Biology and Education

Develop the knowledge, skills and experience you need to become an educator across diverse settings.

• Explore important current themes in Education, such as social justice, inclusion, wellbeing, sustainability, and education policy.

• Study a broad range of Biology topics, such as microbiology, ecology, animal behaviour, medical biology, plant biology and food studies.

• Build skills that employers look for, including research, teamwork, and the ability to understand and interpret complex information.

Are you passionate about changing lives through education?

Our Biology and Education degree builds your knowledge of biology alongside your understanding of how education transforms individual outcomes and societies.

In your Education modules, you’ll develop a portfolio of skills that employers look for, such as creative thinking, taking initiative, networking, and problem solving. You’ll explore these skills through the lens of sustainability, global citizenship and digital literacy, from local and global perspectives.

In Biology, you'll explore themes such as biodiversity, ecology, environmental management, microbiology and nutrition. We use our unique campus, with its rich variety of woodland, grassland and freshwater habitats, extensively in practical work.

Many of our graduates choose to become teachers in schools, but that's not the only path open to you. We'll support you in achieving your aspirations as a professional educator – however they develop during the degree.

Combined Honour Awards
At Bath Spa University many of our undergraduate programmes can be combined, so you don’t have to limit yourself to one subject. If you choose to study a combined award then in Year One you’ll start by studying both subjects in equal depth. From Year Two you can choose whether to continue with equal numbers of modules from each subject, or whether you want to select additional modules in one or the other. Upon successful completion of the programme you will graduate with a joint degree.

Course Modules

Year one
The first year introduces key concepts and skills that underpin the study of education. You'll be introduced to formal and informal education and explore the potential of education to transform lives. Key themes include wellbeing, global citizenship and the impact of research.

In your Biology modules, you’ll explore fundamental biological topics through hands-on classes. Topics include cell biology, genetics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, evolution, classification, and ecosystems.

Year two
In your second year you’ll be introduced to the key ideas and theories needed to understand contemporary educational issues. You’ll learn about education policy and its role on a local and global scale. You’ll also evaluate how education contributes to achieving change in the workplace. You’ll explore global citizenship and wellbeing in more depth. You’ll have the opportunity to explore sustainable development. Depending on your choice of modules, you can undertake an education placement in your second year.

Biology modules cover a range of concepts including biological systems and the importance of Biology in real life. You'll explore the most cutting-edge ideas in Biology and get the chance to choose from a range of topics for your optional module. Themes include ecology, environmental management, microbiology, human pathophysiology, biodiversity and food analysis. You could also develop your research skills to a higher level through a dedicated research module.

An optional Professional Placement Year between your second and final year gives you the chance to gain extended experience in the workplace.

Year three
You’ll develop a deeper understanding of a professional career in education and education’s role in sustainable development. Your dissertation in either Education or Biology will complete your studies.

If you choose to focus on Education, you’ll get the chance to use your research to help solve real-world problems with our industry partners. If you choose Biology, you'll undertake an independent research project in an area that interests you.

If you’re interested in a teaching career, and you’re on target to successfully complete your degree, we offer a guaranteed interview for our Primary or Secondary PGCE courses in your final year.

Professional Placement Year

A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.