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Early Years Care and Education (Add-On) – BA (Hons)

  • Location: Athlone

  • years: 1

  • Level 8

  • Course Type Undergraduate – Add-Ons

  • Study Mode Full Time

  • Department Social Science

Course Overview

A high level of quality care and education is essential to support children’s learning and development. The early years’ educator has a pivotal role in the provision of this quality care and education. The quality of the context; the quality of processes which support children’s learning and development; the quality of children’s experiences and achievements; and the quality of management and leadership in diverse early years’ settings, are identified in government policy as core elements. This course further develops your knowledge and skills to support children’s current strengths, interests and abilities within the sociocultural context of their lives.

Successful completion of the Honours programme equips you to reflect on and critically evaluate provision of care and education for children 0-6 years; skills to promote and support professional development of ECCE educators, and knowledge of the value of research in ECCE.

Modules on this course, provide in-depth opportunities to study policy and practice-based learning, preparing you to work with children, families and outside agencies. Field trips, workshops and academic learning will help you to develop awareness and critical evaluation of policies and practices in a wide variety of early years’ settings.

Contact Details

Dr. Noelín Fox

Email: socsci.midlands@tus.ie

Entry Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Early Years Care and Education Level 7 or an equivalent Level 7 qualification.

Module Overview

  • Policy and Practice in the Early Years

    Credits: 10

    This module will critically examine the drivers of policy initiatives in the provision of early years care and education in Ireland

  • Business for Early Years

    Credits: 10

    This module will develop the students awareness of the importance of strategic leadership and an approach to effectively managing strategy and its implementation whilst developing competence in the health & safety management and expertise in design to standards of best practice pertaining to the developmental needs of the child in a childcare service sector enterprise.

  • Responding to Children with Additional Needs

    Credits: 10

    This module will provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the needs of children with a disability and/or a psychological problem. It will provide students with an opportunity to explore the main features of a range of disabilities. The module will equip students with an analytical appreciation and understanding of the varied and complex causal factors of developmental delay and emotional and behavioural problems. The module will enable students to appraise psychological interventions and educational supports used in working with children with additional needs.

  • Recreational & Creative Play

    Credits: 10

    This module will provide students with an ability to undertake creative and recreational interventions work to meet the social, cognitive, personal, educational, psychological, emotional, physical and developmental needs of the child. It will focus on enabling students to observe, identify needs and develop appropriate creative & recreational interventions. Ongoing skills development in the areas of creative and recreational practices are undertaken as part of the module.

  • Leadership in the Early Years Setting

    Credits: 10

    This module will provide students with the opportunity to develop the leadership skills and knowledge expected of contemporary early childhood educators It will include the principles and theories of leadership, strategic leadership and the challanges and opportunities of leadership. Students will engage in critical self-reflection; develop self-confidence and the capacity for independent learning.

  • Research Project

    Credits: 10

    This module facilitates acquisition of the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to plan, conduct and evaluate a research project on a topic relevant to Early Years’ Care and Education. The project incorporates primary and secondary research (desk and field work).

What can you do after this programme?

As a graduate of this programme, you will be eligible to progress to postgraduate programmes such as the MA in Child and Youth Studies at the TUS or an alternative postgraduate programme in another university.

On completion of this programme, you will be able to apply advanced early years’ care and education knowledge and skills to be a reflective and innovative practitioner. Your capacity to be an effective leader and manager in a rapidly changing sector will also be developed. You will be able to critically appraise policies, procedures and principles in the early years’ care and education field. You will also have learned how to design and deliver relevant curriculum activities, assume responsibility for decision-making, as well as independently and ethically conduct primary and secondary research.