Studies & Degrees in Childhood Education
Childhood Education Study Programs
Childhood education, also called early childhood or early years education, is the study of how young children develop and learn, and of how to teach them. The age range depends on the country: in Spain and Chile the stage runs from birth to six years, and in England the early years foundation stage runs from birth to five. Students learn child development, play-based teaching methods, observation and assessment, and how to work with families.
The qualification decides which age group a graduate may teach, and in which kind of school, so students should check what a programme qualifies for in the country where they want to work.
Qualifications and levels
Spain. Early childhood education (educación infantil) has two cycles: the first up to the age of three and the second from three to six. Teaching it as a Maestro en Educación Infantil is a regulated profession that requires an official bachelor's degree (grado). By ministerial order, these degrees have 240 ECTS credits, include a practicum in early childhood schools and may offer specialisations (menciones) of 30 to 60 credits. Graduates are expected to reach CEFR level B1 in a foreign language. Vocational training (FP) offers a second route: the higher-level qualification Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil has 2,000 hours and qualifies educators for the first cycle.
United Kingdom. In England, teaching in a nursery or early years setting requires early years teacher status (EYTS). The undergraduate route combines a degree in an early childhood subject with teacher training and typically takes three or four years full time; graduates of other subjects can train in about one year. Teaching in a primary school, including a reception class, requires qualified teacher status (QTS) instead.
United States. Requirements vary by setting and by state. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, preschool teachers typically need at least an associate's degree, and public schools generally require at least a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field.
Chile. The degree is called Pedagogía en Educación Parvularia. At the Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins it takes nine semesters and leads to the professional title of Educador de Párvulos and the academic degree of Licenciado en Educación.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 42 active schools for this subject. Spain has the most (22), followed by the United States (10), the United Kingdom (3) and Chile (3).
In Spain the degree is taught at universities and at affiliated university centres. Examples are the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, in the Valencia region, where the Grado en Educación Infantil takes four years and is taught in Spanish; the Centro Universitario Cardenal Cisneros (CUCC) in Alcalá de Henares, affiliated to the Universidad de Alcalá; and Florida Universitària in Catarroja, affiliated to the Universitat de València, whose programme also prepares students for the B1 English and C1 Valencian accreditations.
In the United Kingdom, the University of Sunderland offers a three-year BA (Hons) Childhood Studies with an optional pathway that qualifies graduates as early years practitioners at Level 6. In the United States, Albertus Magnus College in New Haven advises students who want to teach at early childhood level on the certification rules of the Connecticut State Department of Education. In Chile, the Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, the Universidad Autónoma de Chile and the Universidad Diego Portales appear on the list.
The language of instruction is the local one, and work placements take place in local schools. International students therefore need a good level of the language, and a degree earned abroad usually has to be recognised before the holder can teach in another country.
Careers
Most graduates work as teachers or educators in nursery schools, preschools and childcare centres. In Spain, the university degree qualifies teachers for children from birth to six years in public, publicly funded private (concertado) and private schools, while the FP qualification leads to work as an educator in the first cycle and in leisure and social programmes for children under six. In the United Kingdom, the University of Sunderland lists health, social care, education, childcare and charities as career fields for childhood studies graduates.
For the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 583,200 preschool teacher jobs in 2025, 65% of them in child daycare services, and projects employment to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a degree in early childhood education take in Spain?
The Grado en Educación Infantil has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. The vocational qualification Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil has 2,000 hours.
What is the difference between the Spanish university degree and the FP qualification?
The degree is required to work as a Maestro en Educación Infantil, a regulated profession covering the whole stage up to six years. The FP qualification leads to work as an educator in the first cycle, up to three years.
Which qualification do I need to teach young children in England?
Early years teacher status (EYTS) to teach in a nursery or early years setting, and qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in a primary school, including a reception class.
Do I need a foreign language to become an early childhood teacher in Spain?
The ministerial order for these degrees states that graduates should be able to express themselves in a foreign language at CEFR level B1. Some centres also prepare students for a co-official language accreditation, such as C1 Valencian at Florida Universitària.