Degree in Early Childhood Education

240 credits - Faculty of Education

For admission to the Early Childhood and/or Primary Education degree programmes, as well as the double degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education, preference will be given to those who pass the personal aptitude test (PAP_EDU).

Title
Official
Implementation year of this curriculum version
2013-14
Report
Third official university statement modification ( 10/05/2024 )

The Degree in Early Childhood Education is one of the undergraduate degrees established by Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October, Chapter III, Article 12.9, that enable one to perform a regulated profession in Spain. The conditions that must be met are laid out in the Resolution, of 17 December 2007, of the State Secretary for Universities and Research and in Order ECI/3854/2007, of 27 December, which establishes the requirements for the verification of official university degrees that allow for the profession of Early Childhood Education Teacher to be practiced.

The main aim of the programme is to train students as early childhood teachers, working on the acquisition of a set of skills including:

  • Personal-relationship skills that include the ability to promote social harmony and pacific conflict resolution; developing strategies for collaborative work that develops respect for different perspectives and for diversity; developing a committed attitude towards the profession, and the ability to promote educational values that defend gender equality and encourage the culture of peace.
  • Academic-disciplinary skills such as the ability to analyse the educational implications of information and communication technology; analysing and developing the goals, syllabus content and assessment criteria for early childhood education, and knowing the evolutionary development and requirements of children in early childhood.
  • Professional skills linked to the ability to cover language learning in multicultural and multilingual contexts, as well as the ability to understand, speak and write in English; the ability to create, interpret and appreciate arts and technologies associated to non-verbal communication tools; the ability to design, organise and assess learning contexts in line with childhood diversity, gender equality and respect for human rights, and the ability to reflect on and research educational practice in an attempt to improve teaching and promote innovative projects.

Credit Summary

Core Training Mandatory Elective Subjects External Practicum Final Degree Project Total
  102   72   12   48   6 240

Subject list by year and semester

Subjects

First Year

First Semester

Teaching Bases and Curricular Design*
Cognitive and Language Development in Early Childhood*
Contemporary Educational Thinking and Contexts*
Catalan Language and Teaching*
Foundations of Musical Education: Vocal, Auditory and Rhythmical

Second Semester

Educational Organisation and Management*
Sociology, Living in Harmony and Education*
Language in the Nursery Classroom: from Pleasure in Reading to the Game
of Writing
Education Models in Early Childhood*
Electives

Second Year

First Semester

Inclusive Education*
Observation and Documentation*
Educational Psychology*
Artistic and Aesthetic Education. Foundations of Visual Art and Crafts
Educational Intervention Strategies in Early Childhood I*

Second Semester

Development and Social-Emotional Education in
Early Childhood*
Language Skills for Nursery Education
Corporal and Musical Education of Teachers
Psychomotor Development in Early Childhood*
Stage Representation in Nursery School

Third Year

First Semester

Educational Intervention Strategies in Early Childhood II*
Natural Science and Teaching
Development Disorders*
Mathematical Thought and Teaching
Electives

Second Semester

Practicum I (0-3)
Educational Reflection and Innovation

Fourth Year

First Semester

Technological Means and Resources in the Teaching-Learning*
Process in Early Childhood
Catalan Universal Literature for Nursery Education
Spanish Language: Communication Strategies*
Artistic Projects in Early Childhood
Family and School

 

* Core Training

Second Semester

Practicum II (3-6)
Final Degree Project

  Skills

Core skills

  • CB1: Acquiring knowledge and understanding in a field of study based on the foundations of general secondary education together with the support of advanced textbooks and aspects of the latest advances in the field.
  • CB2: Being able to apply knowledge acquired as a student to a job or vocation in a professional manner, and possessing the skills that are generally demonstrated by producing and defending arguments and solving problems in a field of study.
  • CB3: Having the ability to collect and interpret relevant data (generally within a field of study) in order to make judgments which include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature.
  • CB4: Being able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialised or non-specialised audiences.
  • CB5: Developing the necessary skills to undertake further studies to a certain degree of independence.

