Overview
Course In Depth
Modules
Entry Criteria
Careers and Employability
Finance
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Overview
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UCAS Code: | L520 |
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Course Length: | 3 Years Full-Time |
Start Dates: | September 2021 |
Subjects: | Social Sciences |
Location: | Edge Hill University |
Example Offers: | BCC-BBC (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria |
Life comes at us fast in our early years, shaping the perceptions and realities of children and early childhood in our society and across the world. The nature of childhood, of young children and their families, and the provision made for them are explored in this degree, designed to respond to developments in the field of early childhood, both nationally and internationally. The programme is for anyone with an interest in children’s early years development, and those wanting a career working with children aged 0-8. The degree prepares you for employment in the expanding early years sector, equips you with a range of transferable skills and includes field trips in the UK and Europe. It also provides the opportunity for you to achieve an additional qualification, the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Certificate (ECGPC).
Student and Alumni Profiles
Discover Uni: Full-Time Study
In Depth
What will I study?
In Year 1 you start with an introduction to early childhood studies which gives you the conceptual tools for your analysis in Years 2 and 3. You will be able to put your course into a broad context of world development and change as well as gaining a basic introduction to social and developmental psychology, social policy and education studies.
You will have the additional opportunity to enrol on the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Certificate (ECGPC) in Year 1 which you will continue to complete across all three years of your degree. The ECGPC will begin to develop your practitioner competencies through the completion of an initial work placement and the production of a portfolio.
Year 2 develops your academic and research skills in early childhood studies and investigates contemporary perspectives on early childhood education and care. Optional modules enable you to explore a range of subjects in early childhood studies, early years education, health and social care, or social work. You can also continue to work towards the ECGPC, undertaking further work placements and using the knowledge you are gaining from your modules to add to your portfolio.
Year 3 focuses on critical theory and practice in the key areas of the early years sector, including education, social services and social work with children and their families and the principles of working with young children in an anti-oppressive and inclusive way. There is the opportunity to study early childhood education and care in an international context, take part in an international field trip, complete a supervised dissertation on a relevant topic of your choice, as well as completing your work towards the ECGPC.
How will I study?
The programme is taught via lectures, presentations, seminars, workshops, small group work and tutorials. Sessions are often interactive and make use of tutor and student presentations, video recordings, newspaper articles, ICT-based learning and research evidence. The emphasis is on student-centred learning, which encourages you to raise questions, evaluate sources, critique theoretical debate and develop your own analyses.
All students can choose to build a national and a European field trip into their optional studies. This involves an intensive, brief period of study in London and/or a major European city such as Amsterdam.
How will I be assessed?
Progress and achievement are assessed using a variety of methods, such as essays, case studies, portfolios, poster and oral presentations, analysis of interview findings, completion of directed tasks, and enquiry reports.
Who will be teaching me?
Staff are engaged in cutting-edge research in a number of crucial areas of social science, including subjects of contemporary significance, such as child protection, disability, mental health and sexuality and gender studies.
A Great Study Environment
The Department of Social Sciences is based in Creative Edge, a state-of-the-art £17m building offering highly contemporary facilities for Social Sciences students.
The building features a lecture theatre, seminar rooms, IT facilities and smaller tutorial spaces. There are also social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning.
An Employers’ Advisory Panel helps to inform the programme curriculum. We invite employers to work with you so that you can apply your developing critical knowledge to solve real-world problems.
Your degree will be supplemented by a lively programme of activities including social events and research seminars featuring academic staff and guest speakers. The department also organises specialist careers fairs, hosts speakers from a range of professions and organisations, and arranges a variety of employability events.
Modules
Expand AllYear 1
EYT1003Early Years Pedagogy (20 credits)
SPY1102Child Developmental and Social Psychology (20 credits)
SPY1103Children and Young People in Society (20 credits)
SPY1104Introduction to Social Policy and Welfare (20 credits)
SPY1106Working with Young Children and Families (20 credits)
SPY1115Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (20 credits)
Language modules, delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, are available to study as an integral part of this degree. A single Language module can be studied instead of SPY1115 Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (20 credits).
