You'll study fully integrated early years degree and practical diploma modules
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Explore the degree and diploma modules you’ll study
Our early years undergraduate degree and diploma modules are fully integrated to enable you to apply early years theory to practice and build your confidence through a wealth of hands-on experience in a range of early years settings. Each of the three years at Norland is divided into three trimesters with your time split between placement and study.
In your third and final year at Norland, you’ll also be required to complete a dissertation on an early years topic of your choice. During the summer trimester of the third year, we focus on teaching you skills which will be relevant to your future employment. Read our blog written by third-year students on their employment weeks at the end of their degree training.
The final module of the Diploma is the Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) year, a 12-month probationary nanny post in paid full-time employment. No tuition fees are due in this final, fourth year of training.

New degree and diploma programme coming soon
Join our mailing listWe are excited to announce that we will be offering a brand new degree and diploma programme for new students starting in September 2023, subject to validation. This will replace our current award-winning degree and diploma. The successful completion of our new degree and diploma will still lead to a professional career as a Norlander or Norland Nanny, as our fully qualified graduates are known. The new programme is in its final stages of development and will undergo a rigorous academic approval process, known as validation. We will be publishing more information on these pages shortly, so watch this space. Sign up to our mailing list now to ensure you don’t miss out on the latest Norland study news.
Select a module to explore
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4004 Communication, Language and Literacy
Summary:
This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of language development in young children and how this is supported by parents and carers. It will also consider the role literature (reading and writing) plays in the development of language.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4004 Communication in Practice
Summary:
The unit will provide students with the opportunity to gain a secure understanding of how to support children’s communication, language and literacy in practice.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4005: Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Summary:
This module aims to introduce students to the holistic development of children from birth to five with specific focus on personal, social and emotional development.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4005: Supporting Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Summary:
The unit will provide students with the opportunity to gain a secure understanding of how to support children’s personal, social and emotional development in practice.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4010: Professional Development 1: Professional Practice
Summary:
This module is designed to introduce students to the professional and transferable skills required for placement and for their academic studies.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4010: Professional Development in Placement
Summary:
This module is designed to introduce students to the professional and transferable skills required for placement. It also introduces their Practical Skills which they will continue to develop through Level 5 and 6.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4011: Safeguarding and Child Protection
Summary:
This module examines professional and legal responsibilities in terms of safeguarding and protection of children and young people. Students are encouraged to identify strategies that may impact on inter-professional policies and procedures relating to safeguarding and protection. They will explore how effective communication supports effective practice in working together with children and their families and carers.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4011: Safeguarding and Child Protection
Summary:
This unit will practically explore how professionals working as Early years Practitioners and Nannies are able to keep children safe. Links to BA module Safeguarding and Child Protection theory will be used to support and underpin experiential learning opportunities.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4012: Physical Development
Summary:
Physical development is a prime area of learning and development in the EYFS and research suggests the complex significance of physical activity to children’s growth and development, especially learning. The module aims to provide students with an overview of the social and biological processes involved in children’s physical development. The role of movement and physicality will be examined as well as an analysis of attitudes towards physicality in society. Making appropriate provision for physicality will be considered together with the many advantages of outdoor play.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4012: Physical Development and Through Care Routines
Summary:
The unit aims to provide students with an opportunity to explore appropriate provision for the physical care of young children and babies.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC4013: Concepts of Development and Learning
Summary:
The module will examine the crucial role of the early years practitioner in supporting children’s development and learning. Detailed consideration will be made in regards to the impact of government frameworks, changes and theoretical influences to practice with a focus on England but with regard given to international curricula and practice. This module will give students a detailed understanding of children’s development and learning in addition to skills in reflective observation which are vital to excellent, effective practice.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND4013: Supporting Development and Learning
Summary:
This unit will develop the skills of students to be able to observe, assess and plan to provide challenging and purposeful play opportunities for children.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y1.P1: Machine and hand sewing skills
Summary:
Through this unit students will have the opportunity to develop their machine and hand sewing skills and gain confidence using new tools and equipment.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y1.P2: Create an embellished child’s apron
Summary:
Through this unit students will have the opportunity to develop their machine and hand sewing skills and confidence through making a child’s apron.
