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Bachelor-of-Arts-(Hons)-in-Early-Childhood-and-Family-Studies
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Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) in Leadership and Non-Chinese Speaking Children (Four-year Part-time)
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Programme Code Venue Programme Leader
C4B006

Tai Po Campus / Tseung Kwan O Study Centre / North Point Study Centre / satellite study centre at urban locations as decided by the University

Note: Courses will be mainly offered in Tai Po Campus (except Elective courses and General Education).

Dr Chu Sing Wa Steven

Programme video

Programme Aims

This programme is designed to address the growing need for adept leaders and managers in preschools who are equipped to cater to the educational needs of non-Chinese speaking children. Additionally, it aims to enhance the proficiency of qualified early childhood educators, molding them into innovative, ethical professionals committed to advancing quality education for young children and their families in Hong Kong. Upon concluding this programme, graduates will possess a refined and expanded understanding of early childhood education, enabling them to critically assess and improve their own pedagogical practices.

Programme Features

Professional Upgrading

  1. The Committee on Free Kindergarten Education's report places significant emphasis on quality education tailored for non-Chinese speaking children.
  2. In the Policy Address of 2006/07, the government advocated for all kindergarten principals to pursue advanced education and achieve a degree by the 2011/12 academic year.
  3. As a novel initiative in Pre-primary Education, the Education Bureau (EDB) stipulates that beginning from the 2009/10 academic year, all newly appointed principals must possess a degree in early childhood education (BEd(ECE)).
  4. Graduates from this programme will be strategically equipped to align with EDB's policies, ensuring that a greater number of non-Chinese speaking children benefit from quality early childhood education.
  5. Graduates of this programme, who have maintained teaching roles in special child care service units during their study period and have fulfilled the requisite courses in Diverse Needs, will be acknowledged as having completed the training equivalent to the One-year In-service Course in Special Child Care Work, as recognized by the Social Welfare Department. Note 1

Note 1: Students may be required to provide proof of service for taking the courses in diverse needs. The University reserves the right to approve students' eligibility

Interactive Learning Mode

Students are encouraged to critically reflect upon and augment their practical experience in early childhood education by actively participating in workshops, seminars, and tutorials within a dynamic pedagogical environment.

Programme Structure

This programme spans four years on a part-time basis and encompasses a total of 81 credit points (cps). Conceptualized as an 'add-on', it is intended to complement the in-service Certificate/Higher Diploma in Kindergarten Education Programme (CE(KG)/HD(KG)), the pre-service Certificate/Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education Programme (CE(ECE)/HD(ECE)), or their equivalents. The curriculum of this programme is segmented into the following domains:

Domain Credit Points (cps)
Major Core 30
Interdisciplinary Course 3
Electives 18
Education Studies 12
Field Experience 6
Final Year Project Honours Project I / Capstone Project I: Research Methods and Proposal 3
Honours Project II: Research Report / Capstone Project II: Project Output 3
General Education 3
English Enhancement Course 3
Total: 81

Major

The major underscores the significance of professional excellence, ethical responsibility, and innovation within the domain of early childhood education. Our objective is to cultivate graduates who emerge as seasoned early childhood educators and adept leaders, characterized by their compassion, proficiency, intellectual vigor, societal commitment, and global acumen.

Core

The core courses provide students with an opportunity to examine teaching and learning through an interdisciplinary lens. These courses delve into early childhood education from psychological, sociological, philosophical, pedagogical, and various other standpoints. Through this comprehensive study, students will cultivate essential competencies requisite for professional practice, encompassing problem-solving, critical analysis, creativity, effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, ethical discernment, and a global outlook.

The core courses are:

  • Child Health, Safety and Welfare
  • Children in Transition
  • Emergent Literacy
  • Effective Leadership for Early Childhood Education
  • Resources Management in Early Childhood Sector
  • Educational Reform and International Perspectives: Rethinking Policy and Practice for Young Children
  • Leadership for Engaging Diversity in Early Years
  • Constructing a Facilitative Home-school Collaboration for non-Cantonese Speaking Children
  • Multiculturalism, Multilingualism: Developing International Mindedness in Early Childhood Education
  • Teaching Chinese Language to Non-Chinese Speaking Children

Interdisciplinary Course

The interdisciplinary course, titled "Working with Families from Diverse Backgrounds," fortifies students' leadership capacities by fostering enhanced home-school collaboration through the adoption of innovative policies and the implementation of empowering methodologies.

Electives

Category 1 Note 2
For all elective areas, students are required to take two compulsory courses, namely “Understanding and Embracing Diversity” and “Meeting Diverse Needs in the Early Years” in Diverse Needs area Note 3 and 3 elective courses from at least two of following seven elective areas of study:

  • Chinese Language and Literacy
  • Mathematics and Science
  • Creativity and Aesthetics: Arts
  • Creativity and Aesthetics: Music and Movement
  • Child and Family Well-being
  • Diverse Needs
  • Leadership, Policy and Innovation

Note 2: Students who wish to be considered as having training in Special Child Care Work recognized by the Social Welfare Department are required to take 4 compulsory courses in the Diverse Needs area and 1 elective course from another area of study.
Note 3: Students Who have acquired training in Special Child Care Work recognized by the Social Welfare department can take 5 elective courses from at least two of the above seven areas of study for their electives.


