Early Childhood Education focusing on Science and Education for Sustainability
This course provides theories on children’s learning in science. It covers concepts and theories relating to science phenomena and sustainable development.
The course has an exploratory, project-oriented approach. Pedagogical documentation is used as a tool for recording children’s questions and actions, and for planning, analysing, and evaluating teaching activities related to the topics of the course. The significance of the teaching environment and material for children’s exploration is at focus and aesthetic forms of expression are used to understand, communicate and create knowledge.
The course is offered for international exchange students, students from the Program in Early Childhood Education as well as students who have applied for the course as a free standing (single subject) course.
Information for admitted students spring 2025
Congratulations! You have been admitted at Stockholm University and we hope that you will enjoy your studies with us.
In order to ensure that your studies begin as smoothly as possible we have compiled a short checklist for the beginning of the semester.
Follow the instructions on whether you have to reply to your offer or not.
universityadmissions.se
Checklist for admitted students
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Activate your university account
The first step in being able to register and gain access to all the university's IT services.
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Register at your department
Registration can be done in different ways. Read the instructions from your department below.
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Read all the information on this page
Here you will find what you need to know before your course or programme starts.
IMPORTANT
Your seat may be withdrawn if you do not register according to the instructions provided by your department.
Information from the department - courses
Welcome to study with us at the Department of Child and Youth Studies.
Please note that our courses with English as the language of instruction are offered for three different groups of students:
- exchange students
- students from the Preschool teacher education programme
- students who applied for the course via www.universityadmissions.se or www.antagning.se
Please make sure to read the instructions that are relevant for your student group.
Information for exchange students
In December you will get an email with more information about the course(s) that you have chosen at the Department of Child and Youth Studies. If you have chosen courses at other departments as well, these departments will contact you with more information regarding their course(s).
When you arrive in Stockholm you will need to activate your university account and order the university card. Please find more information via the link below (see headline "For international students").
How to activate your university account and order your university card
Exchange students will be registered for their courses by the Department of Child and Youth Studies and do not need to register online.
For students from the teacher education program in Early Childhood Education studying the english version of the third semester
In December you will get an email with more information about the English version of the third semester of the teacher education program in Early Childhood Education.
The courses are:
- UB313F - Early Childhood Education focusing on Science and Education for Sustainability,
- UB34VY - VFU III
- UB314F - Early Childhood Education focusing on Mathematics and Technology.
Please register according to the deadline and instructions in the email. In the email you will also find more information regarding the prerequisites for the courses.
Information for students who applied for the course through university admissions or antagning.se
First notification of selection results: December 10th you will get admission results from university admissions (antagning.se). To keep your offered place you need to reply yes via university admissions at the latest December 16th.
Second notification of selections results: December 19th you will get the second admissions results from university admissions (no reply required).
After the second notification of selection results from university admissions the department will send you a welcome email to the e-mail address that you have used for university admissions.
Please take time to read the information in the email for specific information regarding your course.
The most important general information is summarized below.
Mandatory online registration for the course
In order to keep your offered place for the course you need to register online during the registration period January 7th until January 12th. If you do not register on time, you will lose your place on the course.
Please follow the instructions below.
Activate your university account
In order to register you need to have a university account.
From January 7th you can activate your university account.
How to register:
- Logg in at Ladok for students
- Go to the tab/headline current education.
- Under upcoming you will see the courses you can register for. Click the button Register for the course you want to register for.
- Approve the registration by clicking "Register me".
Please note!
If you have any trouble with your registration please email the course administrator before the end of the registration period for help with the registration. You can find contact information for the course administrator below.
If you are on the waiting list
If you are placed on the waiting list after the first notification of selection results, you must reply yes to your place on the waiting list on university admissions at the latest December 16th. Please note that being on the waiting list does not guarantee you a place for the course.
If you are placed on the waiting list after the second notification of selection results or after sending in a late application you only need to reply yes to the department if you are offered a place.
If there are places left for a course after the registration period the course administrator will contact students on the waiting list. Students on the waiting list may be contacted until the course starts.
If we can offer you a place for the course you will be contacted by email. We will use the email address that you have used on university admissions. In the email you will be given a deadline for when you need to reply yes in order to keep the offered place.
If you are on the waiting list please make sure to check your email account regularly.
For students that have been conditionally admitted.
If your status is “conditionally admitted” on the notification of selection results from University Admissions, please read the information through the link below.
See headline “For students that have been conditionally admitted”.
Eligibility and instructions for what you need to do to change your status from “conditionally admitted” to “admitted”
Welcome activities
Stockholm University organises a series of welcome activities that stretch over a few weeks at the beginning of each semester. The programme is voluntary (attendance is optional) and includes Arrival Service at the airport and an Orientation Day, see more details about these events below.
Your department may also organise activities for welcoming international students. More information will be provided by your specific department.
Find your way on campus
Stockholm University's main campus is in the Frescati area, north of the city centre. While most of our departments and offices are located here, there are also campus areas in other parts of the city.
Read more
For new international students
The course has an exploratory, project-oriented approach. Pedagogical documentation is used as a tool for recording children’s questions and actions, and for planning, analysing, and evaluating teaching activities related to the topics of the course. The significance of the teaching environment and material for children’s exploration is at focus and aesthetic forms of expression are used to understand, communicate and create knowledge.
The course is offered for international exchange students, students from the Program in Early Childhood Education as well as students who have applied for the course as a free standing (single subject) course.
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Course structure
The course is offered spring and autumn semesters.
Study pace: Full time studies, 100%.
