School of Education

BA (Hons) Education Studies

BA (Hons) Part-time 6 years, Full-time 3 years

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BA (Hons)
Start date(s)
16 September 2024
UCAS Code
X300
Course specifications
Course length
Part-time (6 years),Full-time (3 years)
Campus location
Walsall Campus
School
School of Education
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

100% of students were pleased with the teaching on their course

NSS, 2023

Ranked 5th in the Region for Student Satisfaction

(The Complete University Guide, UG Subject League Tables, West Midlands Region, 2023)

The BA (Hons) Education Studies provides you with the knowledge and skills to work in a range of educational settings, either as a teacher or if you also want to have other career options open to you. The course is suitable for people new to this area or experienced staff searching for career development. If you are considering becoming a teacher, we offer the guarantee of a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Primary Education interview upon completion of this degree (providing you are on track to achieve a 2:2 or above and meet the course entry requirements). We also have excellent progression opportunities on to our Master’s in Education.

During your course, you, as an Education Studies student, will have opportunities to consider a range of issues and perspectives relevant to educational contexts. You will consider contemporary issues in relation to education and children’s lives, including exploring issues around climate change, Black Lives Matter, mental health, social media, the impact of Covid-19 on education, and LBGT student experiences. You will also explore the role of education in relation to social justice, education policy, curriculum, and the types of education provided in the UK and internationally, as well as much more. You will draw upon a range of perspectives and disciplines to develop your familiarity with the complex and varied nature of teaching and learning and will examine diversity and inclusion in relation to education. We work with our students to explore and challenge a wide range of educational ideas and developments, and we value learners’ own perspectives and diverse experiences of education. We encourage independent thought and curiosity, and a belief in the potential of education as a tool for improving people’s lives.

Work experience placements are an integral part of the course and can be negotiated in a variety of settings such as schools, colleges, children’s centres, charities, pupil referral units, prisons, youth centres, and other relevant settings.

We recognise that you will have a unique learning journey and we will maximise your potential through a wide variety of optional assessment choices such as presentations, written assessments, reflective journals, report writing, peer mentoring and written plans. Our course does not include any exams and we work hard to make our assessments inclusive and relevant to your career goals.  We usually teach in smaller classroom-based student groups, as opposed to larger lecture theatres, to give you a supportive and personalised learning experience, and our staff work hard to help develop the confidence of our students.

The BA (Hons) Education Studies is three years full-time and can be studied PART-TIME which requires you to attend daytime sessions. However, if you are a practitioner and would like to study more flexibly for example in the evening, we offer part-time the Supporting Children in Primary Education with Foundation Year at our college partners. After completing your part-time foundation degree, you can then top-up to a final year of a part-time BA degree course to gain your full honours degree.

This degree sits within the exciting range of Education and SENDIS courses we offer at the School of Education.

What happens on the course?

At level 4 you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge of education and social justice, disability, diversity and inclusion and safeguarding. You will also begin to explore issues affecting education in contemporary Britain and will be introduced to relevant education and learning theoretical perspectives. 

At level 5 you will build on your previous study and will develop your critical analysis on key issues in education, such as curriculum and the psychology of learning. You will also explore learning and teaching in primary schools and will undertake a work placement in a setting of your choice during this year of study.  

At level 6 you will be able to reflect on your own value systems, question concepts and theories you have encountered in your studies, and interrogate the assumptions underpinning research and your own practice. You will also undertake an independent research project on an education topic of your choosing. 

Throughout the course you will develop your knowledge and understanding of our education system, teaching and learning, and key issues which drive and impact on education. You will be equipped with a critical and in-depth knowledge of education in order to prepare you to enter graduate employment in a variety of roles.

At the University of Wolverhampton there is a range of teaching and learning activities to help you achieve successfully on your course. Your sessions will have formative learning opportunities and formative feedback from your tutors which will help you prepare for your final marked assessment (summative assessment). You will also be provided with feed forward written and/or oral feedback on your summative assessments that will help you develop your academic skills as you progress through your course.

All your modules will offer opportunities for you to interact, and to demonstrate practice, application, exploration, critique, dialogue, and analysis of theory. In each of your modules you will be provided with a structure of scheduled learning and teaching activities (both on campus and online) combined with guided and independent learning, to enable you to fully engage to achieve specified learning outcomes. These include:

  • active contribution to lectures, group activities, including critical debate and discussion in seminars
  • additional online consolidation activities
  • guided reading
  • asynchronous discussion forums
  • non-timetabled one-to-one meetings with module leader / module team
  • preparation for scheduled learning and teaching activities
  • preparation/completion of assessment tasks
  • revision tasks
  • non-synchronous webinars
  • wider reading and research activity

There is also a variety of assessment types that are used to support and test your learning and progress and to help you develop employability skills that are valued beyond your university studies and into your working life.

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

Play Therapist 

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Our teaching staff have a wealth of experience in the field of education and are passionate about the subject. We have a real sense of pride in the quality of our teaching and work hard to offer our students a personalised and supported learning experience. Our lecturers pride themselves on the relationships they develop with our students and the sense of belonging they help to promote. You will benefit from the team’s expertise as all our staff are actively engaged in research and publishing including ‘mental health and resilience,’ ‘healthy eating in schools,’ ‘impact and influence of teaching and assistant support’ and ’higher education and social justice’. We also have strong partnerships with a variety of settings and organisations in the education sector, including local schools and wider educational settings within the community.