Year 2
SPY2120Contemporary Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Care (20 credits)
SPY2121Research Methods One (20 credits)
You will select four of the following modules:
SPY2122Research Methods Two (20 credits)
SPY2123Child Welfare, Family and the State (20 credits)
SPY2124Children's Cultural Worlds (20 credits)
SPY2125Children, Food and Sustainability (20 credits)
SPY2126Promoting Equality in Childhood (20 credits)
SPY2127Work-based Learning and Employability 1 (20 credits)
SPY2128Representations of Childhood and Youth in Popular Culture (20 credits)
SPY2140Early Years Specialism (20 credits)
SPY2141Professional and Personal Reflective Development (20 credits)
If you studied a Language module in Year 1, you may wish to study a further Language module in Year 2. This would form an integral part of your degree in place of one of the optional modules above.
Year 3
SPY3100Dissertation (40 credits)
SPY3102Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (20 credits)
You will select three of the following modules:
ECS3000Perspectives and Practice in Forest School Education (20 credits)
ECS3001Creative and Musical Early Childhood (20 credits)
SPY3048Critical Autism Studies (20 credits)
SPY3101Self-Directed Study (20 credits)
SPY3103International Perspectives on Early Childhood, Education and Care (20 credits)
SPY3104Social Work with Children and Families: Theory, Policy and Practice (20 credits)
SPY3105Contemporary Theory, Policy and Practice in Education Services (20 credits)
SPY3106Critical Perspectives in Children's Health and Wellbeing (20 credits)
SPY3107Issues for Professional Practice (20 credits)
SPY3113Researching Early Childhood (20 credits)
SPY3125Socio-Cultural Issues and Questions (20 credits)
SPY3127Work-based Learning and Employability 2 (20 credits)
SPY3128Graduate Practitioner Professional and Reflective Practice (20 credits)
If you studied Language modules in Years 1 and 2, you may wish to study a further Language module in Year 3. This would form an integral part of your degree in place of one of the optional modules above.
Optional modules provide an element of choice within the programme curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements.
Timetables
Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
Entry Criteria
Entry Requirements
Typical offer 104-112 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.
Example Offers
Some examples of how you can achieve 104-112 UCAS Tariff points are detailed below.
- A Level: BCC-BBC;
- BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications): Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM);
- International Baccalaureate (IB): We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points;
- Access to Higher Education Diploma: 45 credits at Level 3, for example 9 credits at Distinction and 36 credits at Merit or 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.
Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.
As long as you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as the Welsh Baccalaureate and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven’t been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.
For further information on how you can meet the entry requirements, including details of alternative qualifications, please visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/offers.
EU students can get country-specific information about the University’s entry requirements and equivalent national qualifications at www.edgehill.ac.uk/eu.
International students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international for information on the entry criteria for overseas applicants.
English Language Requirements
International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
If your current level of English is half a band lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
Are there any alternative ways to meet the entry requirements?
If you have the ability to study for a degree but lack the necessary qualifications or confidence, our Fastrack: Preparation for Higher Education course could be for you. This free, seven-week programme provides a great opportunity to enhance your study skills and subject knowledge and demonstrate that you are ready to study a particular subject with us, in lieu of achieving the UCAS Tariff points in the entry criteria.
Upon successful completion of a Fastrack course, you will be well placed to progress onto a corresponding Edge Hill University degree, although additional entry requirements may apply and the availability of specific programmes cannot be guaranteed. For more information, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/fastrack.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Edge Hill University recognises learning gained elsewhere, whether through academic credit and qualifications acquired from other relevant courses of study or through recognition of an individual’s professional and employment experience (also referred to as ‘experiential learning’). This may include credit or learning undertaken at another university.
Previous learning that is recognised in this way may be used towards meeting the entry requirements for a programme and/or for exemption from part of a programme. It is your responsibility to make a claim for recognition of prior learning. For guidance, please consult the University’s academic regulations (sections C7 and F3.1) or contact the faculty in which you are interested in studying.
Career Prospects
What are my career prospects?
You will be prepared for a career in the early years sector, social services, education, health authorities, voluntary sector, private sector, further specialist study and postgraduate studies. The programme is designed to enhance employability and future work opportunities in a range of areas.
