Early Childhood Care & Education
This level 7 BA (Ord) Early Childhood Care & Education degree is delivered through blended learning, you can work full-time and complete this degree. Upon completion of this Level 7 degree, you will be eligible to gain the higher capitation grant from DCEDIY for your role in an early years setting.
| Award Name | Degree - Ordinary Bachelor at UK Level 6 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | University of Essex |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Ordinary Bachelor at UK Level 6 | University of Essex |
Duration
2 years blended learning.
Entry Requirements
How do I apply?
Entry to this course is by direct application to the college.
You will be required to hold a QQI Level 6 major award in ECCE or have achieved an equivalent qualification. The ECCE level 6 award is available to study by blended or part-time study at Portobello Institute.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Portobello Institute has mapped the learning outcomes of the awards listed below thereby gaining recognition of prior learning (RPL) with the University of Essex for students holding the following qualifications:
• QQI Level 6 Early Years Care & Education
• QQI Level 6 Advanced Supervision in Childcare
Careers / Further progression
Career prospects
Own or Manage a Setting – With a degree in early childcare studies, you can open, own, operate, manage, and work within any early years setting in Ireland. You can undertake the role of; Room Leader, Facility Manager or Owner/Manager.
Become a Special Needs Teacher – Having completed the degree in early childhood studies you could work in funded special needs early years facilities and become registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland.
Become a Primary School Teacher – If you have your degree and honours Irish you can apply for professional masters in primary school education which will allow you to work as a primary school teacher.
Become a Childcare Tutor in Further Education – For those interested in tutoring, they need to combine their degree with a level 6 teaching qualification to become a tutor on Level 5 and 6 early years and special needs programmes.
Work for a Government Agency – You can work for government agencies or early years support bodies such as County Childcare Committees etc. Roles with these organisations can vary from management and administration of services to monitoring of childcare and education settings. For instance, when Tusla advertise for an Early Years Inspector role, you must have a Level 8 degree and 5 years of work experience in a childcare setting. This is an exciting role where you will use your knowledge and experience to improve the service offered in various childcare settings. It involves inspecting facilities, investigating issues, advising providers and writing reports. Constant liaison with other agencies and assisting in the development of childcare policy are also part of the role. Obviously, for this role, the experience gained in a childcare setting is essential, however, the knowledge of best practices in childcare provision and management derived from the degree is crucial to effectively undertake this role.
Engage in Postgraduate Study and Research – Many students who have completed the degree programme long to learn more and undertake postgraduate education to masters and doctorate level to pursue their research interests.
Further information
Start Date: 6th May 2023
2995 per academic year
This level 7 BA (Ord) Early Childhood Care & Education degree is delivered through blended learning, you can work full-time and complete this degree. Upon completion of this Level 7 degree, you will be eligible to gain the higher capitation grant from DCEDIY for your role in an early years setting.
This newly designed level 7 BA (Ord) Early Childhood Care & Education degree aligns with the requirements of the Qualifications Advisory Board as meeting the requirements of the professional award criteria and standards guidelines.
You can complete this programme in two academic years if you currently hold a QQI ECCE Level 6 award also available through Portobello Institute. Delivered by blended learning, you can study this degree in your own time, with a combination of webinar tutorial seminars and online learning. You can join the large network of early years practitioners on this learning journey. There is an easy payment plan designed to make this degree affordable. These factors, together with the one-to-one tutorial support, offer you a level 7 BA (Ord) Early Childhood Care & Education degree that is accessible, affordable and achievable.
Who will recognise my qualification?
Upon successful completion of this programme, you will be awarded a BA (Ord) in Early Childhood Care & Education from the University of Essex. This award is mapped and aligns at level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
This programme is approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (instituted to review Level 7 and Level 8 Degree Programmes for the Early Learning and Care Sector) as meeting the requirements of the Professional Award Criteria and Guidelines standards.
Who is QAB and why does it matter?
The Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) has been jointly instituted by the Minister for Education and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on a non-statutory basis to review Initial Professional Education (Level 7 and Level 8) Degree Programmes for the Early Learning and Care (ELC) Sector. This is in support of Ireland’s plan for the development and upskilling of the Early Learning and Care workforce between now and the year 2028. It follows the publication in April 2019 of the Professional Award Criteria and Guidelines (PACG) for Initial Professional Education (Level 7 and Level 8) Degree Programmes for the Early Learning and Care (ELC) Sector in Ireland as agreed by the two Ministers and published on the website of the Department of Education.
The Qualifications Advisory Board is tasked with:
reviewing programme proposals and confirming their coherence with the PACG through the provision of expert reports.
advising the Department of Education and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs whether a programme, once validated as a professional award, can be considered for inclusion on a revised list of professional qualifications for the Early Learning and Care sector
This programme is approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board.
This Level 7 BA (Ord) Early Childhood Care & Education is also recognised by DCEDIY for the purposes of the higher capitation grant.
Qualifications Frameworks in Ireland and the UK
The Irish and UK qualifications authorities have collaborated on initiatives that promote the transparency, recognition and mobility of qualifications between our respective jurisdictions. The qualifications authorities in the UK and Ireland have agreed on the qualifications frameworks in operation, Brexit will not impact this agreement. Further guidance on this framework is available at https://www.qqi.ie/what-we-do/the-qualifications-system/national-framework-of-qualifications.
Read More: Will Brexit Affect My Early Years Qualification and Recognition?
https://blog.portobelloinstitute.com/will-brexit-affect-my-early-years-qualification-and-recognition
Course Structure
This programme is structured for delivery over 2 academic years totalling to 20 months, with 3 semesters per academic year. There are 2 Saturday workshop, and four evening webinars per term as well as some sessions with your placement tutor.
The Saturday workshops are held online from 10am to 1 pm with breaks throughout. The evening webinars are 1-1½ long and are scheduled between 7 and 9 pm to accommodate students who work full-time. All sessions are recorded so you may review the session at a later stage should you be unable to log-in at the scheduled time.
Students take four modules in Year 1 and 5 modules in Year 2, including one placement-based module each year. The three-semester structure will ensure you can focus on one module per term while also working on your professional practice portfolio.
The course will open with a module which will help you to develop the skills which you will need to achieve success at a degree level, such as sourcing credible information, academic writing, referencing, computer skills, basic research methods, time management and planning, emotional aspects of studying and at higher education level and student well-being. Completing the module will build a solid base for your further professional and academic development throughout the programme.
During this course, you will learn about play, development and learning in children, from birth to twelve years old in a socio-cultural context and the implications of this for practice in early childhood settings.
You will consider a range of local and international perspectives including children’s rights, children’s health and well-being, pedagogical and curriculum approaches, diversity, and inclusion.
You will explore a range of disciplines such as psychology, sociology and social policy, education, and health. Learning the links between theory and practice is key to your development as a professional Early Years Educator.
Assessment for this course is done on your dissertation project.
Tel: +(353) 1 892 0000
Email: info@portobelloinstitute.ie