General skills

  • CG1: Being familiar with the objectives, curriculum content and assessment criteria in Early Childhood Education.
  • CG2: Promoting and facilitating learning in early childhood from a global perspective that integrates the cognitive, emotional, psychomotor and volitional dimensions.
  • CG3: Designing and managing learning spaces in situations of diversity taking account of the unique educational needs of pupils, gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
  • CG4: Promoting harmonious coexistence in and out of the classroom and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Being able to systematically observe learning and coexistence contexts and knowing how to reflect on them.
  • CG5: Reflecting as a group on the need to accept rules and show respect for others. Promoting each pupil's autonomy and uniqueness as key factors for teaching about emotions, feelings and values in early childhood.
  • CG6: Understanding the evolution of language in early childhood and being able to identify possible language disorders and ensure these are properly monitored. Effectively dealing with situations where language is learnt in multicultural and multilingual contexts. Being able to express oneself both orally and in writing, and mastering a varied range of expression techniques.
  • CG7: Understanding the educational implications of information and communication technologies and, in particular, of television in early childhood.
  • CG8: Knowing the basics of child nutrition and hygiene, as well as the fundamentals of early childhood care and the foundations and advances that enable us to understand psychological, learning and personality development processes in early childhood.
  • CG9: Being familiar with how pre-primary schools are organised and the wide range of actions required for managing them. Understanding that teachers must perfect their teaching skills and adapt to scientific, pedagogical and social changes throughout their career.
  • CG10: Acting as an adviser for parents in matters concerning family education in the 0-6 age bracket, and mastering the necessary social skills to interact with pupils' families.
  • CG11: Reflecting on classroom practices with a view to innovating and improving teaching. Acquiring habits and skills to promote autonomous and cooperative learning amongst pupils.
  • CG12: Understanding the role, possibilities and limits of education in today's society, as well as the fundamental skills that affect pre-primary schools and the professionals who work in them. Knowing models for quality improvement at schools.

