BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Top-Up)

If you are applying to start in September 2023, you must meet the following entry requirements:

• A minimum of 400 hours pre-entry work experience within an early years or primary education setting.
• A confirmed placement of a minimum of 40 days per academic year, including identification of a workplace mentor.
• Successful completion of a 240 credit level 5 qualification, FD equivalent
• GCSE English language and mathematics at a minimum of grade C or grade 4 or equivalent
• If English is not the first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 or above is required, or an equivalent English Language qualification.
• Admission to the programme is also possible for mature students without formal qualifications but with equivalent professional experience. This is called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning and it is demonstrated through the production of a portfolio of your experiential learning. Full details are available at the following link;
  https://www.ucp.ac.uk/policies/

You must take modules worth 120 credits at each level of the course. Each module is worth a specified number of credits.

Year one /final year for full-time students (Level 6)

• Families, Communities and Partnership Working  (30 credits)
• Individual Needs and Educational Psychology (30 credits)
• Leadership & Management in the Early Years(30 credits)
• Undergraduate Research Project in Primary Education  (30 credits)
  

A typical 15 credit module is 150 hours which includes 36 hours of tutor led delivery and 114 hours of recommended independent study.  A typical 30 credit module is 300 hours which includes 72 hours of tutor led delivery and 228 hours of recommended independent study.  A full-time student should expect to undertake 30 additional hours per week during term-time.

• For details of classification of awards please refer to page 140 of Academic Regulations.
• For details of progression and module scenarios please refer to page 129 of Academic Regulations.
• For details of compensation scenarios please refer to page 106 of Academic Regulations.
• For details of assessment offences please refer to page 85 of Academic Regulations.
• For details of how we will inform you of changes to modules please refer to page 2 of the terms and conditions.

When studying this course at University Centre Peterborough, we will timetable your lectures as one full day a week over two semesters per year (part-time will be one half day a week over two semesters per year).

We are able to offer this convenient timetabling to our students as we are a smaller institution so we can timetable our staff and resources more efficiently.

Over the duration of your course, teaching will be delivered by the following methods:

Year one / final year for full-time students (Level 6)

• 50%     Lectures
• 25%     Seminars
• 25%     Workshops
  

There are two semesters per year and each semester is up to 15 weeks which includes up to 12 teaching weeks and 3 assessment weeks.

If studying full-time you will be in classes, seminars and tutorials for approximately 15 hours per week and will spend the rest of your time in independent study and extra-curricular activities including work placement if not embedded in your course. We recommend that full-time students allow an additional 30 hours per week for additional study.

The campus is open Monday to Friday throughout the year and you will also have 24/7 access to a virtual learning environment (VLE) with e-books, journals and abstracts plus teaching resources and interactive tools.

Timetables are available at least 6 weeks before registration and you can refer to the academic calendar for examination weeks and resit periods.

The days of the week you study may change each year and in some circumstances one of the full days might have to be split into two half days, but we aim to keep these as full days where possible.

Year one / final year for full-time students (Level 6)

• 100%     Coursework
  

We will provide, by the beginning of the first week of each semester, a current module guide with all the information you need for each module, including details of assessment tasks, the deadlines for these tasks, the required format and any relevant guidance.

Formative assessment opportunities are written into all module plans to provide students with on-going feedback. End of semester assessments will have formative opportunities in weeks 9 or 10 of the semester. In addition revision sessions will be held in week 12.

Your final degree classification is calculated as an average of all your credits at Level 6.

• 70%+         First
• 60-69%     2:1
• 50-59%     2:2
• 40-49%     Third

Visit our published documents and policies page for The Open University regulations.

Applicants must be working in or have access to a suitable children’s environment (paid or voluntary) as you will undertake an Enhanced Work Based Research module based on your work placement.

Blair Carter

“I am the Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Education Studies (Top-Up), BA (Hons) Primary Education, and BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies. Prior to joining University Centre Peterborough, I taught Sociology, RE, Health and Social Care, History, Psychology and Philosophy. I have supported students as a Head of House, Head of Subject, and Head of Year. I was formally a team leader for OCR, supporting a team of GCSE examiners. I previous ran a ‘Strong Not Tough’ resilience programme for post-16 students as part of tutorial sessions and have acted as a Suicide First Aider. I am a qualified SENCo and have volunteered as a Sunday School teacher and rugby coach. I am passionate about challenging discrimination and meeting individual needs, particularly within education. I have undertaken research related to learning needs and personalised learning. Currently I am undertaking a PhD in education, exploring issues of inequality, and arguing for a shift towards more socially just education policy that will remove barriers and allow all to flourish in their unique ways.”

Qualifications

• MSc Education (Teaching and Learning). Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford.
• National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination. UCL Institute of Education, University of London
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). UCL Institute of Education, University of London
• BA (Hons) Sociology. De Montfort University

After graduating, you will be able to gain a position as a Teaching Assistant within in
Primary or Secondary schools.

You will also be able to apply for a PGCE in Primary or Secondary Education, or apply for an MA in a field related to education.

Previous students have also been offered places in the School Direct and Teach East programmes, and have progressed to teaching roles via this route.

Other career options related to Education can include working in the Education Department of a local council or going on to work in education based research.