Course summary

This four-year programme allows students to commence their studies with a foundation year before beginning the main undergraduate degree programme. The first year of study is designed to develop academic skills and confidence required for an undergraduate degree. The content during the foundation year is tailored towards the curriculum of BA Education Studies and BA Primary Teaching with Specialism. It will also develop the study skills of the participating students. Studying the BA Education with integrated foundation year enables students to begin to examine the nature of education in the 21st Century and develop their understanding over four years. Students will acquire a sound knowledge base on which a deeper understanding of the philosophy, policy and practice of education is built. Students will study key theories and philosophical concepts concerning the nature of education, learning and thinking. There will be a consideration of education in the contexts of the social, cultural and political domains. Students will gain an understanding of how people learn best and develop throughout their lives and they will be able to articulate what makes for effective pedagogy. The programme offers the student opportunities to experience and engage in a number of learning approaches in order to develop their subject specific knowledge. A variety of teaching and learning methods, such as lectures, workshops, group discussion and interpretative work, tutorial and library work are used throughout the modules, but they all have a common theme: a student-centred approach.