BA (Honours) Early Childhood

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our BA (Honours) in Early Childhood uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

• Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
• Online tutorials
• Group-work
• Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
• Practical work
• Finding external/third-party material online
• Accessing online catalogues and databases
• Assessment in the form of short-answer questions and essays
• Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor and using this to improve your performance
• Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills.

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions.

Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification.

You do not need to be working with young children in order to study this qualification; however to enhance your learning in core practice-focused modules, it is strongly recommended that students gain direct experience with young children (birth to 7 years). Students not working with young children (employed or in a voluntary capacity) will need to negotiate opportunities to gain such practical experience.

It is your responsibility and that of your employer - not the OU’s - to ensure the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (or equivalent if not working in England) required for the setting and country in which you’re working is obtained and that you meet the ‘fit person’ criteria for work with young children. If you are in any doubt about your eligibility, or to find out more, contact the relevant agency in your country.

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

• feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
• support from a dedicated team throughout your study
• detailed written feedback on your work.

Skills for career development

This degree is designed to contribute to the development of a highly skilled and effective workforce and to integrated coherent services for young children and their families. In addition to specialist knowledge and understanding of early childhood, it emphasises independent thinking, develops analytical and communication skills and will help you become a clear and confident writer – all attributes that are highly valued by employers. Gaining practice experience during your studies is also likely to enhance career prospects.

You will acquire a broad set of employability skills including:

• organising and synthesising arguments associated with early childhood
• communicating and writing accurately and clearly in different genre that take account of purpose and content
• understand and engage in digital practices and share digital content in collaborative activities
• reflecting on your own learning and performance and taking steps to improve it
• recognising the importance of contributing, collaborating and taking leadership responsibility within a team.

Career relevance

This degree is consistent with the latest QAA subject benchmark statement for Early Childhood Studies and has been designed for existing early years practitioners (normally with a Level 3 early years qualification) or those interested in finding out more about young children’s learning and development. You should be aware this is a practice-focused, not practice-based, qualification with no elements of observed and assessed practice, and as such, it is not considered full and relevant for the purpose of counting in staff:child ratios within an early years setting. However, it is an excellent foundation for entry to a range of careers working with and for young children and their families. It is also suitable for those wanting to move into careers in teaching, health or social work.

Please note:

In England, this course does not provide Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). GCSE passes at Grade 4 (C) or above in English and Maths are normally required for post-graduate study and for teaching a GCSE Grade 4 (C) pass in Science is also a requirement.

In Scotland, this qualification does not lead to Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration. However, if you’ve already achieved SSSC registration through related qualifications, such as HNC Childhood Practice, you might be able to transfer credit to this qualification.

Further information about Early Childhood qualifications can be found:

• For England, on the Department for Education (DfE) website.
• For Wales, on the Care Council Wales (CCW) website.
• For Scotland, on the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) website.
• For Northern Ireland, on the Department of Education (DENI) website.

Other careers

The BA (Honours) Early Childhood may be helpful if you’re interested in further training for Early Years Initial Teacher Training (Early Years Teacher Status – Birth to 5) or postgraduate qualifications in primary teaching with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). However, we cannot guarantee automatic progression to initial teacher education (ITE). Check with your local ITE training provider about their entry policy. For up-to-date information see the Department for Education website in England; the Teach in Scotland website in Scotland; the Department of Education in Northern Ireland; and the Teacher Training & Education in Wales website. More information can also be found about routes to entering teaching by downloading our Becoming a teacher booklet.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice – including online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point (note that some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree):

You can achieve this degree in as little as three years and have a maximum of 10 years to complete it. Our module-by-module approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that works best for you.

3-year degree

You can complete this degree in three years by studying at a pace equivalent to full-time. That’s similar to a student at a campus-based university.

• You’ll study 120 credits a year.
• You’ll need 32–36 study hours per week.

For a year-by-year breakdown of modules, take a look at our 3-year degree pathway in the Course details section.

6-year degree

You can complete this degree in six years by studying part-time. That’s roughly half the rate of a student on a full-time course at a campus-based university.

• You’ll study 60 credits a year.
• You’ll need 16–18 study hours per week.

For a year-by-year breakdown of modules, take a look at our 6-year degree pathway in the Course details section.