MA Early Childhood Studies – Starts Oct ’22

Start date: 08 October 2022

Duration: 2 Years

Location: Portobello Institute

Certificate: Level 9 Masters Degree

Cost: €3,995 per academic year

Programme overview

This contemporary MA in Early Childhood Studies is designed for professional early years practitioners working within the early childhood workforce, including those who may not be working directly with children.

Currently there is an emphasis on continual professional development within the Education and Health sector, and this master’s programme provides opportunities for students who have successfully completed, a degree in Early Childhood Studies or a relevant discipline to progress into management positions or follow more varied career pathways.

Build on your undergraduate knowledge
This Masters programme builds upon knowledge gained during undergraduate studies and experiential learning in the workplace. The blended learning delivery mode is a flexible study option for those seeking to fit learning around work and family. This course has been designed to reflect contemporary approaches and understanding of family life, childhood, pedagogy, and contemporary aspects of early education, from a psychological and sociological perspectives.
Advance your professional practice
The MA in Early Childhood Studies offers you an opportunity to advance your knowledge, understanding and professional practice through engagement with current research and thinking in early childhood. It also involves a reflection on, and analysis of, your own professional practice, supporting your personal development as well as putting you in a strong position for career progression in this sector. Additionally, staff holding post-graduate qualifications will be instrumental in upskilling the workforce to meet the government targets under First Five of 50% graduates working ELC sector by 2028.Here are some reasons to choose to study with Portobello:

  • Career focused qualifications – our courses lead to awards that offer you the opportunity to immediately advance your career.
  • Individualised support – we fit your learning model with support available when you need it throughout your learning journey.
  • Industry expert tutors – our tutors are all experienced in the field of early years care and education connecting research and theory with practice throughout their lectures.
  • Condensed scheduling – we value your time by ensuring your timetable is optimised for delivery, helping you maintain a work/life/study balance.
  • Flexible delivery – we deliver theory sessions online whilst also recording the session simultaneously offering you a choice of when and how you learn.
  • Affordable payment options – all our courses offer you the option to choose an easy payment plan supporting you to spread the cost out over your learning journey.

Why should I study this course?

Portobello Institute’s MA in Early Childhood Studies gives you the opportunity to attain a level 9 Masters qualification through a flexible mode of delivery designed to fit learning around your busy working and home life.

Focus on leadership in early years care and education

Earning a Masters in Early Childhood Studies will help you foster a deeper understanding of child learning and child psychology. As part of the programme you will focus on learning theory and child development, leadership and curriculum design, making you an expert in early years. You can take that knowledge with you into whichever profession you determine suits you after graduation.

Develop the early years sector

The Masters Degree will strengthen and develop knowledge you have already gained, exposing you to new, ground breaking ideas on how children learn and develop and the diversities we might be working with daily.  You will be encouraged to communicate your ideas and learning, disseminating those with others, parents, stakeholders, practitioner, students etc, but even further with other professionals and researchers at conferences and seminars where your ideas can help develop the sector.

Who will recognise my qualification?

Upon successful completion of this programme, you will be awarded an MA in Early Childhood Studies. This is awarded by University of Essex and is aligned with a level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

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 the qualifications frameworks in operation, Brexit will not impact this agreement. Further guidance on this framework is available here.

What will I study during this MA Early Childhood Studies – Starts Oct ’22 course?

A commitment to equality, diversity, social justice and advocacy are themes central to this Masters programme. You will develop a detailed understanding of current research and contemporary thinking in the field of early childhood. You will appraise research and theory continuously and reflect on its impact on early childhood provision and practice with an emphasis on your own professional practice.

Developing a sophisticated understanding of the historical, economic, social, cultural and political contexts which impact the lives of young children and their families is a key benefit of studying this MA in Early Childhood Studies. You will also develop a comprehensive understanding of, and commitment to, issues of equality and diversity, social justice and advocacy in relation to the field of early childhood.

The main aims of this programme are to:

  • Enable students to further develop their specialist knowledge of early childhood studies, through engaging with modules that provide up to date knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to current issues appropriate to the professional practice context, and provide progression routes to M/Phil and PhD programmes.
  • Ensure that students develop a detailed understanding of current research and thinking in the area of early childhood.
  • Develop an enhanced critical and evaluative awareness of current issues within Early Childhood Studies.
  • Develop high levels of proficiency in Early Childhood studies, with individual personal and professional development planning needs, including leadership, problem solving, oral and written communication skills, and information and technology.
  • Develop an in-depth knowledge of developmental perspectives including developmental psychology, neuroscience and psychoanalytical theory and play.
  • Develop the ability to take leadership and responsibility for the extension of their own learning and to exercise independent judgement in the investigation, analysis, and evaluation of Early Childhood Studies.
  • Develop an in-depth and wide knowledge of Early Childhood Studies practice and the ability to critically reflect on their experience through critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
  • Evaluate and appraise and continuously reflect on the impact of research and theory on early childhood provision and practice with an emphasis on students’ own professional practice.
  • Develop a sophisticated understanding of the historical, economic, social, cultural, and political contexts which impact the lives of young children and their families.
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of, and commitment to, issues of equality and diversity, social justice, and advocacy in relation to the field of early childhood.