Specific skills

  • CE1: Establishing and maintaining communication links with families in order to effectively influence the educational process.
  • CE2: Knowing and being able to perform tutoring and advising duties in relation to family education.
  • CE3: Promoting and collaborating in actions undertaken inside and outside the school, run by families, town halls and other institutions, aimed at fostering citizenship education.
  • CE4: Critically analysing and incorporating the most relevant issues that affect family and school education in today's society: social and educational impact of audiovisual languages and screens; changes in gender and intergenerational relations; multiculturalism and interculturalism; discrimination and social inclusion; and sustainable development.
  • CE5: Knowing the historical evolution of the family, the different types of family, and lifestyles and educational approaches within families.
  • CE6: Understanding that the day-to-day dynamics of early childhood education vary according to each pupil, group and situation, and knowing how to teach in a flexible way.
  • CE7: Valuing the importance of attaining stability and regularity in factors such as the school environment, the class schedules and the teachers' mood to ensure the harmonious and comprehensive progress of pupils.
  • CE8: Having the ability to work as part of a team made up of professionals from one's own school and others in order to meet each pupil's needs, as well as planning learning sequences and managing work situations both in the classroom and in the school playground, whilst identifying the defining features of the 0-3 and 3-6 age brackets.
  • CE9: Meeting the pupils' needs whilst instilling in them a feeling of safety, calm and affection.
  • CE10: Establishing nursery schools within the Spanish education system, as well as in the European and international context.
  • CE11: Being familiar with international experiences and examples of innovative practices in early childhood education.
  • CE12: Valuing the importance of teamwork.
  • CE13: Participating in the development and monitoring of early childhood education schemes in line with projects at schools in collaboration with the region, as well as other professionals and social agents.
  • CE14: Knowing the legislation that regulates nursery schools and their organisation.
  • CE15: Understanding that the teacher's relationship with each pupil and his/her family has an impact on the quality of education.
  • CE16: Understanding educational and learning processes in the 0-6 age bracket, in the family, social and school contexts.
  • CE17: Knowing the stages of child development psychology in the 0-3 and 3-6 age brackets.
  • CE18: Knowing the foundations of early childhood care and education.
  • CE19: Recognising identity and the cognitive, psychomotor, communication, social and affective features of this educational stage.
  • CE20: Knowing how to promote the acquisition of habits based on autonomy, freedom, curiosity, observation, experimentation, imitation, acceptance of rules and limits, and symbolic and heuristic play.
  • CE21: Being familiar with the pedagogical dimension of interaction with peers and adults, and knowing how to promote participation in group activities, cooperative work and individual effort.
  • CE22: Identifying learning difficulties, cognitive dysfunctions and those linked to attention deficits.
  • CE23: Knowing how to inform other professionals in the field to work in collaboration with the school and the teacher with a view to addressing any special educational needs that may arise.
  • CE24: Acquiring resources to favour the integration of pupils with learning difficulties.
  • CE25: Understanding that systematic observation is a basic tool to reflect on practice and reality, as well as to contribute to innovation and improvement in early childhood education.
  • CE26: Mastering observation techniques and running records.
  • CE27: Undertaking field analysis through observational methodology using information, documentation and audiovisual technologies.
  • CE28: Knowing how to analyse the data obtained, gain a critical understanding of the reality derived from these and draw up a report based on the conclusions.
  • CE29: Knowing the basic principles of healthy development and behaviour.
  • CE30: Identifying different types of disorders (sleep, eating, psychomotor development, attention, and visual and auditory processing).
  • CE31: Collaborating with specialists to treat these disorders.
  • CE32: Detecting affective, nutritional and welfare deficiencies that disrupt the proper physical and psychological development of pupils.
  • CE33: Knowing the language and literacy curriculum for this stage, as well as the different theories on the acquisition and development of the corresponding learning.
  • CE34: Promoting speaking and writing skills.
  • CE35: Knowing and mastering oral and written expression techniques.
  • CE36: Knowing the oral tradition and folklore.
  • CE37: Understanding the transition from oral to written language and knowing the different language registers and uses.
  • CE38: Knowing how the process of learning to read and write works and how to teach these skills.
  • CE39: Dealing with language learning situations in multilingual contexts.
  • CE40: Recognising and assessing the appropriate use of verbal and non-verbal language.
  • CE41: Knowing and appropriately using resources for encouraging reading and writing amongst pupils.
  • CE42: Having a background/training in literature and, in particular, being familiar with children's literature.
  • CE43: Being able to introduce pupils to a foreign language for the first time.
  • CE44: Knowing the scientific, mathematical and technological foundations of the curriculum for this stage, as well as the different theories on the acquisition and development of the corresponding learning.
  • CE45: Knowing strategies to teach numerical representations and spatial, geometric and logical thinking notions.
  • CE46: Understanding mathematics as socio-cultural knowledge.
  • CE47: Knowing the scientific method and promoting scientific reasoning and experimentation.
  • CE48: Gaining knowledge about the evolution of thought, customs, beliefs and social and political movements throughout history.
  • CE49: Knowing the most significant breakthroughs in the history of science and technology, as well as their significance.
  • CE50: Creating teaching proposals that take into account the interactions between science, technology, society and sustainable development.
  • CE51: Promoting interest in and a respect for the natural, social and cultural environment through suitable educational projects.
  • CE52: Promoting experiences that serve the purpose of introducing pupils to information and communication technologies.
  • CE53: Knowing the musical, plastic and bodily expression foundations of the curriculum for this stage, as well as the different theories on the acquisition and development of the corresponding learning.
  • CE54: Knowing and using songs to promote auditory, rhythmic and vocal education.
  • CE55: Knowing how to use play as a teaching resource and how to design learning activities based on the principles of play.
  • CE56: Creating teaching proposals that foster musical perception and expression, motor skills, drawing and creativity.
  • CE57: Analysing audiovisual languages and their impact on education.
  • CE58: Promoting pupils' sensitivity towards plastic expression and artistic creation.
  • CE59: Acquiring practical knowledge of the classroom and its management.
  • CE60: Knowing and applying interaction and communication processes in the classroom, and mastering the necessary social skills and abilities to promote a classroom environment that helps learning and social harmony.
  • CE61: Managing and monitoring the educational process and, in particular, the teaching and learning process, by mastering the required techniques and strategies.
  • CE62: Relating theory and practice to classroom and school realities.
  • CE63: Taking part in teaching activities and learning know-how; acting and reflecting in practice.
  • CE64: Taking part in improvement proposals for different activity areas that may be established at a school.
  • CE65: Regulating interaction and communication processes amongst pupil groups in the 0-3 and 3-6 age brackets.
  • CE66: Knowing collaboration methods with different sectors in the educational and social community.

Cross-cutting skills

  • CT1: Understanding that any professional activity needs to be done in respect of fundamental rights, promoting gender equality, the principle of universal access and design for all individuals, and in protection of the environment, as well as in accordance with the values inherent to a culture of peace and democracy.