At the heart of the Early Years Primary Education with QTS BA (Hons) is a vision of transforming you into a teacher, ready to enter the profession with confidence as a skilled professional and equipped to make a significant contribution to the education of children now and in the future.

Our Enrichment Placement, available in Year 2, provides you with the opportunity for doing a placement in the UK or overseas.

Our course offers you:

Qualified Teacher Status
Experience in Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, with enhancement in age-phases either side (e.g. 0-3 and Key Stage 2)
Extensive experience in schools with at least 24 weeks in at least four schools or settings
Excellent coverage of primary curriculum subject areas and Early Years Foundation Stage Areas of Learning and Development for Early Years, enhances your skills, your confidence and your potential employment prospects
The opportunity to develop an area of personal, professional significance interest
Guidance and support from a team of highly skilled and dedicated tutors in University and in schools/settings.

BA Primary Education and Early Years with QTS YouTube video

BA (Hons) Primary Education and Early Years with QTS

What You'll Study

Year 1 focuses on the reflective teacher, and supports the transition into higher education. You will gain a depth of knowledge about teaching and learning.

Core Modules

This module constitutes the method by which tutors and students in ITE programmes can establish, track and support Associate Teachers' development of fundamental knowledge for teaching in English, Maths, and, for Primary and Early Years ITE, Science. There are no taught sessions as such though Associate Teachers will be required to take a number of audit tests in the aforementioned subject areas across their ITE registration period. Associate Teachers' performance in these audit tests will signpost them to undertake independent study to improve proficiency.

This module is a combination of university-based learning and school-based learning.

There are additional focuses on the importance of developing relationships; child development; study of education (e.g. history, sociology, politics and legislation), curriculum construction and learning and teaching for the inclusion of all along with relevant theory, policy and research. Developing resilience and 'managing self' is a core theme that runs through all professional studies-related modules.

Throughout, Associate Teachers (ATs) will be encouraged to pursue active enquiries and to practice the tools of ethical enquiry introduced in the module. This will enable them to develop a critical and interactive engagement between theory and practice, forming a pragmatic understanding of which approaches are most useful, inclusive and workable in different contexts.

Attachment weeks in school will enable students to reflect on and relate aspects of the taught programme to classroom practice with weeks focusing particularly on observing the following: developing positive classroom relationships; classroom environment and children's engagement in and motivation for learning; the wider life of the school; how material is broken down and prior knowledge is used in class; the use and impact of systematic synthetic phonics; inclusive practice and the diversity of needs; curriculum design and how classroom activities, sequences of lessons and homework fit into broader curriculum frameworks; planning; and assessment practices including questioning. The block placement will enable students to build on what they have learnt during the attachment weeks and develop their planning and teaching skills, working with small groups and the whole class. ATs will also observe and reflect on colleagues’ collaborating with each other, the nature of the professional dialogue, including with parents and carers particularly in relation to how colleagues illicit the support of others, including parents and carers, to help who are in danger of underachievement or exclusion. ATs will be supported to manage their own workload and make sure that activities are undertaken promptly and to secure a productive work/life balance.

The module will include an initiation to a range of concepts for undertaking research and enquiry (reflectivity; reflexivity; validity; reliability; ethical considerations) and be an introduction to notions of what constitutes a claim to knowledge.

The module will introduce the ATs to the ITTECF (Initial Teacher Training Early Career Framework) and encourage them to make connections between that and their learning in this module.

The module will focus on a range of academic skills, including: auditing academic skills and identifying individual needs; locating research, policies and other information (paper-based and electronic); making judgements on the validity and reliability of data; the conventions of academic text and writing; speaking and listening to learn in seminar groups and tutorials; collaborative learning; interrogating texts; writing accurately and using references and citations appropriately.

The module will also explore some of the complexities involved in making interpretations of theory and practice and enables ATs to challenge overly simplistic translations of 'theory into practice'.

Opportunities to demonstrate and practise the skills learnt in this module, alongside further application and development of skills, will be explicitly available in PR4820, as well as in other level 4 modules.

