Education Studies

Study options

Award

BA (Hons)

Key facts

UCAS code:
X300
Location:
Stoke-on-Trent campus
Study option:
Full-time
Duration:
3 Years
Start date:
13 September 2021
School:
School of Life Sciences and Education

7th for Student Satisfaction – Education

Complete University Guide 2021

SEND pathway available

Tailor your studies to Special Education Needs and Disabilities in year 2

15th in the UK for Education degrees

Guardian League Tables 2021

On our Education Studies degree you’ll combine practical work experience with academic study to develop the skills needed for teaching and beyond.

The Education Studies course is ideal if you want to work with people in any professional context that involves learning.

You’ll study modules on key topics including child development, policy and practice, safeguarding and child protection; studying the changes that children undergo and investigating how issues such as poverty, nutrition, stimulation and opportunity affect development.

Following your degree, you could progress into a career in learning support, educational administration or management, community learning or safeguarding, or train to be a teacher with further study. Your workplace could be an educational setting, children’s centre, charity, care and family support organisation or other learning environment.

With work placements across a variety of age groups and learning environments, the degree gives you the opportunity to explore alternative career options.

As this course is designed using our brand-new pathways structure, you'll have the opportunity to tailor your course towards Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) during the second year. 

On successful completion of study, depending on your choice of specialism pathway, we will issue you with one of the following awards:

  • BA (Hons) Education Studies
  • BA (Hons) Education Studies (Special Education Needs and Disabilities)

Work placements

During your degree, you’ll have the chance to undertake a work placement in the Early Years/Education sector; exploring your role within the setting and reflecting upon your ability to immerse yourself in the team to stimulate, engage and maintain learning.

The Education Department works with local, regional and national employers, alongside international university partners, to provide students with placement and work experience opportunities both in the UK and abroad. Previous locations have included Holland, Spain and China. We are currently planning this years’ student visit to Tübingen, Germany.

Course content

Our courses have been designed to provide a range of learning experiences.

These include lectures, individual tutorials, group tutorials, seminars, workshops, problem-based learning, practical work placements, sector visits, fieldtrips and independent study.

Year one will provide the foundation of your studies and you will learn the study skills which will take you through the course. In addition, you will learn about the history of education right through to modern day policy. You will also study child development where you will find out about how children learn. Finally, you will learn how to keep children safe in education through learning about safeguarding procedures and legislation.

Year two builds on the first year and you will learn about equality and inclusion as well as examining contemporary issues in education with an eye on current policy. Standard route students will build on child development by examining the adolescent and adult learner whilst students on the SEND route will learn more about children with complex needs.

Year three provides opportunity to compare our education system with other countries as well as providing the opportunity to research an educational area of your choice.

During the course you will benefit from a number of extended work placements. Initially, these will let you explore how you see yourself and your role within a professional working environment. Later placements will focus on how you work individually and in teams, and how you contribute to the aims, ethos and culture of the workplace.

This degree is also available to study over two years. In the two-year accelerated route you'll complete an extra semester over the summer months.

Academic year

The course operates on a modular basis that provides flexibility and choice. Typically the majority of modules are 30 academic credits with a smaller number of 15 credit modules. Each credit taken equates to a total study time of around 10 hours. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity. Full-time students take modules worth 60 credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits for the degree as a whole. Your overall grade for the course and your degree classification are based on the marks obtained for modules taken at levels 5 and 6.  The full-time course has one start point in September.

Sophie Hancock - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Sophie Hancock - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Video

Discover how Sophie managed to find a full-time job in a school just a few months into studying BA (Hons) Education Studies at Staffordshire University.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Year 3 compulsory modules
Comparative Education 30 credits
Independent Research Project 45 credits
Research Methods 15 credits
Supporting Educational Practice 30 credits
Year 3 compulsory modules
Comparative Education 30 credits
Independent Research Project 45 credits
Research Methods 15 credits
Supporting Educational Practice 30 credits

Entry requirements

 

  • Typical UCAS Offer: 96 points
  • A levels: CCC
  • BTEC: MMM

 

 

As you will visit places of education on this course, it is essential that all students complete a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This will be completed during the induction process.

We understand that you might have experienced a challenging run up to higher education and may have not met the entry requirements as listed. If this is the case don’t worry, contact us and our team of expert advisors can guide you through the next stages of application, or help you find the perfect course for your needs.

Mo Alsharrif - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Mo Alsharrif - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Video

Student Mo discusses his favourite parts of the BA (Hons) Education Studies degree.

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

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Facilities

School Setting

Students see a broad picture of early years settings and schools that is not limited to a single place, giving you a vast range of experience in different settings.

