BA in Early Childhood Care & Education (International applicants only)

This degree is level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) awarded by University of Limerick.

Programme Overview

The BA in Early Childhood Care and Education is a full-time, four-year, honours degree programme, designed to provide an exciting and challenging programme for those interested in working with young children, from birth to six years of age, in a range of educational settings. It provides a highly-regarded qualification in this most rewarding area, developed in response to contemporary developments in the field of early years education both in Ireland and internationally.

The Importance of Formative Years

Quality provision in the early years is crucial in facilitating each child's development towards their full potential. According to Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Years' Education, the competencies, qualifications, dispositions, and experience of adults significantly impact the quality of experiences provided to each child. This programme focuses on the holistic care and education of young children in various settings.

The programme is multidisciplinary in design, offering students the opportunity to become specialists in the care and education of young children from birth to six years of age. Specialisation in the combined areas of care and education demands a deep knowledge of both theory and practice.

Modules

Subjects covered will include:

• Child Health & Well-being
• Language Development in Early Childhood
• Child Development
• The Role of Play in Development
• Educational Psychology
• Child, Family and Community
• Creative Arts and Music
• Language and Early Literacy
• Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
• Leadership and Management
• Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Research Methods
• Professional Development

A particular focus of the programme is providing students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to support the inclusion of children with disabilities in the early years.

Professional Placement

Placement opportunities are provided for students in a variety of early years settings working with children under three years and those of preschool age. These placements allow students an opportunity to learn from experience through supervised work practice, fostering reflective practice.

Additionally, students have the chance to work in an international context or in non-early childhood care and education settings, including primary schools and early intervention services.

BA ECCE students opting for an Erasmus+ work placement in Europe can apply for financial assistance. In Semester 5, students may expand their knowledge and skills by studying abroad at one of Mary Immaculate College's partner universities, which is a well-supported route to gaining valuable international experience.

Career & Further Study Opportunities

Graduates may pursue leadership roles in both the private and public sectors where high-quality early years provision is required. As specialists in Early Childhood Care and Education, graduates may find employment as managers, directors, coordinators, or facilitators in various early years settings.

Since the first cohort of BA ECCE students graduated in October 2007, alumni have secured positions in managerial roles within playschools, daycare settings, Early Start Units, and family centres, alongside policy development and research roles in governmental bodies.

The introduction of a free year of pre-school education indicates an ongoing increase in job opportunities for graduates of this course. With experience, graduates also meet the eligibility criteria to work as pre-school inspectors and early years inspectors in Ireland.

Further Study Opportunities

Graduates have the option to pursue further studies at MA or PhD level.

Programme Content

Structure

The BA in Early Childhood Care and Education programme features a varied range of innovative modules.

Semester 1 (Year 1)

• Foundation Studies in Early Childhood Care and Education
• Child, Family and Community 1
• Language Development in Early Childhood
• Child Health and Well-being 1
• Child Development

Semester 2 (Year 1)

• The Role of Play in Development
• Child, Family and Community 2
• Curriculum and Pedagogy: Birth-3 years
• Creative Music-Making in Early Years Curricula
• Professional Development 1

Semester 3 (Year 2)

• Professional Development 2

Semester 4 (Year 2)

• Models of Curriculum
• Educational Psychology
• Child Health and Well-being 2
• Professional Development 3

Semester 5 (Year 3)

• Sociological and Global Perspectives
• The Early Years: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives and Analysis
• Creative Arts in the Early Years
• Leadership in Early Childhood Education and Care
• STEM in the Early Years

Semester 6 (Year 3)

• Language and Literacy in the Early Years
• Curriculum and Pedagogy: 3-6 years
• Research Methods
• Professional Development 4

Semester 7 (Year 4)

• Professional Development 5

Semester 8 (Year 4)

• Cultural and Linguistic Diversity: Implications for Professional Practice
• Governance and Management in Early Childhood Education and Care Contexts
• Advanced Studies in Play and Child Development
• Dissertation

Admissions Enquiries

Admissions information for EU and Non-EU applicants will vary based on specific country guidelines. The programme intake is once a year in September.

Fees

Undergraduate programme fees can vary and details are available upon request.

Mary Immaculate College (MIC), known in Irish as Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, is a university-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts in Limerick, Ireland, academically linked with the University of Limerick. Founded in 1898 by Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer and the Sisters of Mercy for the professional education of Catholic primary school teachers, MIC is the oldest third-level institution in Limerick City.

