Course summary

This in-depth degree can put you on a career path where you can make a priceless difference to a young person’s learning experiences and their future life chances. It gives you the skills and understanding of SEND you need to be a confident, capable professional, supporting children, young adults and their families. The course gives you a theoretical and research-informed grounding in the field, incorporating relevant aspects of the law; theories of learning; assessment of difficulties; and practical interventions. Discussion covers a wide range of SEND areas which may include general language and learning difficulties; autism; specific learning difficulties including dyslexia; physical and sensory impairments; mental and emotional issues; and behavioural problems. Throughout the course, we place a strong focus on developing practical skills and real-world learning. You have the opportunity to go on experience-building visits and you also undertake a placement in your final year, giving you important insights into professional practice. Why choose this course?

• Learn from an expert course team with wide practical experience and a national reputation in the field of special educational needs and disability

• Gain the ability to reflect sensitively on the difficulties and barriers young people with SEND face in education while exploring ways to address those difficulties

• Specialise with optional units in areas such as literacy; numeracy; the use of ICT to support young people; children’s fiction; and representations of disability

• Enhance your transferable skills in areas such as inter-personal communication, research analysis, critical thinking and teamwork

• Our courses have above-average rates of student satisfaction: teaching, 88%; academic support, 87%; learning community, 90%; learning resources, 87% (NSS, 2019-20)

• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free placement year where you gain experience and make contacts for the future

• If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year which guarantees entry to the full degree course

• Open up career paths in areas such as education; inclusion support; child and family advocacy; and mentoring

• On graduating successfully, you meet the entry requirements for our PGCE Primary, allowing you to train as a primary teacher