Overview
| This course is also available as an Extended Master's that helps International students adjust to studying in the UK. |
Whether you’re looking to professionally progress or wanting to kickstart your career in early years education, then an MA Early Years Education will open many opportunities for you.
As education continues to evolve as the importance of early child development plays an essential role in children’s future success, this MA will deepen your knowledge and understanding of this critical time in children’s lives.
Focusing on the 0-8 age range, you’ll delve into pedagogy, politics, and theory as you explore critical questions related to this topic. Alongside this, you’ll develop your academic skills through critical thinking, research, and self-reflection as you engage with up-to-date theory and practice within early childhood education.
What’s more, modules throughout the course will prepare you for your dissertation, teaching you the investigative and methodological skills needed to undertake a piece of independent research into a specialist area of your choice.
Why study MA Early Childhood Education at CCCU?
- Join a community of students who are from a variety of backgrounds as this course caters to all who have an interest in early childhood education.
- Enhance or kickstart your career in education as you gain deeper insight into current theory, policy, and practice.
- Work closely with academics as you are supported to explore your area of interest before specialising during your dissertation.
The MA has genuinely changed both the direction of my career and my confidence and knowledge as a practitioner. The opportunity to reflect on, and study in depth, areas of education that are of most interest to me, has allowed me to develop a professional expertise that I might otherwise not have pursued in any detail.
Joanna
Entry requirements
A good undergraduate degree (2:2 or above) and two supporting academic/professional references. If English is not the first language an IELTS overall score of 6.0 is required, with no element below 5.5.
We recognise that some applicants may not meet these standard requirements, yet may be desirable candidates with other and appropriate skills and knowledge. In this case they may be offered the opportunity to complete an orientation module or a portfolio to demonstrate their ability to work at level 7. Applicants may be asked to attend an interview.
The University accepts non-UK qualifications equivalent to those outlined above and confirmed through NARIC. For IELTS and other English Language requirements, please visit our dedicated web page.
Extended Master's for international students
An Extended Master's helps international students get familiar with Master's study through a preparation phase in the summer before the main course starts.
2:2
Undergraduate degree
Module information
Full-time (1 year)
|
Trimester 1 |
Trimester 2 |
Trimester 3 |
|
Core module: Developing Criticality |
Core module: Research in Context |
Core Module: Dissertation |
|
Specialist module: Curricular & Pedagogical Approaches in Early Childhood Education |
Specialist module: Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education |
|
|
Specialist module: Learning Outdoors in Early Childhood Education |
Either Negotiated Project OR Professional & Career Development |
Part-time (2 years)
|
|
Trimester 1 |
Trimester 2 |
Trimester 3 |
|
Year 1 |
Core module: Developing Criticality
|
Core module: Research in Context
Specialist module: Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education |
Either Negotiated Project OR Professional & Career Development |
|
Year 2 |
Specialist module: Curricular & Pedagogical Approaches in Early Childhood Education
Specialist module: Learning Outdoors in Early Childhood Education |
Core Module: Dissertation |
|
Core/optional modules
*Modules subject to approval
How you’ll learn
To maximise flexibility, we offer a blended learning experience combining face to face teaching with online provision. You will study using a variety of strategies involving you as an active participant in the process of learning. All learning is supported through our Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard) as well as other digital media. You will be encouraged to work closely with your peers. As you study, you will have the opportunity to develop your own research and specialist areas of expertise, based on personal interests and professional experiences. Individual and group tutorials are offered to support this. You will also be encouraged to reflect on the ways your learning supports your professional and career development. Individual supervision forms an essential part of work on the dissertation module.
All our tutors are experienced and research-active academics recognised as experts in their field.
Typically, per 20 credit module you can expect approximately 20 hours of teaching (Live in-person on campus learning and/or asynchronous online learning), 10 hours of guided independent learning and 170 hours of self-study. Typically, 1 credit equates to 10 hours of work.
From the first module (developing criticality) through to the last (dissertation) our aim is to encourage you to develop your knowledge and skills in relation to your professional and/or personal interests. We are a team of academics with a wide range of experience working in diverse fields of early childhood education research and have developed a distinctive course that reflects our collective professional and research expertise. Each year we are reminded of the transformational potential of education as our students move onto a PhD, are promoted, set up their own business, gain a new role or reignite their passion for an existing one. Come and join us to find out the difference the MA ECE could make to you.
Dr Marios KostasCourse Director
How you’ll be assessed
You will study six 20-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation. You will be assessed via a range of assessment types including reflective commentaries, literature reviews, presentations, critical analysis, portfolios and research reports. There are no exams.
Your future career
The MA Early Childhood Education opens-up a wide range of career opportunities. Our graduates have been successful in pursuing careers in a variety of early childhood policy, practice and research contexts. On completion of your MA, you could undertake further study at CCCU by pursuing one of our research degrees (MPhil, EdD or PhD).
Fees
The rules around course eligibility mean that in some cases it may depend on how you are studying (full-time or part-time) as to whether you can apply for a postgraduate loan. To check whether your course is eligible, you can email the Student Fees Team or call 01227 923 456.
2024/25 tuition fees for this course
| UK | Overseas | |
| Full-time | £9,090 | £15,500 |
| Part-time | £4,545 | N/A |
| Full-time with Extended Masters | N/A | £15,500 + £3,500 |
20% Alumni Discount
We offer alumni discounts on CCCU Postgraduate Taught, PGCE Primary and Secondary, and Masters by Research courses for eligible students.
Find out if you're eligible for the discount.
Important Information on Tuition Fees
Tuition fees for all courses which last more than one academic year are payable on an annual basis, except where stated.
There will be an annual inflationary increase in tuition fees for this course where the course lasts more than one academic year. For further information read the Tuition fee statements and continuing fee information.
Apply now
Postgraduate student links
Any questions?
