BA Childhood Practice

UCAS code: Not applicable

Duration: 3 years

Delivery: Part-time

School: Education and Sport, The Moray House School of

College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Accreditation

Placements

Introducing BA Childhood Practice

This programme prepares you for a management role within the early childhood learning and care sector.

You will examine issues of:

childhood, including childhood studies
health and wellbeing
child development
education
family sociology
childhood policy and rights

We support you to:

build your knowledge of leadership, management and professionalism
develop communication and management skills
learn about organisational development and inter-agency working

This programme is work-based and does not involve placements.

You will need to be working with children and families while taking the degree.

Accreditation

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has accredited this programme.

Graduates are eligible to register with the SSSC as lead practitioners/managers.

What you will study

This work-based programme is for students with 120 Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credits at level 7/8 (or equivalent) working in a relevant childcare environment.

You enter directly into Year 2.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will study:

Children and Childhood
Childhood Studies Work-Based Learning 1: Professional Development
Children in the Family, which will enable you to evaluate your role in a childcare setting

Year 3

In Year 3, you will study:

Childhood Studies Work-Based Learning 2: Organisational Development
Children's Education and Social Justice
Children's Health and Wellbeing

Year 4

In Year 4, you will study:

Integrated Working in Children's Services
Children's Rights

You will also complete a childhood practice research project.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2024/25)

Where you will study

Our facilities

Most of your teaching will take place at Moray House School of Education and Sport. The school is part of the Holyrood Campus in the University's Central Area.

You will also have access to the University's libraries and computing facilities.

Take a virtual tour

You can take a closer look at Moray House School of Education and Sport and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of the Moray House School of Education and Sport

Placements

There are no placements, but you do need to be working with children and families while taking the degree.

Learning and assessment

How will I learn?

You will be taught through:

lectures
tutorials
workshops
independent small-group activity
digital learning environments

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a range of methods, including:

essays
academic poster presentation
formative student presentations

Career opportunities

Our graduates go on to:

register as lead professionals and managers in early learning and care
apply for promotion in their current workplace
work in the voluntary and policy sectors
pursue further study, for example, in teaching or social work

Entry requirements

Applicants should have relevant qualifications that total 120 credits at Levels 7/8 and may include combinations of, for example, SVQ3, SVQ4, HNC and Professional Development Award (PDA).

Other awards may be considered.

Applicants are also expected to have at least two years' experience of working or volunteering within an early-years or childcare environment. You will need to be working with children and families while taking the degree.

Interviews

Admission to this degree includes an interview process. Further details on the process will be sent to candidates shortlisted for interview.

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

SQA National 5 at C
GCSE at C or 4
Level 2 Certificate at C
IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 5 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 62 with at least 54 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)

Applying

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

Apply through the University

This is a part-time, work-based programme.

Applications are not made through UCAS; instead, please apply using the application form and following the Assessment Criteria guidance:

Please note that the application deadline is 31 March for entry in September of the same year. If applying after 31 March your application may be considered but this is not guaranteed.