A Masters in Early Childhood Studies: Lead the way in the future of Early Years Care and Education.
As you have completed an BA (Hons) degree in Early Childhood Studies, or in another similar area, you might be saying “I don’t need a Masters… not more studying for me….” “What benefits would a master's give me?” and so on.
But stop for one moment and consider that it wasn’t that long ago that we didn’t need a degree either; times are changing, and our sector is becoming a graduate-led workforce where the qualification currency will soon be a level 7.
As with any other profession holding a master's degree will give you the edge, keep you abreast of the latest research in early years care and education and build further on the strong foundation of knowledge you have acquired from your undergraduate studies.
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way…” - J.C. Maxwell.
Consider being a leader in this sector, opening the way for others.
We often talk of having a qualified graduate workforce; we talk about the importance of having our voice heard, of gaining recognition and inspiring younger, new entrants into the sector and retaining those with experience and the wisdom built from decades working with children and their families.
Even if working outside the setting isn’t something you aspire to, gaining a master's degree will make you a better practitioner, training you in skills and concepts to inform an effective pedagogy and help provide a diverse and inclusive curriculum for all children, holding a master's degree will give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to lead the way.
As our society has become more diverse, there is a growing awareness of the importance of early years settings and the service provided not just to children and families but also to society as a whole.
This has a resulted in a growth in the number and variety of job positions available in the sector, some of these are new roles not previously imagined.
Employers in every sector are raising the educational requirements for emerging roles, the early years sector is not immune.
A master's in Early Childhood Studies can open up a range of job opportunities for you both in and out of the early years setting that you may not have previously considered or even been eligible for.
The opportunities are much wider than you possibly are aware of and all of these opportunities put your expertise and experience of the early years sector to good use, enhancing your career opportunities whilst also enhancing the sector and helping gain the recognitions deserved for the early years profession.
You will continue to have an impact on children at a critical part in their lives, but you can develop how and where you do this; taking on advisory and consultation roles, lecturing roles and inspectorate roles.
A master's degree will immediately increase your earning potential due to the wider range of career opportunities that will be open to you.
This master's qualification will elevate your employability and give you the opportunity to command a higher pay scale than your less qualified peers.
As educators, we have lost count of the times our students have told us, "I am doing this for me”… “I want to prove to myself that I am capable of this” or “I want to be considered equal to those in other professions”.
The value and credibility earned as a result of holding a master's degree will invite a high level of respect from your peers and is an achievement of which you will be proud.
The sense of confidence in your own ability and your academic achievement will contribute to your personal sense of accomplishment and your professional development within your sector.
Earning a master's in Early Childhood Studies will help you foster a deeper understanding of child learning and child psychology.
As part of the programme you will focus on learning theory and child development, leadership and curriculum design, making you an expert in early years.
You can take that knowledge with you into whichever profession you determine suits you after graduation.
You will be introduced to new ideas.
The master's degree will strengthen and develop knowledge you have already gained, exposing you to new, groundbreaking ideas on how children learn and develop and the diversities we might be working with daily.
You will be encouraged to communicate your ideas and learning, disseminating those with others, parents, stakeholders, practitioner, students etc, but even further with other professionals and researchers at conferences and seminars where your ideas can help develop the sector.
All of the knowledge you will gain together with the experience you have, you will find beneficial when you are working with children or you have children or grandchildren of your own.
Understanding why children behave a particular way, how to support them during difficult times, being aware of what they are doing and why they do these things.
You will see the bigger picture. As you advance through your master's – everything that you absorb – psychology, research techniques, theory, curriculum design, classroom management, diversity, complexities of childhoods in context – will all come together to give you a well-rounded understanding of childhood learning and development.
You will further develop your skills of reflective practice, leadership, innovation and quality provision.
You will continue to develop and strengthen your powers of observation and assessment.
Watching and assessing children is a big part of our practice, especially at early childhood level.
Assessment of progress in these early stages relies solely on your sense of where their needs lie and will rely on your powers of observation.
Your engagement with psychology and child development will enhance this area of your skills, making you a valuable asset to any part of the early years sector.
This master's will help you to become a careful, dispassionate observer of young children, effectively appraising their progress and highlight potential areas of concern.
Deepening your knowledge of the early years along with improvements in salary benefits, job stability, and opportunities to move into different areas of the early years sector are all reasons to study for a master's in Early Childhood Studies.
Imagine you could be bringing vital information and be responsible for bringing about real change in a sector, which is growing and continuing to develop.
Why not do a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Studies?
It will take the sector from strength to strength as a profession, and personally the achievement and self-satisfaction is so very worth the journey.
Marguerita Magennis Ph.D. MA. BA Hons, Course Coordinator Masters in Early Childhood Studies & Lead Lecturer BA Hons degree Early Childhood Studies at Portobello Institute.
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