Common strands explored within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. With these embedded principles, this module introduces Associate Teachers (ATs) to the importance of reading to enable all children to access knowledge, social and cultural capital. ATs will understand place of reading within EYFS and KS1 and 2 statutory documentation; the importance of reading, the 'simple view' of reading, and reading for pleasure. It will introduce ATs to ways in which all children can learn to read including teaching word reading and the role of Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) in early reading (EYFS and KS1). The module will also introduce the teaching of reading comprehension in KS1 and 2 and ensure ATs understand the importance of developing the teacher's own knowledge of high quality children's literature.

This module will introduce Associate Teachers to statutory documentation including the National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). The focus of this module will be the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. These will be studied in the context of both the EYFS (as communication, language and literacy; mathematics; and understanding the world) and the National Curriculum (the Programmes of Study in Key Stage 1 and 2). As well as this there will be an introduction to learning theories, pedagogical and curriculum concepts applicable to the core subjects and opportunities to explore experiences and attitudes towards learning in the core subjects. The module will also support ATs' own substantive content, pedagogical and professional knowledge development based on selected foci from the EYFS framework and KS1 and 2 Programmes of Study and there will be an introduction to effective and inclusive lesson planning in the core subjects that promotes engagement and participation from all learners. ATs will be invited to reflect on harmonies and dissonances between practices recommended in this module and those evident in placement settings. In this way, they will engage in productive and professional dialogue in the spirit of the skills developed in PR4821 to develop critical insights into theory and practice.

This module focuses in addition on developing ATs’ domain-specific subject, curriculum and pedagogical knowledge for effective teaching in the Foundation subjects at Key stages 1 and 2 and related areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS). Tools for subject knowledge auditing will enable ATs to initiate independent research to address gaps in their knowledge. The module focuses ATs' attention on curriculum overview and mapping across several subjects and ATs will be given opportunities to articulate key theoretical concepts related to classroom practice and curriculum design and be able to relate them to Foundation subjects and relevant areas of learning in the EYFS. ATs will be invited to make connections between different foundation subjects and how these may affect decision-making about teaching and curricular design.

Optional Modules

Teaching will be delivered through individual tutorial support. In initial tutorials, students will have the opportunity to explore the range of chosen careers and assignment plans tutor. Tutorial time will also include guidance around the format and input for the type of assessment. Further tutorial support to discuss the focus careers for the assessment.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Year 2 focuses on the developing teacher, and you will have the opportunity to explore your own interests. Some modules enable an early-years-specific focus.

Core Modules

Common strands running throughout the degree and developed within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

The module prepares ATs for and encompasses their second period of school-based learning and their enrichment placement. ATs will undertake a range of activities in a school or educational setting over a period of approximately 40 days. There is a continuing emphasis throughout the degree and in particular at level 5 on supporting the needs of all children and how pedagogy and curriculum planning can be inclusive - as such ATs' lesson planning to include those with a diverse range of needs will be a particular focus. The module will also constitute an opportunity to observe, plan, co-teach, and individually teach a variety of different subjects at KS1 or 2 and/or different areas of learning in the EYFS. ATs will be making pedagogical and curriculum choices on the basis of developing subject knowledge expertise in Core and Foundation subjects and/or in areas of learning. ATs will have opportunities to develop techniques designed to improve literacy, reading, writing and oracy and will reflect on enactments of important curricular and pedagogical concepts (e.g. scaffolding; dialogue; questioning; meaning-making; working memory; long-term memory; cognitive load; engagement; identity transformation; sequencing; interleaving; knowledge-rich; coherence; cumulativity; cultural capital; connectivity). ATs will also have opportunities to develop their own management of classrooms and pupil behaviour, and be able to seek support of other colleagues and, where appropriate and with guidance, parents and carers to help pupils learn. ATs will follow advice and feedback from a variety of sources, including from colleagues, tutors, mentors and from pupils to inform their lesson planning and will have opportunities to break knowledge down, scaffold, practice and present it in learnable ways connecting it to other content. ATs will also participate in the delivery of sequenced and balanced curriculum and reflect on how their own lesson planning and homework setting fits into broader curricular frameworks. ATs will develop strategies for motivating children of all kinds to learn and become more autonomous and will have opportunities to exercise judgement in the use of assessment so that it is purposeful and not overly burdensome. ATs will be invited to participate in professional conversations with colleagues that enable collaboration, teamwork and shared, mutual learning. ATs will also be challenged to manage their own workload and to use techniques for ensuring a productive work-life balance.

