Facts
Teaching semester: Spring
Credits: 20 ECTS
Admission deadline: 1. October
Course content
The course is based on an understanding of children that emphasizes children’s participation and children’s competences, a societal view that emphasizes responsibility for the environment and sustainable development, and a view on culture that embraces both cultural heritage and cultural criticism. The course gives the students an insight into children’s culture and the formative influences that are part of the processes in a child’s development. The Norwegian society may still be categorised as quite homogeneous. However, increasing numbers of multi-cultural groups of children lead to more emphasis on inter-cultural work. Core values in this work are respect, creativity, dialogue and wondering.
Other values fundamental for this course are gender equality and equality between all people. Accompanying this are moral values which constitute the foundation for a modern democracy, and are in accordance with the United Nations (UN) Human Rights. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) forms the ethical foundation by emphasizing the child’s rights to a life that allows a physical, spiritual, moral and social development. In addition it is also a foundation for developing an understanding of the values inherent in religious cultural traditions.
The course is multidisciplinary and contains the following subject areas:
- Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Art/Drama/Music
- Norwegian
- Maths
- Education/Pedagogics
- Norwegian Culture and Society
- Religion, Philosophies of Life and Ethics
Working and learning activities
Theory and practical training
The course is part of a professional education where theory and practice form two equal sources of knowledge which are inter-related. The course is a platform for a reflexive meeting between theoretical subject knowledge, practical skills and professionalism, and the three areas of competence should be seen as a holistic unit. Therefore, parts of the course will be practical training in an ECEC setting.
Mentored practical training
During the course the students will gain experience with planning, carrying out and evaluating pedagogical work in the ECEC institution, and gain experience with the preschool teacher profession. Tutoring of the practical training is a joint responsibility for all teachers during the course. The students will have 25 days of practice experiences throughout the programme of 13 weeks. The practice tutor at the college has the coordinating responsibility for the students during their practical training, and the practice mentor in the ECEC setting is responsible for the practical training in the ECEC setting.
Responsibility for own learning
Students are expected to take joint responsibility and to have a joint influence during the course. They are required to work independently and actively to be well prepared for co-operation with children, colleagues, parents and the community, both during the study and in a lifelong learning process. In addition to lecturers and other teacher initiated activities, the students have to take responsibility to acquire knowledge of the contents of the course through self-study, groups, as well as individual work.
Student participation
All teaching and practical training throughout the course is compulsory. In order to have the various parts of the course approved and to take the final exam the students have to fulfill all compulsory assignments. The requirement of mandatory attendance included.
Practical training
Practical training is a mandatory and important part of the NECEC2100 course. The students will carry out 25 days of practical training in an ECEC setting (0-5 years). It gives the students a unique insight into a Norwegian early childhood education institution and provide opportunities to try theoretical knowledge in practice.
During the course the students will gain experience with planning, carrying out and evaluating pedagogical work in the ECEC institution, and gain experience with the Early Childhood Teacher profession.
QMUC is responsible for the placement of the students.
Absence
The practical training (PT) teacher in the ECEC setting takes absence during the training and should be notified immediately about absence by the student. With successive days of absence of more than three days, a medical certificate is required and should be given to the PT teacher who will forward it to the PT tutor at QMUC. If the total absence exceeds 30 per cent, the student fails the PT. If the total absence during the practical training period is between 20 and 30 per cent, the student has to catch up with parts of the training. The decision will be made by the Head of PT, the PT tutor and the PT teacher. If the PT teacher is absent more than 3 days, the Head of PT is notified by the Head Teacher at the ECEC setting.
Study plan
Updated version will be available soon
Study period
Semester dates for 2025/26 Will be available soon
Admission requirements
Students have to be enrolled in early childhood education and care (ECEC) studies at their home institution. The home institution nominates students for the exchange programme. Students send in their application with copies of reports of marks from all finalised subjects at their home institution and letter of motivation. A registration form is filled in by the students after admission is granted.
Students nominated from partner institutions are given priority if there are more applicants than places.
Free movers must document at least 60 ECTS credits of studies in preferably the field of Early Childhood Education, alternatively in Education. Students with background in ECE will be given priority.
Applicants fron non-english speaking countries must also provide documentation of English proficiency.