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Education

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Education
School/s
School of Education
Campus or location
Newton Park
Course length
Three years full-time.
UCAS codes
Institution Code: B20
Course Code: BED6 or BED7
Campus Code: A,BSU

Entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.

This course is no longer taking applications for 2024

Applications for 2025 will open in September 2024 for home applicants via UCAS, or direct via our website for international students. For more information, please contact our Admissions team: admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

Change lives through education on this BA Education degree.

  • Explore important current themes such as social justice, inclusion, wellbeing, sustainability, and education policy.
  • Develop your professional skills through work placements and research projects that focus on real world problems.
  • Draw on sociology, psychology and philosophy to examine diverse aspects of education from a national and global perspective.

University of the Year for Social Inclusion

Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024

#7 in the UK

for Student-Staff Ratio in Education (Guardian University Guide, 2024)

Are you passionate about changing lives through education? Our innovative Education course will allow you to develop a portfolio of skills that employers look for, such as creative thinking, taking initiative, networking, and problem solving.

You’ll have opportunities to explore a range of education careers and develop professional skills by putting your knowledge into practice through work placements and research projects focused on real-world problems. 

Whether you want to be an educator, policy-maker or researcher, continue your studies with teacher training or postgraduate study, or dive straight into a graduate trainee scheme, this degree in education can form the basis of a career in public service.


Open Days

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What you'll learn

Overview

You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • The aims, values and outcomes of education
  • How pupils can benefit from learning in a traditional education setting and through everyday lived experience
  • Education systems from around the world
  • How education can be used in different forms to change lives
  • Educational policy and practice and how it can be used to promote social justice, sustainability, wellbeing and inclusion in the wider world
  • The way education, society, and organisations are structured and how this impacts the learning and wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities.
Course structure

Year one
You'll be introduced to formal and informal education and explore the potential of education to transform lives in different ways. Key themes include sustainability, wellbeing, digital literacy, and global citizenship.

Year two
You’ll learn about education policy and its role on a local and global scale. You’ll also evaluate how research into education can improve workplaces. You’ll explore digital literacy and global citizenship in more depth.

Year three
You’ll develop a deeper understanding of a professional career in education and education’s role in sustainable development. You’ll use your knowledge and skills to work on a research project designed to prepare you for progression to employment or postgraduate study.

How will I be assessed?

You'll be assessed through various tasks and coursework including written assignments, creative projects, practical assessments and presentations. There are no exams.

How will I be taught?

You’ll be taught by experienced University staff through a mix of seminars, lectures, individual tutorials and online tasks. You’ll also learn from guest speakers.  

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Course modules

This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document for more information.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • Education for Change
  • Introduction to Secondary Schools
  • Introduction to Education Research
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Issues in Education
  • Professional Practice in Secondary Schools 
  • Understanding Classrooms
  • Literacy learning in a multi media world 
  • Supporting Learners with additional needs
  • Sociology of Education 
  • Education , Social Inequalities and Social Justice 
  • Youth in Society, Power, Politics and Participation 
  • Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL)
  • Professional Placement Year
Year three (Level 6) modules
  • Secondary Education Independent Project part 1 
  • Teaching and Professionalism in the Secondary School 
  • Secondary Education Independent Project part 2 
  • Social and Educational Inclusion
  • Health Wellbeing and Education
  • Young People, Identities and Sub-Cultures 
  • Identity, Philosophy and Education

Opportunities

Work placements, industry links and internships

Throughout your degree, you'll be immersed in work-based learning, giving you the opportunity to investigate a range of education-related careers and develop your employability skills. You'll create a professional portfolio to explore, experience and progress towards your chosen career.

Study abroad

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

Careers

This BA in Education has been designed to prepare you for a career in a number of education-related roles, from classroom teacher to managerial positions and advisory roles within schools.

Many of our students go on to further study either in the school sector, as a teacher, or in other industries such as non-government organisations (NGOs), consultants in museum/heritage organisations, local government policy development, and rehabilitation services and prison education.

Global Citizenship

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

Overview

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Preparation

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

How will I be assessed?

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

Your course will be a mix of virtual and in-person learning. In-person classes will take place at our Newton Park campus. Situated just out of the city centre, the campus offers panoramic views of the countryside and access to our state of the art facilities, including:

  • Commons building, with its superb classroom facilities, social spaces, and specialist digital resources.
  • Our Library offers a wealth of learning resources including books, journals, DVDs and an extensive range of electronic services. Our Subject Librarian for Education provides subject-specific support, including help with research.
  • Writing and Learning Centre, which provides support for your academic work, including feedback on written drafts and other help with academic writing.
  • Virtual Learning Environment, which provides online access to learning materials such as lecture slides, assessment information, discussion boards and other resources. 
  • Access to thousands of business, design and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.
  • The Careers team run networking events and advisory workshops that explore your future options and the essentials of the job application process. They help you get experience by assisting with your search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while you're studying. When you're ready to progress into your chosen career, they can help you secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for your own business ideas. Career support continues for years after you graduate with the dedicated Grad Support Unit.

Fees

2024 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,250
International full time £15,750

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,850
  • International: £3,150

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We’re looking for applicants who are passionate about changing lives through education and want to develop a portfolio of employability skills and experiences. 

You'll want to start an education-related career, perhaps as a teacher, policy maker or researcher. You'll have a keen interest in the impact of education on social transformation. You may also be – or wish to become – an activist.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level – grades BBB-BCC preferred
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) accepted in any subject.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred.
  • International Baccalaureate – a minimum of 32 points are required.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher).

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

How do I apply?

Applications for 2025 will open in September 2024 for home applicants via UCAS, or direct via our website for international students. For more information, please contact our Admissions service on +44 (0)1225 876 180 or admissions@bathspa.ac.uk

Course leader: Jenny Hatley
Email: j.hatley@bathspa.ac.uk 

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk