Education/Study of Religions

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.

Study of Religions - Combined Award

Focus of the subject

Study of Religions at Bath Spa University College explores a wide range of religious and spiritual traditions which have an impact on the contemporary world. The approach taken is open and exploratory, with no religious commitment assumed. Modules cover the so-called 'major world religions' of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, but there are also opportunities to study Japanese Religions, New Religious Movements, Paganism and 'New Age'. Religions can be studied from a variety of approaches, and there are options on the Psychology of Religion, Sociological approaches, and the Philosophy of Religions. Other modules include topics such as Religion and Education; Religion and the Media; Ethics across religions and non-religious traditions; Religion, gender and sexuality; Mysticism; Radicalism; Hindu texts; and issues in religion, science and politics.

Interesting aspects of the subject

We stress the importance of meeting people from religious communities rather than just learning about traditions from lectures and written sources. Visits can be made to places of worship and religious/spiritual communities, and we have links with a wide range of communities from Buddhist monasteries to Salvation Army social work to New Religious Movements. Being near to Glastonbury and Stonehenge, means that there is a particular opportunity to study Pagan and New Age traditions in the local area. The Department has a reputation for being friendly and helpful, with staff who have time to help individual students. There is an opportunity to spend half a year at a university abroad, and students have recently been studying in Romania, Finland and the USA.

Career prospects

Our graduates enter a variety of careers, but they tend to be ones that involve working with people, especially from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds. Probably the most popular choice is teaching, either secondary religious education (there is a national shortage of RE teachers so job prospects are good) or as primary teachers. The department covers all the major areas that are taught on schools syllabuses, as well as having a module on religion and education. Other common choices are social work, the health service, the police service, publishing, media and librarianship. A fair number of our graduates decide to spend some time travelling or working abroad, where their knowledge of different beliefs and customs comes in useful.

Opportunities for further study

The subject is very good preparation for further study, and a fair number of students go on to study religions at Masters level or the PhD level, either at Bath Spa or elsewhere. The Department offers an MA in Contemporary Religions and Spiritualities and supervision for Doctoral (PhD) study. Bath Spa also offers a PGCE in Secondary Religious Education, and PGCE Primary education for those who intend a career in teaching.

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.