DipHE Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status Foundation degree at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David
DipHE Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status at University of Wales Trinity Saint David weaves together core theory in child development and learning, research methods, and hands-on professional practice.
About this course
DipHE Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status is a Foundation degree (DipHE) at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, based in Swansea,Carmarthen. It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
For Education and teaching graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 75% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,000. (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.
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (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 1 9 modules
- Developing Successful Academic Skills20 credits
- The Professional Practitioner20 credits
- Human Development20 credits
- The first 1000 days20 credits
- Children's Play: Theory and Practice20 credits
- Safeguarding: practice, legislation and the multi-disciplinary team20 credits
- Well-being, care and healthy living20 credits
- Research for Learning20 credits
- Multilingual Practice in the Early Years20 credits
Year 2 9 modules
- Language and Literacy in the Digital Age20 credits
- Awe and wonder- science, mathematics and the outdoors20 credits
- Leadership and teamwork in the early years20 credits
- Inclusive leadership: working together to support families20 credits
- Regaining Paradise? Sustainability in the Early Years20 credits
- Supporting Children with Additional Learning Needs20 credits
- Early Years Curricula20 credits
- Leadership and Management for systems of quality20 credits
- Leadership skills in entrepreneurship20 credits
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
You'll study the theory and practice of early years education and care, building from foundational knowledge of child development and learning towards specialist practice in early childhood settings. A course like this typically progresses from understanding how children learn and how early years provision is organised, through to sustained placements in schools and early years settings where you observe and deliver teaching under supervision. During your two years, you'll usually cover child development from birth through the early years, curriculum planning and pedagogy, and strategies for supporting learners with additional needs. You can specialise in areas such as early years practice, inclusion and SEND, and education policy. School placements run throughout, increasing your responsibility as you progress towards securing your Early Years Practitioner Status.
Who it's for
You're drawn to working directly with very young children and want formal professional training to do it well. You're observant, patient, and curious about how children learn and develop. You may be returning to study after work or care experience, or taking a deliberate step from another field, most entrants to this course hold a previous degree. Studying here feels collaborative and applied: you'll spend time in real early years settings, reflect critically on what you witness, and build confidence in your own professional practice.
Careers & job market
Across Education & Teaching courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months; 70% of those working are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Starting salaries typically range from £22,000 to £30,000 at 15 months after graduation. National earnings data show variation: after three years, graduates in this field earn between £17,850 and £25,200; after five years, between £21,250 and £30,000. These figures reflect the broader labour market for education professionals and are not guaranteed, your own outcome will depend on your choices, location, employer and progression.
University & format
This foundation degree is studied full-time at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, a University with campuses in Swansea and Carmarthen. The course runs for 2 years and is taught in English. It is recognised by a UK degree-awarding body, so your degree is nationally recognised. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships; check their funding pages for details.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
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 |
|---|---|
| a previous degree | 90% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 5% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 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 (code YPR2). 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 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. 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 Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Wales Trinity Saint David →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income 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.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.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 | £28,000 | £23,500 – £30,500 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £25,500 | £17,000 – £27,500 | 50 |
| 5 years after | £30,500 | £23,000 – £34,500 | 45 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; 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: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; 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 ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 70% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
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: 65; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is DipHE Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status worth it?
Generally yes. On its graduates’ median earnings, DipHE Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status is worth about +£45,420 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, a solid return once you net out the fees.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 2 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 15.2. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 2 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
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
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. If you normally live in Wales, Student Finance Wales can pay an eligible Tuition Fee Loan directly to the university, and maintenance support is a mix of grant and loan weighted to household income. You repay only above the income threshold.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £28,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.8 out of 10: in work or study 90% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Education and teaching across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Swansea
2,278 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Around Carmarthen
413 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
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 Wales Trinity Saint David from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Wales Trinity Saint David; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. 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 Wales Trinity Saint David’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 Wales Trinity Saint David and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Wales Trinity Saint David
BA (Hons) Early Years EducationBA (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidBA (Hons) Early Years Education and Care - 2 YearsBA (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidBA (Hons) Early Years Education and Care - 2 YearsBA (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidBA (Hons) Early Years Education And Care - 2 yearsBA (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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