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What makes Education Studies at Worcester special?

Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives through education? Our community engages with difference. By joining us, you will experience profound change which can enable you to transform the lives of others. By creatively critiquing education we can create suggested ways to make it become more inclusive both inside the classroom and in real-world workplaces, communities, and un-conventional environments.

Your first year in this course will help you find your feet in the varied environment of modern education. You will meet a team of education experts who will support you to find your voice within debates surrounding the purpose and practice of education. By your final year, you will know how to find your direction as a specialist educator. Throughout your studies you will explore local, national and international perspectives and delivery of education in all its forms.

We value each student’s voice as a member of our inclusive and diverse community of unique lifelong learners.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Our course is focused on values, and at the heart of Education Studies is a focus on social justice. We want you to develop the skills to listen to learners’ voices and help them create the future they deserve.
  • Our Academic staff have a wealth of diverse experience. We have backgrounds in alternative styles of learning and understand unusual pathways through the education system.
  • We prioritise the individual. Our small class sizes maintain a space for discussion and create a beneficial learning experience for tutors and students.
  • Education is more than schools. Our off-site visits include specialist provisions, care farms, PRUs and placements in prison education to provide you with the potential to become a passionate and well-rounded future educator.
  • We focus on your ability to effect change in society through education and pay attention to your experiences, specialisms, and educational interests to allow you to explore what matters to you.

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.


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

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

tom-hale-education-studies-graduation-2016

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. 

Lauren_Reid_study_abroad

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.

Michelle and Simon Simoncini

Michelle and Simon Simoncini

Teaching Assistants

“We both wanted to return to Higher Education and so we looked at several universities and chose Worcester due to its location, size, and reputation. Now we are both working as teaching assistants in local schools and are looking at enrolling on to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in the future with a view to becoming qualified teachers.” 

Four key elements combine within the Education Studies programme:

Theory

The core concepts, theory and values of our Education Studies programme are embedded throughout the course.

  • In your first year, you will learn how different disciplines, such as Sociology, History and Psychology, all approach the same subject: Education.
  • Throughout your second year you will evaluate what a ‘quality’ education means, understanding diverse and conflicting viewpoints.
  • You will spend your third year preparing to be an educational change-maker, by listening to different voices, learning to be inclusive, and developing the vision to lead practice.

Research

Learning to understand and take part in research is a key element of our course

  • The first year of studies supports you to read like a researcher, discovering data and using library catalogues to review literature.
  • In your second year, you will learn how to design ethical research projects by engaging with a range of methodologies.
  • In your final year, you will work independently on your own dissertation, demonstrating reflexive and inclusive research in education.

Practice

The third key element of the Education Studies programme are learning practices and how they impact the real-life people learners you encounter.

  • In your first year, you will learn who has experienced educational inequality, normativity and exclusion throughout education’s past and present.
  • Your second year will examine education in the context of the climate emergency to consider who will experience education inclusively and equitably in the future.
  • Your final year will examine the philosophy and values of a socially just world, taking a more-than-human approach to education.

Specialism

We have a wide range of optional modules which allow you to specialise your knowledge to focus on your individual interests.

  • In your first year, you can choose to study creativity in education or children’s wellbeing in digital and social media.
  • In your second year, your options include psychology of teaching and learning or safeguarding in education.
  • In your third year, you can opt to study drama and education, the education of the sociological imagination or weaponised education.
  • Your options can also include modules in our Centre for Academic English and Skills and the opportunity to qualify as a professional tutor.
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.

The modules for this course are currently being reviewed and updated for 2023 entry; for the latest information please contact the course leader.

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
  • Crossing borders: Working Internationally and Collaboratively to Explore Personal Responses to Educational Practice
  • The Global Dimension in Education
  • Post Compulsory Education
  • Equality and Diversity for Adults in the lifelong Learning Sector
  • Mentoring and Coaching within Education
  • Option modules from the Language Centre.

Year 3

Mandatory

  • Dissertation

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

A range of assessment items are utilised to assess the learning outcomes of the course. Amongst others; essays, reflective journals, group and individual presentations, poster presentations, reviews of literature and AV materials, reports, e based discussions, portfolios, case studies and a Dissertation. Each assessment item is specifically linked to the Intended Learning Outcomes for the module contained with the module outline and is graded according to the relevant assessment criteria for each level of study.  

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.

man with a dark top and beard

Stuart Gallagher

Stuart’s interests lie in the development of change-makers in children's services through higher education. His work aims to support students and colleagues to integrate personal development with practice change.

Previously, Stuart was a School Lead at an independent Steiner Waldorf school, Education Welfare Officer in two English local authorities, and an informal and non-formal educator.

 

 

Ellie Hill 2

Ellie Hill

Ellie joined the School of Education at Worcester in 2013, as Senior Lecturer working within the School of Education. Her expertise and interest lies in Student Experience at University, Religion and Values Education, Inclusion, the Impact of Social Media, School Leadership and Classroom Observation.

Prior to her role at the University of Worcester, Ellie held a post of Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Northampton for four years. There she was Head of Year 3 BA QTS and supported the trainee teachers as they prepared for their first year as qualified teachers.

The preparation for this role came from Ellie's earlier career in Primary Education which culminated in headship of a village primary school for 5 years. The school was placed in special measures by Ofsted during her first term, thus ensuing an upward climb to leave the school as Good when she moved into lecturing in Higher Education.

gareth-dart

Gareth Dart

Gareth joined the University of Worcester in 2007. He is currently the course leader for the National Award for SENCOs, the Education Studies year one lead. He is proud to lead a module in which students can make all the choices about what they study, where they study and how they wish to be assessed! He has specific interests in teacher education and special and inclusive education in the contexts of resource-poor countries, particularly in southern Africa. He is the international Co-ordinator for the School of Education.

Gareth started his professional career in supported housing for young people with a range of needs in the UK and the USA and quickly became interested in the ways that the service users learned various skills as well as the reasons why many had very poor educational opportunities.

He moved into the Further Education sector, firstly in a residential college run by MENCAP and then as an access course leader in a large mainstream college. From there he spent a number of years involved in developing and running teacher education courses in Botswana focussing on special and inclusive education. He continues to be involved in education projects in southern Africa such as Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA), and the experiences of learners with albinism in the region.

Sharon Smith

Sharon Smith

Sharon joined the School of Education at Worcester as a full time member of staff in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer in Education. Sharon 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.

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. Her expertise has been extensively in training teaching assistants and early years practitioners.

Sharon is involved in the development of online resources to assist  lecturers to support  learners with individual needs such as SCIPS https://scips.worc.ac.uk/, Guide project Perspectives of Inclusive education and Inclusive education and

Student Centred Adult Learning Engagement in Higher Education (SCALE) .

  

 

dr-peter-gossman

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.

ruth_felstead

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 fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2023/24 academic year 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 enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2023/24 academic year is £14,700 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 an Enhanced 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 £122 per week to 'En-suite Premium' at £207 per week (2023/24 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

Stuart Gallagher

Course leader
s.gallagher@worc.ac.uk
01905 855052

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