The foundation stone was laid on 8 December 1898 on an 11-acre site jointly purchased by the Bishop and the Sisters of Mercy, with construction led by Dublin architect George Byrne and Limerick contractors Molloy. The College opened its doors to its first students on 21 September 1901, and was officially opened on 16 May 1902. From its original 75 young women enrolled in 1901, MIC has grown into a multi-campus institution with a student population of over 5,000.

Mission

Mary Immaculate College is a third-level Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. The College community promotes excellence in teaching, learning and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and seeks to foster the intellectual, spiritual, personal and professional development of students within a supportive and challenging environment that guarantees the intellectual freedom of staff and students. In particular, the College seeks to foster in its students a spirit of justice and compassion in the service of others, together with an openness to the religious tradition and values of each individual.

The College promotes a sense of identity enriched by an awareness of its Catholic tradition, the cultures, languages and traditions of Ireland, and its special commitment to the Irish language. Mary Immaculate College respects cultural diversity and strives to promote equity in society, providing an environment where all have the freedom and opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Founding vision

MIC continues to embrace the founding vision of Catherine McAuley, who established the Sisters of Mercy as champions for the most marginalised in society, with the conviction that education was essential to that mission. This emphasis on social justice and educational inclusion remains central to the College's institutional identity as it has grown and diversified over more than 125 years.

Academic structure

MIC offers programmes across two faculties, Education and Arts, spanning Level 4 to Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Undergraduate programmes are offered in:

• Primary and Post-Primary Teaching (Bachelor of Education, Teaching Council-accredited)
• Liberal Arts, with a choice of 14 subjects across a flexible, wide-ranging programme
• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Psychology, including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology incorporating workplace experience
• Drama and English
• English Language and Literature

The MIC Thurles campus additionally offers post-primary teacher education programmes in Home Economics, Gaeilge, Mathematics, Business Studies, Theology and Religious Studies, and Accounting. Postgraduate study is available across both faculties at Diploma, Master's and PhD level, alongside professional development and lifelong learning programmes.

Campuses

MIC is a multi-campus institution with centrally located, state-of-the-art facilities in both Limerick City and Thurles, Co. Tipperary:

• MIC Limerick: the College's original and main campus on South Circular Road, home to the historic 1899 building that remains central to College life today, alongside a state-of-the-art Sports Complex completed in 2008 at a cost of €16 million, and the 510-seat Lime Tree Theatre, officially opened in October 2012
• MIC Thurles: incorporated into MIC in 2016, originally established as a second-level school in 1837 and later a major seminary, today offering seven undergraduate programmes delivered by staff from both the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, with on-campus accommodation and the O'Dwyer Library housing approximately 15,000 print resources

Both campuses are characterised by an informal, relaxed atmosphere and a close rapport between students and staff, with the amenities of city and town life on the doorstep.

Affiliation with the University of Limerick

MIC has been academically linked with the University of Limerick since a formal partnership was established in 1990, with UL becoming MIC's accrediting body. Degrees were conferred by the National University of Ireland until 1994, and by UL from 1995 onward. In 1999, MIC became the first Irish College of Education to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree programme. The first PhD was awarded by MIC in 2003. MIC is also a member of the Shannon Consortium, a collaborative framework alongside the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon.

Student life and facilities

• Wired FM (Wired 99.9FM): Limerick's only licensed student community radio station, run in partnership with the Technological University of the Shannon
• Lime Tree Theatre: a 510-seat venue on the Limerick campus hosting theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, school performances and conferences
• MIC Munster GAA Centre of Excellence and extensive College Sport opportunities, supported by the dedicated Sports Complex
• CRAFT Maker Space, supporting hands-on creativity and enterprise
• Mary Immaculate Students' Union (MISU), marking 25 years of representing the student body
• Clubs and Societies, Arts and Culture programming, and a strong Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Interculturalism (EDII) commitment
• Recognition as an Age Friendly Campus
• Careers Service, Study Abroad opportunities, and an Off-Campus Programme

Leadership and governance

The College's first six Presidents were members of the Sisters of Mercy, beginning with Sr Paul Quinlan in 1898, followed by Sr Veronica Cullinan, Sr Celsus Barry, Sr Loreto Ní Chonchúir, Sr Cabrini Moloney and Sr Angela Bugler. Professor Peadar Cremin, appointed in 1999, was the seventh President and the first lay person to hold the position. He was succeeded by Professor Michael A. Hayes in 2011 and Professor Eugene Wall in 2018, the ninth President in the College's history. Mary Immaculate College is currently led by Professor Dermot Nestor, President of the College, with the Bishop of Limerick serving as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.