Education Studies (with a Foundation Year)
BA (Hons)

Personal Learning Competencies (Core)

This module will introduce you to learning in Higher Education and will provide you with a framework for reflection and understanding of your own personal learning identity. It will also equip you with tools for continuing educational success.

Taking a Professional Approach (Core)

This module will equip you with the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to help you to develop your employability skills.

You will be introduced to the workplace through a short observation, will work independently and in groups to understand and recognise work-related success, and will build on your own potential.

Functional and Interview Skills (Core)

This module develops the numeracy and literacy skills that you need for successfully passing the Professional Skills test for prospective teachers. The module will focus on core skills that teachers need in their professional role and will also prepare you for the interview process required for successful entry on to the Level 4 BA Primary Education with QTS. Finally, this module will help you understand the requirements of the Fitness to Teach policy. 

Thinking Critically, Creatively and Ethically (Core)

This module explores what makes “thinking” rigorous and logical, and how to detect specious arguments or ideas based on prejudice or fallacies in reasoning.

It will also encourage students to start reflecting on how to present ideas in creative and critical ways, whilst developing a strong understanding of the constant need to be ethical.

Sociology of Education (Core)

This module discusses the sociological and historical background to contemporary Education. Within this discussion, students will consider the theories that underpin the education system, while also investigating how policies and agencies of society impact on the learning of children. The module provides a broad platform for students to explore the various issues that surround and have created the current educational environment.

Individual Project (Core)

This module is an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge in an area of your choice. You will work closely with a supervisor to choose a topic of interest for investigation.

Alongside pursuing your interest in a topic, you will engage with academic research skills such as finding sources, building an argument and organising ideas, and design and delivery of output. This will require planning, preparation, research and autonomous working. You will produce a portfolio of work throughout this module.

This module will culminate in a small conference where you will showcase your findings. 

Citizenship, Education and Children's Rights (Core)

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to citizenship and its influence on education. It delves into the historical roots behind the concept of citizenship, its evolution, and changing relationship with and influence on education.

You will learn about citizenship and its relationship to democracy and citizenship’s influence on the classroom and on the curricula. You'll also learn about citizenship in a broader perspective, exploring citizenship within both a European and multicultural context.

History of Education (Core)

This module aims to provide you with a knowledge and understanding of the historical background of the education system in Britain up to the current day.

Introduction to Special Education needs, Disability and Inclusion (Core)

The module attempts to familiarise students with the core concepts in the field of special educational needs and disability (SEND) and how these relate to inclusion and social justice at large. 

Purposes and Values in Education (Core)

This module enables you to explore conceptions of the nature and purposes of education through an examination of traditional and progressive perspectives on formal and informal education.

Skills for Independent Learning and Employability (Core)

This module aims to introduce you to a set of skills required for university learning centred on information literacy, reading for academic purposes, academic writing and communication.

Teaching and Learning – Theory Into Practice (Core)

This module introduces students to a variety of theoretical perspectives on learning and teaching. The module offers students the opportunity to develop understanding of appropriate ways of developing teaching practice, abilities and skills in relation to desired learning aims. The module will introduce a range of theoretical perspectives, and students will have in-class tasks to put theory into practice. 

Critical Perspectives on Childhood and Youth (Core)

The module explores children and young people’s identities, cultures and welfare and education responses to their needs.  This module will be particularly helpful for students interested in learning more about policy and work with children, young people and their families - in and outside school contexts - including welfare, community-based setting and youth, play and community work contexts. 

Disability in Schools and Society (Optional)

This module aims to enable students to develop a critical understanding of current research and inquiry in the field of SEND with an emphasis on Developmental Disabilities.

Doing Social Science Research (Core)

This module will introduce you to a range of theoretical perspectives, methodologies and methods used in educational and social research.

The lectures and seminars will provide the scope for a critical examination of different approaches to research design, data collection, analysis and presentation, with due consideration to issues related to validity, reliability and ethics.

