Contemporary Craft and Early Childhood

Contemporary craft and early childhood education is an unusual but genuinely thoughtful pairing, connecting the making of physical objects through skilled hands with the education and development of young children during the most formative years of their lives. Contemporary craft, as an academic and practical discipline, focuses on hands-on design and making across a range of materials and techniques, developing aesthetic sensibility, material knowledge, and the capacity to create objects with care and intention. Early childhood education addresses how young children learn, develop, and are supported in their growth, drawing on developmental psychology, pedagogy, and the professional frameworks that govern work with children.

At Liverpool Hope University this four-year full-time degree builds a supportive community where emerging makers, designers, and educators can reach their creative and professional potential. You will develop your craft skills and design thinking alongside your understanding of child development, learning environments, and educational practice. The programme includes a foundation component, a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement activity, giving you extensive professional experience in both craft and educational contexts before you graduate.

The combination opens unusual possibilities for practice that integrates making, creativity, and education.

Graduates with this dual specialisation are well placed for careers in early years education, where craft and creative activities are central to pedagogy, particularly in settings inspired by traditions such as Reggio Emilia or Waldorf education. Others work as community artists, craft educators, or workshop facilitators in schools, museums, galleries, and community organisations. Some go on to develop their own craft practice while also teaching, which is how many makers sustain their careers.

The year abroad and placement experiences strengthen both strands of your professional profile. Postgraduate study in education, art and design education, or craft and design is a natural continuation for those who wish to deepen either specialism.