The enrichment placement provides additional opportunities for ATs to work with other adults and professionals in the wider children’s workforce and in educational contexts that do not necessarily constitute formal school settings. This could be education in environments other than mainstream UK schools or education systems and practices in other countries. ATs will explore student learning experiences within these other educational contexts; and reflect upon similarity and difference in relation to educational environments, practices and systems.

Common strands developed within the context of this module include safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

The module has a core focus on inclusion in all its forms. It will explore specific areas of special educational needs and disability (SEND); more able learners; social disadvantage; looked after children; cultural diversity; adverse childhood experiences and English as an additional language. ATs will develop the principles of responsive teaching as part of a commitment to inclusivity and the implications this may have for practitioners, planning and curricular design. This will involve taking an increasingly critical perspective to approaches which either have no clear effect or worse exacerbate gaps and underachievement especially for those pupils who are in danger of being left behind by such practices.The module covers the importance of the relationships children have with each other, and between teachers and pupils and how groupings affect and result from them. It includes the impact teaching can have on developing positive relationships, motivation, well-being, and attainment especially of those from disadvantaged backgrounds and how this affects child development. ATs will also develop their repertoire and understanding of approaches to dealing with disruption in classes. The centrality of the curriculum and important concepts of curriculum design (e.g. sequencing; interleaving; knowledge-rich; coherence; cumulativity; cultural capital; connectivity). The module also builds on earlier work in level 4 on theories of learning and teaching, and what this may mean for developing critical insights into policy, research and the history, sociology, and politics of education. ATs will also be given opportunities to develop their techniques for managing themselves in terms of developing professional relationships with colleagues, including additional adults in classrooms, based on collaboration and mutuality; conducting professional dialogues at appropriate times with colleagues and, with guidance, with parents and carers where appropriate; leading their own professional development and managing their own well-being and workload.

Developing resilience and 'managing self' is a core theme of all professional studies-related modules.

Throughout, ATs will be expected to develop their ability to challenge the relevance and validity of emerging theoretical and practical perspectives. The placement module (PR5820) will enable students to relate aspects of the taught programme to classroom practice.

The module's assessment enables students to reflect on their own inclusive practice and identify targets for their final placement.

Common strands explored within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, Associate Teachers (ATs) will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

This module in addition considers the teacher’s role in developing both the health and well-being of pupils. Key content includes enabling ATs to deliver Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education in the Primary and Early-Years Phases including 'Relationship and Health Education' (RHE) (DfE, 2019).

The module will also allow ATs to develop their confidence and subject knowledge in the teaching of related elements of Physical Education (PE) including outdoor and adventurous education (OAE) as well as learning outside the classroom (LOTC) and Forest schools.

The importance of healthy emotional development including children’s emotional regulation, self-esteem and resilience is explored as part of the teacher’s role in recognising and supporting mental health needs.

Cross curricular links and how key themes within health and wellbeing will be integrated across subjects. Through examination of policy and drawing on a range of theoretical ideas, the module illustrates how teachers, parents and professionals all bear a responsibility to work together to support and protect children’s health and wellbeing.

The module will integrate certificated qualifications where possible (for example: Forest school level 1 award, certificate of Professional Development in PSHE Education) and offer options for ATs to gain further qualifications within their allocated independent learning hours for the module (for example; paediatric first aid, mental health first aid). This will enhance AT employability as well as their preparedness for their NQT year.

