Introduction to Education Studies outlines the core disciplines of the history, philosophy, psychology and sociology of education. The module will also introduce you to the newer and emerging discipline of the economics of education as well as the key topic of technology in education. It will enable you to conceptualise the breadth of areas, the range of age phases and the contexts which you will explore within education studies. You will begin to gain the conceptual knowledge and the skills required to further your studies in education.

Conceptions of Education: The UK Education System in Context enables you to learn about the ways in which the formal education system is structured, governed and funded in the four countries of the UK. You will explore the similarities and differences that exist between the different systems, examine the conceptualisations of education that each system appears to reflect, and develop opinions as to the ways in which they function. You will also explore the evolution of those different systems over time, noting the ways in which the different policy approaches taken by the separate legislatures within the UK have affected education in practice.

Political Sociology immerses you in the study of power, the state, ideology, authority and domination. You will study the roles, functions and participation of institutions, organisations and groups in the political world, gaining a conceptual model of the way in which the political world operates and engages with powerful interests and demands for democratic participation. A series of lectures will provide a foundation of knowledge and you will then follow particular case studies to exercise that knowledge in depth. These case studies will be drawn from the research specialisms of staff and topical issues. Indicatively, case studies might be security and state surveillance of political participation in Britain, the political management of mass public protest, the political strategies of social movements, the relevance of political parties to contemporary politics, political marketing and media politics.

Thinking Sociologically: Sociological Theory and Applications introduces you to using the ‘sociological imagination’ to explore a range of sociological concepts and approaches. You will develop the ability to reason effectively about the relation of human agency and social structure, and reflect on the challenges, choices and constraints underlying the assumptions and tacit expectations that determine our view of the world. The module analyses how we create and sustain meaningful social relationships, organisations and systems, and how, in turn, those relations, organisations and systems impact on us.

Introduction to Cultural Studies provides a foundation for the study of culture in society, with a focus on different – and particularly critical – approaches to the study of the cultural world. The module rehearses relevant cultural theories from traditional conceptions of ‘high’ culture and the importance of culture in society, to critical approaches to culture that take in analyses of power, representation, ideology and hegemony. The module will explore cultural theories and their analyses of popular culture in the last 75 years before applying theoretical insights to the study of cultural forms and movements in Britain since the 1950s. The study of cultural forms will allow for both an appreciation of the tools of cultural analysis and of the richness of cultural practices and representations.

Learning in a Diverse Society enables you to explore the various ways in which access to education can be helped or hindered by issues such as race, religion, class, ethnicity, learning difficulties, or physical disability. The module encourages you to explore and reflect upon the specific factors that can affect access and consider how obstacles to access can be mitigated against or overcome.

Technology and its Place in Education considers the underlying theoretical perspectives used in conjunction with technology to enhance learning. The term educational technology encompasses technology enhanced and e-learning. It includes the adoption and integration of hardware and software, various electronic devices, pedagogical tools, approaches and delivery methods. Technology has the capacity to significantly re-shape teaching and learning and this module will provide you with the opportunity to critically examine, explore and evaluate the potential benefits of a range of educational technology, as well as consider the underpinning pedagogical rationale for their use, with the specific intention of enhancing teaching and learning.

Designing and Managing a Research Project gives you the knowledge and skills required to conceptualise, design and communicate a research proposal, understanding the fundamental principles of quality research. You will learn how to plan and manage a project over an extended period, sustain focus, conduct and organise extensive data collection and research materials, and mitigate typical problems that can derail or delay a project.

Broken Britain explores issues around class, culture and conflict in contemporary British society. You will examine a variety of sociological perspectives and case-studies to engage critically with questions such as whether British society is ‘broken’ or if the claim is a case of ‘moral panic’? If it is broken, why? Who broke it? What role has globalisation played? Is modernity itself broken? Can society be mended? What is the ‘Big Society’? What is the Good Society? Case studies may include ‘affluenza’ and consumption, family breakdown and the ‘parenting deficit’, the ‘underclass’ debate, the hollowing out of representative democracy, and the rise of ‘radicalisation’ and ‘violent extremism’.

