BA Honours Education Studies

You will examine both historical and contemporary approaches to education and study an introduction to philosophy in relation to education. Alongside this, you will explore the psychological approaches to learning and the study of childhood,including the social construct of childhood and child development. You will continually build on your learning and explore comparative education, equality issues and research methods. You will also have the opportunity to conduct an independent research project, and have a choice of modules to complement your learning including counselling in education, children’s rights, education and the law, and children’s literature.

• Year 1
  • Historical, Sociological and Political Perspectives on Education (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    This module is an overview of education policy from the beginning of universal state education until the present. The philosophical ideologies that have underpinned policy and a more detailed examination of some current education issues will be explored.

  • Approaches to Learning (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    This module is a study of a selection of learning theories and their relation to the learning of children and adults including learning styles and how this affects you as a learner. It also includes an exploration of the historical approach to the concept of childhood and how children develop physically, socially emotionally and creatively.

  • Early Childhood Development (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    An introduction to the history and the concept of childhood; theoretical perspectives of factors influencing development and an in-depth study of the child’s holistic development will be explored. You come to know and recognise the key stages in child development and their theorists associated with these developmental areas.

  • Key Thinkers in Philosophy of Education (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    This module allows you to explore the philosophical underpinnings of state education by reference to key texts and sources such as Plato, Dewey, and others. This module will help you begin to develop a critical analytical approach to education, raising questions such as: Why have compulsory education? Who is education for? Who decides the curriculum and what should its aims be? You will also develop a basic knowledge of the nature and methods of philosophical study.

• Year 2
  • Researching Lives: Social Investigation in the Contemporary World (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    The driving force behind this module is the idea that knowledge and skills of social research are today of fundamental importance in virtually all professions, but especially within the fields of education and early childhood. Therefore, the module encourages and trains students to go beyond the simply learning research skills and to engage with research critically and reflectively in their daily lives.

  • Professional Practice and Leadership in Educational Contexts (30 Credits) - Optional This module aims to give you the ability to consider crucial aspects for those who work or undertake research in educational contexts, such as decisional processes, creating and managing work team, hierarchy, rules and procedures, leadership style, risk management, micro-management, allocation of resources. You will enabled to assess how these aspects impact on professional practices within educational organisations. You will gain a thorough understanding of educational organisations, in particular schools, and a critical understanding of the relationship between educational organisations and the families, the local and national government, the economy. The mutual influence between these social actors and educational organisation will be critically discussed.
  • Curriculum Studies: Primary and Secondary Education (30 Credits) - Optional

    This module aims to provide a critical exploration of the National Curriculum from its inception to present day issues in the primary and secondary phases such as vocational education, pedagogy in relation to the needs of the child, assessment and quality assurance.

  • Comparative Education (30 Credits) - Optional

    This module examines education systems across a range of cultures and countries and compares them with the English system. Issues such as teacher training, gender, access to free education and the impact of globalisation will be considered. The value of comparing and classifying education systems in diverse settings will also be discussed.

• Year 3
  • Dissertation Module for Education Studies (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module will allow you to complete a small piece of detailed research of an existing field within early childhood, organise and manage a small scale research investigation with insight, demonstrate skillful use of research tools and responsibility, and display critical judgement in relating these to the wider educational and social context. You will present a research report following generic academic conventions, research of relevance to early childhood in an appropriate setting - it can be general research or Practitioner Research. Practitioner Research is suitable for those who are in an appropriate placement where you hold a fairly stable role within the organisation. This pathway to include both the research report and a self-reflective report.
  • Being Young: Issues and Perspectives in Youth Studies (30 Credits) - Optional This module aims to give you a strong grounding in the field of Youth Studies such as the academic study of the social, political and cultural aspects and contexts of youth in the West and around the globe. Given recent world events, Youth Studies has become even more important as a field of research and study, considered by governments to have a direct impact on youth well-being and policy-making. Today’s graduates of Education Studies must have a solid understanding of the complex and shifting notions and practices of ‘youth’ in the West and the wider world. The module offers a range of innovative assessment methods including analysis of films and music.
  • Creativity and the Arts in Education (30 Credits) - Optional

    You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.

  • Children’s Literature (30 Credits) - Optional

    From fairy tales and the picture book to books for older readers, this module is an analysis of some key concepts in Children’s Literature. It examines the historical framework in which literature for children emerged and includes opportunities for theoretical analysis of individual authors’ works as well as studies of different genres. In addition, the important role of literature for engaging children in the written word and their role in the early classroom experience will be explored.

  • Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (30 Credits) - Optional

    This module looks at special educational needs, disability and inclusion in education and concentrates on the definitions of learning difficulty and disability and the extent to which parents, pupils and students with Special Needs and Disabilities have access to the same educational opportunities as others.

• Apply Now

• Enquire Now

• Request a Call

• Virtual Open Day