COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA Education degree offers a dynamic and flexible route through the study of education, blending key theoretical foundations with practical experience and research. In Year 1, students explore core ideas in education through sociological, psychological, historical, and philosophical lenses. They also engage with contemporary global and digital contexts, examining how educational systems and technologies shape learning experiences worldwide. Alongside these academic explorations, students develop essential study skills, including reflection, academic writing, and research techniques. All Year 1 students follow a common suite of modules, with the option to transfer to specialist pathways in Learning and Teaching, Childhood and Culture, or Special Educational Needs and Inclusion at the end of the year.In Year 2, the focus shifts toward applying theory in practice. Students gain a firm grounding in research methods, learning how to design, plan, and evaluate educational studies. A compulsory 40-hour placement or experiential learning component bridges classroom knowledge with real-world educational and community settings. Optional modules allow for deeper exploration of areas such as educational psychology, youth studies, language, and inclusion, and students may also broaden their horizons through cross-disciplinary study or learning a new language.In the final year, students deepen their critical engagement with education by exploring specialist topics such as motivation, creativity, media and education, or political debates in education. The centrepiece of the year is a supervised dissertation project, through which students conduct independent research on a topic of their choice. This develops advanced skills in research design, analysis, and academic writing. Throughout the degree, students build transferable skills including critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Graduates are well-prepared for diverse careers in education, policy, youth work, and beyond, or for further study through PGCE, Master's, or PhD pathways.