Program Overview

Education (Early Years) (Top-up) BA(Hons)

Overview

The Education (Early Years) (Top-up) BA(Hons) course is designed for early years practitioners who are passionate about working with children and their families. The course focuses on current government reforms in education, emphasizing early childhood development and the importance of high-quality early years provision.

Key Information

• Start Date: 22 September 2025
• Duration: 2 years part-time
• Entry Requirements:
  • A Higher National Diploma, Foundation Degree, or equivalent
  • An initial teaching qualification from a recognised teacher education institution
  • Successful completion of a Higher Education qualification with 120 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits (or equivalent)
  • Qualification should be in an area related to early years education
  • GCSE English Language at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme
  • Must be in employment or voluntary work in an appropriate registered setting (for a minimum of 120 hours per year) and have support from your employer
  • If first language is not English, must meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification, with a minimum of IELTS 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent

Course Detail

Year 1 and Year 2

• Core modules include:
  • Understanding Children's Health and Wellbeing
  • Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage
  • Researching the Major Study
  • Major Study in Education
• Modules place an emphasis on work-based practice, with content designed to give students the opportunity to gain underpinning knowledge in a range of essential early years subjects.

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching typically takes place on Saturdays at the University campus to ensure flexibility and access for those working within school and other childcare settings during the week.
• Assessments vary and include essays, developing creative and teaching resources to support children’s learning, student-led seminars, presentations, and timed tests.

Career Opportunities

• This course is designed to support progression into more senior roles in early years education.
• Studying this course could enable consideration of a varied range of careers in education, including teaching, early years professional, and learning support roles.

Fees and Finance

• Tuition Fees - part-time: The maximum fees for UK-based students on undergraduate courses in 2025/26 will be £1,589 per 20 credit module and £2,384 per 30 credit module per year for part-time students (subject to parliamentary approval).
• Additional Costs:
  • Placements could be in Huddersfield or surrounding areas, so students should consider any travelling costs they may incur.
  • A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required to enable students to undertake placements in settings with children. There may be a charge for the DBS check.

Research Excellence

• The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.
• The University is in the top 50 UK universities for Research Power, with three-quarters of all research being world-leading and internationally excellent.

Student Support

• The University offers support networks and services to help students get ahead in their studies and social life.
• Support includes academic and personal support, career guidance, and resources to help students navigate their personal student journey.

Accreditations & Professional Links

• The course is designed to meet the needs of early years practitioners and is informed by the University’s extensive professional and academic network.

Further Study

• Progression to a postgraduate course is dependent on successful completion of undergraduate studies.
• The University offers various postgraduate courses, including the Primary and Early Years Education PGCE with QTS, Primary Education PGCE with QTS, and Education (Early Childhood Studies) MA.