This module provides historical context to the major aspects of primary, secondary and tertiary education. Focusing primarily on England, the module focuses on the development of education in the 19th, 20th and 21st era. The module will integrate the study of the contextual history of education and a light touch on philosophical ideas.

This module is structured around three core areas of focus; 'Self-as- Learner', 'Self-as-Academic Student', and 'Self-as-Group Member. The module supports your understanding of key academic skills and the nature of Education Studies as an academic discipline. You will anlayse the relationship between theory and educational practice, such as self-regulated learning and reflection, and apply those to personal and academic development.

This module looks at who is included and excluded within education in the UK and internationally. Using critical theory and lived experience, you are encouraged to reflect on political, economic, social and cultural contexts to understand how and why inclusion and exclusion take place. Using concrete examples and contexts, you will consider how educational inclusion can be created and the barriers that stand in the way.

Choose from the following:

Preparing for Professional Practice

This module supports you on going into both teaching and non-teaching-based careers. It will equip you to make informed, critical, and confident assessments of the opportunities, debates, and challenges that are presented by the graduate landscape. In this module, you will consider what it means to develop your ‘employability’, identifying personal strengths, areas for personal and professional development, and opportunities by which this development might be achieved.

Contemporary Issues in Education and Pedagogy: A problem-based learning approach

Working with the pedagogic framework of problem-based learning, the module explores different strands of Sustainable Development Goals at local, national and international levels.

This module introduces you to the various approaches and methods that can be used to carry out research into the lives of both those giving and receiving education. You will learn about the process of conducting educational research in its entirety: the initial stages of thinking about research questions; designing a project; choosing particular methodologies and methods; and finally analysing your data. You will be encouraged to view this through a political and philosophical lens, as well as an educational perspective, and to consider the ethics of research. Our aim is to prepare you for the dissertation module.

This module has been designed by disabled and neurodivergent students and teachers, and explores the big issues in Special Educational Needs (SEND): key theories, disability activism, the neurodiversity movement, current law and policy, and the barriers that disabled students continue to face in education. You will identify and critically assess the academic, professional and lived experience resources that support inclusive, person-centred educational practice.

Creativity in Education

This module develops your understanding of arts and creative education policy, pedagogy, curriculum design, and assessment in a time of educational, economic, technological and social change. You will explore the place of the arts and creativity in the evolving English education system and in the early years, informal, community, training therapy settings and for employability and sustainability goals. You will learn about the various motivations for the inclusion of arts in education and key contemporary debates regarding intercultural and multicultural arts education, the nature of 'creativity' and the creative industries, the influence of technology, and access and equality of opportunity.

Radical Education

This module gives you the opportunity to consider possibilities for radically different educational structures, meanings and practices. You will develop Critical perspectives on education and explore alternative conceptualizations through theories of Critical pedagogy and the development of Critical Consciousness. You will develop skills to think critically and creatively, to challenge and debate, and will have the opportunity to produce and defend your own educational innovations.

Global and Comparative Education

This module encourages you to look beyond UK borders by examining education systems outside the UK, utilising comparative frameworks and considering global conceptualisations of education. The module will deepen your understanding of contemporary issues and key debates with reference to evidence-based education practice, the humanities, culture, and policy.

The Practice and Policies of Primary Education

This module considers national perspectives on primary education and provides an insight into teaching and learning in contemporary primary classrooms. By investigating primary education, this module will enable you to explore pedagogical approaches, key issues, theoretical perspectives, and research findings related to teaching and learning within the primary sector. You will be encouraged to understand what researchers are suggesting and enter the debates about political elements of current primary policy and practice.

Adult Learning and Life-long Learning

This module explores the relationship between contexts, theories and methods of adult education as a lifelong activity. Focusing on real-life educational sectors, such as prison, community and museum education, the module seeks to promote theoretical and practical criticality, while highlighting alternative educational settings beyond primary and secondary schools.

Education and Equality: Class, Race and Ethnicity

This module incorporates historical, sociological and psychological understandings concerned with issues of equality, including equality of opportunity and justice in education. The module discusses current debates concerning social class and educational outcomes and explores the consequences of the social class divide in education, for individuals and society as a whole. Constructions of race and culture are highly relevant to a range of educational issues such as achievement and attainment, exclusions and educational rights.

Your dissertation enables you to evidence your levels of understanding of the research process and your ability to initiate, undertake and successfully conclude a research project. The dissertation is an independent study on a topic of your choice, agreed with the subject team and supported by tutorial advice. You will be given the opportunity to engage in sustained independent study, resulting in a 6,000-8,000-word extended essay which can be presented as either a Critical Review or a Fieldwork project.