Professional and academic discourse - Swedish student teachers' final degree project in Early Childhood Education and Care

- The orientation of the final degree project in the field of ECEC is deeply nourished by professional discourse.
- The final degree project in the field of ECEC is strongly underpinned by national policies on early childhood education.
- The academic literacy developed within the field includes social and ethical commitments.
- Prescribed writing structures represent support structures more than hindrances.
- Students' encounters with varying epistemologies might provoke insecurity, but also options.

In this article, we explore the scope and orientation of students' final degree projects in the Swedish field of Early Childhood Education and Care in relation to discourses on academic writing and national higher education policies, including the national curriculum and guidelines for professional work in the early childhood sector. Titles and abstracts of 75 final degree projects were analysed with a focus on their scope, aims and research questions. The conceptual framework encompasses theories and concepts on academic literacies, knowledge structures and the linguistic tools of rhetorical 'moves'. This study shows that the typical final degree project was based on empirical data and situated in a professional context, with the aim to explore and understand professional issues in relation to national policies and practical professional experience. We conclude that the final degree project's orientation in the field is deeply nourished by professional discourse, underpinned by national policies on early childhood education.