Common strands developed within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

The module will also cover elements common to all subjects, for example; curriculum design considerations in the planning and delivery of core and foundation subjects in Key Stage 1 and transition; inclusive practice in the core and foundation subjects; further curriculum, pedagogical and professional subject knowledge development in the core and foundation subjects (linked with selected foci from the Key Stage 1 programmes of study); planning for inclusion and progression through sequences of lessons.

This module will build on knowledge of key pedagogues, pedagogies and overarching themes that underpin teaching and learning in the EYFS. There will be a focus on how progression in the Prime and Specific areas in the EYFS relate to child development. Key to this will be developing ATs’ knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of effective learning, the importance of enabling environments, the unique child, developing positive relationships with children, and the observation, planning, and assessment cycle. ATs will develop good subject and pedagogical knowledge so that they can be confident, enthusiastic teachers in the Prime and Specific areas, alongside developing an appreciation of the importance of a positive indoor and outdoor environment for promoting learning and development. ATs will develop their understanding of how the Prime and Specific areas of learning and development interconnect and complement each other in an inclusive EYFS setting.

Common strands explored within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of learning experiences designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

Optional Modules

Through research, students may consider:

Children’s Rights and legal entitlements;
Basic needs to ensure health and well-being;
The nature of physical social and emotional health and well-being for children and young people;
Factors contributing to poor health and well-being and the impact this has on children and young people’s development;
Transitions and stages in social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development;
The roles of adults, children and young people as health educators;
Common forms of illness and disease in childhood and adolescence;
Health inequalities – causes, effects and strategies to reduce these;
Strategies to develop health promotion.

Year 3 focuses on the teacher as a leader of learning and manager of change, and you will undertake a substantial research-based, school-focused specialist study.

Core Modules

Common strands continue to underpin this module and include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

The module encompasses ATs' final period of school-based professional training to support them in meeting the Teachers’ Standards consistently and confidently. ATs will further develop the planning of sequences of lessons in different subjects which take an inclusive approach and ensure the progress of all children, noting key assessment for learning information. ATs will also have opportunities to address areas for development identified in PR6821 concerning assessment practices and be able to practice and apply these during the 2-week intensive placement focused on assessment practices in the Autumn Term and the final placement in Spring. ATs will exercise judgement in drawing inferences from a range of assessment data in order to determine and adjust the next steps in children's learning. ATs will have an opportunity to initiate collaboration, on-going enquiry, professional dialogue with colleagues, including, where appropriate, with parents and carers, and to lead one’s own professional development activities which includes engagement in practitioner research. They will also have opportunities to contribute to the wider life of the school or setting where they are placed. ATs will manage an increasingly intense workload while making sure that activities are undertaken promptly and to secure a productive work/life balance.

Associate Teachers will take responsibility for the learning and teaching of the whole class and groups of children (in their base class and other classes as appropriate). The School-based Learning will enable Associate Teachers to undertake activities which will enhance their understanding of the Teachers’ Standards and prepare them for the induction period.

Common strands underpinning this module continue to include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will continue to be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.

This level 6 module is also designed to develop a range of ideas and themes related to education and teaching in primary and early years settings that were introduced in PR4820 and PR5821. Targets that had been set in PR5821 to enable ATs to develop their inclusive practice will be revisited and revised and ATs will be increasingly expected to make informed justifications of their approaches and actions to ensure all learners can make progress. This module also has a principle focus on assessment in practice and how it can be used more effectively and efficiently to diagnose pupils' needs. This ties in closely with a fortnight-long focused placement in the autumn term. The module will give opportunities to challenge and take an increasingly critical perspective to assessment practice on the basis of research and policy. Narrow, reductive, burdensome and repetitive assessment practices will come under the microscope particularly and connections to this will be made within specific subjects and areas of learning in PR6823, PR6824, PR6825 and PR6826. ATs will be increasingly invited to justify their assessment practices from an informed perspective, making good use of research and accumulated experience on placement. They will reflect on the implications this has for curricular design and pedagogy and further develop their understanding of key curricular and pedagogical concepts. In this way ATs will be developing their own perspectives, philosophy and convictions about teaching, learning and assessment, drawing from recent and earlier experiences from Levels 4 and 5. There are additional opportunities in this module to develop understanding of classroom management and how to encourage a classroom environment conducive to learning, motivation, high aspiration and the building of positive relationships. ATs will be advised about the expectation to and how best to initiate collaboration, on-going enquiry, professional dialogue with colleagues, and if opportunities occur, how they should engage with parents and carers to elicit support for children's learning. ATs will be given opportunities to develop techniques for managing increasing workload demands and how they can organise their schedules to include space for them to reflect, lead their own professional development and contribute to widening the life of a placement school. ATs will be supported to make job applications and to consider their approaches to interviews in different schools and institutions with differing priorities. ATs will also be prepared for their Early Career first teaching year (NQT year in Wales), knowing the areas they need to prioritise in order to develop their practice within the specific support offered by the Early Career Framework.

