to develop their reflective skills and to consider how research findings have, and can, inform and enhance their professional practice.
• Children in Society: This module focuses on developing contemporary issues using social construction, post structuralism, structuralism and sociological theory childhood and the role of children in a dynamically changing society.
This will involve covering relevant legislation, the impact this legislation has on practice. The support systems that are available to children and their relationship to practice will also be considered. Students will reflect upon their own values and how they impact on their professional role. The module will also include an examination of organisational structures and systems and the values therein, and a reflection of practitioner’s role within a variety of organisations.
• Supporting Children's Development: This module enables students to deliberate some of the most recent issues, theories and concepts in developmental psychology.
It will also enable them to apply those theories to practice and by so doing enhance their own continued professional development. Students will question what literacy is and the impact of digital literacies and its links to children’s learning. Students will also have the opportunity to explore their own creativity. Students will examine current government guidelines on emergent literacy and the impact on their practice.
• Personal and Academic Development: This module provides students from the child care workforce the opportunity to develop a range of personal and academic skills in order to support their studies and enhance their future personal and career development.
It recognizes the importance of effective study skills and communication skills in the students continuing success throughout the programme. These skills are highly valued by employers who expect graduates to use them to support their work with children and in their wider professional activities.

Careers:

The program is a pathway to primary school teaching, but it also prepares students for a variety of other careers in the early years sector, such as:

• Childcare practitioner
• Nursery manager
• Play worker
• Early years educator
• Family support worker

Other:

• Students will require the support of their employer to successfully complete the qualification.
• Students need a mentor in the workplace to support them with their studies.
• For those students who successfully complete the Foundation degree, and who are interested in progressing their studies within the field of children's care and learning they can progress on to the BA (Hons) Children's Care Learning and Development.
• We welcome applications from any student who has achieved 240 credits in higher education (120 credits at level 5) e.g.
A Foundation degree related to early years practice.
• Students study early intervention, child health and professional practice alongside their dissertation study.
Topics offered for dissertation last year included identification of gifted and talented children, the value of home visiting in transitions and whether the school starting age is too young.

UK Full-time Tuition Fee: £8,220 per year UK Part-time Tuition Fee: £1,370 per 20 credit module International Full-time Tuition Fee: £14,610 per year