Achieving an Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Certificate (ECGPC) alongside your degree will significantly enhance your employability. You will gain more than 80 hours of work experience and be able to present a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates your achievement of key competencies. The ECGPC enables you to enter the jobs market for roles requiring an early education professional up to level 6, placing you at a significant advantage to graduates without the certificate.
How can I enhance my employability?
It is useful to consider, even before you apply, how you will spend your time while studying and make the most of your university experience.
Optional, additional activities may be available on this degree which could help to prepare you for a stimulating and rewarding career. These include:
- Sandwich Years – you may have the opportunity to apply to complete a sandwich year placement, usually as the third year of a four year degree, and gain highly relevant work experience;
- Erasmus+ and Study Abroad – you may have the opportunity to apply to spend time studying or working abroad, usually as the third year of a four year degree, enabling you to immerse yourself in a different culture;
- Learning a Language – you may be able to select language modules, delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, as an integral part of your degree (for which you will gain academic credits). Alternatively, it may be possible to participate in Language Steps classes as additional study.
Please note, the availability of these additional activities cannot be guaranteed for all students. Depending on availability and the number of students wanting to participate, there may be a competitive application process for sandwich year placements or studying abroad opportunities or you may be required to secure a relevant placement yourself.
Finance
Tuition Fees
If you are a prospective UK student who will be joining this undergraduate degree in academic year 2021/22, the tuition fee will be £9,250 per annum (subject to final Government approval).
Tuition fees for international students enrolling on the programme in academic year 2021/22 are £12,500 per annum. Exemptions apply for EU students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, who may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.
Financial Support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this undergraduate degree can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the programme may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.
For comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining this programme in academic year 2021/22, together with details of how to apply for potential funding, please view our Money Matters 2021/22 guide at www.edgehill.ac.uk/undergradfinance2021.
EU students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals should apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).
Financial support information for international students can be found at www.edgehill.ac.uk/international/fees.
Scholarships
Edge Hill University offers a range of scholarships with a competitive application process for prospective full-time undergraduate students.
These scholarships aren’t linked to academic success and celebrate determination, talent and achievement beyond your coursework, for instance in creativity, enterprise, ICT, performance, sport or volunteering.
An additional scholarship, which you may qualify to receive, rewards outstanding A Level and BTEC grades.
To find out more about scholarships, to assess your eligibility, and to meet some of our dedicated scholarship winners, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships.
Apply
How to Apply
Apply online through UCAS at www.ucas.com.
Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applyucas to find out more about the application process.
Further information for international students about how to apply is available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/applyinternational.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
Visit Us
If you are considering applying to study at Edge Hill University, the best way to gain an insight into student life is to discover our stunning campus for yourself by attending an open day. You can view dates and book your place at www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays.
Alternatively, if you are unable to attend an open day, you can find out more about our full range of events for prospective students, including campus tours and virtual activities, at www.edgehill.ac.uk/visitus.
Request a Prospectus
If you would like to explore our full range of degrees before you apply, you can order an undergraduate prospectus at www.edgehill.ac.uk/undergradprospectus.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about this programme or what it’s like to study at Edge Hill University, please contact:
- Course Enquiries
- Tel: 01695 657000
- Email: study@edgehill.ac.uk
International students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international or email international@edgehill.ac.uk with any queries about overseas study.
Course Changes
Expand All This page outlines any material changes to course content, programme structure, assessment methods, entry criteria, and modes of study or delivery, implemented in the past two years.24th January 2019 - Change to Entry Requirements
Covid-19 - Early Childhood Studies Essential Information
Early Childhood Studies Course Statement
Weekly delivery to consist of up to six hours of on-site teaching supported by eight hours of online learning comprising synchronous (seminars and tutorials) and asynchronous (lectures, learning activities and discussion boards) learning activities and academic support.Teaching and Learning at Edge Hill University in 2020
In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, answers your questions and explains how teaching will work when you join us at Edge Hill University in September.
Campus Facilities at Edge Hill University in 2020
In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, explains how we’re preparing the campus for your arrival in September and the facilities that will be available.