都柏林城市大学

Already sought after, the demand for accredited Early Childhood Education and Educators is growing as the field and its benefits gain recognition. This course will help you learn how best to support the wellbeing and learning of children, in partnership with their families, during the crucial early years.

There are half a million children in Ireland under six and most of those access some form of early childhood education. State provision for ECEC is increasing.

The course prepares you for a range of early education settings and develops your knowledge, competencies and understanding of: children's welfare, development and learning; key national frameworks and how to create settings that support and challenge young children; how to translate teaching theory into practice; social and legislative context and its impact on children; how to work, communicate and build relationships with children, parents, and colleagues.

Why do this course?

• Our programme aims to develop well-informed, articulate professionals who are passionate about and hold a personal stance on key issues in early childhood education and care (ECEC).
• Prepare for the working world by spending around 1,000 hours on professional placement during your course.
• Opt to take an elective module that will prepare you to teach Irish as a first or second language in Naíonraí, or specialise choose from a range of other specialisms.
• You'll be part of a small study group that will give you peer feedback and support.

About the course

All students take required early childhood education and care modules and spend approximately 1,000 hours on professional placement related experiences.

In Year One, you will cover the core information needed to understand young children and how they develop.

Year Two focuses on the ECEC environment. Students learn how to create settings that support and challenge young children.

Diversity, equality and inclusion are key themes in Year Three. You’ll discover how to support and engage with the rich culture, languages, traditions and needs of a diverse range of children and their families through respectful relationships.

The final year focuses on leadership, ethics and research you’ll complete a dissertation in an area of professional interest to you. Students can also select from a range of relevant specialisms in final year.
Throughout the course, theory is put into practice through placement in a range of different early education settings such as community-based crèches and privately run preschools. You’ll work with children from a variety of linguistic, social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. You’ll also work with children who have special educational needs.

Careers

The BECE degree is a gateway to a number of careers, including:

• Early childhood educator
• Manager in a preschool, community playgroup, Naíonra or crèche
• Early years inspector
• Early years specialist
• Training coordinator
• Director
• Entrepreneur in the ECE field

Opportunities also exist for further education at masters level to pursue careers in research, psychology, speech and language therapy, primary teaching among others.

• Co-ordinator
• Director
• Early Childhood Educator
• Early Years Inspector
• Early Years Specialist
• Manager
• Mentor
• Trainer