Education Studies - BA (Hons)

Durham University

Education Studies is a broad multidisciplinary degree, designed for the intellectually and practically curious. If you are fascinated by the social, political, psychological and philosophical aspects of education, this is the course for you.,Are you interested in why people learn in different ways? Do you want to find out more about barriers to learning and how learning supports childhood development? Maybe you’d like to know more about the ways in which politics can impact education and education in diverse cultures? The BA Education Studies is an ideal qualification if you are fascinated by the learning process and education as a global phenomenon and you want to keep your career options open. Learning and education profoundly shape all our lives and we consider these in the broadest possible sense. From the philosophical foundations of schooling to the political implications of policy, education is a vast field that has multiple avenues to approach a seemingly straightforward subject. Our degree goes far beyond any classroom and considers education, people and their relationship to the ever-changing world. This BA will prepare you for a career in many different areas, both in the education sector and beyond. It can provide the first step towards a career as a teacher or researcher, and supports roles in publishing, policy making, the voluntary and public sectors, as well as many more. The curriculum draws on research carried out in the School to keep the course content relevant and up to date. The breadth of modules allows you to create your own pathway through the course. You can choose to focus purely on educational studies, or incorporate a sociology, psychology or geography element to your studies.Course structureYear 1 modulesCore modules:Historical and Philosophical Ideas of Education will introduce you to some of the major educational theorists and the foundational ideas informing education practice today. This will help you to develop a personal perspective on the longstanding debate about the purpose and value of education.International and Comparative Education gives you the tools and the opportunity to reflect on how diversity impacts education and what inequalities might emerge as a result. This will help you develop an understanding of attitudes towards others and allow you to reflect on forms of communication in contexts of diversity and their implications for education.Contemporary Issues and Evidence in Education will introduce you to a range of contemporary issues in education and the nature and scope of the supporting evidence. With a range of guest speakers from across the Department you will gain a grounding in a variety of issues at stake.Foundations of Psychology in Education serves as a basis for an understanding of psychological principles, processes and theories in education. The module addresses cognitive and non-cognitive person characteristics that may explain individual differences in learning processes and outcomes.Optional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Disability and Educational Needs: What’s so ‘Special’ about SEND?Year 2 modulesCore modules:Educational Research Methods will help you understand the purposes and implications of educational research. You will develop a critical appreciation of the different ways in which research can be carried out in education, and learn how to assess the quality of educational research.Optional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Cultural Identity, Interculturality, and EducationConstructing Childhood and YouthHigher Education: Issues of Exclusion and InclusionAssessing EducationLearning LivesLearning and Development in ChildhoodDisability and Educational Needs: Impairment, Empowerment and Education.Year 3 modulesCore modules:Dissertation: Disciplinary Contexts of Education You will undertake an extended, independ