Early Childhood Studies Top-up
Entry requirements
HND (BTEC)
A relevant HND or a foundation degree in the areas of Marketing Management, Business Management, Finance and Business, with 240 credits.
About this course
**This course is accredited by the University of Warwick**
**OVERVIEW**
**Do you have knowledge of working with young children and their families? Want a career helping to shape the foundations for the future of the next generation? Our Early Childhood Studies top-up degree course builds upon your existing training for the early years sector and will help you become a highly qualified graduate practitioner ready to enter a rewarding career in this field.**
Covering work with children aged 0-8 years, this top-up course is designed for anyone who has previously studied a relevant subject (up to Level 5), boosting your understanding of childhood, development and growth as well as creating new learning opportunities. You will explore themes of leadership and management and key competencies for the early years' workforce, along with a range of optional modules, from pedagogical leadership in play to socio-historical aspects of childhood.
As part of our top-up Early Childhood Studies course, you will conduct in-depth research into a topic that matches your personal interests and ambitions, while you will also undertake a work placement related to your future career. On completing the course, you will be able to pursue a range of careers within the sector, while if you have ambitions to become a teacher, you can progress onto our PGCE Primary Education QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) postgraduate course.
**WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?**
- **Work placement** – Gain invaluable experience working in a real-life setting on a work placement as part of your top-up course
- **In-depth research** – Carry out your own research project on a topic that you are passionate about and is relevant to your professional aspirations
- **Specialise your studies** – Choose from a variety of optional modules, including Children's Voice and Pedagogical Leadership in Play
- **Enrichment** – Boost your employability with exciting enrichment opportunities as well as additional qualifications including Paediatric First Aid and Food and Hygiene
**PLACEMENTS**
Our top-up course includes a mandatory requirement of 200 hours on placement, with the setting determined by your eventual career choice.
Employers we have worked with include Aston University Nursery and Pre-school, Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies, Arden Primary School, Queen Alexandra College, James Brindley Parkway, Little Scallywags Day Nursery and St Thomas Centre Nursery.
**CAREERS AND PROGRESSION**
Examples of careers you could pursue following this course:
- Early years teacher/primary school teacher
- Learning mentor
- Family support worker
- Special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
- Social worker (NHS)
- Mental health nurse
You could also progress onto one of our postgraduate courses at University College Birmingham.
- **Please refer to our website www.ucb.ac.uk for the latest updates to this course**
Modules
- Dissertation (SEHC)
- Enhancing Employability for Graduate Practice
- Leading and Managing Systems
Plus one option from:
- Children's Voice
- Pedagogical Leadership in Play
- Socio-Historical Aspect of Childhood
Assessment methods
**Note: Indicative information only. Actual timetables and assessment regimes will be issued at your induction. Please be aware that methods of delivery for this course may be altered due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – for the most up-to-date information, please refer to our website: www.ucb.ac.uk**
**ASSESSMENT**
Estimated breakdown of assessment for this course:
- **Coursework** – 100%
Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2021-2024.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University College Birmingham
Education - BA/BSc
What students say
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How do students rate their degree experience?
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Childhood and youth studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
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Childhood and youth studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Childhood and youth studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£19k
£20k
£24k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Graduate field commentary:
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While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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