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    KEY FACTS

    • Title
      MA Early Childhood Studies (IMP)
    • Award
      Master of Arts - MA
    • Study mode
      Part-time
    • Duration
      3 years
    • Start date
       September 2012
    • Fees
       See fees information above
Skip Navigation LinksPlymouth University > courses > postgraduate > MA Early Childhood Studies (IMP)
​Painted childs hand

Early Childhood Studies is an innovative field of study dealing with many aspects of childhood, with approaches drawn from a variety of disciplines including anthropology, psychology, child health, social policy, sociology, history and education.

The MA Early Childhood Studies enables people from a wide range of professional backgrounds to study together, to share their perspectives, cultures and practices and to challenge each other's assumptions and prejudices. Graduates from this programme will be well equipped to manage and coordinate the work of a wide variety of Early Years practitioners and to contribute to the further development of research and policy making in this field.

The International Masters Programme (IMP) is a flexible modular taught programme which allows practitioners the opportunity to study part time. The MA Early Childhood Studies is offered via the IMP.​
​Child Blowing Bubbles

​Programme highlights

  • Flexible modes of study: part-time
  • Independent study option
  • Range of assessment methods
  • Dissertation on a topic of your choice in Early Childhood Studies
  • The opportunity to share ideas and collaborate with like-minded individuals
  • Support and guidance from experienced early childhood practitioners and academics
  • The chance to build credits towards a variety of nationally recognised awards from the Certification of Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) to the Masters Degree Early Childhood Studies.

​General programme structure

There are a number of awards which can be granted depending on the number of modules successfully completed. These are:
  1. Certificate of Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS): awarded on successful completion of one module (30 masters level credits)
  2. Postgraduate Certificate: Early Childhood Studies: awarded if you decide to conclude your studies on successful completion of two modules (60 masters level credits)
  3. Postgraduate Diploma: Early Childhood Studies: awarded if you decide to conclude your studies on successful completion of four modules (120 masters level credits)
  4. MA Early Childhood Studies: awarded on completion of four modules (120 credits), the research in education module (10 credits) and a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words (50 credits). A total of 180 masters level credits is required to receive the award of MA.
You will achieve a named award (PgCert ECS, PgDip ECS, MA ECS) if the focus of your assignments for most of your modules (and, in the case of the MA ECS, the focus of the dissertation) is on Early Childhood topics.
 
Read more about the research interests of the Early Childhood Studies team. 
 

Entry Requirements

An undergraduate degree or its equivalent and/or appropriate professional experience. If you do not have an undergraduate degree, you may be invited to undertake a single module and, if successful, move on through the programme.
 
Please see our detailed entry requirements for further information about entry requirements for this programme.