Advanced Early Years Specialism - 2012 entry

PGCert


Overview

The course is designed for head teachers, managers, early years or foundation stage co-ordinators and experienced practitioners who have initial training in the Early Years or the Oxfordshire Early Years Specialism award or equivalent.

 

Why Brookes?

 The School of Education at Oxford Brookes is one of the largest Schools of education in the UK, combining high quality teaching and significant research and consultancy activity in an outstanding location, with superb sporting, recreational and study facilities.

As a Postgraduate student you will be joining a University which is widely regarded as a major contibutor to the improvement of education and learning, locally and nationally. The School of Education is a focal point for lively, informed debate on education through its seminar and lecture programmes, including the high profile Oxford Education debates. We are proud to be co-sponsors of the Oxford Academy, a community secondary school, where Oxford Brookes staff and students provide practical support to pupils and teaching staff.

We work in close partnership with hundreds of schools and colleges and other organisations.

Our 110-acre Harcourt Hill campus offers all the benefits of a complete academic community on one site. You will be  working with highly regarded academics who are at the forefront of their subjects. Drawing on our cutting-edge, research-led teaching, our courses will advance your knowledge and develop your professional skills. Academics work alongside students from a wide range of backgrounds, and with the support of a caring and efficient administrative staff, provide a rich and diverse intellectual and social environment.

In detail

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

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International Students

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Course content

This is a three module course leading to the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Educational Practice: Early Years.

  • Learning and Development in the Early Years

  • The Contribution of Research to Early Years Practice

  • Management in the Early Years

Learning and Development in the Early Years


Content includes:

  • learning in a social context
  • self esteem and the development of values and identity
  • the development of empathy, social understanding and relationships
  • biology and the emotions – traits and predispositions
  • language acquisition and the development of communication skills
  • learning through the body
  • learning to think, plan and problem solve
  • imagining, mulling and the development of creativity
  • the development of moral and spiritual understanding.


The Contribution of Research to Early Years Practice

Content includes:

  • approaches to researching the developing brain
  • sampling, recording and analysing young children’s language
  • frameworks for observing children (e.g. the EAL study) and analysing children’s movement
  • experimental and quasi experimental studies of effective provision
  • ethnographic studies of social interaction
  • international comparisons of contexts for the education and care of young children
  • ensuring children and their parents have a voice in the research process
  • ethical issues in the collection of data on young children.


Management in the Early Years

Content includes:

  • recent theories of leadership, management and motivation
  • national and international policy perspectives in early childhood
  • group work and decision making
  • analysis of the how organisations function
  • working across agency boundaries.


As our courses are reviewed regularly, course content and module choices may change from the details given here.

Teaching, learning and assessment

Learning and Development in the Early Years

 

Course schedule:

  • five evenings (approx 16 hours contact time)
  • 2 online discussions (approx 8 hours of contact time).

Assessment:
There are two elements to the assignment:

  • A summary of one of the online discussions (500 words)
  • A report on an observational study of children working on a particular activity / experience, focussing on a selected child development theme (2,500 words)

 

The Contribution of Research to Early Years Practice

 

Course schedule:

  • five evenings (approx. 16 hours contact time)
  • 2 online discussions (approx 8 hours of contact time).

Assessment:
A portfolio presenting evidence from a small scale research investigation in the course participant’s own work setting.

 

Management in the Early Years

 

Course schedule:

  • five evenings (approx. 16 hours contact time)
  • 2 online discussions (approx 8 hours of contact time).

Assessment:

A report (3000 words) on a management or leadership issue pertinent to the participant's own setting. This will be individually negotiated to take into account the leadership and / or management issues relevant to the participant.

 

 

 

 

 

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to all full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying any course on our Headington (including Marston Road), Harcourt Hill or Wheatley Campuses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Key facts

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

School of Education

Course length

Part-time: 12 months

Teaching location

Harcourt Hill Campus

Start date

September 2012

Apply / Entry reqs

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.

English language requirements

Please see the university's standard English language requirements.

English language requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Border Agency's minimum language requirements as well as the university's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Preparation courses for international and EU students

We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for this course and also familiarise you with university life. You may also be able to apply for one student visa to cover both courses.

  • Take our Pre-Master's course to help you to meet both the English language and academic entry requirements for your master's course
  • Take our University English course to help you to meet the English language requirements of your master's course

How to apply

Conditions of acceptance

When you accept our offer you agree to the conditions of acceptance. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Oxford Brookes operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). All postgraduate single modules are equivalent to 10 ECTS credits, double modules to 20 ECTS credits, and treble modules to 30 ECTS credits. A full master's course will carry 90 ECTS credits. More about ECTS credits.

Fees / funding

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.

TUITION FEES

Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

Oxford

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.

Why Oxford is a great place to study Advanced Early Years Specialism

As a student in Oxford you'll be at the heart of the UK's most successful economic region and in a centre for leading industries which provides you with a host of learning opportunities. Because Oxford is one of the world's great academic cities, it is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across education, science, the arts and many other subjects. In addition to our own excellent libraries and resource centres, our postgraduate students have access to the world-renowned Bodleian Library, the Bodleian Law Library and the Radcliffe Science Library.

Support

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.

How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Research

CONTACT US

Michael Jolliffe
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 488296

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.