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Being involved in the educational and personal growth of children can offer a highly fulfilling profession. This course specifically concentrates on children aged 0-8, with the goal of equipping graduates to make valuable contributions to early childhood development.
Course option
Year of entry
Location
CU Coventry (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich
Duration
4 years sandwich
3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC
Flexible part-time
UCAS codes
X300 / X301 / X302
Start date
November 2024
January 2025
March 2025
May 2025
June 2025
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.
*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) and assessed placements will lead to an Honours degree with Graduate Practitioner Competencies. Please check the ECSDN website for further information.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
This course is available as a full-time three-year course without placements, a full-time three-year course with local placement in years one, two and three or an optional four-year sandwich course where you undertake a work placement or study year in a related field2,5.
Students who undertake the Early Childhood Development and Learning degree will have the opportunity to undertake assessed placements at each level (levels 4, 5 and 6)2,5. Upon successful completion of these placements, students will obtain a licence to practise, in line with best practise in the early childhood sector. As they have acquired the ECSDN Graduate Practitioner Competencies in early childhood settings. 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).
Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise online aspects, workshops and group work. We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our current online learning platform, Aula.
Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.
Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and practical assessments, which is more reflective of our learning model.
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 part-time study.
Full-time
If you choose to study full-time you can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
Part-time
If you choose to study part-time you'll usually receive up to 11 hours per week of learning, including classes, tutorials and online learning. Outside of this, there will also be independent study and online support. Please note part-time courses run subject to numbers.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.
Assessment methods include:
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.
Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Development and Learning degree is your first step to a successful and worthwhile future. It aims to provide theoretical and practical learning modules that underpin knowledge and understanding of concepts of early years, education and teaching, and are relevant to both current practice in early years and the changing context of the sector.
Angela Bonehill, Course Leader, 2023
Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.
2024/25 tuition fees
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £7,950 per year | Not available |
EU | £7,950 per year with EU Support Bursary** £18,300 per year without EU Support Bursary** |
Not available |
International | £18,300 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
All our facilities are located at Mile Lane. Our building has been designed to enable collaboration, creativity and innovation to flourish, and includes (subject to availability)4:
Upon successful completion of the Early Childhood Development and Learning degree, graduates will possess a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will enable them to make a meaningful impact in the field.
These key areas include expertise in Child Development including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical aspects. They will understand how to create engaging and inclusive learning environments that foster holistic development and cater to the diverse needs of children. Graduates will have a repertoire of effective teaching strategies and techniques tailored to early childhood education. They 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.
Graduates will be proficient in assessing children's progress and learning outcomes. They 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. Graduates will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, enabling them to effectively collaborate with families, colleagues, and other professionals in the field.
Graduates should uphold high ethical standards and demonstrate professionalism in their interactions and practices. They 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:
Graduates from previous Early Childhood Development and Learning BA (Hons) degree have gone onto work in:
Previous CU graduates have progressed into successful careers within industry, for a number of organisations such as Busy Bees Nursery and Angels Childcare Recruitment.