Where will this course lead?

Taking up a career within Early Years gives you the opportunity to develop and cover a range of working environments, such as an Early Years Educator, Private Nanny, Lead Practitioner, or Childminder. You might also work with families and children in an advisory role for organisations in the public, private or charitable sectors. Wider opportunities include work in commercial organisations which are oriented to children and families e.g. children's publishing or broadcasting, children's leisure activities. If you do not hold a full and relevant Level 3 qualification completion of the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies can be awarded alongside this degree. You may wish to continue your studies through progression to Early Years Teacher (EYT) or to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or to master's Level and beyond and to become involved in research or academia. If so, you should explore this possibility with your Tutors.

What will I study?

The Early Childhood Studies Degree Top up builds on your previous study and offers the completion of an Honours Degree. The modules have been selected in order that you may explore aspects of Early Childhood Education and Care that may be of particular interest to you.

To achieve an honours degree, student undertake an advanced level of study which will ensure that they have developed a systematic understanding of key aspects of Early Childhood Studies. Previous study at Level Five embeds conceptual understanding to underpin honours level modules (Level Six). The dissertation as well as other modules at Level Six encourages students to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, using techniques previously explored in the Level 5 Research Methods module. All modules are compulsory.

How will this course be delivered?

This Top Up course is delivered as a full-time programme, over one academic year. You will need to be at college 1 day per week from 9.00 - 18.00 pm. Study skills and tutorial sessions are scheduled weekly. You will also be required to access online learning materials.

What qualifications will I get?

BA (HONS) Early Childhood Studies (Oxford Brookes University) - 120 Credits

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies - Full and Relevant Status

How will I be assessed?

The course is delivered through lectures, seminars, presentations, tutorials and group work and self-directed study. There are no exams; all assessment is via assignments which will include essays, presentations, practical activities, reflective diary, child studies and a dissertation.

Teaching and Learning strategies will encourage students to:

Engage in new areas of knowledge.

Broaden and deepen their existing knowledge, understanding and skills.

Engage in critical analysis of texts, theories, and practices and to test students' analysis against received understandings and practices.

Question concepts, theories, policies, and practice encountered during their studies.

Interrogate the assumptions underpinning theory and research to come to an understanding of the significance and limitations of theory and research.

Engage in critical reflection of their own and others' value systems, development, and practices.

How do I get a place on the course?

To gain a place on this course, applicants must meet the entry criteria and attend a formal interview. All are to be submitted via UCAS using the following codes:

UCAS CODE: X317

INSTITUTION CODE: O66 (Oxford Brookes University)

CAMPUS CODE: L

If you have a learning difficulty or disability, please let us know when you apply. You will be offered support in your interview. If you need help completing your application, we can help with this too. https://www.solihull.ac.uk/uni-level-learner/student-services

What are the entry requirements?

A Foundation Degree awarded upon successfully gaining 240 credits and a 55% grade average in Year 2. Or, a Higher National Diploma, successfully gaining 240 credits with Merit Profile at level 5.

English and Maths GCSE Grade C/4 (level 2 equivalents are considered but not acceptable for progression to Early Years Teacher or QTS. Students will also require a Science GCSE at grade C/4 or above to progress to Teacher Training).

Applicants whose first language is not English, must also demonstrate that their level of English is acceptable by successfully completing a recognised test, to demonstrate capability in English at a standard commensurate to IELTS 6.0.

You will need to obtain a Disclosure Barring Service Check (DBS) and provide evidence of suitable employment or a work placement following your successful interview; this will need to be in place for the start of the course.

What else do I need to know?

You should be working with children aged 0-8 for a minimum of 10 hours per week either through employment or voluntary for the duration of the course. The course is a full-time programme. If you are applying for financial help from Student Finance England, then you should do this as soon as possible to ensure your funding is in place for the start of your course. https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/overview

If you need support in your application to Student Finance England, Solihull College & University Centre will be able to offer this.

All staff involved in the delivery of higher education courses within the College and University Centre are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver by both Oxford Brookes and the college. The approval process ensures that staff delivering a given programme are appropriately qualified, and where appropriate, possess relevant vocational experience and professional practice.

This course is a full-time program, and you will be expected to attend 1 day per week between the hours of 9-6, timetables will be issued to successful applicants upon induction and enrolment in September of the current Academic year.

You will need to consider travel costs to and from work placements and college. There may be additional costs for relevant field trips and equipment such as textbooks, computer equipment as well as costs for printing resources and photocopying, as necessary.

You will need a DBS to work with children, which is an additional cost of £50

Info about finance bursaries etc. - https://www.solihull.ac.uk/uni-level-learner/student-services/

Please read our full terms and conditions https://www.solihull.ac.uk/uni-level-learner/policies-and-applicant-information/

Please note that when you enrol you are accepting that the course content and module descriptions are accurate at the time of publishing and that the course content as described is based on what is possible to deliver under the government advice and social distancing rules at that particular time. In the event of changes made to those rules, by national or local government, the College may need to make further alterations to the published course content. By enrolling with the College, you will be confirming that you are content to proceed with the course as detailed at that time and on the basis that the programme may be subject to reasonable change.

What can I do after this course?

Upon completion of this course you may wish to progress to:

- Master's Degree in a variety of relevant career paths, e.g. Early Childhood Education, Child Psychology, Social Work - PGCE in Primary Education (QTS) - Early Years Teacher Status

- Family Support

Careers staff are available to discuss and plan individual progression plans.