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What makes Education Studies at Worcester special?

Our Education Studies degree will prepare you for a rewarding career in the education sector. You will explore how education influences and is influenced by key theories and debates, including whether education is socially just, how it is influenced by race, gender, social class, religion and culture and how education can be made more inclusive.

The course will enable you to pursue a diverse range of roles including primary and secondary education, prison education, charity education, educational policy, coaching and mentoring and international development. It will also offer opportunities in learning support and supporting learners with special educational needs.

Your course is assessed in a variety of ways – but we do not do exams.

Each of the three years consists of a range of optional modules so you can tailor your subjects to your interests. You will also undertake your own research on an area of your interest enabling you to really go into depth in an area that you care most about. You can also choose to study a semester, or your 3rd year, internationally.

Education Studies deals with the issues of the day and in all your studies, you'll apply your learning to real-world issues. These will include how best to tackle bullying, how we can better include underrepresented or marginalised groups, how education works across the world and our course also considers the climate emergency.  Whatever the main news of the day, we consider how it intersects with Education.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • There is a wide range of module choices to suit a variety of interests.
  • There is an array of diverse career opportunities that are enhanced from doing the Education Studies degree at Worcester. These include prison education, forest schools, work with diverse groups, further education, higher education and youth work.
  • You can go on to complete a Master's degree upon successful completion of the course, which can lead to many opportunities in Higher Education.
  • Excellent teacher training progression opportunities: a 2.2 degree classification or above will enable you to be considered for an interview for one of our PGCE Primary courses, provided you meet the course prerequisites.
  • Strong course links with teacher training providers and a huge variety of employers within the education sector provide excellent placement opportunities.

You can find out more about some student journeys, meet the team and hear our 'Fireside Chats' as we discuss the important issues of the day and how they intersect with Education Studies.

All you need to do to get involved is, visit our new video blog or follow us on Facebook.

 

Register your interest

Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.


Students walking to campus smiling

Join us this September

It's not too late to apply for a September 2021 start. We have places available through clearing on a range of courses.

Find out more

"The breadth of modules and courses available within Education Studies was amazing. I did drama as well as coaching and mentoring within my discipline, and these gave me a broad range of skills."

Persis Thomas, Education Studies graduate

Entry requirements

What qualifications will you need?

88
UCAS tariff points

Entry requirements

88 UCAS tariff points (for example, CCD at A Level)

Other information

A Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is required for some modules on the course

Visitors at a University of Worcester open day

Book your place at an Open Day

Want to know why so many students love living and studying in Worcester?

Our Open Days are the perfect way to find out.

Book your place
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Education Studies and SENDI applicant taster day

This is an opportunity for all Education Studies and SENDI students who are joining us in September to meet staff and students and get to know each other before your course starts in September. 

There will be an opportunity to explore the campus a little more and take part in some fun activities including joining mini sessions with our lecturers.  Goodie bags, refreshments and pizza will also be provided. 

The event is scheduled for Friday 2 July 2021, 10:00am-3.00pm

If you would like to join us on the day please book your place by 21 June by emailing Gemma Davis on g.davis@worc.ac.uk and please let us know if you have any accessibility issues or dietary requirements.

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Tom Hale

Tom spent several years after sixth form travelling and living abroad, but it was his time on the Education Studies undergraduate degree course at the University of Worcester that helped crystallise what he wanted for his future.

“I have always been interested in helping people or giving advice to people,” said Tom. “The course was brilliant and touched on lots of different things; the historical aspects of education along with very up to date content. I thought the tutors were brilliant and offered lots of support and information.

“I think my experience at University has changed me as a person; it’s made me realise a few things about the world and it’s helped me know where I want to go in my career.”

Tom is now working at Perrywood Primary School as a teaching assistant, and is training through the school to become a qualified teacher.

He is also doing a Master’s degree in education part-time at the University of Worcester.

Danni Kirkland

I really enjoyed doing my undergraduate degree in Education Studies, and it was a great course that allowed me to keep my career options open.

