Course summary

Develop empathy and respect for difference on a degree underpinned by opportunities to participate in work-related learning in a range of settings, including special schools and alternative provision, and work with disability organisations. Drawing on a range of disciplines including education, psychology, sociology and philosophy, this degree asks vital questions and proposes robust answers about how we understand special educational needs and disability. Whether you are aiming for a career, or are already employed, working with those with special educational needs or disabilities, this course will require you to think critically about the use of labels and categories and develop your own personal stance concerning big questions relating to education, special educational needs and disability. Throughout the degree you will be supported to challenge existing approaches within mainstream psychology, from assessment, identification and diagnosis, to labelling and interventions. You will explore the role of schools in supporting pupils with special educational needs, and analyse the historical and current contexts that influence special educational needs. Work-related learning is offered at every level of study, with work-based learning opportunities provided in a variety of settings. Adopting a strengths-based approach, you will be empowered and encouraged to shape your own attitude to disability and recognise it as a positive, defining aspect of a person’s identity, a ‘difference’ rather than a ‘disability’.