Early Childhood Studies

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https://www.uwl.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/early-childhood-studies?start=1898&option=33

BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies | University of West London

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Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies

Full-timePart-time

September 2027

Fees per year†

£17,250 – International

£10,050 – UK

Duration

Location

Overview

Course details

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Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree will give you the knowledge and skills that you need to work in a range of roles in the early years sector, including early years settings, primary schools, family support, social work, charities and healthcare settings.

Why study this course?

Successfully completing the course and placements will qualify you as a Level 3 early years practitioner, enhancing your appeal to employers. This recognition by the Department for Education is contingent on holding suitable literacy and numeracy qualifications.

You will be well prepared for further graduate study (essential if you wish to pursue a career in teaching).

You will learn through interactive lectures and seminars, as well as a placement in which you will gain hands-on experience.

We encourage you to further develop your experience of working with children through part-time or voluntary work, and our excellent Student Support services are here to help you secure these opportunities.

A focus on understanding children’s language development and supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is a unique feature of our degree.

Another unique aspect of the degree is our focus on nutrition, health and wellbeing in the context of children and their environment, bringing attention to sustainability in the natural world. This specialist knowledge will stand you in good stead with employers.

You will also learn how to support young children’s learning and development, understand early childhood policy and what this means for your practice, and undertake a research project on a topic of your choice.

Additionally, you will gain valuable experience through placement opportunities whilst applying academic learning to practice. In the final year, you will have the opportunity to carry out independent research which can lead to published work.

A multi-disciplinary and experienced academic team will support you throughout to reach your full potential and consider successful careers in education, health and social care.

This course is guided by current policy and legislation including the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (2012), Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) and The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

Our Education courses are ranked 2nd in London - National Student Survey 2026*

Our Education courses are 1st in London for student experience - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027

2nd London university for overall student satisfaction - National Student Survey 2026*

Top 20 in the UK for teaching quality - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to

see relevant course information:

Study options:

We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Full-time

Duration: 3 years

Part-time

Duration: 5 years

With Foundation Year

Duration: 4 years

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available,

try selecting a different study option.

Play the "Early Childhood Studies at the University of West London" video

Watch the course video for our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree.

What you'll study

This rewarding course in early childhood studies is designed for future professionals working in a multicultural society.

You will examine ways to work with families and communities so that young children can thrive, as well as covering the basics of child development and assessment for children. Transferable skills and employability are strongly woven throughout the early childhood studies degree.

The course prepares you for a wide range of graduate careers including teaching and social work and has a strong focus on linking theory to practice. Current theories and issues that affect childhood education today are ongoing themes of the course.

From the start, you will look at issues of child development, the rights of children, inclusion and equality and learning in multicultural contexts. You will also develop essential research skills for professionals in education. These skills will help you not only to write your final-year dissertation but also in your future career.

You will complete an integral work experience module, during which you will see how the principles you are studying are applied in the real world. In addition, you will develop your skills in assessment and evaluation. Further modules will cover the effect of society on childhood, and early years literacies.

Finally, you will examine policy and leadership, along with special needs in childhood education. Your dissertation will be your opportunity to use your enhanced research skills to explore an area of interest in the field and produce an independent piece of work based on your research.

The University of West London is a member of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN).

Please note, we regularly review our course content to offer relevant, impactful and career-shaping learning. Therefore, the following modules are indicative and subject to change.

Compulsory modules

Understanding Education

This module is designed to enable you to gain an understanding of how education and early years provision in the UK have developed since the 19th century. You will explore philosophical questions about the role of education and consider the aims/purpose of education. You will be introduced to key concepts such as marketisation, social mobility and meritocracy and explore ways in which inequalities related to race, class, gender and disability are reproduced within the education system.

The Philosophy of Inclusion

Understanding inclusion and equality is integral to a successful study of education and professional practice. This module looks at key ideas and debates in inclusion and equality, examining factors contributing to inequalities in educational outcomes, including the areas of social class, special educational needs and disability (SEND). You will develop your understanding of barriers to equality in education and explore best practices in education settings through engaging with practically oriented research and evidence.

Facilitating learning: How children and young people learn

This module will enable you to critically reflect upon your own education values and how these serve as a reference point for your own practice. A sound knowledge and understanding of key learning theories and how they can be applied to practice in "real-world" settings is essential for professionals working in education and this module will give you the foundation blocks on which to build a broader theoretical knowledge.

Understanding the Rights of Children in Early Education

This module will introduce you to issues concerning young children’s rights both in the United Kingdom and from a global perspective. It will explore the rights of the child from the perspective of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and how this has impacted upon the rights of young children growing up in the 21st Century. This module sits alongside other modules, specifically developed for this course, that collectively meet the standard for the early years educator requirements as set out by the Department for Education.

Promoting the Development of Children and Young People

Child development is multifaceted. This module will provide you with knowledge of physical, cognitive, social, emotional and language development, and you will learn how these domains of development are interrelated. You will also learn about key milestones from early childhood to the end of adolescence.

