BA Childhood Practice (Part-time) Bachelor's degree at the University of Edinburgh
BA Childhood Practice (Part-time) at University of Edinburgh. The BA Childhood Practice at the University of Edinburgh is a part-time, work-based degree designed specifically for people already working in early childhood settings who are looking to move into a management role.
About this course
This part-time, work-based degree programme prepares you for a management role in the early childhood learning and care sector. From the provider’s course page.
BA Childhood Practice (Part-time) is a Bachelor's degree (BA) at the University of Edinburgh, based in Central. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Education graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Education & Teaching, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 2 3 modules
- Childhood Studies Work Based Learning 1: Professional DevelopmentCompulsory
- Children and ChildhoodsCompulsory
- Children and The FamilyCompulsory
Year 3 3 modules
- Children, Education and Social JusticeCompulsory
- Children's Health and WellbeingCompulsory
- Childhood Studies Work Based Learning 2: Organisational DevelopmentCompulsory
Year 4 3 modules
- Integrated Working in Children's ServicesCompulsory
- Childhood Practice Research ProjectCompulsory
- Children's Rights: Policy and PracticeCompulsory
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course is built around a mix of core theory and applied practice, but with a clear emphasis on how these translate into management responsibility within early years settings. You'll cover core theory relating to child development and early education, alongside research & methods that help you critically evaluate practice and policy in the sector. Applied practice modules connect classroom learning to your own workplace, while specialist options allow you to focus on particular areas of interest, such as leadership, inclusion, or specific aspects of early years pedagogy. An independent project gives you the chance to investigate a question relevant to your own setting or professional interests in depth, and professional skills components support your development as a manager and leader, not just a practitioner. Because the degree is part-time and work-based, the pacing and structure are designed to fit around your existing job, rather than requiring you to step away from employment.
Who it's for
This course suits people who are already working in early childhood learning and care and who want to move into, or consolidate, a management role. You're likely someone who enjoys the day-to-day work of supporting young children's development, but who is also drawn to the bigger picture, thinking about how settings are run, how staff are supported, and how policy and research can shape better practice. Studying part-time while working means you'll need to be organised and self-motivated, able to balance study alongside professional responsibilities and, quite possibly, family life too. Many entrants come to this degree with another higher-education qualification already under their belt, so you may be someone returning to study after some years in practice, keen to formalise and extend expertise you've already built on the job. You'll likely find the course rewarding if you like connecting what you're reading and researching directly to real situations at work, and if you're motivated by the prospect of taking on more responsibility and influence within your sector.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Education & Teaching courses, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 70% of working graduates are in highly skilled roles or further study, figures that reflect the sector as a whole rather than this specific course. National earnings data (Graduate Outcomes/LEO) for this field show starting salaries between roughly £22,000 and £30,000 fifteen months after graduation, with figures of £17,850–£25,200 after three years and £21,250–£30,000 after five years; these are national ranges rather than salaries specific to Edinburgh graduates, and individual outcomes will vary considerably. For this particular degree, the SSSC accreditation is significant: it confirms that the programme meets the educational requirements for registration with the Council, which is directly relevant if your career plans involve formal recognition as a manager within Scottish early years services. Nationally, 85% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies.
University & format
The University of Edinburgh is a public, Russell Group university founded in 1583, with a total student population of 26,138 and a central location. It was. This particular degree is delivered part-time and is work-based, meaning study is designed to run alongside your existing employment rather than replacing it, with no fixed full-time length attached to the course structure. It's worth checking the university's own funding pages for details of any bursaries or scholarships that might apply to part-time, work-based study.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 94%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| another higher-education qualification | 70% |
| Other | 15% |
| a previous degree | 10% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page. Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Edinburgh →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- Teacher-training bursaries: Postgraduate bursaries and scholarships are available for selected shortage subjects. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Education & Teaching graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,000 | £28,000 – £35,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £26,500 | £21,000 – £30,500 | 40 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £21,000 – £33,500 | 40 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in education & teaching · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Education & Teaching nationally
National figures for Education & Teaching graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Education & Teaching courses at the same study level.
Compared with 515 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Teaching and Childcare Associate ProfessionalsSOC 2020 323 · 45% of published destinations · ASHE median £20,261
- Other Educational ProfessionalsSOC 2020 232 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,130
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 25; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Education & Teaching graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Education & Teaching graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Schools & academy trusts
- Local authorities
- Education charities
- Tutoring providers
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Education & Teaching graduates.
Education SEN MentorMacIntyreEducation Recruitment ConsultantAcademicsEducation Delivery Consultant - Fast Paced, Dynamic Organisation - WorcestershireAP EducationEducation Trustee - Lead Youth Careers & Outdoor LearningRacing to SchoolEducation Recruitment Consultant - Build Futures & Earn UncappedProtocol EducationEducation Recruitment Consultant: Grow Your Desk & ImpactEducation AssetsIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.5 out of 10: NSS 95.7% · in work or study 100% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Edinburgh
Education and teaching across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Education & Teaching right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Edinburgh from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £13,914 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
This course lists IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each componen. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Edinburgh’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Edinburgh and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Edinburgh
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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