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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
This sector-endorsed course is run in conjunction with the Early Years Child Care Development Partnership in Luton and with local authorities.
This close working relationship ensures that the course remains current and reflects the practice issues, events, research, legislation and policy influencing the welfare of children in early years care and education.
Key features
Areas of study include:
The overall strategy of the BA (Hons) Early Years Studies seeks to ensure that learners have the opportunity to build on areas of particular interest or relevance to themselves. Continuous assessment is seen as the most effective way to determine academic development and achievement and is a suitable approach for mature learners undertaking part time study who require short term feedback for reassurance and to take remedial action if necessary at the earliest opportunity.
The assessment strategy will include:
These assessment methods have been chosen because they will assist learners to review their learning and capture naturally occurring situations within the setting.
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Review, reflect and update own knowledge of significant and emerging theory and practice of Early Year Care and Education.
2. Demonstrate the ability to constructively critique theories and research in the area of child development.
3. Make clear links with theoretical underpinning knowledge of child development and relate this to atypical development.
4. Analyse and contribute to processes and techniques for safeguarding children.
5. Develop effective working relationships with other professionals.
6. Analyse, evaluate and develop effective leadership and management styles, techniques and processes.
7. Analyse and evaluate Childrens Care and Education from an international perspective.
8. Undertake a dissertation in a relevant area of particular interest to the student.
Aims and Learning outcomes were created with reference to the subject benchmark for Early Childhood Studies 2007 (QAA) and the Standards for Early Years Professional Status (CWDC 2007) as this is the anticipated progression route for most students.
The aims of the course are to:
Some units include grades for the outcomes of group work. Students will often be expected to work in groups or discuss issues in groups as part of the teaching and learning programme. At level 3 working with others is explicitly assessed in the unit Leadership and Management in Early Years. You are also expected to work collaboratively with your peers and staff and in particular at level 3 with your dissertation supervisor.
Obtain a degree while working in the child care sector. Other possibilities include progression to teacher training.
Career:
Students may decide to pursue postgraduate teaching qualifications or other related careers.
Further study:
Learners who successfully complete the BA (Hons) Early Years Studies will have the opportunity to enter the validation pathway towards Early Years Professional Status.
Additional:
Learners must hold an appropriate Level 5 (Foundation Degree) qualification in childcare or early years and ideally be employed in a senior or management position in an early years setting.
Please note students intending to progress to Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) will require Maths and English GCSE grade C or above or an equivalent qualification which is recognised by the Childrens Workforce Development Council (CWDC). Students will be directed to these courses on admission to the course as required.
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
A major objective of the programme is to foster and encourage learners independence of study and learning in both education and work settings. A key feature is that there will be a variety of experienced mature students from a wide range of childcare and education settings as well as students with less practical experience. Experience has shown that the many students will bring with them vast vocational experience, which will be shared in large and small group work discussion exercises and tasks.
Consequently the majority of teaching will be interactive in line with the principles of adult learning. Teaching sessions will draw on teaching strategies from the following list and may in fact utilise several of these in a session.
The teaching and learning methods will include:
Communication
To help with the development of this you will:
Practice your oral communication skills are through interactive teaching sessions, in class exercises and an assessment strategy which makes use of oral presentations (group and individual). Written communication skills are developed and tested through a range of assessments, such as essays, reports, case studies, culminating in the research dissertation. Team working is also an essential element of communication and group work forms an integral part of teaching across the units used in this course. Assignments such as designing and conducting research in groups, seminar or discussion papers and group presentations further foster skills in working with others.
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this:
The course staff works closely with the learning resources unit, the Professional and Academic Development, to foster information retrieval skills. Most assignments test students skills in using a range of library based and electronic sources to search for relevant information. Assignments also test students skills in presenting information from differing sources for differing purposes and audiences. The uses of appropriate aids are encouraged in giving graduate level presentations. Computed marked assessments provide an environment where the student gains confidence in working with technology and is placed in command of information technology resources.
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this you will:
Access and evaluate a range of sources, independently research textual, online and web based material of an appropriate nature to support the learning schedule and assessment tasks and identify the assessment criteria and employ learning strategies to succeed and to evaluate performance against the given criteria.
Students are encouraged to adopt an evaluative approach to their learning. Assignments involve students in identifying their own learning needs, monitoring progress against agreed objectives, agreeing targets for future skills development and devising appropriate strategies to achieve them. Furthermore, teaching staff across the course encourage students to seek advice and guidance on their learning and assessments as required. This dissertation incorporates the final stage of personalized learner development and the completion of a progress file under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor.
On successful completion of the research dissertation students will be able to:
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help with the development of this you will:
Build on the problem-solving skills gained previously and testing your ability to identify solutions to problems and to defend their choice. Specific units use developmental assignments which encourage students to improve their approach to problem solving in the summative assignment by building on their initial work and tutor feedback. The philosophy is driven by the requirement that students undertake the analysis of issues, policy and proposed developments concerning Early Years Care and make a reasoned evaluation of the source, providing examples of practical evaluation and areas for improvement.
To complete the spine of personal development planning and progress file in core units, the Independent Project undertaken by honours students at Level 3 will enable students to develop learning strategies based upon personal evaluation and monitoring of progress to improve their own learning to achieve the quality of outcomes required. The degree of personal reflection required will enable students to meet the skill requirement and to address all aspects of the skills portfolio.
Students will have the opportunity to further develop their skills under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor. They are encouraged to continue to compile a progress file, gathering feedback from each unit (in particularly the presentation elements of units) with the course manager and their Dissertation Supervisor.
In many ways, the Level 3 Independent Project unit allows you to demonstrate that you have achieved the necessary skills and attributes of graduateness within the context of the discipline of the applied social studies and health and social care. The project management and research skills described in the section Skills Development Strategies are all evident in the successful completion of the Project. These skills can successfully demonstrate a range of professional and academic qualities that enhance employability in the human services.