Outreach

You'll have access to a range of high quality placements. We work with 50 plus high performing early years settings and schools within the local area and in Birmingham, the Black Country, Shropshire, Manchester, Derbyshire and beyond.

Careers

You will be provided with opportunities to prepare you for employment.

Our graduates work in a range of careers in educational settings, children’s centres, care and family support, educational administration and management, play work and learning support. Many enter teaching through PGCE, Schools Direct, Schools Direct salaried and School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) routes.

Others have progressed to postgraduate study, such as Early Years Teacher, and Masters programmes.

Georgia Crewe - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Georgia Crewe - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Video

Student Geogia discusses the practical elements of the BA (Hons) Education Studies degree.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Students learn in different ways. To help everyone get the most out of their studies, we teach through a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical sessions. In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor at least twice a year. You will be taught in first-class learning spaces throughout your course. Many of our courses are accredited or recognised by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.

Students will also receive guest lectures from external bodies, such as the Makaton Charity, to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to teach students with a range of educational needs. 

Assessment

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments, for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

Learning support

In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills); written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy); academic writing (including how to reference); research skills; critical thinking and understanding arguments; and revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management).

Additional support

Our AccessAbility Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment, or learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Feedback

You will normally receive feedback on coursework assessments within 20 working days following the date of submission. Examination feedback may take a variety of formats. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.

Placements on our Education degrees

Placements on our Education degrees

Video

Senior Lecturer Ruth Hudson-Gill explains how useful placements are for Education students.

Your study time will consist of class contact hours, self-directed learning, assessment and placements where appropriate. Your actual contact hours will depend on the subject area, on the option modules you select and professional body requirements.

Year 1

21% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
79% of time in independent study
0% of time in placements

Year 2

24% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
60% of time in independent study
16% of time in placements

Year 3

24% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
68% of time in independent study
8% of time in placements

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars, laboratory or other timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve utilising a range of digital resources including our virtual learning environment; reading journals, articles and books; working on individual and group projects; undertaking research in the library; preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations. Your independent learning will be supported by a range of excellent facilities. These include the library, open access computer facilities, informal learning zones, a range of laboratories and specialist teaching areas.

Year 1

13% practical exams
69% coursework
19% written exams

Year 2

14% practical exams
86% coursework
0% written exams

Year 3

18% practical exams
0% coursework
82% written exams

Staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners with industry experience. Our teaching is research-informed and 80% of our full-time staff in Life Sciences and Education are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

Fiona Hall

Senior Lecturer

Fiona's expertise covers Special Education Needs (SEND), the history of education, behaviour management, safeguarding, and the deployment and practice of support staff in schools. She teaches the module on Safeguarding.

Fiona's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 13 September 2021 the tuition fees are:

Study option UK / Channel Islands International
Full-time £9,250 per year of study £14,000 per year of study

UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.

**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.

International students: Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course, as long as you complete it in the normal time-frame (i.e. no repeat years or breaks in study).

Included in the fees:
  • DBS checks where required for assessed modules 
  • Loan of subject related requirement where required for modules
Not included in the fees:

 

  • The estimated cost of text books over three years. Text books are available from the library, but some students chose to purchase their own copies.
  • Printing
  • Travel costs to and from placements. We will have available placements within travel distance from the campus, or within proximity of your address.
  • Clothing suitable for placements
  • Any optional field trips 
Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

If you receive funding from Student Finance you may be eligible to apply for additional benefits. Details can be obtained by visiting: www.gov.uk

Scholarships and additional funding

As an undergraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.

Our students

People know they have a quality student

I completed three work placements a year at local schools and taught a range of pupils across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The staff at the schools always made sure they were available and taught me how to be a professional. If you say you're from Staffordshire University when on placement, people know they have a quality student.

Toni Wedgewood

Education Student

The tutor was absolutely fantastic

The tutor was absolutely fantastic and supportive – and I think what worked really well is me studying around full-time work. I had a Tuesday evening study so it worked really nicely around my Teaching Assistant role that I was doing at the time. 

It was difficult, but the support that I had off our lecturer was fantastic. They’d worked in education for a number of years so they understood how it worked.  

Marcel Phillips

BA (Hons) Education Studies

The support has been really good

The lecturers were always on hand to email you and all of the support has been really good. 

I worked as well as uni so I did uni part-time and then I worked in a school as well alongside it. It worked really well because all of the assignments related to my workplace so it was based on the job that I had. I started off actually volunteering at a school because that’s what I had to have for the degree then about six months in, they offered me a job so the course actually helped me to get a job as well and I’m still there now.  

Sophie Hancock

BA (Hons) Education Studies

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date
Stoke-on-Trent campus BA (Hons) Full-time 13 September 2021 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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