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Undergraduate

Early Years

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Image to illustrate studying Early Years at the Open University

The first few years of any child’s life shape how they see the world, and have a strong influence on  their future. There can be few jobs as important and challenging as supporting young children’s learning and development.

You may work in a voluntary or paid capacity in a nursery or a playgroup, in a primary school or special school as a teaching assistant, or at home as a registered childminder. You may want to take just a single course to satisfy a professional development need or your interest in a particular aspect of childhood. Alternatively, our certificate and degree programmes provide the ideal solution if you’re looking for a stepped approach to career progression, via nationally recognised vocational qualifications.

Degrees

  • Childhood and Youth Studies
    This degree is for those who work or intend to work with children and young people, or for those with more general interests in the interdisciplinary field of childhood and youth studies.
  • Early Years
    Gain the specialist knowledge you need to work with children aged 0-7 in early years and education settings with this degree.
  • Top-up BA Early Years
    Top-up your sector-endorsed foundation degree in early years to this degree, with or without honours, gaining the specialist knowledge to work with children aged 0-7.
  • Open degree
    The BA/BSc Open Degree is a qualification that gives you a huge choice in terms of subjects and modules that you study to make up your degree.

Foundation Degrees

  • Early Years
    If you’re an experienced practitioner working with children from birth to seven years old in an early years setting, this degree will further your knowledge and skills.

Diplomas of Higher Education

Courses in Early Years

See the list of all our individual courses in Early Years.

Postgraduate options

If you already have a degree, you may want to see postgraduate courses and qualifications in Childhood and Youth.

Are you already an OU student ? Go to StudentHome for your personal prospectus information.

An undergraduate subject in Childhood and Youth

 

Your questions

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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90 +44(0) 845 366 60 35

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