Programme Title: UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY PROGRAMME IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
Qualification Awarded: University Bachelor of Early Childhood and Preschool Education (univ. bacc. praesc. educ.)
Programme Duration: 3 years (6 semesters)
Credits Awarded: 180 ECTS credits
Mode of Delivery: Full-time or part-time study
Admission Requirements: Completion of a grammar school (gimnazija) or a four-year secondary school programme, and successful completion of the State Matura examination.
Core Competencies Acquired upon Graduation:
- Comprehension and development of the professional identity of preschool teachers, alongside adherence to ethical standards and professional codes of conduct;
- proficiency for professional practice within intercultural and inclusive environments (demonstrating respect for diversity); establishment of collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders in early childhood and preschool education (including children, parents, families, colleagues, interdisciplinary specialist teams, management, and the local community);
- demonstration of aptitude for various modalities of linguistic and artistic expression and engagement, alongside an awareness of the necessity to foster holistic child development;
- proficiency in utilising contemporary information and communication technologies; oral and written academic communication in standard Croatian and one additional language;
- comprehension of the foundational elements of scientific and artistic research.
The Curriculum Comprises:
- pedagogical, psychological, and didactical training required for the acquisition of foundational academic content;
- instruction in core professional disciplines, with an emphasis on holistic education, the comprehension of educational theories, and recent scientific insights into the nature of child learning, development, and upbringing;
- methodological training in core disciplines, focusing on developing the capacity to identify and address special educational needs (SEN) within early childhood and preschool education contexts.
Graduation Requirements: Completion of the programme requires a minimum of 180 ECTS credits, fulfilled through:
- the successful completion of all examinations within the curriculum,
- the fulfilment of all other academic obligations,
- the compilation and public defence of an undergraduate thesis.
Progression Routes:
Upon graduation, qualification holders are eligible to pursue second-cycle (graduate) university programmes in early childhood and preschool education or related disciplines, with admission contingent on passing bridging examinations.
Essential Links and Documentation:
Central Admissions Office
Agency for Science and Higher Education
Syllabi