Education Studies (Joint Honours) BA/BSc (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  You will examine the ways in which knowledge, skills and attitudes are passed on and developed in children and adults in a variety of settings. You will see how external factors such as values, beliefs, culture and the environment can affect learning.

  Using the disciplines of psychology, sociology, philosophy and history, you will explore contemporary issues in education, curriculum studies, comparative and international education, and education policy.

  There will be a number of opportunities to visit a variety of educational settings in order to research and compare how individuals learn in different environments. These settings can range from museums and prisons, to schools and European universities. These practical experiences will prove invaluable to your future career development.

  In your first year you will be introduced to the approaches, perspectives and theories within education as well as gaining the skills you need to be successful at University. At the end of the first year you will have the opportunity to go on a study trip to one of our partner universities in Europe to compare education systems to the UK.

  During the second year offsite trips are included in most modules. This allows you to see how the theory you have been learning is applied in practice. Essential trips are covered in your tuition fees but optional visits may incur an additional cost.  See additional fees for further information.

  Your final year allows specialist and intensive study on the areas or subject you are most interested in, culminating in a dissertation or independent study that focuses on your choice of subject.

  MODULES

  Module information can be found on the Award Map.

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• Entry Requirements

  General University entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. We welcome international applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications. Some Joint Honours subjects require specific entry qualifications which Education Studies does not, so please check the entry qualifications for both of your proposed subjects; you will need to meet both sets of requirements.

  For information on how to apply to study with us, please see our How to Apply page.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
    for study at undergraduate level

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

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• Fees and Funding

  2021/22 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Full Time: £9,250
  • UK – Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module
  • International – Full Time: £13,000

  2020/21 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK and EU Full Time: £9,250
  • UK and EU Part Time: £1,450 per 20 credit module
  • International Full Time: £12,900

  Additional Costs

  The cost of essential trips for your course are covered by your tuition fees. During the programme you will also have the opportunity to join optional study trips. Previously, these optional trips have included visiting one of our European partner universities (most Education Studies Students visit HAN University in the Netherlands), a trip to Atlanta or Sweden. Typically the trip to the Netherlands costs in the region of £800; Atlanta £1000 and Sweden £500. Students normally allow an additional £100-£250 for their expenses. Optional trips within the UK normally cost in the region of £20.

  Scholarships and Bursaries

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join this full time degree at Northampton you will receive a laptop when your course begins. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks visit our Student Perks page.

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• Joint Honours

  Popular combinations with education studies

  Education Studies can be taken with any one of the subjects listed in Blocks A, B or E on the combination table.

  We suggest discussing the combination which is right for you with a staff member at an Open Day. However, as an indication, the following combinations have been popular.

  Education Studies and Social Care

  Combining Education Studies and Social Care gives you an insight into the key factors that affect education performance beyond the school gate, such as poverty, family turbulence and various forms of social exclusion.

  The course covers issues such as policy, social class, race and ethnicity, and how social welfare and educational institutions can work together. Current governmental interest in inter-professional working between these fields makes this combination increasingly relevant for any related career.

  This combination of subjects is particularly useful if you would like to teach in a primary school, or if you want to teach Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) studies in secondary schools. It’s also a useful grounding if you are looking to work with disaffected youth or in youth work.

  Sports Studies and Education Studies

  Combining the study of sports with the study of Education can open up careers in a wide variety of areas, including schools, sports and leisure centres, professional and amateur sports clubs and community groups. You will get an introduction to each subject and then be able to specialise in the subject you feel suits you best. If you do wish to become a secondary school PE/Sports teacher, you will need to major in Sports Studies in order to move onto Initial Teacher Training.

  Psychology and Education Studies

  Psychology and Education Studies cross over in a number of fascinating ways. You will learn about the psychology of education, gain an understanding of learning theory and develop a grounding in human experience and behaviour.

  A joint honours degree in Psychology and Education Studies will give you access to a range of jobs such as management, arts administration, coaching and teaching. It is the perfect foundation for Initial Teacher Training, whether at primary level, or for teaching Psychology itself in further education. If you wish to become a professional psychologist, you will need to major in psychology and take the modules necessary for BPS membership.

  English and Education Studies

  This combination may be an obvious choice if you would like to teach English at Key Stage 3 and 4, but it has a number of other useful applications as well. There is a focus on the impact that literary genres have had on education and how education is represented in literature.

  Joint honours graduates in Education Studies and English will be equipped for careers in management, journalism and librarianship as well as teaching. If you do wish to become a secondary school English teacher, you will need to major in English in order to move onto Initial Teacher Training.

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• Postgraduate Opportunities

  Successful completion of this course could lead on to the MA in Social Work, MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, MSc in Counselling or specialise at MA level in your second subject.

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• FAQs

  What will the schedule look like?

  The amount of on-campus teaching varies from module to module, as does how it is delivered. Generally, you will have the most time face-to-face with the lecturer in your first year. Some modules in the second year will be taught off-campus on trips and visits and final year study is often based on tutorials and individual time with the tutor rather than formal lectures.

  Please visit our Situations Update page for the latest information

  How will I be assessed?

  There are no exams for Education Studies, but your second subject will have them. For Education Studies, assessments take the form of essays, portfolios, presentations, analysis and reflection.

  Are there overseas opportunities?

  Depending on your subject combination you may have the opportunity to spend a term (or a year) in a European university as part of the Erasmus scheme. This is subsidised by the EU and, normally, costs students very little extra than it would cost to live and study in the UK. If you decide to study in Europe, you may have less choice of modules for your other terms spent at Northampton. This option is only available for selected joint honours combinations unless your period of study is extended to four years.

  We also offer a one-week study trip to an EU University, normally HAN University in The Netherlands, which costs in the region of £300-400.

  In recent years there have been other opportunities for short optional trips, for example to the USA, to the European parliament and to Sweden. These are very beneficial to students but do incur extra costs.

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Careers and Employability

The course gives your the foundation that you need for any career related to education or young people and is a particularly good choice if you would like to become a secondary school teacher. Majoring in a subject that is taught at secondary school level, and minoring in Education Studies, is the perfect foundation for Key Stage 3 Initial Teacher Training. Many graduates go on to Initial Teacher Training, taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or School Direct route to becoming a qualified teacher. However, joint honours gives you many other career choices as well.