Course summary

Are you interested in working with young children in a Nursery or Early Years setting? Then our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree at Birmingham Newman University is registered with the DfE as having ‘full and relevant status’, which is particularly advantageous to graduates employed in early years settings, in counting towards the staff:child ratios. Early childhood, the quality of education, provision and care, and the roles and responsibilities of all those involved with young children, parents and families, all have a significant influence on children’s achievement and life chances. The last decade has seen the wider development of early years provision, changes and challenges in aspects of education and care, and the recognition that early childhood and children’s experiences must be supported by a highly qualified workforce. Government legislation, policy and research have raised the profile of early childhood, education and care and established the requirement for recognised professional qualifications for all those working in the field of early years in public, voluntary and private sectors. The programme is specifically designed for students interested in working with young children. It offers a course that provides breadth and depth in key aspects relating to childhood, child development, education and care but also integrates a wider thematic approach which includes families, communities, multi-agency working, social policy, inclusion and diversity, research and health. It will develop your knowledge, skills, understanding of these, and your generic transferable skills through course content, learning and teaching strategies, assessment, research, and experiences of early years settings and organisations. The first year of the programme introduces aspects of child development, social policy, equality, rights and diversity, constructs of childhood, families and learning. During the second year there is a work based placement which enables you to gain valuable experience working in an early years setting with children 0-5. The placement experience has proved significant for students’ future career choices. There are also opportunities for international placements. The course has optional modules at Intermediate and Honours level that enables students to undertake a particular theme, for example, Creativity, Education, Leadership and Management and Health. In the final year of studies you will carry out a small scale research study for your dissertation.