Programme Specification BA Early Childhood Studies (Top Up) Valid from: Sept 2015 Programme Code: X310
CONTENTS SECTION ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION... 1 SECTION TWO: OVERVIEW AND PROGRAMME AIMS... 3 SECTION THREE: PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES... 5 SECTION FOUR: PROGRAMME STRUCTURE... 7 SECTION FIVE: PROGRAMME DELIVERY... 9 SECTION SIX: ADMISSIONS...11 SECTION SEVEN: STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE...12 SECTION EIGHT: POST PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES...13 SECTION NINE: EMPLOYER LINKS...14 APPENDIX 1: CURRICULUM MAP...15
SECTION ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION Programme Title/Joint Honours Subject Title BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies Award title and interim awards Certificate of Higher Education in Early Childhood Studies, on completion of Stage 1 (120 credits) Diploma of Higher Education in Early Childhood Studies, on completion of Stage 2 (240 credits) Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood Studies, on completion of Stage 3 (360 credits) Mode of Study Off Campus Programme start date/review date Start date: September 2012 Period of Validation: 2012-2017 Awarding Institution University of Derby College Managing the Programme College of Education Institution(s) Delivering the Programme/Joint Honours Subject University of Derby Mediterranean College; Athens and Thessaloniki campus only (stage 3, level 6 top up only, from September 2011) Mediterranean College; Glyfada campus only (stage 3, level 6 top up only, from January 2016) Relevant external subject benchmark statement(s) QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Early Childhood Studies (2008) External Accreditation/Recognition This programme went through an approval process in 2008 with the Children s Workforce & Development Council and is listed on the new Qualifications List for settings delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage. The programme is listed as a full and relevant qualification as defined by the CWDC (2008) and, therefore, is acceptable for registration and regulation purposes as equivalent to a National Vocational Qualification level 3 award from a practice perspective: BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (with practitioner options): CWDC identity qualification number 275 1
JACS Code(s) X310 Programme specification last updated December 2015 2
SECTION TWO: OVERVIEW AND PROGRAMME AIMS Overview Programme Aims Develop a sound and broad knowledge base drawing on theory and practice in the field of early childhood education and care. Provide insight into the academic and interdisciplinary nature of Early Childhood Studies taking into account the ecology of children s lives. Apply your knowledge through work experience and, if appropriate to you, achieve practitioner status through the practitioner options route. This includes work experience preparation and the development of a value base which demonstrates professional practice and respect for all. Take part in teaching and learning enabling you to reflect critically on provision and practice drawing on competing ideas and perspectives encouraging you to become a critical thinker and critically reflective practitioner. Develop a range of personal transferable skills such as communication, team working, and undertake personal and professional development planning to support your career progression, individual development and employability. Wider aims: 1. Provide flexible learning opportunities and equity of access for part time and full time students. 2. Provide equity of access to academic support through a range of methods including blended learning. 3. Ensure that students from minority ethnic, cultural and social groups and those students with family responsibilities have their specific needs recognised and responded to. 4. Provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge through a critical exploration of a professional field of study through workplace experience. 5. Encourage students to become reflective practitioners within their academic studies and workplace setting. 6. Provide an opportunity for continuing professional development in the field of Early Childhood. 7. Offer means by which students can develop a range of key personal transferable skills. 3
Justification: The programme therefore enables holders of a relevant HND, or equivalent, the opportunity to achieve a BA Honours degree through entry into the final year. The programme provides a specialist study of early childhood, which seeks to match the demand for both professional education and training for new professional roles in the UK provision of integrated care and education for children from birth. In addition to providing a research base in a University setting for the study of early childhood, the interdisciplinary and multi-professional nature of the programme is a direct result of government and sector skills central policy initiatives, one of which is to ensure a professional workforce for the future. It is envisaged that a graduate professional whose learning has been validated within the Higher Education sector will achieve this aspect. The graduate may then choose to work in a range of early childhood settings in leadership and management roles. The programme also offers considerable scope for students to access a range of post-graduate qualifications in the related fields of health and social care related to early childhood. 4