Developing resilience and 'managing self' is a core theme of all professional studies-related modules.

Common strands explored within the context of this module include commitments to safeguarding, ethical enquiry and well-being of children. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to manage their initiation into professional communities of practice and enquiry.

This module provides opportunities for ATs to undertake school-focused educational research based on an authentic school issue. It will include: key issues in school or setting-focused research; issues surrounding supporting all learners in an educational setting; research methods and methodologies for educational contexts; the ethics of educational enquiry; identifying a line of enquiry to negotiate, plan, design, implement and evaluate a small scale educational research project; academic skills relating to the reporting of research and key findings.

Associate Teachers will be guided to design research projects within their scope and capable of yielding results which will be of value to the Associate Teacher, the participants and a broader audience. It will also equip Associate Teachers to review and reflect on their reading critically and to present results appropriately.

This module develops further what was covered in PR5825 and reviews the ATs' understanding of inclusive approaches to teaching core and foundation subjects. In line with common strands throughout the programme, this module will also be underpinned by a commitment to the safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting learning environments that respect diversity and dignity of all children and building curricula and lesson sequences designed to ensure the progress of all. The module will also enable ATs to engage with research informed approaches to teaching and learning in the core and foundation subjects and areas of learning. There is a focus in this module on assessment practices and ATs will be increasingly expected to take a critical look at recommended assessment practices from policy and research. ATs' own knowledge development continues to be an important focus of the module along with how this can help ATs identify misconceptions in pupils' responses to stimuli and how curricula can be designed to address common misconceptions pupils are liable to develop. This requires assessment to be woven coherently into curricular and lesson design and ATs will be supported to use data and feedback from a wide variety of sources in order to respond to pupils' needs.

This module will further develop ATs' knowledge of the overarching themes that underpin teaching and learning in the EYFS, and will reaffirm the importance of inclusive approaches to teaching and curriculum planning and sequencing; the safeguarding and well-being of children; and promoting a positive learning environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity. ATs will enhance their understanding of the importance of providing a positive indoor and outdoor environment that promotes development in all areas of learning and development in the EYFS. Alongside this, ATs will consider issues related to child development and how this can impact on attainment. ATs will consolidate, enhance and apply knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of effective learning, in relation to the observation, planning, and assessment cycle. ATs will develop good pedagogical knowledge, alongside developing a critical understanding of assessment and curriculum in the EYFS so that they can be confident, enthusiastic teachers in all areas of development within the EYFS. ATs will consider leadership and management in the Early Years.

Optional Modules

This module aims to:

Provide an opportunity for the in-depth investigation of a topic of contemporary significance to education;
Enable Associate Teachers to be able to identify an area of education and critically analyse its significance;
Enable Associate Teachers to critically analyse relevant research and published work that will inform their specialist understanding;
Reflect on research and theoretical perspectives and discuss the implications of these in the field of education.

Placements

At Chester, you will have a placement in our partner schools each year that you study with us.

Year 1

Your first placement will involve familiarising yourself with how a primary school works. We won’t throw you in at the deep end; you’ll receive training before your first placement. You will be supported by a school mentor within your placement school, as well as a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) at university.

