Childhood, Education and Society (CertHE)
The Certificate of Higher Education in Childhood, Education and Society provides a strong foundation in understanding how children develop, learn and experience the social world. Drawing on early childhood studies, education and sociology, the course introduces key concepts that underpin inclusive and ethical practice in a range of educational and community contexts.
You will explore human development and wellbeing, children’s rights, safeguarding and additional learning needs, alongside the social factors that influence educational opportunity and outcomes. The programme encourages critical thinking about how families, communities and policy shape childhood experiences, and how practitioners can respond creatively and responsibly.
Learning is supported by specialist resources and innovative technologies, including immersive virtual reality facilities that enhance engagement and reflection. The course is available in both Welsh and English, with full Welsh medium delivery and the option to submit assessments in Welsh.
Successful completion of the Certificate allows progression into the second year of the BA (Hons) Childhood, Education and Society or the BA (Hons) Childhood, Education and Society: Additional Learning Needs, providing a clear and supportive route into full degree study.
The qualification also supports entry level roles in early years, community and support settings, or further professional development.
Course details
- English
- Welsh
- Bilingual
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
You will gain a foundational understanding of human development, wellbeing and children’s rights, alongside inclusive approaches to learning and safeguarding. The course introduces key ideas from education and sociology, helping you to understand how social contexts influence children’s experiences and outcomes.
You will begin to develop your academic skills, professional identity and awareness of additional learning needs. Through engagement with creative pedagogies and immersive technologies, you will explore how theory connects to practice in early years and educational settings.
Successful completion prepares you for progression to the second year of the associated BA degrees or for further training and employment in related fields.
In your Certificate of Higher Education, you will explore the foundations of human development and wellbeing, children’s rights, and inclusive learning strategies. You will also develop key academic and professional skills, engage with creative pedagogies, and understand safeguarding principles and additional learning needs. These modules prepare you for reflective, inclusive, and ethical practice in early years and educational settings. If you complete the Certificate successfully you may also have the option of progressing on to the BA Childhood, Education and Society or BA Childhood, Education and Society: Additional Learning Needs (ALN) on successful completion of this programme.
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
Ratings and Rankings
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Get to know us, the place you will call home while studying with us and the experts who lead our courses. Meet current students and hear what they love about studying with us.
Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
News
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Early Years team has recently delivered professional development training in early years and language development to education practitioners across Pembrokeshire Local Authority.
Welcoming Coleg Ceredigion to a Higher Education experience day in Childhood and Education
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Childhood, Youth and Education team recently hosted a Higher Education Experience Day in Carmarthen, welcoming education and childcare students from Coleg Ceredigion’s Aberystwyth campus.
UWTSD lecturers, Natasha Morgans and Dr Glenda Tinney, share their experience as part of the Early Education comparative study of early years workforce policies across the four UK nations.
Mature student Joanne Wozencroft returned to education after a 16-year break. She graduates with a First Class Honours in Early Years Education and Care (BA Hons) from University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), sharing that “it’s never too late to achieve your goals.”
After dedicating 15 years to supporting children and families in primary education, Tracy Hall is celebrating her graduation from the BA (Hons) Early Years Education and Care at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).
Jimmy Wilson, a BA Young People, Communities and Youth Work student at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), has been making a significant impact in Pembrokeshire through his leadership of a youth work programme supporting Ukrainian young people displaced by the war.
Investing in Childhood, Investing in Wales: Mudiad Meithrin and UWTSD Shaping the Future of Early Years Leadership
If we want a Wales where every child has the best possible start, we must invest in the people and organisations who make that possible. This is the opinion of Alison Rees Edwards, lecturer in Early Years at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and a member of the Mudiad Meithrin board.
Heddwen Davies and Glenda Tinney are lecturers at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), and for several years have been collaborating to offer a Summer Nature Camp at Cynefin, UWTSD’s outdoor centre. Such collaboration reflects many of the opportunities at UWTSD to develop links across disciplines and institutes with Heddwen, a lecturer from the Institute of Management and Health specialising in sport, health and physical education and Glenda a lecturer from the Institute of Education and Humanities specialising in childhood and education.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Childhood, Youth and Education team recently welcomed pupils and students from schools and colleges across South West Wales to a programme of workshops designed to introduce them to higher education study and the opportunities available at the University.
The Childhood, Youth, and Education team at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is excited to launch the new academic term by celebrating Adult Learners Week and welcoming a fresh cohort of students to its flexible, career-focused degree programmes.
Further information
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Under 21- 32 UCAS tariff points
Over 21 - Early Years encourages and values applications from students who are returning to education, as they will have experiences and life skills that could support their entry onto the degree.
Applicants may be required to provide a satisfactory enhanced disclosure document from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
- We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’.
If your qualification doesn’t have a UCAS tariff equivalence, you don’t have traditional entry qualifications or you have accredited prior learning, please contact our enquiries team as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience.
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All our programmes are assessed by 100% course work. There are no exams.
We have found that using a varied range of assessment methods increases employability skills.
Employers seek graduates who are problem-solvers and who have a range of transferable skills. Assessments give opportunities to develop skills such as the ability to work in a team, have effective oral and written communication while using a range of information sharing methods, including briefing papers, academic posters, group debates and professional discussions.
There are also opportunities for practical work experiences, supporting employability, professional development and careers.
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Study through the medium of Welsh or Bilingually
UWTSD prides itself on being a bilingual University and some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies.
The availability of Welsh medium modules is reviewed regularly and may vary each year depending on staffing, research interests, timetabling, student demand, and minimum enrolment numbers, so specific modules cannot always be guaranteed, get in touch to discuss more.
Welsh Opportunities
As a leading Welsh university, we are proud to offer dedicated support services and halls of residence for Welsh-speaking students, encouraging the sense of community and the feeling of a home away from home, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch.
Opportunities to Learn Welsh
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.
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The course gives students the grounding in the principles of childhood, education and society allowing students to prepare for further study.