Being involved in the educational and personal growth of children can offer a highly fulfilling profession. This course provides you with the opportunity to gain recognition as an early childhood development graduate practitioner, subject to meeting placement and assessment criteria.
Course overview
Success in this field demands a combination of creativity, empathy, logical thinking and extensive knowledge, coupled with the capacity to draw upon personal life experiences. Given the dynamic nature of this industry, this course emphasises the exploration of policies, procedures, exemplary approaches and hands-on learning to provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental aspects of child development.
As a successful graduate of this course you will meet the Graduate Practitioner Competencies which are considered full and relevant training by the UK Department for Education standards.
Why you should study this course
By studying this course, you'll get:
- an opportunity to take part in invaluable practical placements2,5 (if taking the Graduate Practitioner route).
- an additional option to work towards obtaining Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner status*
- to undertake an investigation into a topic relating to early childhood enabling you to make informed recommendations for future policy, research and practice
- to draw on your own personal experience and make links between your study at studies, your personal experience and your professional practice in the field of early childhood
- to explore a range of international perspectives on early childhood, which you can apply to your own research area.
- opportunities to engage with students at other international universities and industry experts through initiatives like our Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project2.
- opportunities to conduct critical research with our highly experienced staff.
*Subject to meeting all the competencies set out by The Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN), which includes securing and passing work-based assessed placements2,5. Successful completion of all modules (across all three levels), work-based placement criteria, will lead to an Early Childhood development and Learning BA Hons Degree certificate and an additional Graduate Practitioner Competency certificate. Please check the ECSDN website for further information.
Membership
- The Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN)
- Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degrees in Early Years Professional Association (SEFDEY)
Memberships are reviewed on an annual basis and are not guaranteed. Applicants and students will be informed of any changes as soon as possible.
How you'll learn
This course is available as a full-time three-year course without placements, a full-time three-year course with local placement in the first, second and final years or an optional four-year sandwich course where you undertake a work placement or study year in a related field2,5.
This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about the part-time study.
Students who undertake the Early Childhood Development and Learning degree will undertake assessed placements at each level (levels 4, 5 and 6)2,5. Upon successful completion of your placements, you will obtain a licence to practise, in line with best practise in the early childhood sector.
If you choose degree with placement route, you will have to complete your compulsory ECDL placement modules. You will also need to complete an enhanced DBS check and attend a meeting with a placement coordinator. Students will be subject to satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure. Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section5.
You will then start your placement days alongside your studies. Your placement could be in schools or nurseries that are Ofsted registered as "good" or above. The placement days can be scheduled in different ways, such as in weekly blocks or daily, for example every Wednesday, accumulating the required placement days over the year.
For your ECDL placement modules, you need to complete 25 days in Year 1 (Level 4), 30 days in Year 2 (Level 5), and 25 days in Year 3.
Teaching contact hours
As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.
Teaching hours
Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.
Guided and Independent study
Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.
Online learning
As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.
Assessment methods may include:
- essays
- group work
- presentations
- reports
- projects
- coursework
- individual assignments.
Assessment for ECDL placement module include:
- observations
- portfolio
- discussions
- APL of coursework (applied learning).
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Facilities
The modern CU Coventry Mile Lane campus has been designed to promote collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Facilities include:
- indoor and outdoor social spaces, including a ground floor café
- a ground floor library that includes loan laptops and a silent study area
- open-access IT suites
- student support and careers advice teams.
CU Coventry students also have access to facilities located on the Coventry University campus. These include the Lanchester Library and The Hub.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion of the Early Childhood Development and Learning degree, BA (Hons) graduates will possess a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will enable them to make a meaningful impact in the field.
Successful completion of this course can equip graduates with the Graduate Practitioner Competencies they need for employment within the early years sector.
Obtaining practitioner status can help graduates advance to postgraduate study or higher-level professional employment, as well as improve their employability in the field of childhood studies.
These key areas include expertise in Child Development including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical aspects. You should understand how to create engaging and inclusive learning environments that foster holistic development and cater to the diverse needs of children. You will have a repertoire of effective teaching strategies and techniques tailored to early childhood education. You will be adept at using play-based learning, hands-on activities, and inquiry-based approaches to facilitate children's learning and promote their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills.
You will be proficient in assessing children's progress and learning outcomes. You will be able to use various assessment tools and strategies to gather data, track individual progress, and make informed instructional decisions to support each child's development. You will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, enabling you to effectively collaborate with families, colleagues, and other professionals in the field.
You should uphold high ethical standards and demonstrate professionalism in your interactions and practices.You will understand the importance of ongoing professional development.
There are opportunities to progress in your career during and beyond the course, with your study with us opening up a number of avenues for future career development in areas such as:
- Teaching in early years and primary schools, educational leadership and management
- Working in services relating to Inclusion and SEND, safeguarding
- Children’s mental health, speech and language therapy, play therapy
- Family support worker, social work
- Early childhood education and care research, publication
- Further studies in Early Childhood at postgraduate level
Where our graduates work
Graduates from previous Early Childhood Development and Learning BA (Hons) degree have gone onto work in:
- Primary schools
- Private day nurseries
- Forest schools
- Local authority
- Further education colleges and schools
- Child-minding
Previous graduates have progressed into successful careers within industry, for a number of organisations such as Busy Bees Nursery and Angels Childcare Recruitment.
Further study
- Early Childhood MA
- Education MA
- Leadership and Management MA
- PGCE
- SCITT
- EYITT
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