During year 2, you may choose between the following modules;

A Critical Underpinning of Ethics for Inclusion and Diversity

OR

Psychology of Development and Emotional Well-being

 

How will I learn?

Delivery Mode

This MA in Early Childhood Studies has been specifically designed for delivery by online learning, with one to one tutorial support and interactive modular webinars designed specifically to prepare you to complete the module. It is very suited to you if you are working full-time with limited spare time yet you want to achieve your Masters qualification.

Each module commences with an induction webinar and you will meet your lead lecturer during this session.  You will be able to log-in and “attend” the lecture even if you are off-site or you can re-visit the lecture at a later date through our online portal. You can upload your assessments and your lecturer will give you feedback on whether you are on the right track before you submit the final version. Blended learning allows you to study at your time with support available throughout your learning journey.

What is a webinar?

A webinar, in the context of online learning, is a lecturer delivering a presentation or class online to a group of students. We use specifically designed e-learning software so you can participate in the class just as if you were present in the same room. You can ask a question of the lecturer at any stage during the class.

Interactive break-out rooms

The software is designed with “break-out rooms” where you can discuss a topic or complete a group exercise with a smaller group from your class. You will need a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone that has internet connection, an audio facility so you can hear and speak during the class and a camera so your lecturer and fellow class participants can see you.

Secure online learning environment

The webinar is a secure online environment and only those permitted entry by the lecturer can gain access to the “classroom”. Webinars are recorded during each session and should you miss a session, you can catch up with the recorded session at a later date. You will only be able to access Webinars of the group you are assigned to.

Course Structure

This course is delivered over 2 academic years with optional supported webinars held during scheduled weekends. This programme consists of five core modules. You will complete one module in each semester and the final module, your dissertation project, will be completed throughout year 2. Each student is assigned a Dissertation Supervisor who will act as their personal academic support tutor for the research-based module that is the dissertation project.

Each module has 1 – 2  one day webinars designed to support the student to complete the modules scheduled for that semester. Webinars are generally held on a Saturday from 10am to 4pm. There are also 3 – 4 webinars held on evenings scheduled throughout the semester. Attendance at webinars is recommended for an optimal learning experience and achievement. Webinars are delivered with the purpose of introducing the module lecturer, setting out the learning outcomes, content, the assessment strategy and expectations for skills/knowledge development.

All of the course material is held on an online learning portal which is an easy to use online platform specifically designed for online learning programmes. During the induction, students will be introduced to the platform with practical demonstration of how to use the portal and access lessons quickly and easily. To complete this course, students must have a basic knowledge of using a computer and searching the internet for research purposes.

Peer to Peer Support

Learning from the experience of other students is often cited as an integral part of any learning journey through a programme. This programme is conducted primarily online and to achieve peer to peer learning, we create study groups. This is a group of students either with a similar research interest or located regionally for ease of “meeting up”. Many graduates tell us that the relationships they build in their study group, offers them a professional network to tap into through out their careers as well as some lifelong friendships.

Tutor Support

You can email your tutor during the module to ask a simple query or submit a draft of your assessment. Our programme management team are available to offer you telephone and email support and if you need to, you can arrange to meet them for further one to one guidance.

For more information about our team, click here. Portobello Institute has invested in a team of programme managers and tutors who are experienced early years practitioners as well as qualified and knowledgeable educators. They are available to assist you during your learning journey through this programme.

Online Learning Portal

During the induction webinar, we will show you how to navigate and find what you need with all of the information you need to complete this programme uploaded on to the learning portal. The content of this programme is set out in an easy to follow format with a combination of notes, articles, podcasts and other materials that will help you to understand the subject and complete your assessment. You will need basic computer skills to search the internet and type a word document to complete your assignment.

YEAR 1

Semester 1  runs from 8th October ’22 to 21st Jan ’23.

Semester 2 runs from 4th February ’23 to 27th May ’23

This is a blended learning course with webinars held on prescribed Saturdays throughout the academic year.

 

YEAR 2

Semester 3 runs from 16th October ’23 to 24th Jan ’24.

Semester 4 runs from 3rd February ’24 to 25th May ’24.

Attendance at webinars is optional although recommended for optimal learning experience and achievement.

Please note there may be some variation to these dates.

 

How will I be assessed?

Assessments for this degree are through course work and a dissertation. The assessments vary from practice based assignments to researching a topic you are interested in. We encourage you to reflect on your knowledge gain with a number of assignments designed to explore your learning journey. All of these methods are seeking to support you to combine theory with scenario based learning and how to practically implement these methods into your every day practice.

Please note places on this course are restricted and places only confirmed once tuition fees have been received. Early Application is advised.

apply early to secure a place