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This programme is delivered in the evening and on occasional Saturdays.

Entry criteria:

• Early Years encourages and values applications from students who are returning to education, as they will have experiences and life skills that could support their entry onto the degree.
• Generally, students will have attained or will be working towards, a relevant level 3 childcare/education qualification such as NNEB, CACHE, BTEC, NVQ, A-levels. However, other experience is also valuable. They will also be working or volunteering regularly in an early years setting or a workplace that provides services for young children and families.
• All applicants will be required to provide a satisfactory enhanced disclosure document from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
• As part of the application process, students will be given an opportunity to attend meetings with the tutors. This provides applicants with the chance to visit the campus, meet the lecturers and ask questions about the degree. During visit days, the course lecturers are always interested in applicants’ experiences of volunteering and working with young children.
• To gain graduate practitioner competences a C level GCSE Mathematics and English or other suitable equivalent literacy and numeracy qualifications may also be required.

All our programmes are assessed by 100% course work. There are no exams.

We have found that using a varied range of assessment methods increases employability skills.

Employers seek graduates who are problem-solvers and who have a range of transferable skills. Assessment gives opportunities to develop skills such as the ability to work in a team, have effective oral and written communication while using a range of information sharing methods, including briefing papers, academic posters, group debates and professional discussions.

There are also opportunities for practical work experiences, supporting employability, professional development and careers.

All our programmes are assessed by 100% course work. There are no exams.

We have found that using a varied range of assessment methods increases employability skills.

Employers seek graduates who are problem-solvers and who have a range of transferable skills. Assessment gives opportunities to develop skills such as the ability to work in a team, have effective oral and written communication while using a range of information sharing methods, including briefing papers, academic posters, group debates and professional discussions.

There are also opportunities for practical work experiences, supporting employability, professional development and careers.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.

This Early Years Practitioner Status programme is included in the Social Care Wales’ list of qualifications required for work within the early years and childcare sector in Wales. Students who successfully complete this programme will have a degree as well as a licence to practice within a range of early years settings practice and management roles. 

Graduates go on to careers in a variety of fields including:

• Additional learning needs support
• Afterschool Leader
• Childminder
• Children’s Charity Roles (e.g. Barnardo’s)
• Community Support Officer
• Family Facilitator
• Family Support Officer
• Parenting Officer
• Pastoral Support
• Play Workers
• Room Leaders
• Setting Managers
• Youth Workers

Further Study

Some of our graduates progress to other further studies. Some students have progressed on to our own MA programmes including our MA Children’s, Youth and Community Services.

Postgraduate programmes such as these offer opportunities for students to up-skill and deepen their understanding of young children and their families. Such studies have enabled postgraduate students to progress in their existing field of work and for others to move to new careers.

Route into teaching

As a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Early Years student, you will be guaranteed an interview for the PGCE Primary programme subject to meeting entry qualification requirements. When applying for the PGCE Primary programme we in conjunction with Initial Teacher Education will support you through a mock application and interview process.

Postgraduate Study and Alternative Routes

Graduates will also be able to progress onto a number of postgraduate courses in their area of interest, a good degree classification in Early Years Education and Care meet the entry requirements for many postgraduate routes.

Below are a few examples of routes previous graduates have taken.

• Family and Communities
• Nursing
• Play Therapy
• Policy and Government
• Research
• Social Work
• Speech and Language Therapy