When I started the course I knew that I didn't want to go into teaching, but I was still unsure of exactly wanted I wanted to do. It wasn't until the second year that I realised I wanted to have a career in Educational Psychology. I began researching what I would need to do to meet the entry requirements for a Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology (as this is the only entry into the profession), and selected modules for my third year that incorporated some aspects of psychology.

I finished my degree last year and I am currently on the MSc Psychology at the University of Worcester. I intend to apply for the doctorate for the September 2019 intake. The degree in Education Studies was great as it enabled me to explore different career options whilst on the course, as well as preparing me academically for the challenges of completing a Masters degree. 

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Lauren Reid

Lauren took the opportunity to take a semester abroad and loved every minute of it.

As part of her Education Studies degree she went to study in the US at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Read all about Lauren's experiences in her blog post.

Posed group of happy young people

Jenny Taylor

In the second year of her Education Studies degree Jenny took the opportunity to study abroad in Australia. 

Read all about Jenny's experiences in her blog post.

Course content

What will you study?

Our course is informed by research and current developments in the broad field of education. A range of modules allow you to explore equality and diversity issues, social issues in education, education in different contexts including and beyond formal schooling, and the impact of social media on the wellbeing of children and young people. You can also study a language or develop your academic writing to a higher level.

Year 1

Mandatory

  • Foundations of Education
  • Education in Context
  • Equality and Diversity: the educational experience

Optional

Year 2

Mandatory

  • Educational Enquiry

Optional

  • The Psychology of Teaching and Learning
  • From Exclusion to Inclusion?
  • Radical Education
  • Religion and Education
  • Work Experience in an Educational Setting
  • The Global Dimension in Education
  • Post Compulsory Education
  • Equality and Diversity for Adults in the lifelong Learning Sector
  • Mentoring and Coaching within Education
  • Optional modules offered by the Language Centre

Year 3

Mandatory

  • Independent Study

Optional

  • Policy Making: The Search for Solutions in Education
  • Managing Educational Change
  • Disaffection in Education
  • Citizenship and Education
  • Values in Education
  • Relationships in Education
  • Work Experience in an educational setting
  • Organising Learning and Teaching
  • Critical Perspectives on Special Educational Needs; Process and Practice
  • Extension Module
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
  • Special Educational Needs and Disability in an Inclusive Setting
  • Post Compulsory Education
  • Equality and Diversity in Adult Education
  • Mentoring and Coaching within Education
  • 'Race' Ethnicity and Education
  • Education and the Sociological Imagination
  • Theatre and Education

Student view - Alexandra

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Study Education Studies as part of a joint honours degree

As well as a single honours degree, Education Studies is also available as part of a number of joint honours combinations, allowing you to combine it with another subject to match your interests and career aspirations:

Education Studies and English Language BA (Hons)

Education Studies and English Literature BA (Hons)

Education Studies and Psychology BA/BSc (Hons)

Education Studies and Sociology BA (Hons)

Teaching and assessment

How will you be taught?

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of interactive seminars, lectures, presentations and external visits.

In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on 4 occasions in the first year, three occasions in the second year and twice in the final year of a course.

You have an opportunity to undertake a semester long placement abroad in the second year of the course.

Contact time

In a typical week you will have around 14-16 contact hours of teaching. The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected and in the final year you will normally have slightly less contact time in order to do more independent study.

Typically class contact time will be structured around:

  • 10 hours of interactive seminars in groups of 15-50 (dependent on modules chosen)
  • 5 hours of full group lectures

In year two and/or three, a half-day per week can be spent in placement for one semester.

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 22 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online and preparing coursework assignments and presentations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment and extensive electronic learning resources.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or 'formative' assignments. Each module has one or more formal or 'summative' assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. These assignments might indicatively be essays, critical reflections, presentations and reports.

There are no exams on the course.

Assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, critical reflections, reports, portfolios, projects, case study, presentations and a final year independent studies project.
The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

Year 1

3 essays
3 critical reflections
2 presentations
1 report

Year 2

2 essays
2 portfolios
1 research proposal
1 critical reflection
1 presentation
I project

Year 3

1 independent study
3 essays
2 case studies
2 presentations
1 report
1 reflective summary

Feedback

You will receive feedback on formative assessments and on formal coursework assessments. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal coursework assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

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 relevant experience.

Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and 100 per cent of course lecturers have (or are working towards) a higher education teaching qualification (excluding Sessional lecturers) or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. In addition, several lecturers either hold or are working towards doctorates in education and are active educational researchers.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

 

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

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Ellie Hill

Ellie's expertise and interest lies in religion and values education, student experience at higher education and inclusion.

Ellie works with Education Studies students and MA in Education students.

Before becoming a lecturer, Ellie was Headteacher of a village primary school.

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Gareth Dart

Gareth joined the University of Worcester in 2007. He is the year one lead and teaches modules on the degree. He has specific interests in teacher education and special and inclusive education in the contexts of resource poor countries, particularly in southern Africa.

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Sharon Smith

Sharon joined the School of Education at Worcester as a full time member of staff in 2013, having previously worked for the University in other capacities. She has worked closely with the University of Worcester for some years delivering Foundation Degrees and engaging in research within the University through funded seconded projects. Her expertise has been extensively in training teaching assistants and early years practitioners.

Prior to her role at the University of Worcester, the majority of her teaching has been within Further Education and she has also been involved in teaching a range of adult learners including those with learning difficulties and disabilities (and learners with Acquired Brain Injury). In addition, she has worked in schools with pupils with Special Educational Needs.

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Dr Peter Gossman

Peter has worked in a range of FE and HE institutions in the UK and NZ in both Education and Academic Development roles, initially at Lincoln University just four songs south of Christchurch on the South Island.

He has worked on a large NZ project investigating the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as well as publishing on a variety of subjects, particularly in relation to 'good' teaching and conceptions of teaching and he has published in a range of academic journals.

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Ruth Felstead

Ruth joined the University of Worcester after a career involving teaching and management within Further and Adult Education in Birmingham.  She has taught students of all ages with the youngest being fourteen and the oldest over seventy. She has also worked for the West Midlands Fire Service as an Equality and Diversity Officer training firefighters and managers in equality and diversity public sector duty.

Ruth moved into teacher education in 2009, firstly within Further Education, and from 2014 at the University of Worcester, where she has taught on BA Education Studies, BA Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion, and the Foundation Degree in Learning Support. She is currently working towards a PhD in the History of Education in Birmingham and Worcestershire.

Careers

Where could it take you?

Employability

Our Education Studies degree provides an excellent route into many careers or further study.

You may wish to progress on to a PGCE course (to become a qualified primary or secondary teacher).

We also run an MA in Education degree, and guidance is given to support you to do this successfully.

Careers that graduates move into include:

  • Child welfare
  • Learning mentor
  • Training professional in the private sector
  • Military service
  • Prison education
  • Lecturing in further education
  • Working in higher education
  • Youth work
  • International development work
  • Working in a charity

Student view - Julie

Costs

How much will it cost?

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fee for full-time UK and EU students registering in the academic year 2021/22 is £9,250 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students registering in the academic year 2021/22 is £13,100 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

For international opportunities, there will be costs involved depending on the nature of the opportunity.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Hall' at £108 per week to 'En-suite Extra' at £184 per week (2021/22 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.
How to apply

How do you apply?

Applying through UCAS

Single Honours:
Education Studies BA (Hons) - X302

Joint Honours:
Please visit the individual joint honours course pages for UCAS links:
Computing and Education Studies BA/BSc (Hons) – GX43
Education Studies and English Language BA (Hons) – XQ3H
Education Studies and English Literature BA (Hons) – XQ33
Education Studies and Psychology BA/BSc (Hons) – XC38
Education Studies and Sociology BA (Hons) - XL33

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry onto full-time undergraduate courses in Higher Education in the UK.

Read our How to apply pages for more information on applying and to find out what happens to your application.

UCAS Code

X302

Apply Via UCAS

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

 

Admissions office

admissions@worc.ac.uk
01905 855111

Dr Alison Wren

Course leader
a.wren@worc.ac.uk
01905 852264

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