SECTION THREE: PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES The programme learning outcomes take account of the QAA Subject Benchmarks for Early Childhood Studies (QAA 2007) and the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) to ensure that they are expressed at the right level as follows: Table One: Framework for Higher Education Qualification FHEQ Level National Qualifications Framework Bachelor s degrees with H Honours 6 Honours Programme Learning Outcomes Students will acquire intellectual, subject specific and transferable skills they can use in employment and throughout their lives. As students progress through each stage of the programme they acquire a greater understanding of issues in early childhood studies and develop a range of skills to enhance their personal development. These are called learning outcomes and the early childhood studies programme has been designed to develop these, making increased demands upon them as they move through each stage. The following programme learning outcomes must be achieved by each student to gain a full award: Knowledge and understanding PLO1: Critically review, consolidate and extend a systematic and coherent body of knowledge to understand a range of issues in early childhood. Intellectual skills PLO2: Demonstrate high-level ability to reason clearly, analyse, evaluate and make informed and significant judgements to reflect critically upon a range of competing positions related to early childhood. Subject Specific Skills PLO3: Critically evaluate and reflect upon knowledge and conceptual underpinnings to comment on the contested nature of children s development, to aid an understanding of pedagogy and practice. Subject Specific Skills PLO3: Critically evaluate and reflect upon knowledge and conceptual underpinnings to comment on the contested nature of children s development, to aid an understanding of pedagogy and practice. 5
Transferable Skills PLO4: Apply a range of study and communication skills and research strategies and methodologies, to critically evaluate and reflect upon a range of theoretical positions in early childhood studies. PLO5: Evaluate and critically reflect upon personal strengths and weaknesses to inform personal and professional development planning, drawing on previous learning and experiences. 6
SECTION FOUR: PROGRAMME STRUCTURE Table Two: Programme Structure - Core modules shaded Stage Three Student studies 2 options, chosen from; SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 Critically reflective Practitioner (Core) 20 credits Contesting Childhood (Core) 20 credits Student selects semester. Both are core modules Critically reflective Practitioner (Core) 20 credits Contesting Childhood (Core) 20 credits choice (20 credits) From list choice (20 credits) From list Independent Study 40 credits - Children s Voices - Health & Inequality - Creative Possibilities - All option modules are 20 credits LEVEL 6 Routes on the programme Not Applicable 7
Stage 3 Programme of Study Level Six Credits Status Vulnerable Children and the Law 20 Children s Voices: Listening and 20 Experiences Creative Possibilities and 20 Opportunities in the Early Years International Perspectives in Early 20 Childhood Education and Care Health and Inequality in Children s 20 Lives Independent Studies 40 Core Leadership and Management in Early Childhood Education and 20 Care The Critically Reflective Practitioner 20 Core The Young Child in Transition : Supporting Change and Promoting 20 Resilience Contesting Childhood 20 Core The modules approved to run at the Mediterranean College: Independent Studies 40 Core The Critically Reflective Practitioner 20 Core Contesting Childhood 20 Core Children s Voices: Listening and 20 Experiences Creative Possibilities and 20 Opportunities in the Early Years Health and Inequality in Children s 20 Lives There is no requirement for work experience at stage three, though students may choose to engage in a voluntary placement activity as part of their own professional and personal development planning. Personal Development Planning (PDP) Opportunities for PDP to enhance employability are embedded into the programme through the following modules: Table No. Six: Opportunities for Professional Development Planning Stage Module title Three The Critically Reflective Practitioner 8
SECTION FIVE: PROGRAMME DELIVERY Teaching, Learning and Assessment The teaching and learning strategies used need to help the students achieve: An awareness of the ethical concerns within the discipline, especially in the conduct of empirical studies and practice. Individual programme specifications will show the specific focus of a programme but as the subject is based on the principle of developing independent, critical students who will be insightful advocates of children, programmes will have their own emphases but will usually be designed to Help the student understand how to use learning resources human and material, (including technological) - and how to engage others in reciprocal learning relationships; Assist the student to assume increasing responsibility for defining their own learning programme and evaluating their progress; Encourage the student to be self-aware and to organise new learning and problem solving in a way that connects with present knowledge Encourage the student to self assess their own learning progress, development and achievement; Encourage the student to define learning in terms of questions to be answered and problems to be solved. Therefore the teaching strategies and learning experiences will reflect an increasing proportion of individualised and self-directed learning approaches; students will be encouraged to take personal responsibility for achieving the learning outcomes through their own efforts. Students will be expected to supplement the knowledge presented through additional enquiry and discussions. Independent study using reflection, analysis, enquiry, synthesis and evaluation will be essential elements in learning. Teaching and learning Graduates will be able to take a more critical stance to the theories, findings and approaches of the discipline. In terms of teaching and learning, this will typically involve a change from initially supported and guided study to more independent and self-directed study. Throughout, there should be due emphasis given to active learning and the acquisition of both generic and specific skills and abilities, through a variety of learning and teaching strategies. There are many different forms of teaching and learning, including workshops, lectures, seminars, individual tutorials, guided reading, independent study, email discussion groups, student groups, distance learning, individual project supervision, dissertation, opportunities to reflect on practice (etc). It is recognised that these categories are not mutually exclusive; lectures may, for instance, involve student activities and opportunities for dialogue. As well as developing familiarity with literature and published research the use of other media should be encouraged. The theme in the third and final stage of study is contesting childhood, providing students with opportunities to enhance and develop their critically, reflective thinking and writing skills and knowledge in relation to early childhood, to support their future career progression, employability and engagement in society. 9
