Education Studies

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Award

BA (Hons)

Key facts

UCAS code:
X300
Location:
Stoke-on-Trent campus
Study option:
Full-time
Duration:
3 Years
Start date:
19 September 2022
School:
Institute of Education

Learn outside the classroom

Learn beyond the classroom with our Woodlands Nursery and Forest School practitioners

Specialise in your field

Choose your area of expertise in the field of education with a pathway in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Mental Health and Wellbeing, or Education for our Sustainable World

Outstanding Research Impact

87% of our research impact is recognised as "very considerable" or "outstanding" (Research Excellence Framework 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.

With a number of pathways of study to choose from, you’ll be able to tailor your degree to the area of education you are interested in. While in the first year you’ll study general principles and curriculum models that are critical across the board, you’ll have the chance to specialise in one of the following areas in your second and third years, or continue to study the area as a broad discipline.:

  • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHWB)
  • Education for our Sustainable World (ESW)

With our pathways, you will be able to tailor your modules to gain a recognised expertise in unique areas, whether it’s developing a specialist insight and critical understanding of SEND practice, gaining knowledge and skills to promote and support child wellbeing in MHWB, or motivating actions for sustainable development in ESW.

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.

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 Educational Needs)
  • BA (Hons) Education Studies (Mental Health and Wellbeing)
  • BA (Hons) Education Studies (Education for our Sustainable World)

Work placements

During your degree, you’ll have the chance to undertake work-based learning in appropriate settings; exploring your role within the setting and reflecting upon your ability to immerse yourself in the team to stimulate, engage and maintain learning. You will be encouraged to find volunteer work associated with an educational context and, where needed, have further directed setting-based experience to accompany specific modules.

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

As an Education Studies student, you will develop knowledge and understanding of the factors that impact on learner’s holistic development and educational outcomes.

In your first year, you will study three core modules which are shared with the Early Childhood Studies programme. Studying within a multi-disciplinary context, you’ll learn in a collaborative manner and develop a deeper insight into the wider educational sector. You’ll have the opportunity to work across disciplines and age ranges, enabling you to make informed choices about your chosen award and pathway of study at the end of the first year.

In the second and third year of your studies, you will develop specialist knowledge through studying a further four core modules. You can then elect to follow a specialist pathway and increase your knowledge in areas of professional interest. Our pathways include:

  • Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) – this pathway enables students to develop a specialist insight and critical understanding of SEND practice and appropriate pedagogical approaches for children and young people with SEND.
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing – this pathway enables students who have an interest in promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing to develop an informed understanding of the factors that can impact on mental health and wellbeing and the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to promote and support children and young people.
  • Education for our Sustainable World – this pathway enables students who have an interest in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding required to support and motivate learners to act for sustainable development. Students who elect to study on this pathway will have the opportunity to complete an outdoor learning module which will take place in the Forest School.

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.

BA (Hons) Education Studies: Career Destinations

BA (Hons) Education Studies: Career Destinations

Video

Course Leader Alyson describes where our BA (Hons) Education Studies degree could take you.

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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 2 compulsory modules
Contemporary Issues 20 credits
Exploring Alternative And Global Educational Contexts 40 credits
Perspectives Of Learning And Development 40 credits
Research Methods 20 credits
Year 2 compulsory modules
Contemporary Issues 20 credits
Mental Health In Context 40 credits
Perspectives Of Learning And Development 40 credits
Research Methods 20 credits
Year 2 compulsory modules
Contemporary Issues 20 credits
Perspectives Of Learning And Development 40 credits
Principles Of Outdoor Pedagogy 40 credits
Research Methods 20 credits
Year 2 compulsory modules
Contemporary Issues 20 credits
Introduction To Special Educational Needs And Disability 40 credits
Perspectives Of Learning And Development 40 credits
Research Methods 20 credits

Entry requirements

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

Students who wish to apply for the PGCE Primary Education following completion of this degree will need GCSE grade C/4 or above in English, Maths and Science.

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.

BA (Hons) Education Studies: Work Placements

BA (Hons) Education Studies: Work Placements

Video

Course Leader Alyson explains why work placements are such an important part of our BA (Hons) Education Studies degree.

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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

You will be placed within a range of different schools, working across the primary age range. You will have the opportunity to work within diverse contexts, within a variety of classrooms with experienced school-based mentors and university tutors.

Outreach

You will have the opportunity to train within a variety of schools based across the region, including Stoke, Crewe, Congleton, Stafford and Tamworth. Placements will aim to be arranged to minimise travel as much as possible

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.

All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.

Education Studies - Sophie and Farida

Education Studies - Sophie and Farida

Video

Education Studies students, Sophie and Farida, talk about the holiday activities they are running at Hanley Park as part of their course.

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Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The teaching and learning strategies on our Education degrees have been carefully designed to maximise the opportunity for you to use and reflect upon work-based learning. This provides practical contexts for the analysis of contemporary issues and problems of a practical and theoretical nature. We also teach through whole and small group discussion, case studies, individual research, verbal questioning, experiential practical learning, facilitated learning observation, one-to-one tutorials, critical reflective practice, tutor modelling of good practice and observation of other professionals.

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 Student Inclusion 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.

Imogen Belicki - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Imogen Belicki - BA (Hons) Education Studies

Video

Imogen explains why our BA (Hons) Education Studies degree was the obvious choice for her - and how she feels the degree helped her to secure her new role in industry.

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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

24% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
76% of time in independent study
0% of time in placements

Year 2

24% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
76% of time in independent study
0% of time in placements

Year 3

24% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
76% of time in independent study
0% 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

17% practical exams
83% coursework
0% written exams

Year 2

17% practical exams
83% coursework
0% written exams

Year 3

20% practical exams
80% coursework
0% 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.

Alyson Jolley

Lecturer

Learning is something that we all experience throughout our lives and ensuring that it’s fun and engaging is my passion. Education is not just about schooling but is about education in our communities, from our youngest citizens to our wisest.

Alyson's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 19 September 2022 the tuition fees are:

Study option UK / Channel Islands International
Full-time £9,250 per year of study £14,500 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).

Education Degrees: Learning Outside The Classroom

Education Degrees: Learning Outside The Classroom

Video

Our Education degrees involve much more than just sitting in a classroom as lecturer Alyson explains.

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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

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

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date
Stoke-on-Trent campus BA (Hons) Full-time 19 September 2022 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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