BA (Hons) Early Years Childhood Studies
Course Overview
At the University of Bolton, we believe that linking your course content and real-life situations is crucial to your understanding of early childhood studies. Our BA (Hons) Early Years Childhood Studies degree is an excellent qualification if you want a career working with young children and need to develop the necessary work experience. It's also ideal if you're already working with young children and want to obtain a formal qualification to support your career development.By studying with us, you can develop essential knowledge and understanding of early years and childhood studies while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus in the heart of the North West of England. Our highly-qualified professional tutors will draw on their wealth of experience from a wide range of settings as they guide you through the theories and research that underpin early childhood practices. The work-based element of the course will help bring your learning to life and give you experience using your new knowledge and skills in the workplace.
In some modules, you may be taught alongside professionals who work in related services and professions. These connections help promote the multi-agency team approach that is such an important part of the early childhood agenda. We also aim to help you develop lifelong learning skills so that you can take ownership of your professional development for the future, maximising your potential for success.
Overall, our supportive team will guide and encourage you, helping you develop into a confident, capable early years professional.
Highlights
- Our Childhood and Youth Studies courses are top in the UK for student satisfaction, according to The Complete University Guide 2024.
- We'll work with you as an individual, giving you access to the help and support you need to succeed.
- Our staff members have a range of specialist areas, such as teaching English as an additional language in primary education and improving children's experience of schooling, particularly for those from migrant backgrounds.
- The course covers leadership and management in the early years, aimed at preparing you for additional responsibilities such as team leading or management roles in the sector.
- Our close links and regular engagement with early years providers, employers and practitioners ensure our course delivery and content are up-to-date and aligned with government policy and guidance.
- Our emphasis on supporting you in developing study and critical thinking skills will help you engage with further learning and prepare you for postgraduate study.
Key Features
- Combining theory with practical skills, the course prepares you for a career working with young children or provides a formal qualification for possible progression into primary school education.
- Strong partnership links with local employers in the sector mean there are opportunities for you to undertake work placements, providing meaningful experience to put on your CV.
- Guest lectures from practitioners in the sector provide additional knowledge and alternative viewpoints. Specialist tutors also provide another dimension to your learning. We work hard to ensure the course supports you in developing a multi-agency approach mindset.
- In the final year, you'll have the chance to undertake a small-scale research project focusing on an area of early childhood that particularly interests you.
- You'll have opportunities to learn through role play, which is a great way to develop and practice your skills and understanding.
Entry Requirements
- 96 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Subjects relevant to the study of early years and childhood studies are preferred.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- You'll be required to secure a work placement before the end of semester 1.
- We'll be happy to consider your application if you don't meet the standard entry requirements but have non-traditional qualifications and/or relevant experience demonstrating appropriate knowledge and skills at Level 3.
- This course involves working with children and you must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting your studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
- Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
- We’d love to have an informal chat with you about this course, either over the phone or in person. If you wish to meet in person, please contact the programme leader to arrange a mutually convenient time. Our open days are an especially good time to visit us and find out more. (While we reserve the right to interview you or ask you to undergo other forms of assessment to determine your suitability for study, it's not our usual practice for this course.)
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The University of Bolton's BA (Hons) Early Years Childhood Studies course will help you gain knowledge and understanding of a range of issues relating to early childhood, families and society. It provides a solid foundation from which you can progress onto professional training such as teaching, nursing and social work. As a graduate, you'll possess key transferable skills such as communication, time management, teamwork, critical analysis, negotiation, problem-solving, and dealing with challenging situations.
What can I do with this qualification?
BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies graduates often progress to postgraduate study leading to professional statuses such as teaching and social work. The most popular options are the postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and early years teacher (EYT), so many graduates go on to work as primary or secondary school, early years or special needs teachers.
As a graduate of this course, you'll be able to apply for postgraduate courses in teacher education and other related fields, as well as employment opportunities in the field of education, such as family support workers, teaching assistants and learning mentors. Whilst the course does not lead directly to Qualified Teacher Status, it does allow access to career pathways that require a full honours degree.
Previous graduates have taken up posts through Schools Direct and progressed onto postgraduate courses in teacher education and other related fields. Successfully completing this top-up course can support your career advancement in education and professional development or support your application to postgraduate study, including PGCE and other professional master's programmes.
Alternative career options
Graduates can use this qualification as a stepping stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possibilities include:
- Play therapy
- Counselling
- Child psychotherapy
- School liaison
- Sports and outdoor education
- Student welfare
- Nursing
- Educational psychology
- Speech and language therapy
- Community development
- Consultancy and research
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA(Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Partner Organisation Applicants
University of Bolton Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton
For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application process as simple and as fast as possible.
By selecting the link for your chosen course from the list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your personal statement when you apply.
When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA(Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies - 22 September 2025
We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!
Teaching & Assessment
Our strategy is student-centred, and we use a blended approach to teaching and learning. You'll have face-to-face sessions, sometimes one-to-one, and participate in online learning.
You can expect a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials, practical demonstrations, critiques, self-directed study, IT and library sessions and guided study. Group-based activities, such as role-playing exercises, workshops, presentations and discussions of case studies and scenarios from practice, also make up some of the teaching time, and there will be practical skills sessions.
Guest lectures and presentations by various visiting speakers from relevant employment areas offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and understanding further.
The University's e-learning portal Moodle supports your online learning. You can also use Moodle to communicate with fellow students studying the same modules.
Our assessment strategy helps to organise and develop your learning and evaluates your achievement of the learning outcomes. You can expect time-constrained exams and coursework, such as essays, reports, presentations, and portfolios.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Professional and Personal Development
- Introduction to Child Development
- Social Policy for Early Years
- Learning in the Digital Age
- Facilitating Children's Learning
- Work Experience
- Developing Reflective Practice
- Child Development - 2
- Safeguarding Children
- Inclusive Practice
- Children and Society
- Creating Positive Learning Experiences for Children
- Theories and Approaches to Learning in the Early Years
- Leadership and Management in the Early Years
- Research Methods
- Dissertation
- Developing Children's Health and Wellbeing
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 90% Written exams 10% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 69% Placement/study abroad 11% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 76% Placement/study abroad 8% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 16% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 78% Placement/study abroad 9% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 13% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
