Program Overview

Introduction to the Early Years Education (with Early Years Teacher Status) MA

The Early Years Education (with Early Years Teacher Status) MA is a one-year full-time course that starts in September 2026. This course is designed for individuals who want to work with children from birth to five years old, including Reception, in the public and private sectors. The course aims to provide students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills required to achieve Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) and gain practical experience in early years education.

Key Information

• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Start date: September 2026
• Apply by: 5 December 2025 (international), 1 September 2026 (UK)
• The University of Sussex is ranked 1st in the UK for its research impact in Education (REF 2021) and 8th in the UK for Education (The Complete University Guide 2025).

Course Overview

The course focuses on the following ideas:

• What constitutes 'quality' in Early Years education?
• Equity, inclusion, and justice for the pre-school child and the wider family
• Ideas of communication, imagination, language, and literacy, and provision for the bi/trilingual child
• Understandings of early mathematical and scientific development
• Discourses of nurture, care, and attachment

There are two routes available:

• An employment-based route for people already working in an Early Years setting
• A placement route for those not currently working in the sector

Entry Requirements

UK Requirements

• Degree: You should normally have a lower second-class (2.2) undergraduate honours degree or above.
• Subject-specific requirements: Your qualification can be in any subject, and you should have some relevant work experience (paid or voluntary).
• GCSEs: You must have achieved a GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in English, maths, and a science subject.

International Requirements

The entry requirements vary by country. Please select your country from the list to find the specific requirements.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS (Academic): Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component)
• Alternative English language qualifications: Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English (CAE), Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), Duolingo English test, LanguageCert Academic SELT, Pearson (PTE Academic), TOEFL (iBT)

Modules

Core Modules

• Research in Early Years Education
• Critical Reflection; Early Years Education
• Professional Practice 1 (EYTS)
• Reflecting on Professional Knowledge in Early Years (with EYTS)
• Professional Practice 2 (EYTS)

Our Experts

The course is taught by a team of experienced academics, including:

• Mrs Deborah Brown, Associate Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
• Mrs Fliss Bull, Assistant Professor in Primary Education
• Ms Gillian Emerson, Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
• Dr Christina Hancock, Associate Professor in Primary Education
• Miss Tamzin Nobes, Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
• Mrs Hayley Preston-Smith, Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
• Mr Robin Snow, Assistant Professor in Primary Education
• Mrs Jacqueline Young, Associate Professor in Education

Fees and Scholarships

• Fees: £7,000 per year for full-time students (Home, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students); £7,000 per year for full-time students (International students)
• Scholarships: Mandela Scholarship supported by FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (full fee waiver and maintenance award for two applicants from South Africa)

Careers

This MA with Early Years Teachers Status (EYTS) offers the opportunity to combine Masters-level study with practical experience of teaching and researching in the Early Years Foundation Stage. With this qualification, you can pursue a wide range of educational careers, both nationally and internationally. Recent graduates have gone on to jobs including reception teacher, deputy manager, and room leader.