Early Childhood

The postgraduate programme in Early Childhood is designed for early years teachers/educators and others with a personal and a professional interest in the field of early childhood studies.

The programme offers an opportunity for engagement with the key theories, concepts and ideas in early childhood education and care (ECEC).

This programme offers a contemporary, research informed and interdisciplinary perspective on Early Childhood through the lenses of psychology, sociology, education and policy.

Students will enrich their understanding of young children’s development and wellbeing, engaging with current research at the forefront of developmental psychology and investigating these concepts through systematic critical analysis.

International perspectives from different socio-cultural contexts will be shared to explore the different ways children make meaning and the links between cultural practices and values and children’s learning experiences.

Children’s rights, particularly participation rights are examined from the perspectives of policy, advocacy and practice including the implications of the UNCRC in national and international contexts.

Modules

Module 1. Critical and Contemporary Issues in Education (30 credits)

The module will explore the multifaceted landscape of education, focusing on critical and contemporary issues that shape the field in the 21st century. Through an interdisciplinary lens, you will engage in deep discussions and critical analyses to develop a nuanced understanding of the education landscape.

Some of the content students are likely to encounter in this course would include: examination of the influence of globalisation and current educational policies on various stakeholders in education, and the integration of technology in education, considering its impact on learners and learning environments.

As the focus of the course is on contemporary issues the content of the course will evolve depending on the societal issues of prominence and significance for education at the time of teaching the course.

Module 2. Child Development (30 credits)

The module will explore contemporary approaches to children's early cognitive, social-emotional, creativity, and well-being development. Drawing for example on the most recent psychological frameworks and empirical evidence, the module will examine how play would predict these important developmental outcomes in the early years. It will also explore key areas of cognitive development such as memory, attention, executive functions and neurocognition.

The module will be research-driven, providing space and opportunities for a deep understanding of theory and research that underpin these major areas. As such it will enable professional reflection on application of theory to practice in education and wellbeing contexts such as interventions to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. 

Module 3. Socio-Cultural Perspectives and Children’s Rights (30 credits)

This module explores a range of theories relating to young children’s learning with the work of Vygotsky, Bruner, Rogoff and contemporary theorists providing an initial orientation.

These aspects are expanded by examining attitudes and practices which provide for optimal learning. This examination includes social, cultural, historical and political influences on learning and development in national and international contexts.

This course will then examine the contemporary meanings of children’s rights and participation including critical reflection on the UNCRC. Frameworks for participation including those by Hart (1992), Lundy (2011) and Cuevas Parra (2023) will be considered in the context of application to practice contexts.

A particular focus will be on facilitating child voice and participation across the lifespan and in different socio-cultural contexts.                

Module 4. Free choice Module (30 credits)

Depending on whether you start the course in October or February you would have a free choice module which you could select from the modules available that semester. Depending on the module you choose to study, content covered could vary. Please note some modules may have specific entry requirements.

The current offer includes modules covering aspects of Special Education Needs or Disability Studies; Advanced Mentoring and Coaching; Early Childhood; or Education Leadership and Management. However, for full time students owing to timetabling constraints some of the options might not be available.

Module 5. Dissertation in Education (60 credits)

You will consolidate the knowledge of your chosen disciplinary area in this module. In doing so you would draw on the knowledge of the different modules you have studied in this course, including the free choice 30 credit module, encouraging interdisciplinary work.

With support from a supervisor, it is anticipated you will conceive, develop and complete a high-quality proposal followed by a dissertation within the field of education and aligned to the subject specialism you have opted to study.

Emphasizing both theoretical foundations and practical application, this research phase will equip you with the necessary skills to engage in rigorous educational research and contribute meaningfully to the academic discourse.