Program Overview

BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies

The BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies course provides a rich and varied understanding of how children develop, learn, and are supported in different environments – from early years settings to families and wider communities.

Course Overview

You’ll explore key theories in child development, behaviour, and learning, and examine the policies and practices that shape children's experiences. From the start, you'll begin tailoring your degree with specialist modules, and as you progress, you’ll increase your focus in areas that match your career goals – culminating in an independent project in your final year.

Features and Benefits

• Community links - We’ve created this course with the help of local employers from the education and health and social care sectors, as well as community and voluntary organisations, to help you develop the skills and knowledge you’ll need when you’re in the workplace.
• Specialist study tailored to your interests - begin shaping your degree from the start and build your expertise over time, with focused, specialist modules in your final year.
• Real-world experience through placements - apply what you learn in professional settings with practical work placements that help you develop key skills and strengthen your CV.
• Blend of theory and practice - study essential topics such as cognitive development, behaviourist approaches, inclusive education, and sustainability, supported by hands-on learning.
• Career-focused from day one - gain transferable skills in communication, research, and reflective practice, setting you up for graduate roles in education, early years, and related sectors.

Accreditations, Awards, and Endorsements

• Teaching Excellence Framework - We have received an overall gold status in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), meaning we're rated as an outstanding university for our student experience.
• National Student Survey 2025 (NSS) - 97.1% of students were positive about teaching staff being good at explaining things.

Year 1

You’ll start the course with a range of core units that will help you to share subject knowledge with your fellow students. You’ll explore your experiences of childhood and how the early years are instrumental in shaping children’s lives.

Core Modules

• Introduction To Studying Childhoods - In this module, you will be introduced to the distinct subject discipline of early years and childhood studies. You will build your academic study skills through engaging with literature, participating in debates, and beginning to critically analyse research.
• Sociological Perspectives - In this module, you will explore sociological perspectives in education, childhoods, and inclusion, gaining insights into how society impacts on groups and individuals.
• Policy And Professional Frameworks - In this module, you will explore the complex landscape of policies and frameworks (legal and professional) that shape the practice and management of early years provision, SEND, family support, and education.
• Theories of Learning and Development - In this module, you will engage with ecological, psychological, philosophical, and sociocultural theories of learning and development.

Year 2

In Year 2, you’ll build on the skills and specialist knowledge you gained in your first year. You'll also undertake the Manchester Met. Connected unit, giving you the opportunity to engage in a placement, project, or volunteering within the local community.

Core Modules

• Becoming a Researcher - In this module, you will develop your knowledge of key principles in social and educational research and how to apply these concepts to education, childhoods, and related fields.
• The Professional in Practice - In this module, you will engage in a placement in a sector-specific setting to give you experience of the world of work. You will also learn about the roles of other professionals who work with children.
• Everyday Inclusion - In this module, you will explore the various ways in which barriers to learning can be effectively managed to promote inclusion and equity in educational settings from early childhood.

Year 3

In Year 3, you’ll reflect on the knowledge and experience gained during your first two years. Although you’ll continue to have ongoing teaching and pastoral support from our academic team, you’ll be encouraged to develop a more independent role in your final year of study.

Core Modules

• Sustainable Childhoods - In this module, you will engage with sustainability in its widest context to critically explore the lives of children and their communities.
• Graduate Futures - In this module, you will carry out a literature review in your chosen field which will be used to develop research questions and an appropriate methodological approach.
• Contemporary Debates In Childhood - In this module, you will build on your prior disciplinary knowledge to explore contemporary debates in childhood.
• Independent Project - In this module, you will carry out a small-scale independent project, which you have designed and planned as part of the Graduate Futures Module.

Study and Assessment

• Year 1 - 25% lectures, seminars, or similar; 75% independent study
• Year 2 - 25% lectures, seminars, or similar; 65% independent study; 10% placement
• Year 3 - 25% lectures, seminars, or similar; 75% independent study

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer - 104-112 UCAS tariff points
• IELTS score - IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of course start date
• UK students - Level 3 qualifications, 104-112 UCAS tariff points
• International students - IB Diploma with minimum 26 points overall or 104 UCAS Tariff points from three Higher Level subjects

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are still being finalised for all courses.

Careers Support and Prospects

• Employed or in further study - 88.7% of our UK-domiciled, full-time, first-degree graduates are employed or in further study 15 months after graduation.
• Explore your options and build sought-after skills - Through our Careers Service, you will be supported and encouraged to get ready for further study or working life, including starting your own business.