This Early Years Education (Top Up) course is the perfect option for those who have a keen interest in current pedagogical research into Early Years education and are interested in working with young children.

Applications by students who have studied to a HND or Level 5 outside of the UK are welcomed. Equally, this course would also be a good choice if you are a UK student interested in studying global childhood education and would like to work alongside a multi-national student cohort.

The modules you will study throughout the duration of the course are as follows:

• Researching the Early Years – 40 credits
  Students will develop an understanding of research, what it is and why it should be conducted. Students will explore and analyse the importance of ethics in any and all research. They will critically examine different methodologies used in different types of research and explore and understand research design including how to present findings. Students will write a dissertation thesis in this module and will be guided with how to do this.

• Academic English – 20 credits
  This bespoke module will be delivered by the Centre of International English based at USW and will run for the full year. Students will be taught key aspects of academic vocabulary used throughout the degree, with specific focus on subject specific terminology and theory. As well as support for written work, there will be a focus on the development of spoken academic language and delivery of presentations. The module is delivered by experienced professionals who have extensive experience of working with students for whom English is an additional language.

• Literacy and Numeracy Development in the Early Years – 20 credits
  In this module students will explore how children acquire language and number skills from birth to 7. It will explore current research in the field of neuroscience and use this, established theory and critical research to develop understanding of best practice in learning and teaching.
• Global Childhoods – 20 credits
  This module focuses on best practice in early childhood education from around the globe. It considers international views on education, the challenges faced in a number of different countries and the different approaches taken to early years education. Different experiences of childhood around the world will be examined.

• Perspectives on Effective Learning – 20 credits
  This module helps students to develop critical understanding of definitions of effective learning and learning behaviour. Students will develop a theoretical understanding of the pedagogy that supports effective learning, while at the same time exploring and examining potential social, emotional and economic barriers to learning. Understanding will be supported through the evaluation of theoretical models on behaviour.

The Researching the Early Years and Academic English modules are delivered weekly, throughout the year. The remaining modules, which are Literacy and Numeracy Development in the Early Years, Global Childhoods and Perspectives on Effective Learning, are all delivered in 8-week blocks.

Alongside taught provision and online support, students are expected to engage with 200 hours of independent research for the Research in the Early Years module. For the remaining modules, as well as taught provision, students are expected to engage in 100 hours of independent study and 60 hours of directed study.

In total, students will receive at least 8 hours of contact time via lectures, seminars, tutorials and professional academic coaching (PAC) sessions per week. As well as face-to-face on campus support, there will be further online activities, working groups and progression checks.

Where appropriate, guest lecturers and specialists will be invited to share their experiences in education. Visits to local education providers will also be undertaken, including observations in local Early Years settings.

During the average week, students will be given opportunities to develop their ability to work independently and collaboratively, through which they will build valuable graduate skills like problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and effective communication.

The course uses different methods of assessment which are mostly coursework based. These include:

• Essays
• Presentations
• Report writing
• Dissertation 

There is also one singular online assessment which relates to a specific module, and this accounts for 50% of the module mark.