Crucially, you will develop an understanding of how to support children with different aspects of development and how to recognise when a child’s development is not as expected. These are key skills for any education practitioner working with children and will stand you in good stead for the placement at Level 5 and beyond in the workplace.

Building Positive Learning Communities

This module focuses on the experience of the classroom from both teacher and pupil perspectives. Drawing upon the more theoretical approach of the other L4 core modules, this module extends your thinking to specific examples of the impact of learning theory and educational policy in a real-world context.

An important part of this module will be your development of impactful learning practices not least because the classroom plays a key role in developing innovation and creativity, but also because it is key when fostering belonging and community.

Using play to support learning and development in the early years

This module is designed to provide you with an understanding of how play can be used to support children's learning and development in the early years, with a specific focus on observation, assessment, and planning. It will also cover the use of statutory early years documents in planning for play-based learning experiences.

Communication, Language and Literacy in the Early Years

This module will introduce you to the issues related to communication and literacy in the early years. You will explore different theoretical approaches to language and communication development and learn about the importance of listening to and communicating verbally and non-verbally with children.

You will consider the development of speech, auditory processing abilities and early reading and writing skills as well as demonstrate a deeper understanding of the skills required to support children with English as an additional language and/or with special education needs.

Children, Culture and Society

The aim of this module is to develop your awareness of the social construction of childhood from past to contemporary understandings drawing on different conceptual frameworks and looking at different national and international social contexts.

You will examine the development of legislative framework and social policy in relation to children and their families. You will explore how current theories approach the concept of childhood in the context of late modernity (19th century and onwards), and consider it in relation to social problems and policy.

Research in Practice

The aim of this module is to develop your knowledge and understanding of research methods in education. This module is intended to expose you to primary research and the conceptual frameworks in which knowledge is created. The knowledge and skills about research practice and processes you acquire in this module are intended to help you develop a research proposal for your final project and assist you in becoming a reflective professional.

Preparing for Professional Practice in Early Years Education

This module aims to provide you with a secure understanding of the early years workforce including the statutory requirements, key policies, procedures, and practice. You will have the opportunity to gain essential practical experience, knowledge, and skills in delivering early years education and caregiving through the support of an early years placement setting.

This module aims to afford you the opportunity to examine and critically evaluate the relationship between educational concepts and theories, and their application in early years settings. You will apply, within an early years workplace setting, the theoretical knowledge and skills gained over the course of your studies.

Professional Practice in Early Years Education

This module gives you the opportunity to examine and critically evaluate the relationship between educational concepts and theories, and their application in early years settings. You will apply, within an early years workplace setting, the theoretical knowledge and skills gained over the course of your studies.

Evidenced Based Practice

Policy and Practice for Early Childhood

Early years education and care is guided by policy at local, national, and, increasingly, global levels. This module will help you to understand how and why policy is made, the impact upon practice and their role in policy as an educator, and the role that politics, ideology, society, and the economy play in early years policy.

Leadership to Support Children, Families and Practitioners

Leadership has a significant impact upon the teaching and learning outcomes, and overall ethos and culture, in any educational setting.

In this module, you will begin by examining the difference between leadership and management, terms that are often used interchangeably yet have differing definitions. You will then explore different theories of leadership, before examining the impact that different leadership styles have upon teaching and learning in schools and how leadership differs in early years settings.

The module then introduces some of the challenges that leaders face, including managing conflict, leading through change and dealing with gender stereotypes in leadership. Finally, you will learn the theories and skills to help you become a reflective leader, to build an effective team, to support new leaders and to coach, mentor and supervise other practitioners.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities - Inclusion in Practice

This module is about examining perspectives and challenging our thinking around Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The module will critically engage with both SEND theory and practice, so that you can inform it, challenge it, implement it and re-shape it.

This module will provide the opportunity for you to examine and explore the personal, social, psycho-motor, and emotional needs of children with special needs.

Children, Food and Environment

The module aims to address the importance of food and sustainability and nutrition within the early years setting with the aim to connect children, staff and families to more environmentally friendly habits and to nurture a sustainable food culture. This fits within the context of a programme that endeavours to work with families and communities to ensure young people thrive.

The module considers the sociocultural and environmental context of early education and the challenges in addressing the diverse needs to young people. It will consider current debates related to food, children and education such as food poverty, educational achievement, health behaviours and decision-making.

Dissertation in Childhood Studies

This module builds on from Level 5 research methodology module and enables you to undertake an individual enquiry-based study related to a relevant topic of your choice within the area of Early Childhood Studies. This may be an empirically based investigation, a thematic literature review or a library-based piece of research.

What our students say

2nd London university for student satisfaction - National Student Survey 26*

With engaging, supportive lecturers and modules that focus on vital aspects of studying education, this course helped me understand the importance of childhood development and the challenges educators face on a day-to-day basis. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to explore not just early years settings, but education in any sense.

Christopher Craig

Entry requirements

Requirements:

International

112 UCAS points required

from level 3 qualifications

These can include:

A Levels at grade B, B and C, or above

BTEC Extended Diploma with Distinction, Merit, Merit

Access to HE Diploma

T Levels

Mature applicants (aged 21+): If you do not hold the qualifications listed above but have relevant work experience, you are strongly encouraged to apply. Your application will be considered on an individual basis.

