Course description

Explore how children develop

You’ll gain a thorough understanding of early childhood from birth to eight years, exploring how children develop, learn and think. You’ll look at the importance of early childhood from a broad range of perspectives.

Our focus throughout is on identifying and meeting children’s holistic needs, so you’ll consider all the challenges and opportunities faced by early years professionals working in a variety of children’s services.

The role of professional and personal development is an important theme for this course. By spending a substantial amount of time on placement, you'll draw on your own practical experiences with young children to advance your knowledge.

Professional credibility

Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies course enables you to gain practitioner recognition if you do not already hold a practical qualification relating to the field. Please note, to gain level 3 or 6 practitioner status, you will need to hold a GCSE or Functional Skills qualification at grade C/4 or above in English and Maths. If this is not the case, we can provide funded options to undertake these, alongside your undergraduate studies.

A contemporary and relevant course, it is included in the Department for Education’s new qualifications list for settings that deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage for children. Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies enables you to gain practitioner recognition if you do not already hold a practical qualification relating to the field. We offer the following routes to the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies:

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies, on completion of Stage 3 (360 credits). This is an academic route and is academic only, with no full and relevant practitioner status attached to it. The Level 5 work experience (within the Developing Employability Module at Stage 2) links to the University employability agenda.

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Practitioner Options), on completion of Stage 3 (360 credits). This is an academic route which includes the level 3 practitioner status via assessed work placement.

• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (with Graduate Practitioner Competencies) (360 credits). This is an academic route which includes the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies. More details can be found here.

You’ll have a conversation with your personal tutor when you start your studies to decide which of these routes you’re going to take and the practitioner status you’ll graduate with, following completion of your degree.

Information about qualifications and assessed placements can be found on the Department for Education website and the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) website.

It means that your qualification will be well regarded by prospective employers – and this is reflected in our strong track record for enhancing students’ career prospects. Latest statistics show that 98.2% of our Early Childhood Studies graduates were in employment or further study within six months of completing the course.

You have the opportunity to achieve extra qualifications as part of your studies, such as the British Red Cross Paediatric First Aid certificate which is an important asset for employers.

Practical experience on placement

Whilst studying our degree you will undertake a variety of placements which will allow you to develop your professional identity whilst working within the early childhood sector. Whilst on placement you will be able to apply theory to practice using a critically reflective approach.

There is also the opportunity to go on fieldtrips to places such as the Museum of Childhood, Think Tank Museum and Eureka Children’s Museum.

Broaden your horizons

Thanks to our strong professional links overseas, you’ll have the chance to apply for an international placement. Successful applicants spend four weeks in Milan, working in a pre-school and living with a local family. It’s an experience which will build your independence, give you valuable new perspectives and provide an impressive addition to your CV.

Other European fieldtrips have seen our students visit the famous Peto Institute in Budapest to gain insights into its ground breaking work with children who have complex disabilities.

Be inspired by leading experts

Our course is delivered by a highly experienced team, including influential researchers and published authors. It means your course is shaped by the latest thinking and innovative ideas which are changing the face of early childhood studies.

Our staff have conducted important studies into a wide range of subjects, from creativity for early years professionals to social constructions of childhood, from the pressures faced by new parents to ways of engaging fathers in early years settings.

You may even take part in fascinating research initiatives yourself. Our students have, for instance, worked with school children and community groups to draw up ideas for improving the play and educational potential of various parks in Nottinghamshire.

Our annual conferences also give you the chance to share findings from your own projects with an audience of fellow students and practitioners.

A vibrant learning experience

We pride ourselves on offering a friendly, welcoming learning environment where you will receive plenty of encouragement and guidance. Our tutors are approachable, dedicated and passionate about their subjects.

You’ll learn in our Kirtley Building which offers first-rate facilities for our Education and Childhood Studies students. It includes specially designed collaborative learning spaces and a large hall for practical activities and observing learning in action.

Students will also learn off site which includes opportunities to learn off site e.g. forest school sessions.

Flexibility and choice

If you already have appropriate qualifications and experience, you could start this course at stage two or three.

We offer a variety of optional modules so that you can tailor your studies to match your personal interests and career aspirations. These could cover themes as diverse as children’s literature, family dynamics, leadership, ISEND, health and inequality, child protection and children across the world.

Guaranteed interviews for our PGCE Primary

If you complete this degree and meet the entry requirements for our PGCE Primary, we will guarantee you an interview during your final year of undergraduate study (subject to places being available).

Places on our PGCE are highly sought after, so we recommend you apply as early as possible once UCAS opens.

Terms and conditions:

• There are a limited number of places on the PGCE Primary. Once the course is full, applications will close and no further interviews will be held
• Interviews are guaranteed for students who meet the entry requirements for the PGCE Primary, including GCSE grades, degree classification, experience and successful completion of the Skills Tests
• An interview does not guarantee an offer to study on the course

Graduate level practitioner competencies

The University of Derby offers graduate level practitioner competencies for students studying BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies from Stage 1 of the degree.

The Competencies have been developed by members of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) in consultation with students and employers, with an aim of ‘strengthening a graduate-led Early Childhood workforce that is responsive to workforce needs and improves outcomes for children’ (ECSDN, 2018).

Students that achieve the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner competencies will meet the nine competencies through assessed observations of practice, practice-based tasks and academic assessment.

The Early Childhood Graduate Competencies are:

1. Advocating for young children’s rights and participation
2. Promote holistic child development
3. Work directly with young children, families and colleagues to promote health, well-being, safety and nurturing care
4. Observe, listen and plan for young children to support their well-being, early learning, progression and transitions
5. Safeguarding and child protection
6. Inclusive practice
7. Partnership with parents and caregivers
8. Collaborating with others
9. Professional development

How you will learn

You’ll be taught through lectures, seminar activities and tutorials to support you through your assessments and group work.

How you're assessed

You’ll be assessed using case studies, essays, independent research, online tests, posters, presentations and reports. There are no exams.