Early Childhood Studies with Graduate Practitioner Competencies with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Birmingham City University

Our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with a Foundation Year course seamlessly combines theory with practical experience, so that you can achieve your career goals and make a positive impact on young children’s lives.
By studying a foundation year in Society, Childhood and Education your first year will be spent learning a wide range of broad subject areas which then open up opportunities for you to specialise further in your next year – which would be the first year of a full degree programme.
You will study very broad subjects in your foundation year, which is designed to prepare you for a range of courses and not just one particular BSc or BA degree.
So although you are studying a BA or BSc in a specific course –BA Early Childhood Studies – the foundation year sets you up for a number of other possible degrees starting the following year. It may be that you don’t end up doing a degree in precisely the same subject as your foundation year.
This flexibility is one of the great things about the foundation year category - Society, Childhood and Education, allowing you to find out more about your interests and talents before focusing on a three year degree. The foundation year also helps us at BCU to make sure we help to match you to the degree that fits you best.

Enhancing employability skills
A BCU Graduate is professional and work-ready, a creative problem solver, enterprising and has a global outlook. This expectation is realised through the BA Hons Working with Children, Young People and Families programme which provides you with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of vulnerable children, young people and their families. Transferrable skills are considered very highly throughout the programme should you decide not to work directly with children and young people in the future. We have embraced the Gradate scheme and there are opportunities throughout the programme for you to receive credit for developing your employability skills. We have a commitment to learning for life and actively encourage you to develop your own research skills and to pursue your learning journey by building on your first degree to Masters level and beyond. From induction through to your final module your tutor team will support you in exploring career pathways linked to vulnerable children, young people and their families. Working closely with local services will enable you to network and find out what it is like to work in the field.

School of Education and Social Work