Why choose Early Childhood Studies BA Honours at Middlesex?

Our course provides a rich learning experience that combines placement practice and knowledge from various disciplines.

This course is designed with young children as its focus. The ambitious and challenging programme offers a synergy of critical academic and theoretically informed insight on early years, invaluable sector related legislation and policy knowledge, and placement and practice related experiences. An inclusive, flexible, responsive and adaptable curriculum provides you with a range of resources and personalised opportunities to utilise multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and international perspectives to critically reflect and debate the underlying concepts related to babies, young children, families and communities.

The course supports the content knowledge and embeds the transferable skills for you to engage with your subject specialism at national and international level and is mindful of the needs of the employers.

What you will gain

Graduates will develop as highly skilled, knowledgeable early years practitioners with the necessary employability skills.

You will acquire the ability to lead and manage change and become accustomed to collaborative teamwork.

You will be able to use critical thinking, and communication to deal with the challenges you might face in your professional careers. 

On completion of this course, you may seek employment as Level 6 Graduate Early Childhood Practitioners in nurseries, nursery schools and preschools; or apply for the PGCE/QTS Training in Education (Primary and Early Years). The course offers a range of employment opportunities and career options related to working with children and families. 

What you will learn

A team of highly motivated professionals will support you in your learning and assessment. And this is why we scored 94% student satisfaction in the 2023 National Student Survey because “lecturers go out of their way to help and ensure that we are feeling okay with assignments and that makes me feel respected and worthy.”

You will learn how to make a significant and lasting impact on the early years profession. You may also be eligible to apply for Level 6 Graduate Practitioner Competencies status upon graduation.

On this course, your learning will be supported by:

• Highly experienced tutors who will help you understand and apply the material from this course
• A personal tutor and committed student learning and graduate academic assistant who has studied your subject and can support you based on their own experience
• A field trip to one of London's many museums or art galleries to explore concepts of childhood as part of your induction
• A choice of optional models to help focus your areas of interest. These include special needs, digital media, creativity, and the mental health of children.

Careers

How can the Early Childhood Studies BA support your career?

You develop graduate competencies and transferable skills throughout the course. The necessary employability skills are the ability to lead and manage change, teamwork and collaboration, critical thinking, and communication to deal with the challenges you might face in your professional careers.

After completing this course, you may apply for the PGCE / QTS Training in Education (Primary and Early Years) or social work programmes, Careers in special educational needs support services, unqualified teaching positions in independent and free schools, teaching assistant roles in primary and higher education, local authority education administration, parenting support programmes.

If you are seeking a more academic or research route you may continue to develop your careers studying for master's programmes, including our very own MA in Education and Childhood in Diverse Societies or taking up work as research assistants.

You receive input on career progression at Level 4 – 6. Advice on progressing to ITT, PGCE or School Direct can be obtained from relevant tutors or the University careers and employability service.

MDXworks

Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.

Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has been recognised with the following awards:

• The top 20 UK universities for business leaders and entrepreneurs – Business Money, 2023
• A top 10 university for producing CEOs – Novuana, 2023.

Global network

You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.

Our London location helps us connect with over 1,000 industry partners to develop our students’ future employment prospects.

Work placements

You are required to participate and pass a placement module at year 1, 2 and 3. You can identify your own early years placement setting, which will be verified by the module tutor as suitable. 

Tutors, in conjunction with the University careers and employability service and sector relationships, will provide opportunity to attend a compliant and suitable placement that will enable you to obtain skills and to apply your knowledge to relevant practice. You will be expected to go through the DBS clearance process upon joining the University. 

You will be offered support with completing applications, and references where necessary. The timetable is arranged to permit you to participate in a work setting for at least 1 day a week during the University academic year.  Additionally, there may be the opportunity to complete a block placement at certain points during the three years, including during Semester 3 and the summer recess. The number of hours and type of placements required for the Graduate Competencies will be clarified to those participating.