The Programme Team has experience of varied and innovative approaches to learning and teaching. All teaching is applied to work-based settings and children s day to day experiences in early childhood education and care. Teaching methods on the programme will include: Formal taught lectures Seminars Student presentations (including mixed media) One to one and small group tutorials Visiting speakers and specialist workshops Discussion forums on BLACKBOARD (VLE) platform E-learning Conferences and workshops Educational Visits, home and abroad Field trips Incorporating the support of the subject librarian, study advisors and career development specialists. The teaching team on the programme make extensive use of BLACKBOARD (VLE) platform, to inform students of changes to the programme, of starter lectures on key aspects and to provide students with teaching session notes, reading materials and assessment support. We also welcome students participation in discussions on the programme s dedicated website Little Spaces visit http://www2.derby.ac.uk/littlespaces Ethical Practice and research guidelines All students will use the appropriate ethical approval documents to gain permission to undertake activities and research in settings. Students must comply with ethics and research guidelines whilst on the programme and attention is drawn to the following statement: All students are required to comply with research governance and ethics principles whilst undertaking their programme of study. This is of particular importance when conducting research involving other people e.g. for module assessments or Independent Studies. Information on these principles can be found on the University web site at www.derby.ac.uk/research/ethics-andgovernance Students must behave in an appropriate manner on work experience and in the University in line with the University s Student Code of Practice for more see the University s Rights, Responsibility and Regulations (3Rs) documentation at http://www.derby.ac.uk/academicregulations Assessment The following outlines the range of assessment strategies used across the programme. Teaching on all modules includes formative assessment opportunities, providing students with opportunities to practice and develop their knowledge and skills. Table Seven: Assessment opportunities on the programme Stage of programme Three Typical assessment strategies Short and long academic essays. Dissertation. Comparative critique. Annotated Bibliography. PDP compilation. Oral and visual presentations. Critical Report. 10
SECTION SIX: ADMISSIONS Entry requirements IELTS for entry and the transition from Greek to English 1) The expected level of English on intake to University of Derby undergraduate programmes will be IELTS equivalent 4.5. 2) Students will study an English language module (Intermediate English 1) which will be additional to their Level 4 academic programme and a further English Language module (Intermediate English 2) in addition to their level 5 programme. These modules will be based on the current College provision of Intermediate English, Stage 1 and Stage 2. The Modules will be Core, 0 credits and assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. 3) The outcome of the first module will be an IELTS equivalence of 5.5. Students will need to pass the module (as well as fulfilling any academic programme conditions) in order to progress to Level 5. Where they do not achieve this IELTS equivalence level, and so register a Fail grade, they will be allowed to progress to Level 5 study only under certain defined circumstances (see below). However if they score lower than IELTS equivalence 4.5 they will not be allowed to progress, and will leave the programme with the Award of Certificate of Higher Education. If students have achieved at least IELTS 5.0 equivalence and it is the opinion of the programme team that they will be able to achieve 5.5 equivalence within a schedule which will allow them to progress, students will be offered an opportunity for re-assessment. 4) At the end of Level 5 study, the second module, also 0 credit rated, will determine whether the student has reached the level 6.0 IELTS equivalence required to pass the module and progress to Level 6 study. If they do not achieve this, then there will be an opportunity for re-assessment following a summer intensive course. If a student does not achieve the IELTS level 6.0, s/he will not be allowed to progress to Level 6 and will exit the programme with a Diploma of Higher Education. Here too students will have the option of rejoining the programme after one year without academic penalty, providing that IELTS equivalence is demonstrated and independently certificated. The link below will take you to the web page for Direct Entry to the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies programme: www.derby.ac.uk/education/educationstudies/early-childhood-studies-direct-entry-into-stagetwo-or-three-of-the-course Please note the following additional entry requirements for level 6 BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies. From September 2012, direct entrants here and at the Mediterranean College, will require a Merit award (or equivalent) from an appropriate level 5 award, to make direct entry onto stage three (level 6) of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies programme. Additionally, from September 2011, Mediterranean College direct entrants are required to take three bridging modules during their level 5 year in (1) English Language, (2) Academic Writing, and (3) Preparation for Research & Dissertation. 11
