BA (Honours) Education Studies
Three years full-time
UCAS code • X300
Location • City Campus
Subject area • Education studies
By adding to My Courses you can compare courses and create a personalised prospectus.
View profiles of students on this course.
Visit the Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion website to view profiles of the staff who teach in this subject area.
At a glance
Study all aspects of education on a course designed to prepare you for a career in the sector. Your studies are complemented by yearly placements in schools, colleges and other educational establishments which prepare you for working life and enhance your employment prospects once you graduate. There is also the opportunity to gain placements overseas.
Key points
• Study all forms of education including pre-school, secondary and further education.
• Learn how philosophy, sociology and psychology relate to education.
• Explore how theory and practice are interrelated.
• Enhance your career prospects with yearly placements.
What is education studies?
This course involves the academic study and theoretical analysis of education. It enables you to develop your knowledge and experience of professional educational practice in a range of settings and contexts including pre-school, compulsory schooling, further and higher education, and lifelong learning.
This course
This is a theoretical, analytical course where you learn about educational practices, in preparation for a career in education.
The course builds your expertise in a range of areas, including
• education policy
• education, power and social inequality
• education, processes of learning and the sociology of knowledge
• educational institutions, contexts and spaces
You benefit from a student-centred approach to teaching and learning which involves seminars and lectures as well as group work and debates to inform your studies. Students are encouraged to debate areas such as social policy and to develop their research and communication skills in conjunction with this.
The subject of education is multidisciplinary and as a student you study how it relates to a range of other relevant subjects such as sociology, history, philosophy and psychology. This gives you a broad subject knowledge and the ability to analyse issues from a range of perspectives, an attribute that makes you attractive to a range of graduate employers.
Other transferable skills you gain include
• communication, presentation and interpersonal skills
• research and project management skills
• self-reflection and development skills
Each year you gain valuable experience and professional skills on placement in a school, college or other education-related organisation. This is preparation for working life and can be helpful in informing your career choices once you graduate. Placement experience is also attractive to prospective employers.
During year two, you complete a research portfolio on the subject of international education systems. As part of this study you have the option to take your second year placement in an international educational setting such as Santander in Spain, Freiberg in Germany, Georgia in USA and Lodz in Poland.
Key areas of study
Include • language and cultural diversity in education • inequalities in education • educational identities • international perspectives on educational inequalities • discourse and education.
Placement experiences
You complete three placements during the course in different and contrasting settings so that you experience a variety of educational environments. This gives you a deeper appreciation of the challenges facing educational professionals.
The main focus of the placement is observation and research into a wide range of issues related to the workplace, including structures, practices and roles.
In year one you complete 19 days on placement. Your placement starts with one block week then you attend two days a week for the following seven consecutive weeks.
In year two you complete 16 days on placement. You attend two days a week over eight consecutive weeks.
In year three you complete 14 days on placement and five research days completing a small-scale enquiry. You attend two days a week over seven consecutive weeks.
As a student of this course you have the opportunity to give a presentation at our nationally recognised Education Studies Conference.
Related courses
You apply for this course through UCAS.
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-and-funding
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,680 a year
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 a year
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• structured analysis of journal articles • data analysis • development of learning materials • essays • reflective logs • verbal presentations • visual design tasks • individual and small group projects • portfolios • individual research • writing a journal article
Key Information Set 
Zoe Baker
BA (Honours) Education Studies and Sociology
'I chose to study this course as I felt it would provide me with a good knowledge and experience in the field of education. The degree allows progression onto a number of different routes, for example, master’s degree courses in areas such as education and social work, and PGCE courses to become a qualified teacher. This selection of options was the main reason I chose to study this degree, as although I knew I wanted to work in education, I was unsure which specific area. Throughout my degree however, I developed an interest in education research from taking part in work placements. I am going on to study a master’s degree in educational research in September.'
Profiles
Zoe Baker
BA (Honours) Education Studies and Sociology
Staff profiles
Visit the Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion website to view profiles of the staff who teach in this subject area.
