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Early Years study at The Open University explores how children grow, learn and develop from birth through to adolescence. You’ll examine the factors that shape their experiences, including family, community and education, while developing knowledge you can apply in real-world settings. With flexible study and expert support, you’ll build the skills and understanding to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people.
Stage 1120 credits
Stage 2120 credits
Stage 3120 credits
Total of 360 credits
How long will it take?
Part-time: 16–18 hrs/week for 6 years
Full-time: 32–36 hrs/week for 3 years
Stage 1120 credits
Stage 2120 credits
Total of 240 credits
 
How long will it take?
Part-time: 16–18 hrs/week for 4 years
Full-time: 32–36 hrs/week for 2 years
Stage 1120 credits
Total of 120 credits
 
 
How long will it take?
Part-time: 16–18 hrs/week for 2 years
Full-time: 32–36 hrs/week for 1 year
Our early years courses combine practical knowledge with real-world relevance, equipping you to truly make a difference in this field. You'll study courses designed and created by our School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, featuring a ground-breaking curriculum, inspiring and engaging teaching methods, and research that looks to influence practices, policies, and debate – both nationally and internationally.
When you study an early years qualification with us, you’ll:
An early years qualification opens the door to a range of exciting and impactful careers. Whether you want to progress in your current role or start a new journey, our courses equip you with the tools to succeed in areas such as childcare, counselling, early years work, youth and community work, and local, national and international policy development.
Potential career paths include:
Study individual modules to build your skills or explore a new interest – and count them towards a qualification if you decide to take your studies further.
See our full list of Early Years modules
Browse all the Early Years courses we offer – certificates, diplomas and degrees.
See our full list of Early Years courses
We also offer a range of postgraduate Early Years courses.
See our full list of postgraduate Early Years courses
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