You also need GCSE English (grade 9 – 4 / A* - C) or Level 2 equivalent. If you do not meet this requirement, find out more about our free English course.

Upon course completion, if you intend to apply for PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) to attain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you will need grade 4 (C) or above in GCSE Maths, English and a Science subject (for Primary), or approved equivalents.

Looking for BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with Foundation Year?

View Foundation Year course

Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.

You will also need a satisfactory enhanced DBS and you will have to sign up to the online update system so that your details are regularly updated: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Level 4 (year 1) entry - To directly enter the first year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have Level 3 qualifications and/or relevant work experience.

Level 5 (year 2) entry - To directly enter the second year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 120 undergraduate credits at Level 4 or a CertHE in a related subject area.

Level 6 (year 3) entry - To directly enter the third year of this course you need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 240 undergraduate credits (at Levels 4 and 5), a DipHE, Foundation Degree or HND in a related subject area.

6.0 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement – a minimum of IELTS 5.5 for each of the four individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements.

Find out more about our English Language courses.

Fees & funding

Funding:

per year†

Please note:

Fees for the 2027/28 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.

Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs over 2 academic years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year, except if otherwise stated.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

You may be eligible for a student loan to cover the cost of tuition fees or a maintenance loan. Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as those with dependents and disabled students.

We offer generous bursaries and scholarships to make sure your aspirations are your only limit.

View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships.

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

Financial support for international students

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Your future career

An array of potential jobs and career fields await early childhood studies degree graduates, including teaching, education planning or policy, international kindergartens and social care.

Additionally, you could choose to continue your studies, specialising in an area of interest or exploring something new. See our postgraduate courses.

Career-focused modules

One-to-one, life-long careers support

Internship and placement opportunities

Alumni networking events

On campus, specialist careers fairs

Learning in a real-world setting

Taught by a multi-disciplinary, experienced academic team

Support with CV and interview skills

Job roles

teaching*

education planning or policy

higher or further education

nurseries and primary schools**

international kindergartens

early help or social care roles

youth or community education

charities or voluntary organisations

social mobility and social justice organisations

personal development

residential support.

*further post-graduate training, such as PGCE, is required

**further qualifications/certifications may be required

Sarah Hooper Course Leader

I am a qualified teacher (holding QTS) with a BA Hons in Teaching Studies and English Language from Roehampton University. With extensive experience as a Senior Leader in the Primary Phase, I specialise in Early Years education. As both a Deputy Headteacher and Nursery Manager, I successfully spearheaded improvement initiatives, resulting in enhanced outcomes for all pupils. Additionally, I have been honoured with the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) from the Institute of Education (IOE), equipping me with the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours required for high-performing senior leadership in schools.

My expertise is grounded in practical experience, as I have consistently maintained teaching responsibilities throughout my career. I have completed my MA in Early Childhood Studies at Roehampton University, and I hold a PGCERT in professional practice and the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

My research focus centres on the risks associated with play, a subject particularly relevant in a society that tends to avoid risk. My pedagogical approach, which has strengthened during my Masters programme, emphasises that the role of the teacher is not merely to 'teach' but to 'facilitate.'

I advocate for inclusive education, firmly believing in its importance for all students. To further support vulnerable pupils, I completed The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators at Roehampton University. As a qualified SENDCO, I played a pivotal role in actively promoting inclusive practices and providing support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

I consider the leadership of the placement module as an essential responsibility. I believe that facilitating effective placement experiences is crucial for developing the practical skills and knowledge of aspiring educators. This responsibility aligns with my commitment to fostering a supportive and enriching learning environment for future teaching professionals.

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View full profile

Dr Manzoorul Abedin

Dr Alexandra Georgiou

Dr Viktoria Magne

Dr Esther Fay McMahon

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You can apply to us in two ways:

on the UCAS website you will need our institution code (W05) and the UCAS course code (see top of page)

directly on our website – follow the ‘Apply now’ link

Want to ask us a question first? Our dedicated international students’ team would love to hear from you.

Ask the International Recruitment Team a question

Learn more about international student applications

Find out more about why you should study in London at the Career University

The University of West London does not offer Student visa sponsorship for part-time courses.

Our application form will ask you for some information about:

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your previous qualifications or experience

your visa (if required)

how we can contact you.

Email international@uwl.ac.uk

International student applications

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Disclaimer

†Fees - the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the course. Fees are subject to change. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught international fees are subject to an annual increase.

Teaching - your course will primarily be delivered in-person, however it may include delivery of some activities online, either in real-time or recorded.

Testimonials - quotes are provided by current or former UWL students. These are mostly from the course but quotes from a UWL student on another course may be used if, for example, the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming, however staff and course content may have since changed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route and a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.

Rankings

*The National Student Survey 2026 result is based on the average of all answers by the taught student populations.

**Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and after, 1992.

***PRES - rank out of 53 institutions.

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