Diploma
Module title and code:
FN 1.1: Basic cookery skills
Summary:
This unit will cover basic food preparation and cooking skills, with an introduction to kitchen hygiene and safety, and theory of nutrition.
Diploma
Module title and code:
FN 1.2: Meal planning
Summary:
Students will have the opportunity to explore meal planning to ensure that children and babies have balanced diet this includes weaning. Students will also have links to theory shared with them through ND main teaching. Students will be given feedback at each session about how efficiently and tidily they have worked.
Diploma
Placements in a nursery, school and a hospital.
Select a module to explore
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5011: Professional Development 2: Play and Learning
Summary:
This module will focus on how theory, research and current frameworks could be used to inform practitioners’ approach to play to ensure that it is intuitive, stage appropriate and has the capacity to develop unique experiences through creative best practice for babies and young children.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5011: Professional Development 2: Play and Learning
Summary:
Through this unit students will have the opportunity to further investigate play to ensure that it is intuitive, stage appropriate and has the capacity to develop unique experiences through creative best practice for babies and young children.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5012: Making Sense of Children’s Behaviour
Summary:
This module aims to examine underlying factors behind the behaviours of children through a range of theoretical perspectives applicable to early years development and learning. Students will investigate contemporary research in relation to behaviour and apply this to professional practice. Content will enable students to explore practical strategies to analyse the causes of behaviour and support children to self-regulate.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5012: Supporting Emotional Wellbeing
Summary:
The aim of this unit is to enable learners to gain an understanding of the complexities of children’s behaviour, and to develop the skills to promote positive behaviour and support children and their parents with diverse need.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5013: Working with Families and Communities
Summary:
This module aims to support students with exploring the diverse nature of families and communities. As part of this module, students will become aware of the impact social, political and global influences can have on the family. It will identify various family structures and evaluate how these have changed over time. It will then examine how families are empowered through local, regional and national support systems. This will lead to discussions about the role of the practitioner in supporting children through positive partnerships with the family and the community .
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5013: Supporting Families and Communities as a Nanny
Summary:
Understand how early years settings can work in partnership with families to improve outcomes for their children.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5014: Ethics in Research
Summary:
The module is concerned with how to conduct ethically sound research taking account of ethical principles and guidance, and the legal questions which relate to the research process. The module addresses both conceptual and practical issues of ethics throughout the research process.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5014: Working Ethically with Children
Summary:
This unit will explore how to work an ethically sound way when carrying out research.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5015: Promoting Health and Wellbeing
Summary:
This module is designed to introduce students to a range of issues surrounding children’s health and wellbeing. The module aims to draw on ideas of childhood and child development to explore how children’s health and well-being are conceptualised in UK policy and practice. The module will consider the determinants of health and different ways of promoting health.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5015: Health and Wellbeing
Summary:
In this unit students will learn to understand the importance of health and well -being for the children which they care for.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC5016: Thriving in a Diverse Society
Summary:
It is every child’s right for their needs to be met in order to thrive in life and reach their full potential. This module will explore the aspects of difference and diversity relevant to the early years sector across a variety of contexts. Themes are linked to current legislation which include; gender, disability, multiculturalism, social class, poverty and inequality, along with the impact of adversity on learning and development.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND5016: Celebrating Difference
Summary:
The aim of this unit is for students to promote a fully inclusive environment in early years settings and homes in order to support the diverse needs of all children and their families within their community.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y2.P3: Embroidered zip bag
Summary:
Through this unit students will have the opportunity to develop their machine and hand sewing skills and confidence through making a zipped bag embellished with hand embroidery.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y2.P4: Cushion cover
Summary:
Through this unit students will have the opportunity to develop their machine and hand sewing skills and confidence through making a cushion cover.
Diploma
Module title and code:
FN 2.1: Homemade techniques
Summary:
Students will have the opportunity to be able to explore home baking techniques and equipment which they find in families’ homes.