Year 2

In your second placement in Year 2, you’ll spend time in the Key Stage before/after your degree specialism. This placement can also be in a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school. You will have the opportunity to undertake an Enrichment Placement, so that you can experience education outside of the classroom in the UK, or at an overseas school.

Year 3

Your third placement focuses on teaching and achieving Qualified Teacher Status. During the final six weeks of placement three, you’ll teach 80% of the timetable, with guidance and support from our expert team to hone your skills.

Securing quality placements is a complex process of matching school expertise to Associate Teacher needs. Because of this, we cannot guarantee that we will place you ‘close to home’. Travel time can be up to 90 minutes per journey – this cannot be a guaranteed maximum, particularly if you are based outside our traditional partnership area. You will be supported throughout your degree before, during and after your placement, to ensure you make the most of your school-based learning.

How You’ll Learn

How we teach at the University of Chester

School-based learning is a rewarding aspect of the course. In each year, you will experience a period of time in school developing your teaching skills.

We use a wide range of formal and informal formative assessment strategies. These can include essays, small group assessments, semi-structured discussions, presentations and peer assessments. There are observations of your teaching and professional practice.

Our commitment goes beyond your undergraduate studies.  Subject to achieving a 2:1 in your undergraduate degree, you will benefit from a guaranteed interview on one of our postgraduate teacher training programmes and a range of other programmes that will allow you to specialise in areas such as special educational needs, leadership and creativity, as well as pursuing research interests.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Becoming a Teacher

On successfully completing your degree, you will attain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This will mean that you can then go on to become a teacher in your chosen area when you graduate.

To support you in securing your first teaching post, we host a careers event for each course to support you as you prepare for the teaching market.

Your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) will be able to advise on your personal statement and can also provide a reference for you.

The placements included in your course are designed to equip you with the practical skills and experience to support you in pursuing a career in teaching. Whilst some graduates do achieve job offers from placement schools, this is not guaranteed, and you will need to find a teaching post at the end of the course.

A qualification in teaching has the possibility of leading to:

Senior Leadership Team roles in Schools (Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher etc.)
Specialist roles such as a Special Educational Needs & Disability Coordinator (SENDCo)
Further study
Support Roles in Education Institutions
Higher Education roles

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Entry Requirements

120 UCAS points

UCAS Points	120 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – BBB-BBC
GCSE	GCSE grade C/4 (or above) in English Language, Maths and Science
BTEC	DDM
International Baccalaureate	28 points
Irish/Scottish Highers	H3 H3 H3 H3 H3 Scottish Highers - BBBB
Access requirements	To include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above
T Level	Merit
OCR Cambridge Technicals	DDM
Extra Requirements	A combination of A-Levels and BTECs/OCRs can be considered.
Prior Work/ Voluntary Experience	Prior experience in schools or working with young children will likely strengthen applications but is not required.
Interview	All candidates must be interviewed prior to any offer being made.
DBS Check	A DBS Check is required
Occupational Health	An Occupational Health check is required

Students from outside the UK are expected to hold qualifications broadly equivalent to UK standards - typically A Level for undergraduate study and a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study.

To help you interpret these equivalents, please select your country/region of residence. This will provide details on equivalent entry requirements, as well as information about local representatives, events, and key contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and assess all applications on an individual basis. Relevant work experience may also be taken into consideration where appropriate.

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

English Language Requirements

IELTS	7.0 overall (with no less than 5.5 in each band)
Prior Work/ Voluntary Experience	Prior experience in schools or working with young children will likely strengthen applications but is not required.
Interview	All candidates must be interviewed prior to any offer being made.
DBS Check	A DBS Check is required
Occupational Health	An Occupational Health check is required

Fees and Funding

£9,790 per year for a full-time course (2026/27)

The full-time tuition fees for Home students entering in 2026/27 are £9,790 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,950 per year for a full-time course* (2026/27)

The tuition fees for international students studying courses in 2026/27 are £14,950 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £11,250 and £14,950 for Years 2-4 in 2026/27.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.