Education Studies BA (Hons)

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 our full-time Education Studies 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 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 in education 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 or dedicated International Perks page.

* UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details)

Our optional overseas study trips provide you with the opportunity to experience different perspectives first hand and this invariably teaches us about our own perspectives. Each year has an overseas opportunity (dependent on numbers).

Previously in Year One we have offered a study trip to the Netherlands to experience the University of Han in Nijmegen, this trip looks at learning and development from a European perspective. In Year Two we have offered the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, USA where our study tour has a focus on diversity, civil and human rights – this week can also be included as part of your placement in this year. Then in the final year there have been opportunities to join a study trip to Sweden with a focus on the child in society. This trip is a wonderful opportunity to enrich the learning throughout your degree and acts as a springboard towards your next step.

The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) for this educational studies degree offers a new and exciting route into studying for a BA degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements for BA Education Studies, we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

Work-based learning opportunities are embedded throughout the Education Studies degree.

In Year One, you will have 4 weeks of placement. The first week is arranged as a skills development week and this takes place on campus. This week enables you to feel fully prepared and ready to then spend the remaining three weeks in your placement setting of choice. The focus of this placement is learning and development, it takes place at the end of the first year, so you can apply all of your theoretical learning from the first year to your observations of learning and development.

In Year Two, you have four weeks of placement: By Year Two you already have a successful placement under your belt. In this placement there is some flexibility about how the four weeks are completed, this can include a week overseas and it can also be stretched out over a period of 6 to 7 weeks, timetable dependent. The focus in Year Two is on diversity and difference and you will reflect on inclusion in your placement setting. Assessment is via a reflective report where you apply theory to practice.

In Year Three, you have two weeks of placement: These two weeks happen in the first half of the final year to enable you to spend the latter part of the year focused on your own research. This placement focuses on empowering change, social inequality and creating solutions. This is a powerful conclusion to your work-based learning and provides an excellent step from which to move into the next step in your career.

Examples of work-based learning settings:

• Nursery
• Primary school
• Secondary school
• Heritage Centre
• Alternative provision for young people with mental health difficulties
• Alternative provision for young people with behavioural difficulties
• Charity to support families with children with autism and local charity providing community support
• Special Educational Needs (SEN) school
• Hospital outreach programme
• Children’s home
• University learning development team
• Local library
• Mental Health charity providing outdoor provision to support and improve community wellbeing.

This programme is not limited by a focus on a specific age range. You will benefit from the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and understanding of education in its broadest sense. There are opportunities to learn about and apply this learning during placements with very young children, primary and/or secondary aged children, families, young people and continuing into adult education  – we believe passionately that education is relevant throughout the lifespan and can be found almost anywhere. You will be able to choose the age range and type of education setting that you wish to focus on, and you will be supported finding placements to fit your needs and interests.

One of our current Education Studies students, Millie, has recently completed her first year placement, take a look at her story and see how inspiring these opportunities can be and how they can provide the first crucial steps in your career.

How often will I need to attend?

The amount of on-campus teaching for the education studies degree 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 for this education studies degree 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 lecturer rather than formal lectures.

How will I be assessed on the Education Studies degree?

There are no exams for Education Studies. Instead, assessments take the form of essays, portfolios, presentations, analysis and reflection.

What jobs can you do with a BA Education Studies degree?

There are lots of options available to you, especially in the Education sector. This could be in school settings, government / local authorities or international settings too. If you would like to become a teacher after studying this course, we can support you into postgraduate study.

Do students get to experience some of the education methods that are learnt about on BA Education Studies?

Yes we teach you the theoretical and the experiential elements of the education studies. For example, we visit forest schools so that you get to experience that. Visits to museums and art galleries are also part of the course. Placements have been designed to enable students to look closely at education in action, so look at and find the theory that we have been learning about in practice. What is important is that students learn about the theory and research (which we do within the various modules), recognise what this looks like in reality (achieved through the placements) and then are able to reflect upon that (students reflect on their experiences during and afterwards).

Are there study trips?

To provide you with a broad perspective on education in various contexts and settings, you will have the opportunity to visit numerous institutions across the UK. These experiences will enable you to immerse yourself in different environments, reflect on them, and explore a wide range of potential professions that might be the perfect fit for you.  All compulsory visits are inclusive of your course fees.

Past visits have included local museums and heritage sites, forest schools, prisons, the Houses of Parliament, local schools, therapeutic outreach provisions, alternative provisions, the Museum of Childhood, and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

What do our students say?

• Shelena and Charlotte’s student story part one
• Shelena and Charlotte’s student story part two
• Millie’s a day in the life