Education/Music

Education in BA/BSc - Combined Award

Education Studies is one of the fastest growing subjects in universities today. The subject at Bath Spa was one of the first to be developed and is now nationally recognised for its exciting and innovative approach to Education. We are one of the largest providers in Education in the country with other 600 students and so we can offer a very wide choice of study. The study of Education at Bath Spa has a high quality rating from the Quality Assurance Agency.

You can take Education in the Combined Awards Degree alongside a second subject of your choice and you can take it as a major, joint or minor award depending on your interests.

Career Opportunities

Education Studies itself is not a teacher training course, but it will prepare you very well for entry to a PGCE teacher training programme, either primary or secondary. It helps you with knowledge of the curriculum, schools and teaching and education policy. It will also give you a broad and critical analysis of the education system and how it works. All this is good for future teachers and you will be better informed with a background in education.

Alternatively, if you don't want to be a teacher, studying education will prepare you for one of the many alternative careers in education. Many companies and organisations now want people who know about education, schools and universities and offer posts such as, education officer, education adviser, educational researcher. There are also many opportunities for posts in various kinds of training which do not require qualified teacher status.

In addition, studying education will give you a range of skills which will equip you for a wide range of careers. You will be able to organise and manage groups, work in professional situations and negotiate and liaise with people, present information in written and oral form, analyse situations and handle data.

The University College offers a Masters Degree in Education Studies and you may be interested in applying for that course at the end of your undergraduate studies.

Music - Combined Award

Is this subject right for me?

Focus

Bath Spa Music modules are about practical music making with an emphasis on performance and composition concentrating in three areas: classical, jazz and musical theatre. We offer a wide range of performance opportunities including orchestra, wind band, big band, early music, gamelan, choir and many smaller groups. There are two fully staged productions each year, an opera and a music theatre production, and weekly student performances take place in the Michael Tippett Centre concert hall, in Bath and beyond.

Interesting Aspects

The department has many visiting instrumental/vocal teachers, performers of national standing, and students receive weekly one-to-one lessons in both first and an optional second study in either classical or jazz styles.

Career prospects

In year 2 and 3 we offer vocationally based modules in community music, composer and performer in education, and arts administration as part of our commitment to preparing students for the work place. Career prospects include teaching, community music, arts administration as well as performance and composing for film and TV.

Opportunities for further study

Currently there is no MA in music, however many music students stay at BSUC to take the specialist music PGCE.

Objectives

Subject aims

The strength Bath Spa's provision in Education is the breadth of the study which is offered. We believe that education is a powerful force for change in the world and our approach is a global one. We look at learning and development in individuals, schools and classrooms, but we also examine the big issues: What is education for? How can it make a better world? How can it enhance human rights? Does education relate to the economy?

When you have studied Education you will understand how the education system works and the politics of education; who takes decisions about the curriculum and what we learn. You will have a grasp of the social context of education and how poverty affects children's opportunities to learn and the effects of gender, race and ethnicity.

If you are interested in the development of young children, there is a strong Early Years team and you can choose Early Years modules.

Education is about learning and knowledge and you can study the nature of knowledge in the curriculum and how it is learned at different ages and in different situations.

Education is for the future and you can study alternative futures for education and for the world: how can education help us to have a sustainable future on the planet.

Teachers are the key to all this and you get the chance to study the work of teachers and children's learning in placements in educational settings.