Early Childhood Education & Professional Practice

Candidates with experience working in the early years sector (or related area) are welcomed to apply. Applicants should ideally have 2 years minimum experience; however, varied professional and voluntary experiences will be considered. Students enrolled in the course must be currently employed (or prepared to volunteer) in a Registered Early Years setting, as the course commences and have documented support from their employer for work-based elements of the course (see pro forma as part of submission). Applicants must qualify as an adult learner (over 21 years of age) and must have computer proficiency and access to the internet.

Entry requirements for part-time students can be found in our FAQs section (i.e. age, english language requirements etc.).

Advanced Entry Options

Applicants who have achieved the Major Level 6 award in Early Childhood Care and Education may apply for recognition of prior learning and may be considered for direct entry into Year 2 of this Level 8 degree. Applicants should have achieved a strong result; this can be complemented with other awards (i.e. LINC award). Please note, Year 2 will only run if there are sufficient applications. Contact the Course Administrator for more information.

The Early Years sector in Ireland has become the constant focus of State attention, impacting on funding, on regulatory and inspection processes, with increasing expectations for practitioners to offer pedagogical leadership within services of high quality. The Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022-2028 is a welcome development in the Early Years Sector as it sets out an ambitious yet achievable direction for the Early Childhood Education and Care & School-Age Childcare workforce in Ireland. The new funding model, Partnership for Public Good, will address longstanding challenges to the professionalisation of the sector, including pay scales and career pathways.  Greater State attention to develop a ‘Graduate-Led Workforce’, as set out in First 5, in order to raise the quality of provision and to enhance the experiences of the children attending their settings, has created significant employment opportunities for degree-holders. Practitioners must be able to respond to these needs and will require an expert knowledge and skills base to be able to do so effectively. The part-time BA in Early Childhood Education & Professional Practice will provide you with the opportunity to gain an in depth understanding of the core early years knowledge areas and the confidence to apply this knowledge in support of young children’s needs.

Newly emerging leadership roles in Early Years settings, as set out in the Workforce Development Plan for the sector, seek graduate-educators.  Your career opportunities will grow as you will be able to hold a wider variety of occupational roles.  Upon completion of this degree course, students will be qualified to be employed in a variety of early years settings, including preschool settings, full day-cares/crèches, playgroups, after school settings, drop in centres as well as a range of specialised locations such as family intervention settings.  Due to the extensive range of course topics covered, the graduate will be skilled in a wide range of issues and areas that might also see them employed in early years support organisations, such as county/city childcare committees, in community outreach and development settings, family and community resource centres, or at a national level contributing to policy or programme development arena.

Since completing the previous degree in Early Childhood Studies & Practice, graduates of the University of Galway have become employed in County Childcare Committees, as Better Start and Aim Mentors, with POBAL, as LINC tutors, as lecturers at Institutes of Technology and at the University level. Other graduates are now working abroad in the ECEC sector in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

This course is designed for practitioners who may already possess a recognised qualification at NFQ levels 5 or 6 and who wish to upgrade their qualification in a manner that will support their continued employment and their workplace. Alternatively, potential students without a recognised qualification, but with extensive experience in the childcare care and education sector, are also encouraged to apply. It is particularly suitable for:

• Early year practitioners in crèches, pre-schools, school age childcare services, special education services and childminding settings
• Managers of crèches, pre-schools, school age services, special education services
• Early childhood practitioners in the Health Services Executive and Tusla: the new Child and Family Support Agency
• City and County Childcare Committee members and staff of National Voluntary Childcare Organisations
• Practitioners in the child and family support sector
• Special Needs Assistants working with Infants classes
• Early Years Specialists working in advisory or mentoring roles, or those aspiring to such positions

The BA in Early Childhood Education & Professional Practice will provide you with the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the core early years knowledge areas and the confidence to apply this knowledge in support of young children’s needs. You will learn about: 

• Child development including key theorists and the influence of environmental, biological, social and cultural factors on growth and development.
• Approaches to curriculum for early childhood and processes involved in curriculum development.
• The role and importance of play.
• Socialisation and the significance it has for the development of social competencies in children.
• The importance of parental involvement in early years care and education.
• Leadership and management skills and their significance for quality provision in the early years sector. 

Using experiential learning to underpin and reinforce understanding is a key component of this course. You will learn the skills of reflective practice and how to use them in your daily work practices so that you can apply the core knowledge and skills acquired throughout this course. You will see your competencies expand and grow, improving your ability as a professional practitioner with an in-depth understanding of the holistic needs of children and families, the importance of evidenced-informed practice and the role of early years services in the broader community and policy context.

Fees for this course are collected directly by the Centre. Please see our staff listing here: Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development Staff

Information on the proposed Learner Fund (See Workforce Plan – Nurturing Skills) will be posted here as it becomes available.

Please click here for more information on fees funding and scholarships. 

Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development
Nuns' Island
University of Galway

Tel: 091 492080
Email: earlychildhood@universityofgalway.ie