Category 2
Students are required to take one of the following courses:

  • Art II
  • An Introduction to Modern Chinese Language*
  • Academic English: Writing and Reading# 
  • Introduction to Chinese Culture*
  • Mathematics II – Mathematics for Early Childhood Educators*
  • Music II
  • Physical Education II
  • Putonghua II*
  • Science II*
  • Social Studies II

* Courses will be conducted in Cantonese/Putonghua only.

# Courses will be conducted in English only.

Education Studies

In this domain, students employ the principles and theories on early childhood education, which develop students’ global awareness of early childhood care and education of the current trends on child studies and development.

The ES courses are:

  • Current Curriculum Issues in Early Childhood Education
  • Comparative Early Childhood Education
  • Current Trends in Child Development and Assessment
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Early Childhood Practice

Field Experience

The Field Experience that composed of Integrated Field Experience I (2cps) and Integrated Field Experience II (4cps) aims to assist students to innovate and reflect on their practice that builds on the students' foundation of situated knowledge. It help students critically reflect on their practice and enrich their theoretical knowledge of early childhood practice. Students are expected to develop and implement theory-based teaching Note 4 in an early childhood education setting in Hong Kong Note 5 for enhancing teaching and learning.

Note 4: Students specializing in Diverse Needs area are required to develop their Field Experience study in Diverse Needs.
Note 5: Supervisory visits will be arranged in students’ serving school with children at 3-6 years old.

Final Year Project

The Final Year Project comprises of two 3-cp courses:

  • Honours Project I / Capstone Project I: Introduction of research methods and proposal in Semester 2 of Year 3; and
  • Honours Project II / Capstone Project II: A one-year project to be conducted in the final year. Students can choose their topic from either their Major or Education Studies, and will complete an individual project under the supervision by an academic staff. Note 6

Note 6: Students specializing in Diverse Needs area are required to develop their Honours ProjectII/Capstone Project II study in Diverse Needs.

General Education

Students are required to take one 3-cp course selected from a list of General Education (GE) courses which cover a variety of areas, including positive thinking, stress management, healthy living or teachers’ personal and professional interest.

English Enhancement Course

The compulsory 3-cp English Enhancement Course aims to help students acquire linguistics skills in both academic and social contexts. It prepares students to write coherent and organized academic texts by developing essential skills in critical thinking, reading and writing. In addition, the course will enhance student’s ability to make appropriate correspondence in the workplace.

Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction is mainly Chinese. English or Putonghua is adopted as the language of instruction for relevant courses, (e.g. the course "Multiculturalism, Multilingualism: Developing International Mindedness in Early Childhood Education" and "Working with Families from Diverse Backgrounds" might be conducted in English) as appropriate.

Mode of Study

Students are normally required to attend two to three 3-hour sessions per week. Courses will be held on weekdays from 6:30 pm to 9:20 pm at Tai Po Campus or Tseung Kwan O Study Centre/ North Point Study Centre/ satellite study centre at urban locations Note 7 as decided by the University whereas some may be offered on Saturday afternoon in one of the campuses.

Note 7: Courses except Elective courses and General Education courses will be mainly offered in Tai Po Campus.

Career Prospects / Professional Qualifications

Graduates of the programme will:

  • meet the professional qualifications as kindergarten principal Note 8;
  • be able to work competently in a broad range of positions that involve working with children and families;
  • obtain degree-level professional qualifications that are in high demand in the early childhood education sector and advanced knowledge to lead and promote educational practices that support the learning needs of non-Chinese speaking children; and
  • be eligible to apply for the University's Master of Education Programme.

Note 8: Graduates' individual registration on professional qualifications as kindergarten principal is subject to the approval of the Education Bureau.

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants should normally have completed the Certificate / Higher Diploma in Kindergarten Education Programme (CE(KG) / HD(KG)) or Certificate / Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education Programme (CE(ECE) / HD(ECE)) or equivalent, such as Higher Diploma in Child Care and Education. Eligible applicants may be required to attend an interview.

Early Admission

Early admission offers will be given to highly qualified applicants. These applicants will be informed of the admission result individually by email. Applicants who are not offered early admission shall not assume that they are not being considered for admission. Please check your personal email and your online application account regularly for the progress of your application.

Admission Enquiries

(852) 2948 6886
admission@eduhk.hk

Programme Enquiries

(852) 2948 7131
ptbedece@eduhk.hk

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in this website is correct. Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained in this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information contained in this website.

Any aspect of the course and course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

EdUHK is one of the teacher education providers in Hong Kong. Graduates of the University’s teacher education programmes are eligible to apply to become fully qualified and registered teachers. As regards teacher registration, graduates should approach the Teacher Registration Team of the Education Bureau (EDB) to submit applications directly. All applications will be assessed by the EDB which will consider, among other things, whether an applicant has been convicted of any criminal offence (including sex-related offences) in Hong Kong or elsewhere, or is involved in any ongoing criminal proceedings or investigations. For details, please browse the EDB’s website.

In the event of inconsistency between information in English and Chinese version or where an interpretation of the programme content is required, the decision of the University shall be final.

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