SECTION SEVEN: STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE The academic team is committed to helping you as much as possible so that you can be successful in your studies. We would like you to enjoy your time with us. We understand that continuing your studies will be a unique experience for most of you and we are fully committed to helping you to develop skills that will allow you to make the most the learning opportunities over the coming years. We believe that laying down good foundations in the first year will help you to develop confidence and skills to perform better at Level 6 and as such we invest a lot of time and energy into key skills development and Personal Development Planning (PDP) Personal tutorial system All undergraduate students are allocated a personal tutor at the commencement of each academic year. There are four compulsory meetings for students with their programme tutors annually. The weeks that these meetings will take place are announced in the programme s academic calendar. However, students are encouraged to meet with their personal tutors at a more regular basis, during their announced office hours. The lecturers can help students with their PDP (Personal Development Planning) offering advice and guidance by pinpointing strengths and weaknesses in the students studying procedure and can also use their personal and professional experience to guide students to further development during their studies or after they graduate. Electronic library resources Students of the University of Derby have access to electronic resources held by the Learning Centre. These resources include both internal and external resources. Internal resources held in the electronic library (ECDU) include such items as old exam papers, study skill guides etc. External resources include holdings of electronic journals. The easiest way to access these is via UDO which will automatically log you into ATHENS. Student Additional Costs While there will be no major expenditure required from you please take account of the following costs: Small contribution toward field trips. Full cost of enhanced CRB check, a mandatory requirement. Travel to and from work experience and to university. You may choose to buy textbooks, journals, data sticks, stationery, pens and paper. You may choose to buy your own creative resources Spiral binding of dissertation through the Student Union. 12
SECTION EIGHT: POST PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies Programme has a Professional Development Planning module where you consider your long term career planning and the development of skills. The following module is particularly important to your development: Stage Three: The Critically Developing Practitioner Early Childhood Education and Care offers many opportunities in employment in social care and health, education and related areas. Graduates follow diverse careers. These include (a) careers that are do not require specialist knowledge of psychology but do require transferable graduate knowledge and skills and (b) careers that do require specialist knowledge. The team will play a lead role in providing you with opportunities to enhance your career development planning. During the year they will alert you through Blackboard of opportunities as follows, it is your responsibility to make the most of these: Employers visiting the campus for post graduate employment opportunities Developing your job seeking skills Interview Skills Jobs in early childhood studies Postgraduate training opportunities in health, social work etc Continuing your education e.g. Masters Volunteering opportunities 13
SECTION NINE: EMPLOYER LINKS Employer Links are maintained in the following ways: This being a franchised programme in collaboration with the University of Derby academically speaking the modules are the ones taught at Derby, but a certain Hellenisation is achieved via the Programme Leader and Module Leaders at Mediterranean College through: Greek examples and case studies, where relevant and applicable Visiting Speakers Students Placement Experience Placement Reports Membership of local, regional and national forums Our Annual Careers Day Mediterranean College organises an Annual Careers Day, which is held in Spring/Summer each year and it includes internal and external speakers on opportunities available to you. It has session on how to write your CV, how to present yourself and how to conduct an interview (dos and don ts). It is an open invitation to all our students at every stage and all our collaborative employers (e.g. day centres, kindergartens, pre-school settings). We also invite ex graduates to talk to you about their progression experiences. Ms. Nota Sotiropoulou, Career Guidance Specialist, is available to meet you at any time to help you make best use of your qualifications. For more information contact: Ms. Nota Sotiropoulou (careers@medcollege.edu.gr) 14
APPENDIX 1: CURRICULUM MAP Programme Learning Outcomes at Level Six: Knowledge Understanding of: and PLO1. Critically review, consolidate and extend a systematic and coherent body of knowledge to understand a range of issues in early childhood. Intellectual skills ability to: an PLO2. Demonstrate a highlevel ability to reason clearly, analyse, evaluate and make informed and significant judgements to reflect critically upon a range of competing positions related to early childhood. Subject Specific Skills - non practitioner options: PLO3. Critically evaluate and reflect upon knowledge and conceptual underpinnings to comment upon the contested nature of children s development to aid an understanding of pedagogy and practice. Transferable Skills an ability to: PLO4. Apply a range of study and communication skills and research strategies and methodologies to critically evaluate and reflect upon a range of theoretical positions in early childhood studies. PLO5. Critically reflect upon and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses to undertake and inform personal and professional development planning, drawing upon previous learning and experience. Stage Three Modules (core in italics) PLO1 PLO2 PLO3 PLO4 PLO5 Independent Studies (40 credits) Contesting Childhood The Critically Reflective Practitioner Children s Voices Health & Inequality in Young Children s Lives Creative Possibilities and Opportunities in Early Childhood 15