Early Childhood Studies BA (Hons)

**Summary**: Successive governments have shown a commitment to developing the early childhood care and education workforce into a graduate profession and first-class professional body, equipping those at the frontline to support and enhance children’s development and learning.**Course details**: You develop relevant and specialist knowledge within sociology, psychology, education, health, legislation and policy. And you develop theoretical and practical skills that can be applied to leading early years practice, supporting learning and further training in various disciplines including social work, nursing and teaching. Your studies include child development, understanding how practitioners support children's learning and language development, and developing transferable professional skills. This programme introduces you to ideas about teaching and develops emerging skills as a critical and reflective practitioner.**After the course**: Graduates are likely to enter careers with families and young children in a range of different roles: for example as support workers and assistants in education and care settings; working in school nurseries, day care centres and children's centres; supporting families through parenting classes; health and well-being sessions and developing the skills of parents to support their own children; roles in registration and inspection; and multi-agency work which assists social work and community care. Some graduates pursue careers in primary school teaching.With a good honours degree, some students may continue in higher education to gain further postgraduate qualifications such as a PGCE for Primary or Early Years, qualifying as a teacher. With sufficient early years' experience, graduates can gain the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), a postgraduate certificate which demonstrates professional ability to lead practice, train others and provide first-class environments for children. Some recent graduates have progressed into the fast track MSc Social Work to develop their careers.All programmes are designed to incorporate employability skills development alongside your degree course. Our staff utilise their extensive connections to provide many and varied opportunities to engage with potential employers through fairs, guest lecture sessions, live projects and site visits. In addition we offer a series of workshops and events in the first, second and third year that ensure all students are equipped with both degree level subject knowledge PLUS the practical skills that employers are looking for in new graduate recruits. Our award winning careers service works with regional and national employers to advertise graduate positions, in addition to providing post-graduation support for all Teesside University alumni.