Early Years and Childhood Studies

What is Development? questions what we currently know about notions of development and introduces different views and ideas drawn from psychology, philosophy and sociocultural theory. You will have opportunities to consider how these different perspectives might influence experiences and practices, for example, how they shape the way we view children’s behaviour, or their use of language, and the impact this has on the child in their particular context.

What is Childhood? invites you to question and explore the meaning of childhood. Rooted in sociological approaches it examines how childhood is shaped by different parts of society (eg the media, law, family) as well as by individuals in everyday life. You will be encouraged to explore the extent to which it is possible to talk about ‘childhood’ as a fixed and universal phenomenon and you will be challenged to consider the roles that children take in shaping their own lives.

The Academic and Professional Development module in the first year invites you to celebrate your personal experiences and prior knowledge and identify personal and professional priorities. Working with a personal tutor, you will co-construct a five-year personal development plan, which capitalises on your strengths and seeks to identify experiences and opportunities that will support your personal and professional development during your studies and beyond. Such opportunities might include, for example, support on how to work as an effective member of a team, or how to create a digital portfolio.

Places for Learning looks closely at the different spaces and places which provide learning experiences. There will be opportunities to focus in on a specific learning space such as a museum, art gallery, park or virtual space and consider how this place provides learning that is appropriate to the needs of a community.

Policy in Context looks at real-life experiences and how they have been affected by different policies and legislations. You will consider the ways in which policies can be applied differently in different contexts. For example, how did the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child influence your experiences in school? 

In the Manchester Met. Project module, you will have the opportunity to undertake a project that allows you to develop skills and knowledge that you have identified in your professional development plan. Whether inside or outside the University, tutors will support you to select a project that is best for you. You might want to do a placement in a local school, or you might have a passion to explore the work of a local charity with a view to volunteering or working for them in the future. You might want to improve your academic study skills and engage with a range of university study skills programmes. All of your endeavours are supported and guided by your tutor, so that you can identify your personal achievements throughout the project and plan for future development.

The starting point for Challenging Inequalities in Children’s Lives is an exploration of the reasons why inequality exists and the impact this has on children’s life experiences. For example, we might think about poverty or gender or ethnicity in order to consider how children and adults might use different theoretical ideas and approaches to promote social justice and rights-based practice when working in the field.

The Academic and Professional Development module in your second year of study provides a space for you to consider how you understand professionalism and the implications this has for your personal development as outlined in your five-year plan. In this module, we will consider a range of topics such as ethics, respect, inclusion and communication and explore how you will work with these principles in your future career.

The Manchester Met. Connected module provides a supported space for you to further enhance your repertoire of experiences, skills and knowledge linked to education and/or childhood. Manchester is a city connected, locally, nationally and internationally, meaning that there are so many opportunities it can be difficult to choose! Working with your personal tutor, you will identify an experience or project that will enhance your future career prospects. You will examine and apply appropriate theories in the areas of education and/or early years and childhood studies to explore the inter-relationship between theory and practice. For example, you might choose to volunteer in a nursery and examine and apply theories of child development and sociology of childhood. You might undertake a project in a community educational setting and apply theories an concepts linked to informal education. Alternatively, you may decide to work alongside Manchester Met tutors on special interest projects around topics such as sustainability or social justice or you might want to propose a project of your own.

Initially, the module considers how research affects individuals and institutions and then moves on to consider the process of carrying out research. Through examining a particular topic, for instance, pupil attainment, you will explore and evaluate the methods that might be used, the ethical decisions that need to be taken into account and then reflect upon the different conclusions that may be formed as a result of the research.

With tutor support, you will design and plan a piece of research that aligns with your interests and perhaps your career aspirations. You will explore a range of literature in your chosen field in order to develop your research questions and decide on an appropriate methodological approach. You will undertake a detailed ethical assessment of the project, which might include preparation of participant information sheets and consent forms. This module prepares you for the Dissertation module where you will carry out your research project.

This module challenges traditional constructs of childhood and development and considers the implication of these challenges for ethical practice. You will engage in a process of disruption that will involve challenging dominant ideas and assumptions that have come to categorise children and childhood as one thing or the other. You will explore a range of theoretical perspectives and ideas that will help you to reflect upon the ethical and political concerns that arise when taken for granted assumptions about children and childhood are accepted as truths. For example, when we use the term ‘school readiness’, where has this come from, what and whose purpose does it serve and how does it impact on a child and their lived experiences?

The module allows you to carry out a small-scale independent research project, which you have designed and planned. The Dissertation is a place in which you can bring together your personal interests and the knowledge you have gained throughout the degree and further deepen your understanding of a topic, which may inform your future career. For instance, if you wish to apply for a PGCE you may wish to focus your dissertation on a current issue or debate that is affecting schools.