Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education & Care

Program Overview

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Course Description

This course is approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (instituted to review Level 7 and Level 8 degree courses for the Early Learning and Care Sector) as meeting the requirements of the Professional Award Criteria and Guidelines standards.

If you’re interested in working with children and finding out how they develop and learn, are eager to study different cultures, languages and diversity in the world, and enthusiastic about making a difference in children’s lives, this course will suit you. It explores the varied approaches to early childhood education and care, including child development, child psychology, sociology of childhood, art, drama and music, equality, diversity and inclusion, language acquisition, health and well-being, and safeguarding children. You’ll gain insights into outdoor learning and risky play through our purpose-built outdoor classroom. You’ll be able to apply and adapt your learning in the realistic setting of our dedicated early-childhood practice room.

The course includes practical and creative projects, engaging in the local community, debates, presentations and reflective journals.

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Work Placement:

There are two 12-week work placements, in Year 2, Semester

1

and Year 3, Semester

1

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IT Requirements:

Students on this course will be required to have a medium spec computer/laptop (i.e. able to run Win 10, an AV solution and Office comfortably. It should be able to use Wi-fi and camera in order to attend online classes, and use other software such as SPSS, Adobe Connect; e.g. Latitude 5510; Latitude 5410;

Please search for the TU Dublin offer on the HEA website www.heanet.ie/store

Program Outline

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Semester 1:

Child Development 1

Sociology of Childhood

Professional Development in the Early Years

Promoting Wellbeing in Early Years

Play Based Art and Music

Early Childhood Curriculum

Semester 2:

Drama, Movement and Play

Child Development 2

Social Institutions and the Early Years

Wellbeing, Identity and Belonging

Practice Placement 1 *

Semester 1:

Practice Placement 2 *

Professional Practice: Supporting Children and Families in Early Years

* Practice Placement 2 will be graded on a Pass / Fail basis and these 25 credits will not be included in the calculation of the GPA for the stage

Semester 2:

Psychology and Learning in Early Childhood

Childhood and Social Policy

Literacy and Numeracy through Play

Curriculum & Pedagogy

Outdoor Learning & Risky Play

School Age Care

Semester 1:

Practice Placement 3*

Professional Practice and Critical Reflection

* Practice Placement 3 will be graded on a Pass / Fail basis and these 20 credits will not be included in the calculation of the GPA for the stage

Semester 2:

Language Acquisition and Multilingualism

Creative Group Facilitation

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Legislative Issues for the Early Years

Research Methods in Early Years

Children’s Rights and Advocacy

Early Childhood Education & Care Educator

in:

Pre-schools

Crèches

Montessori

Primary Schools

Community Centres

Early Intervention Project

Establish your own Business

On successful completion, you’ll be eligible to progress onto the final year of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood Care and Education.