Early Childhood Education & Care

The BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education and Care is designed to meet the needs of learners wishing to enter the early years workforce, or for those, already working in the sector, to upskill to an Early Childhood Education & Care degree qualification. The programme will cater to a variety of adult learners, ranging from school leavers with no previous experience in the Early Years sector to more mature adults with relevant life and/or work experience.

Application to programmes are open to those learners who meet the minimum entry requirements, namely an ordinary leaving certificate with; - Grade H5 or above in a higher-level paper in two subjects or more - A grade O6/H7 in four subjects, which must include Maths and English or Irish. Foundation level mathematics will meet the minimum entry requirement where a grade F2 or higher is achieved. - FETAC/QQI applicants must have achieved a full FETAC/QQI Level 5/Level 6 Major Award in ECCE or related discipline where appropriate. - Other Qualifications would be assessed for equivalency, i.e. using Entry requirements criteria for EU/EFTA Applicants (other than Irish Leaving Certificate). Mature applicants are also welcome, to apply but candidates must be 23 years of age or over on the 1st January of the year of entry to their programme of study. Mature candidates with significant related employment field experience may be admitted to the programme if they can demonstrate their potential to meet the learning requirements of the programme and satisfy the respective Admissions Criteria and Admissions Regulations. Required eligibility will be determined by a review of the application, an interview with the admissions tutor (as required), and subject to confirmation with the respective programme leader (also as required). Where admission with advanced standing is considered all applicants may be required to provide written references for their work experience and/or suitable evidence supporting their application. (Applicants may also be formally considered for admission to the programme using the appropriate Regulations and RPL, procedures at each Programme Stage). An applicant whose first language is not English or who has not been educated wholly or mainly in the medium of English will (a) either be expected to reach, before commencing a programme, a suitable minimum level of competence in English in order to participate fully in the Programme or (b) will be required to participate in pre-sessional or in-sessional English language classes in order to reach a required level of competency. English language admission requirements either specified by CEG or the accrediting/awarding/professional body, as appropriate, are required to be satisfied before the commencement of study at CEG. Programme Admission Criteria will specify the levels of achievement in written and oral English language. Normally this will include evidence of achievement of the British Council International English Language Testing Score (IELTS) at a score indicated in the programme submission (usually IELTS 6) and/or other recognised equivalent international English language test. Garda Vetting The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 states that vetting must completed before a person is appointed, assigned or allowed access to or contact with children attending the service. This includes a section on Police vetting which is required for anyone who has lived outside Ireland for more than 6 consecutive months. Police Vetting is undertaken by the individual and given to the registered provider. Police vetting is required for each country a student has lived in outside of Ireland for longer than 6 consecutive months since the age of 18. Police vetting states that the individual it relates to has no convictions recorded against them while residing there. Translation of Police Vetting Police vetting documents provided in a language other than English or Irish must be translated through a translation service and the evidence of the source of translation be made available to the Early Years Inspectorate. It may be helpful to contact the relevant embassies, who could provide information on seeking Police Clearance. Information about embassies can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs website dfa.ie.