Your lived experience of this course will extend beyond the classroom. You will be taught in our state-of-the-art teaching buildings at Walsall Campus, just a short walk from Walsall town centre and a bus ride from the centre of Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Our provision includes buildings which are fitted with interactive whiteboards, lecture theatres, and classrooms as well as social learning areas which include the Student’s Union and cafe. Walsall is a smaller campus with a real sense of community and offers everything you need to complete your studies in one place.

The library will provide you with academic skills support via the Skills for Learning programme. You can attend workshops on campus or online or ask for one-to-one help on a range of skills such as academic writing and referencing. One-to-one online skills appointments are also available.

The University Student Support website offers advice on a variety of matters (careers, counselling, Student’s Union advice, etc.) You can also access these services by booking an appointment with the Student’s Union; Careers, Enterprise and the Workplace; Student Support and Wellbeing, etc.

Course-specific Support

  • You will be allocated a personal tutor who will support you with the transition into higher education and support you through your studies.
  • Specific assessment support will be factored into each module.
  • If you have disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties you can gain a wide range of support from the Student Support and Wellbeing team at the University
  • Higher Education academic skills will be embedded throughout the curriculum

Twitter: @ed_wlv

You will:

  • develop knowledge; be able to critically analyse; make judgments; and evaluate key concepts, theories, and principles around education studies
  • analyse inclusion concepts, theories, and issues in a systematic way
  • identify and reflect on potential connections and discontinuities between aspects of subject knowledge and their application in social policies and contexts
  • process and synthesise a range of relevant empirical and theoretical data to present and justify your chosen position
  • develop and consolidate a range of employability skills, including sharing information, working with and in groups, presenting information, digital literacy, and critical thinking skills
  • develop your professional and ethical practice to improve outcomes for children, young people, adults, and their families

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2024-25
Home Part-time £3120 per year# 2022-23
Home Part-time £4625 per year# 2023-24
Home Part-time £4625 per year# 2023-24
Home Part-time £4625 per year# 2024-25
International Full-time £13450 per year 2022-23
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14950 per year 2024-25

Additional Course Costs

Mandatory Costs

Further information on these additional costs will be provided prior to the start of your studies

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

Typical entry requirement: 96 UCAS points

  • A Levels - grades CCC / BCD
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma - grades MMM
  • BTEC L3 Diploma - grades DD
  • NCFE CACHE L3 Diploma in Childcare and Education or NCFE CACHE L3 Technical Diploma in Childcare and Education - grade C
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (96 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at merit)

Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

Other Requirements

Entry to this course requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Free Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Check:

Due to the professional nature of some of our courses you may also be required to complete a Declaration of Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.  We will coordinate both of these non-academic conditions with you should your course require this and you receive an offer from us

There will be no cost for the DBS this is free to applicants who have secured an offer and have chosen to study at the University of Wolverhampton.

Students must usually have studied for a minimum of two years post GCSE level. However, we will consider applications from mature students who do not have two years of post-16 study, where they have relevant work experience. Please see http://wlv.ac.uk/mature for further information.

The thought of starting University at the age of 49 was daunting, especially since I had been out of education for a long time. But after the initial nerves about whether I should have returned to academic life, I realised that it was the best decision I had taken. There are so many things I enjoy about reading the BA (Hons) Education Studies programme, but one of the most interesting and enlightening has been its content, be it the Education and Social Justice module, Disability, Diversity and Inclusion or Policy and Practice of Learning and Teaching. All modules in the programme have been informative, enlightening, and relevant to issues occurring in current times, not just in the UK but around the globe. Another reason for the programme being enjoyable has been how the modules have been delivered, the lecturers have been erudite at keeping them discussion-based and interesting. I also found that the facilities and help available to all students is exceptional and there are workshops available for anything course-related. 

Having now started my third year as a 51-year-old mature student, my advice to anyone who may be thinking they ‘have missed the boat for university’, ignore that thought, it is never too late.  Fiaz Haque 

The course has given me the skills and confidence I need to be able to believe in myself as an educator. After completing several modules I found a passion for social justice, which has inspired me to follow a career within higher education. The lecturers have a passion for their subject matter which is infectious, making learning enjoyable. I always feel we are on equal terms even though they are teaching me as they are so approachable. 

Enrolling in the course has been the best decision I have made. As a mature student, I was worried about entering into full-time education again after 20 years, however, the course content, lecturers, and academic skills sessions quickly made the worry turn into a new passion. I have grown so much academically, but also in confidence within myself, since starting the course. I now have the ability to fulfil my dream as an educator and plan to continue my studies further.  Victoria Price

My name is Lesley and I am studying education studies at Wolverhampton University. As a mature student it was a daunting task to step back into education. From the first year it was clear that I had a highly motivated and passionate set of lectures who would help with any concerns about university life. The lectures offered amazing support with any challenges faced over the duration of the course including extra assistance during COVID-19. The lectures have helped me to believe and achieve within the university environment.  I have enjoyed the course as it has offered a diverse range of subjects including history of education, SEND, equality in education and international comparatives.  This degree has enabled me to seek new challenges with confidence and has improved my understanding of different people perspectives. I could not thank my lectures enough.  Lesley Jones 

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.


Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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How We Compare

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