Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status (Full-time) (BA Hons)
Our Early Years Education and Care programme will allow you to explore the foundations of education and care of young people. You will discover the essentials of Early Years Studies as you begin to understand child development, educational practices, and the pivotal role of caregivers in shaping young minds.
Our curriculum seamlessly integrates theory with practical experience, preparing you for a rewarding career in the field of early years education and childcare.
We champion a holistic approach to education that encompasses Youth Work and Early Years Studies. You will engage in interactive learning environments where creativity and innovation thrive. Through hands-on experience and guidance from experienced professionals, you’ll develop the skills necessary to excel in various Early Years roles.
Prepare for a fulfilling career path focused on Early Childhood Education. Our programme emphasises the attainment of Early Years Practitioner Status, recognised by Social Care Wales and Early Childhood Studies Degree Network. equipping you with the tools to create enriching learning environments for children. Join a supportive community of learners and educators dedicated to making a positive impact in early childhood education.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
- Welsh
- Bilingual
Undergraduate Fees
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
Our Early Years Education and Care programme immerses students in all aspects of young children’s development, bridging practical experiences with key early childhood theory. Discover how theory integrates with practice allowing you to foster holistic growth in young learners.
In your first year, you will lay the groundwork for your journey in Early Years education and care. Engage in stimulating group discussions and workshops designed to introduce you to essential concepts in Early Years Studies. Through insightful lectures, you’ll begin to grasp the fundamental principles underpinning child development and educational practices. Emphasis on hands-on learning and placements will equip you with practical skills to effectively apply theories into your own practice, setting a solid foundation for your future in Early Years studies.
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Your second year will deepen your understanding of Early Years Education and Care. You will further explore advanced topics through interactive workshops and placements. Guest speakers, and experts in the field, will broaden your perspective on current policies and developments within the early years sector. Through collaborative projects and practical assignments, you’ll refine your skills in Early Childhood Education and strengthen your ability to critically analyse and implement best practices in Early Years Practitioner Status.
(20 credits)
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In your final year, you will consolidate your learning and prepare to excel in your chosen path within Early Years education and care. discussions and workshops will challenge you to apply your knowledge to complex scenarios and emerging issues in early childhood education.
Throughout your degree there may be opportunities for optional residential visits, in the UK or abroad, which offer invaluable cultural insights and expand your professional network. There are also guest speakers who will inspire you with their experiences and insights, ensuring you are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of Early Years Practice and make a positive impact in the lives of young children.
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Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
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Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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88 UCAS tariff points 
- e.g. A-levels: B/A, BTEC: DMM, IB: 29
The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a  for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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GCSE grade A*-C (grade 9-4 in England) in English and Mathematics is also required. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Alternative entry routes 
If this course interests you, but you don’t have the entry requirements to join our bachelor’s degree you could consider: 
- ‘with Foundation Year’. This route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) of supported study. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
- Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE). This is a one-year course and is equivalent to the first year of the three year, full-time bachelor’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Once you have successfully completed your CertHE studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remaining two years of the bachelor’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Admissions Advice and Support 
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’. For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
English language requirements 
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements 
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
All applicants will be required to provide a satisfactorily enhanced disclosure document from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
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All our programmes are assessed by 100% coursework. There are no exams.
We have found that using a varied range of assessment methods increases employability skills. Employers seek graduates who are problem-solvers and who have a range of transferable employability skills.
Assessment provides opportunities to develop skills such as the ability to work in a team, have effective oral and written communication while using a range of information-sharing methods, including briefing papers, academic posters, group debates and professional discussions.
There are also opportunities for practical work experiences, supporting employability, professional development and careers.
Bilingual and Welsh-medium study is at the heart of our provision; you can choose to enrol on the Welsh-medium or English-medium programme and present your assignments in either language.
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Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies.
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed.
Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities
There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Opportunities to Learn Welsh
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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Students are required to apply for, and obtain, a UWTSD Enhanced Disclosure Barring Check (DBS). The fee for this is dependent on the DBS and is approximately £44.
Students are required to gain the equivalent of 700 hours’ practical experience in places such as early years settings. This will incur travelling costs and refreshment costs. (Only applies to Early Years Practitioner Status programmes.)
Students may incur additional costs as they are required to attend some module lectures with appropriate clothing for study outdoors.
Mandatory study experiences and enhancement activities are organised for students studying Early Years. The cost of travelling and the study on offer is covered by the Early Years discipline. However, students would need to supply their own refreshments for some visits.
Additionally, Early Years organises optional opportunities for students to gain additional qualifications during the latter part of their programme, for example, Health and Safety, Safeguarding. These incur costs for the students; the cost is determined by the provider.
The School of Early Years also offers students optional opportunities to partake in visits beyond the campus, for example, Cardiff, London, Sweden and Canada. The costs of these optional visits are incurred by the students.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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This Early Years Practitioner Status programme is included in the Social Care Wales’ list of qualifications required for work within the early years and childcare sector in Wales. Students who successfully complete this programme will have a degree as well as a licence to practice within a range of early years settings practice and management roles.
Graduates go on to careers in a variety of fields including:
- Additional learning needs support
- Afterschool Leader
- Childminder
- Children’s Charity Roles (e.g. Barnardo’s)
- Community Support Officer
- Family Facilitator
- Family Support Officer
- Parenting Officer
- Pastoral Support
- Play Workers
- Room Leaders
- Setting Managers
- Youth Workers
Further ÃÜÌÒ´«Ã½
Some of our graduates progress to other further studies. Some students have progressed on to our own MA programmes, including our MA Early Literacy and MA Early Years Education and Care.
Postgraduate programmes such as these offer opportunities for students to up-skill and deepen their understanding of young children and their families. Such studies have enabled postgraduate students to progress in their existing field of work and for others to move to new careers.
Route into teaching
As a UWTSD Early Years student, you will be guaranteed an interview for the PGCE Primary programme, subject to meeting entry qualification requirements. When applying for the PGCE Primary programme we, in conjunction with Initial Teacher Education, will support you through a mock application and interview process.
Postgraduate ÃÜÌÒ´«Ã½ and Alternative Routes
Graduates will also be able to progress on to a number of postgraduate courses in their area of interest, a good degree classification in Early Years Education and Care meet the entry requirements for many postgraduate routes.
Below are a few examples of routes previous graduates have taken:
- Family and Communities
- Nursing
- Play Therapy
- Policy and Government
- Research
- Social Work
- Speech and Language Therapy