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Early Childhood Studies BA (Hons) - Top Up

Course code: CHAQ307P

Subject area: Early Years & Early Childhood Studies FDA and BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate

Course level: H

Course details

Course time:

09:00 - 17:00

Days of week:

Wednesday

Course date:

11th Sept 2024 - 2nd Jul 2025

Course location:

Abingdon Campus

Contact details

Email:

enquiries@abingdon-witney.ac.uk

Phone:

01235 555 585

Apply for this course
The BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Graduate Practitioner) Top Up is designed as a follow on from a Foundation Degree, bringing together several academic disciplines. The course is structured to provide an inter-agency focus, based on the outcomes of integrated methods and insights of the various disciplines that contribute to our understanding of childhood, and it will support practitioners who are working in a variety of early years’ settings with families, playgroups and in schools and nurseries, as well as childminders.

The degree is designed to be responsive to the employment needs of the sector and the region. The dissertation, as well as other modules at level 6, encourages students to further develop established techniques of analysis and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, using techniques previously explored in their studies. The course presents the opportunity to gain an early-years qualification that is ‘Full and Relevant’, which will enable you to be counted in ratios in early-years settings. This course will enable you to continue your studies in careers such as teaching, play therapy and family support.

This course is validated by Oxford Brookes University. Applications are made through UCAS – code X313.

The course runs for one day per week from 9am to 5.30pm. The faculty places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities required for lifelong learning as well as academic achievement. Students are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops, and supported through independent study sessions. In addition, meetings with academic tutors are scheduled at least 3 times during the year.

You will be supported through group and individual tutorials. Students also have access to the Brookes Academic Support.

Although the course is one day per week, it is classed as full-time and therefore there is a substantial amount of self-study required in order to be successful on this programme. You should prepare for between 16 – 22 hours of self-directed study each week on top of your normal attendance at College.

All staff delivering on the course have a minimum qualification level at grade 6 and substantial experience of working within the early years education sector.

Course units
The core modules on the BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies (Top Up) programme include:

• Preparing for the dissertation

• Literature for children

• Representation of childhood

• Outdoor Learning

• Professional Roles

• Reflective Practice

• Dissertation

What next?
Many students use Early Childhood Studies as the basis to go on to train for related jobs such as teachers, social work, educational psychology, play therapy, youth and family work.
Entry criteria
You must hold a relevant Level 3 / T Level qualification and a work-based Foundation Degree (or equivalent) mapped to the ECS QAA Benchmark Statement and have achieved Level 2 English and maths qualifications, though we can help you to achieve these if necessary. You must also be currently employed or volunteer in a registered early-years setting for at least 10 hours per week.

IELTS level 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking (if English is not the first language).

If you need a student visa to enter the UK, you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements. The University’s English language requirements can be found at www.brookes.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/undergraduate/undergraduate-entry-requirements.

We include students with disabilities and/or learning difficulties into the life of the College and seek to offer opportunities for success in all courses at all levels. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss.

Fee information
Home Tuition fee £7,570 per year. £3,785 per year for Part Time Students.

International Tuition fee £9,900 per year for new students, £9,650 per year for continuers.

Whilst all core textbooks are available in the College and University libraries and online, students may wish to purchase their own copies. Prices of core textbooks range from £15.00 - £55.00.

All fees are payable to Oxford Brookes University at enrolment.

You can find information on our fees and on Student Finance at www.abingdon-witney.ac.uk/support/fees-bursaries. Please note tuition fees may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the University and all college partners.

Course fees

Tuition Fee: £7,570.00

Qualifications received
BA(Hons) in Early Childhood Studies. Awarded by Oxford Brookes University.
Learning & method assessment
This course utilises a team-based learning approach. Team-based learning is an evidence-based, active learning, collaborative approach designed to enhance student engagement, scaffold students in their independent learning, and deepen the level of learning in class. It also strengthens students’ ability to work in groups – an important professional skill for all educators. Students are allocated to a team at the beginning of the year and remain in the same team throughout the entire course in order to learn how to work effectively together. Students are expected to prepare for each lesson individually by studying the preparatory study guides and assigned readings provided by the tutors and then undertake activities in class as a team. These are designed to challenge students to apply knowledge and understanding of theories and concepts to real practice problems or events and engage in high level critical thinking about content covered in the modules. Students are also expected to participate actively in class and online discussions. The student’s proper preparation is therefore essential to enable learning and participation in this course.

All staff delivering on the course have a minimum qualification level at grade 6 and substantial experience of working within a variety of early years settings.

Each module is completed with an assessed piece of work designed to enable exploration of themes that have been studied. Some assignments relate to your practice in your own setting and range from reflections on practice and in-class presentations and seminars to your cohort, to written essays, reports, and a small-scale research study.

There are no exams. Assessment is through coursework assignments and professional placement activity.

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