The University Grants Committee-funded Bachelor of Arts Programme in Early Childhood Education is a two-year, full-time degree programme designed for local Higher Diploma holders. Building on the foundation knowledge that students have already acquired from their higher diploma programmes, the Programme aims to provide additional academic and professional training for higher diploma holders who are already recognized as “qualified kindergarten teachers” to become effective and competent early childhood educators.

The Programme will equip students with not only the strong theoretical background in knowledge on child development and pedagogical skills to foster the holistic development (physical, cognitive and language, affective and social, and aesthetic) of children, but also the competence and sensitivity to design a responsive curriculum, and through which the physical and psychological development of children with various learning, emotional and behavioral needs may be facilitated. Evidence-based practices will be emphasized. There is also a component on internship to widen students’ perspectives in working with young children. In view of the increased awareness of learner diversity and the use of eLearning, the Programme will also focus on the academic knowledge and professional competence to address special educational needs in children and to capitalise on eLearning potentials in the kindergarten setting.

The Programme will adopt a multidisciplinary approach, drawing upon expertise from different departments of the Faculty of Education, including Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Educational Administration and Policy, Department of Educational Psychology and Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, so that students will gain solid disciplinary knowledge from diverse academic and practice perspectives.