Diploma
Module title and code:
FN 2.2: Cooking for children with specific dietary requirements and supporting mothers
Summary:
Students will explore how to make meals which all children are able to eat to provide inclusive mealtime opportunities.
Diploma
Placements with a daily family, residential family, in a special needs school and a hospital.
Select a module to explore
Degree
Module title and code:
NC6002: Research Methodology
Summary:
This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a systematic understanding of the research process and to produce their own project proposal.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC6003: Literature Review
Summary:
This module provides an opportunity to undertake a literature-based review on a topic of the student’s own choosing within early years. This will enable students to have a systematic understanding of the knowledge base of a particular topic and understand its relationship with other fields of study. Students will enhance their skills in information seeking and critical appraisal, using their ability to apply principles of analysis to identify unbiased and valid studies.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC6004: Work-Based Project
Summary:
This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a systematic understanding of the research process and use this knowledge to carry out a work based project.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC6006: Dimensions of Leadership
Summary:
In this module students will study different theories of leadership and management and will be asked to present their ideas on leadership, planning and management related to working within the early years.
Diploma
Module title and code:
ND6006: Leadership in Practice
Summary:
The aim of this unit is for students to explore and reflect upon their own learning and identify areas for recap and further development, masterclasses will then be implemented.
Degree
Module title and code:
NC6010: Professional Development 3: Reflective Practice
Summary:
This module has been designed to enable students to deepen their skills at reflecting critically on their experience of early years’ practice.
Diploma
Module title:
Reflective Practice: Employment
Summary:
This unit will be taught throughout the third year of training focusing on preparing the learner for interviews and employment. This will include taught sessions on subjects such as employment procedures and law as well as practical activities, such as creating a personal portfolio to take to interviews.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y3:P5: Fancy dress cape
Summary:
Throughout this unit students will create a child’s cape using a commercial pattern, inspired by world book day.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Y3:P6: Quillow
Summary:
During this unit students will create a personalised quillow.
Diploma
Module title and code:
3.1: Celebration cookery
Summary:
Students will have the opportunity to create children’s party food and consider the cost of catering for a celebration.
Diploma
Module title and code:
Diploma – 3.2: Preparation for Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) year
Summary:
Students participate in Employment Weeks as they prepare for their Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) year.
Diploma
Placements with a daily family and in a specialist placement setting.
Select a module to explore
Diploma
Module title:
Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) year
Summary:
This unit will be carried out and completed during the Newly Qualified Nanny’s (NQN) first year of employment as a nanny. It is an essential part of the Norland Diploma and learners will only receive their ‘Norlander’ title and Diploma once this unit has been completed. Find out more about the NQN year on our Placements and NQN page.
Read our students' reviews on studying at Norland
Read reviewsFind out what students think of studying their early years degree and diploma at Norland, the childcare placement experience they’ve benefitted from and student life in Bath by reading their reviews on Whatuni, the largest university course comparison website in the UK.
Students share their Norland stories

"I love to make a difference in children's lives and Norland allows me to do that."
Lucy
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"I have absolutely no regrets and I’m very excited to move forward as a Norlander."
Matthew
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“If you are passionate about working with children, there is no better place to study than Norland.”
Hannah
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"I don't think anyone can quite get into words exactly what Norland means to you because it's such an amazing thing to be a part of."
Emily
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“Never have I been in an environment with more considerate, kind and loving people as at Norland”.
Abi
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“My time at Norland has been so memorable and is one of the best things I have ever done. … If I could, I would do it all again."
Ellie
Read full storyWorld-famous exceptional early years training
Award-winning BA (Hons) degree with integrated practical diploma
Gain two distinct world-famous qualifications and the prestigious title ‘Norland Nanny’ or ‘Norlander’.
Learn moreA wealth of real-world experience that will set you apart
Gain extensive hands-on experience throughout your training and start earning as soon as you complete your degree.
View placementsA welcoming, close-knit and nurturing environment in Bath
You’ll experience exceptional teaching and support, small class sizes and a top 10% university student experience
View supportAn enriching value-added experience beyond the curriculum
Participate in different activities, gain new skills and bond with fellow students through our value-added programme.
Learn more