This course combines work-based practice with academic study, so students are required to attend lectures and undertake a work placement in a suitable early years setting. This approach means that graduates are well-placed to either embark upon their career immediately or continue their studies on a related Honours Top-up Degree.
The FdA Childhood Studies lecturing team have all been employed in the sector and maintain strong links with local and regional early years education providers, ensuring a broad range of work placements are available, and their combined experience and knowledge covers a wide range of specialisms.
By enrolling on this course, you’ll gain a grounding in the key theories of child development and learning alongside studies in regulations including the English Early Years Foundation Stage and Safeguarding. The programme’s distinctiveness also stems from its discussions on ethical, environment and holistic learning considerations in a childhood context.
Many of the students on this course aspire to further and postgraduate study and teaching roles, so you’ll undertake a substantial individual project on a topic of interest to develop your higher academic research and writing skills.
You’ll also hear from expert guest lecturers and, at an additional expense, be invited to go on daytrips and longer overseas residential visits. Students from this course have in recent years visited The Gambia, for example.
This Foundation Degree is delivered at our Knightstone Campus in the centre of Weston. Students on this course are also among the first to benefit from the state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities and extended opening hours at the multimillion pound redevelopment of the iconic Winter Gardens building, also in the centre of Weston.
Foundation Degrees are Level 5 qualifications equivalent to the first two years of a full Honours Degree. They are designed with employer input and combine academic study with work-based learning, so students on this course undertake a work placement and gain the knowledge and experiences that businesses are looking for from the candidates they hire. UCW’s commitment to great graduate outcomes is also underpinned by our students having access to a Careers Coaching service for the whole time they are enrolled with us.
Please click on the next tab to find out more about what you’ll learn on this programme and how it is taught and assessed. The dropdowns below deal with our partnership with Bath Spa University and what is included in the cost of tuition. Please contact the course leader Mark Wilkins or UCW’s HEART team if you have any questions. It would also be great to see you at our next Open Day, where you can see our facilities and also meet the team.
Students who pass this course are awarded a Foundation Degree from Bath Spa University. The agreement between Bath Spa University and UCW is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure academic standards are maintained.
Full-time tuition fees: £8,250 per year.
This covers all of the teaching and assessment elements that are required for students to complete the course.
It also includes:
- The use of UCW equipment and facilities.
- Attendance at guest lectures and conferences at UCW.
- Annual £10 printing and photocopying allowance for full-time students.
- The use of UCW computer equipment at any of our campuses and access to Microsoft Office 365 while you are enrolled with UCW.
- The loans of books from our libraries.
- Access to all of the UCW student support and careers services.
It does not include:
- An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at a cost of £44, which is required to study on this course.
- Optional daytrips and residential visits at an approximate cost of £50 (UK) and £100 (overseas) per day/night.
- Extra printing and photocopying above the £10 limit.
- The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
- Transport between our campuses, and to/from your partner university and any work placements. We encourage students to take advantage of termly bus passes to reduce transport costs.
- Accommodation and other living expenses.
UCW publishes its Tuition Fees Policy on the Wider Information Set page of this website.
You may also be eligible for additional financial support, depending on your circumstances.
All of the modules on this course are compulsory and worth either 20 or 40 credits each. Successful completion of all of the modules in the first year is worth 120 credits at Level 4 and equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education. Successful completion of the second year is also worth 120 credits and will lead to the award of the Level 5 Foundation Degree.
Year 1:
- Curriculum and pedagogy: linking theory and practice (40 credits) – an introduction to the English Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
- Introduction to early child development (20 credits) – enhance your understanding of the physical and linguistic development of babies, toddlers and young children.
- Reflective practice in action (20 credits) – this significant component of the course covers subjects including ethics, the environment and diversity.
- Supporting young children’s holistic health and wellbeing (40 credits) – explore the importance of childhood health and families making healthy choices.
Year 2:
- Contesting childhood (20 credits) – a research-led look at the differing local and global interpretations of childhood.
- Research in early childhood (40 credits) – a substantive research project on an area of professional practice of interest.
- Supporting children with additional needs (20 credits) – develop your competencies in working collaboratively to support children with learning differences.
- The child, family and society (40 credits) – how collaborative working in the early years sector promotes positive outcomes for children, their families and the wider community.
This course is taught via a combination of lectures, seminars, workplace practice, presentations, case studies and group workshops. UCW’s Higher Education Library Plus (HE.LP) team also deliver a series of sessions on degree-level research and academic writing to all first-year students. When not in scheduled lecturers and seminars, students are expected to continue learning through independent self-study. This involves reading relevant literature, working on individual and group projects, and undertaking research in preparation for coursework and exams.
This course has an average of 8 hours of scheduled teaching per week and a work experience element totalling 250 hours over the duration of the course.
At UCW, we also understand that some students benefit from more contact time with lecturers than is the norm at a traditional university, so we do all we can to make sure academic staff are available for their students when they are needed.
Assessment is via a combination of practical exams and coursework, with an assessment breakdown of 10% practical exams and 90% coursework. There are no written exams on this Foundation Degree.
Please click on the Course Handbook button to find out more.
- Most of the students who pass this course choose to progress to the 1 year Level 6 BA Honours Top-up Degree in Early Years Education at UCW.
- Graduates of this course are also qualified to seek management positions in the early years sector and may also pursue related careers in areas including child protection, community projects, family liaison or play therapy.
A minimum of CDD at A Level, or a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMP, or a related Access to Higher Education Diploma, or equivalent.
Students with only two A Levels or alternative qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants are also required to attend an interview.