Experience and Employment in Education (Optional)

This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to experience the workplace and to develop skills and knowledge in a relevant discipline. The module will help prepare you for the workplace by raising awareness of workplace issues within the education sector, encouraging you to reflect on the development of your professional practice.

It will also help you to define and then develop the specific work-related skills that you need in order to become more employable. You will be encouraged to share experience in order to encourage learning and to help you articulate your strengths.

Health and Wellbeing (Optional)

This module will focus on how education and health are becoming increasingly interlinked. The issues and arguments around healthy eating and being active; self-esteem and anti-bullying; child bereavement; coping with parental divorce and sex and relationships education are all very current topics in the field and this module fills a gap in our curriculum provision.

Policy, Social Justice and Education in Context (Core)

Module description coming soon.

Contributing to the Community (Optional)

As local employers and suppliers of services, businesses are an integral part of any community or society. On this module, students with business or management ambitions will develop an appreciation of social issues and concerns. This module provides you with practical work experience in a community-focused service, such as a charity, social or education service.

You will develop your societal awareness and gain a greater understanding of local level organisation. The placement acts as a case study for you to explore issues of social justice and community action. The module also helps to develop your employability skills through the process of self-reflection and evaluation and by applying theory to practice.

The Primary Classroom: A Practical Approach (Optional)

This module provides you with a practical experience and insight into working in a primary education setting with a focus on understanding how literacy and numeracy objectives are implemented in the classroom.

Dissertation (Core)

Aided by appropriate tutorial support, this module aims to provide you with the experience of a small scale investigation and to report on the rationale, research design, investigative processes and findings in the writing of a conventional dissertation.

• Credits: 60

Education and Popular Culture (Optional)

The module aims to offer students the opportunity to explore, analyse and critique how different aspects of education are represented in popular and mass culture through various modes of media, film or literature.

You will be introduced to representations of education in a range of formats, from different perspectives. The module expects you to critically engage with a range of representations, including pedagogy, teacher identities, education systems, teachers-pupil relationships and whole school/classroom contexts.

You're expected to engage critically and question how such representations might create or perpetuate myths about education practices, processes and expectations. There will be a consideration of how different representations do not necessarily match the reality of educational practices.

You are also expected to critically examine different themes and ideas and locate these into a variety of contexts: social, cultural, historical, geographical, and political.

Independent Study (Optional)

This module provides you with the opportunity, at Level 6, to utilise the research, investigation, critical thinking and writing skills gained over Levels 4 and 5 to carry out an independent project. The module allows you to apply these tools in order to complete an independent project, exploring a topic of your choice. You will also present your project in order to give and to receive formative feedback in order to better inform your final assessment.

Please note: this module is not available to single honours students or students majoring in Education Studies as part of their joint honours programme.

International Perspectives in Education ( )

This is a critical exploration of international education from a historical and policy perspective. The module will also analyse how global influences have affected education and education policy on a local, national, and international level and will look at case studies from countries such as Japan, Germany, Finland and Korea.

Managing Behaviour (Core)

Module description coming soon.

Planning and Assessment for Learning (Core)

This module aims to provide anyone planning on entering the teaching profession with a practical application of their studies in education to date and covers the art of teaching and the support of learning in a variety of education contexts.

The module encourages you to bring together theory and practice, for example, in conjunction with a work placement module that facilitates a practical application to educational theory.

Managing in the Workplace (Optional)

In this module, you will consider the challenges of leadership and management. You will learn how these practices impact on the culture and success of an organisation through real-life examples. You will identify, observe and develop skills required to promote positive management practice and will analyse your own management style. You will be encouraged to consider leadership qualities and how you can demonstrate these at all levels in an organisation.

The Enterprising Workplace (Optional)

This module provides you with the opportunity to gain experience in the workplace whilst reflecting on, identifying and improving your own skills, knowledge and professional identity. You will be introduced to the concepts of enterprise, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship and will explore how these exist within organisations.