The course consists of two modules:
- Early Childhood Educational Perspective on Science and Education for Sustainability and
- Subject Learning and Teaching on Science and Education for Sustainability.
Modules
The following topics are covered in the course module Early Childhood Educational Perspective on Science and Education for Sustainability (8 credits):
- scientific exploration in preschools using project-based work, aesthetic forms of expression and outdoor teaching activities;
- sustainable development from the perspective of early childhood education;
- the teaching environment and the significance of materials for children’s scientific exploration and meaning-making;
- pedagogical documentation as a tool for highlighting children’s thoughts and ideas about scientific phenomena and sustainable development;
- communicating science and sustainability by means of aesthetic expressions, play and digital tools.
The following topics are covered in the course module Subject Learning and Teaching on Science and Education for Sustainability (4 credits):
- basic scientific and technological terminology, models and theories, with a special focus on ecology, natural cycles and sustainable development;
- basic terminology concerning chemical processes and physical phenomena;
- learning for sustainable development and different forms of participation;
- outdoor didactic approaches with focus on science.
Teaching format
Instruction is given in the form of lectures, seminars, supervision sessions, laboratory work, and excursions, as well as via the learning and collaboration platform Athena.
Specified teaching sessions are mandatory. Absence must be compensated for as described in the study guide.
Study Guide
The Study Guide for the course will be published at the latest one month prior to the course start.
Course literature valid from the spring semester 2024 (197 Kb)
Study Guide UB313F ECE focusing on Science and Education for Sustainability_ Autumn 2024_24_08_30_ (324 Kb)
(Updated 2024-08-30)Study Guide spring semester 2025 (to be published at the latest one month prior to course start)
Assessment
Forms of examination
- The course module Early Childhood Educational Perspective on Science and Education for Sustainability is examined on the basis of an individual paper focusing (grading A-F) and an oral group presentation (grading G-U).
- The course module Subject learning and teaching in Science and Education for Sustainability is examined on the basis of an individual reflection on seminars (grading G-U).
In order to pass the course, students must at least receive grade E or G on all examinations, complete all assignments as per the course description (study guide) and complete all obligatory attendance.
For details and deadlines regarding examinations please see the study guide for the relevant semester.
Next opportunity for re-examination
The next opportunity for re-examination is December 6th.
The assignment is handed in via the course page in Athena in the re-examination folder under resources.The folder will open November 29th and the deadline to hand in the re-examination is December 6th.
Students that were enrolled before the autumn semester 2024 need to email the course administrator at the latest November 22nd. This is necessary in order to get access to the Athena page in time for the re-examination.
Examiner
Autumn semester 2024:Emilie Moberg
Spring semester 2025:Emilie Moberg
Autumn semester 2025:
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Schedule
The schedule will be available no later than one month before the start of the course. We do not recommend print-outs as changes can occur. At the start of the course, your department will advise where you can find your schedule during the course.The course is offered the following periods
Spring semester 2025 January 20th until March 11th
Schedule - Preliminary until one month prior to course start
Autumn semester 2025 September 1st until October 20th
Schedule - To be published at the latest one month prior to the course start
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Course literature
Note that the course literature can be changed up to two months before the start of the course.The course literature will be published at the latest two months prior to the course start.
Due to technical issues, the course literature list that is valid from the spring semester 2024, that you can see below may look strange. A correctly formated version is available above under the headline "Course structure" next to the study guide. The course literature list is also available via the study platform Athena.
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Course reports
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More information
Combine courses to study a full semester
Please note that it is possible to combine with the two following courses in order to study a full semester (30 ECTS) focusing on science, technology, education for sustainable development, mathematics and explorative learning in the context of early childhood education.
Early Childhood Education: Explorative Learning, 6 credits (ECTS)
Early Childhood Education Focusing on Mathematics and Technology, 12 credits (ECTS)
How to apply
Application - a Step by Step Guide
It is important that you docucment your eligibility and language proficiency in your application. You can find more information at universityadmissions.se:
Documenting English proficiency
Exchange students
Please note that exchange students apply according to a separate routine.
Anmälan till kursen för dig som läser Förskollärarprogrammet (LFÖRY)
Studenter inom Förskollärarprogrammet som vill läsa den engelska terminen anmäler sig till kursen/kurserna via institutionen. Informationsmöte om detta hålls i anslutning till undervisning under termin två.
Studying at Stockholm University
New student at Stockholm University
Welcome activities for new students
Directions
Please note that the lectures/seminars will take place at serveral different areas of the Stockholm University campus. Please take the time to check directions before the lectures.
In most cases you have lectures at the Department of Child and Youth Studies. See directions to the Department of Child and Youth Studies.
You will also have a few lectures at the Department of Teaching and Learning.
See directions to the Department of Teaching and Learning -
Meet us
Meet our students
Meet the exchange student Nagomi Sugiyama from Japan
Nagomi was studying courses in Early Childhood Education during the fall semester 2020 at the Department of Child and Youth Studies.
Nagomi SugiyamaMy experiences as an exchange student at the Department of Child and Youth Studies
The exchange student Deborah Suter from Switzerland was studying courses in Early Childhood Education during fall semester 2018 at The Department of Child and Youth Studies. Read about her experiences.
Photo: Deborah Suter. -
Contact
If you have questions regarding the content of the course please contact the teacher responsible for the course.
If you have administrative questions regarding admissions, registration, registration of grades, the learning and collaboration platform Athena etc. please contact the course administrator.
Course leder and examiner: Emilie Moberg, email: emilie.moberg@buv.su.se
Course administrator: Malin Håkansson, e-mail: malin.hakansson@buv.su.se
