Primary Education Studies (Accelerated)

OVERVIEW
Do you have a passion to pursue a career in education? Are you interested in working with children in schools and other learning environments, or even becoming a teacher? Our accelerated Primary Education Studies degree offers you the chance to gain an in-depth understanding of how children learn and how primary education has developed, both in the UK and worldwide.

Focusing on the development of children aged three to 11, this primary education course examines four key areas – practitioner identity, the child as a learner, the learning environment and political and cultural context – to give you both a theoretical and practical understanding of learning and teaching within a range of settings. You will learn how educational policies and curricula are developed and gain the skills to work collaboratively in a range of roles, as well as undertaking placements in a variety of environments.

Giving you a full undergraduate degree in just two years, this accelerated course offers a swift route for you to progress onto qualified teacher training. It also opens the doors to a wide range of other career opportunities, from working in primary schools, museums, cultural institutions and charities to educational research.

• PGCE Progression with University of Warwick – Students who complete our Primary Education Studies degree course will be offered a guaranteed interview (subject to basic entry criteria) for Primary/Early Years PGCE courses at our partner institution, the University of Warwick. See our website for more details.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

• Accelerated degree – Start your future in just two years with our accelerated primary education degree, with the opportunity to progress onto teacher training or move directly into industry

• Work placements – Test your training in the real world on multiple work placements in a variety of industry settings, from schools and charities to museums and theatres

• Progress to PGCE – Complete our degree and you will have the opportunity to progress onto a teacher training course with our partners at the University of Warwick

• Specialise your studies – We work with you to provide experience relevant to your career aims, allowing you to explore particular roles and sectors within the education field

PLACEMENTS
Our course features two placement modules (one per year), placing you within a range of settings in order to gain hands-on experience of the different areas where education professionals may work.

CAREERS AND PROGRESSION
Examples of careers you could pursue following this course:

• Community education officer

• Museum education officer

• Education administrator

• Education consultant

• Learning mentor

• Primary school teacher

You could also progress onto a PGCE course with our partners at the University of Warwick. See our website for full details: ucb.ac.uk/edstudies

• Please refer to our website www.ucb.ac.uk for the latest updates to this course

Course Modules

This is a two-year accelerated degree course. Level 5 study takes place in the second semester of Year 1 and the first semester of Year 2.

YEAR 1

• Introduction to Education Studies
• The Developing Learner 1: An Introduction to Neurological and Physical Development
• History of Education in the UK
• Exploring the Learning Environment
• Early Learning and the Primary Curriculum
• Theories of Reflective Practice in Education
• Ideology and Sociology in Primary Education

YEAR 2

• The Developing Learner 2: Understanding Cognition, Language and Behaviour
• Developing Professional Practice in Education
• Philosophy, Ethics and Values in Primary Education
• Contemporary Issues and International Perspectives on Primary Education
• Inclusion, Diversity and Equality in Education Settings
• Research in Education

Note: Indicative information only. Actual timetables and assessment regimes will be issued at your induction. Please be aware that methods of delivery for this course may be altered due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – for the most up-to-date information, please refer to our website: www.ucb.ac.uk

TEACHING

Example of a typical teaching week (up to 12 contact hours):

• Large group teaching – 6-7 hours
• Smaller group teaching – 2-3 hours
• Tutorials – up to 2 hours

As this is an accelerated course, it runs throughout the entire academic year, from the end of September to July/August. Some weeks are timetabled as intensive study, requiring an increase in contact hours. The above reflects the minimum and maximum number of hours expected.

You will also need to commit around 25 hours per week for individual study time.

ASSESSMENT

Estimated breakdown of assessment for this degree course:

• Coursework/practical assessment – 100%

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2021-2024.