Early Childhood and History BA (Hons) (with Foundation Year)

EARLY CHILDHOOD

*Single Hons Early Childhood is for open 2025 entry only

The undergraduate programme in Early Childhood Studies provides a higher level of academic study that will extend your knowledge and understanding of children in their early years. We hope to ignite your curiosity as we explore young children’s development and interaction with the world and that in understanding the inequalities that children face locally and globally, you will grow as advocates for young children’s needs and rights.

The Early Childhood team aim to provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment for all our students through a high level of tutor support, access to exceptional University resources and engagement with our multidisciplinary teaching team with wide experience in research, practice and policy in the field. Together with the vital ingredient of your commitment as a student, these elements will enrich your learning experience. We also aim to enhance this where possible through engaging invited speakers and field visits to relevant spaces in Liverpool, a city rich in community connection and cultural experience.

The degree is taught by academics from a wide variety of backgrounds, including Sociology, Education, Philosophy and Psychology. The teaching team are all actively involved in research and have published in their specialist fields. They are all members of the thriving Liverpool Hope Childhood Research Forum and contribute to a range of research conferences both nationally and internationally. This experience provides an informed and supportive learning environment for the student characterised by depth and challenge.

For Single Honours students there is a compulsory placement as part of your degree. The placement will enable you to enhance your understanding of key themes and provides you with an insight into the professional context. For Combined Honours students the placement is optional. The Single Honours programme also offers the option to obtain separate professional certification as a graduate practitioner through assessment against the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies.

HISTORY

The study of History helps you to understand how individuals, communities and societies have lived in the past and how those past experiences have helped to shape the present world. History helps us make sense of our world and understand what may lie ahead because the future is shaped by its history in so many ways. Our History degree gives you the opportunity to study a wide-range of historical periods from the Early Modern period to more recent contemporary historical issues and events. You will encounter important themes such as nationalism and imperialism; colonisation and decolonisation; gender and identity. Our course will encourage you to engage with, and challenge, existing views of the past: history is always controversial and contested.

Liverpool’s long-standing connections with Ireland and many other places across the globe, and its diverse traditions and cultures, make it a fascinating place to study history. Historic sites in the University’s local area, Childwall – which is mentioned in Domesday Book – form part of our programme of study visits, which also includes the city’s impressive Museum of Liverpool, International Slavery Museum and the World Museum, and sites further afield, such as the Elizabethan wonder that is Hardwick Hall.

History at Liverpool Hope is part of the supportive and friendly environment within the subject areas of History, Politics and International Relations. You will benefit from being taught by a team of recognised scholars, who have published widely in their fields and who are dedicated and experienced teachers. You will work with a wide variety of historical evidence throughout the whole of your degree programme, including rare books housed in our Special Collections.

Our course offers the option of a placement year so that you can practise your research and communications skills in a professional setting. Our close links with National Museums Liverpool also enable us to offer final-year dissertation topics linked to museum research projects, providing valuable experience of handling artefacts. Whatever you choose to work on for your dissertation, it will showcase the important skills that you have developed during your degree course that are much in demand with a wide range of employers.