States, Conflict and Political Violence recognises that the sociological study of armed conflict and political violence is an important and growing field of inquiry. Wars and conflicts within and between states are key problems facing the contemporary global community, rooted in the complex character of modern societies. They have been a central concern for sociological theorists since the founding of the discipline.  The study of armed conflict therefore does more than allow you to become familiar with the particular dynamics of specific wars. It also enables a series of key concepts, theories and issues in the social sciences (of power and authority, gender, ethnicity and class) to be investigated and applied to real world situations through the prism of organised violence by, between, against and beyond the state today.

How and Why We Learn: Explorations in the Psychology of Education provides you with an introduction to key theories and perspectives in the psychology of education. You will develop an understanding of the basic principles within the fields of cognitive, developmental and social psychology, with the opportunity to explore issues relating to identity, self and motivation. Investigations of high-quality research within these fields will be underpinned by the fundamental questions of how and why we learn.

Agency, Power and Change in Education enables you to explore some of the momentous changes in the history of education in the UK, to analyse how and why those changes occurred and investigate their social, political, economic and ideological causes. You will consider the historical ripples from those changes and reflect upon how they have continued to inform educational debates and policies to the present day. The module introduces you to some of the most influential educational thinkers drawn from the field of sociology, whose ideas have influenced and shaped the discourses on education in our society. It enables you to make connections between the ideas of key sociologists and changes in policy and thinking.

Education, Meaning and Understanding: Debates in the Philosophy of Education enables you to develop your knowledge and understanding of the philosophy strand of education and to enhance your academic skills in critical analysis. You will learn how to synthesise ideas and analyse competing philosophical positions. A key focus will be on understanding how arguments are philosophically underpinned and value-driven.

UK Education in its Global Contexts will enable you to compare and contextualise the UK education systems with respect to those in other parts of the world. International contexts are becoming increasingly important in the field of education, with educationalists, researchers, politicians, and the media frequently comparing the performance of UK education with the performance of countries such as Taiwan, Finland, and South Korea. This module will consider the UK education system in the context of international performance indicators and tables, with a focus on key education systems from Asia and Scandinavia as aspirational comparators. You will examine the field of international education, understand the international performance measures, and critique where it is that UK education aspires to be and why it holds those aspirations.

Work Based Learning in Education provides you with the opportunity to gain work experience within the education sector. The module enables you to apply your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. You will gain knowledge and understanding of the processes, policies and organisational structure of your placement host, build in-depth knowledge of the business and the marketplace in which it operates, and successfully integrate yourself into a workplace environment.

Work Related Learning in Education enables you to undertake an extended, work-related project focusing upon a strand of the education sector. You will choose the focus of the project, in conjunction with your assigned tutor, with the intention being that it is an area of education into which you might wish to progress after graduation. The module enables you to apply your skills and knowledge in real-world scenarios and experience how the multi-faceted nature of real businesses is often more complex than it may appear. You will also gain experience in investigating the systemic and marketplace contexts in which businesses within your chosen sector exist and function.

Cultural Analysis in a Global World considers how we understand, make sense of and act upon cultural understandings of the globalised world. We are increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of the local, national and global, through cultural and representational forms, commodities and discourses. How do we make sense of them? How do we gain a sense of what is global, what is local, and how do we make comparative and critical examinations of past and present, and begin to speculate on future, on the basis of distinct and contrasting cultural analyses? This module will look at how both media and representational practices make meanings, generate understandings and act upon them in contemporary societies, with a particular focus on recognising the importance of post-colonial cultural critiques and critical discourse analysis as a means of looking below the surface of our globalised world.

Self-Directed Learning enables you to focus on a particular agreed topic or focus and explore it, with tutorial support, to produce a project-based piece of work which relates to a particular career trajectory. The project will involve addressing a social issue or problem and/or one organisation’s response (voluntary, public or private sector) to a social issue or problem. It will involve not only desk research such as library searches but information retrieval from a range of primary sources. The self-directed learning focus allows for a sense of both leading on the learning taking place and reflecting on its progress, problems and problem-solving.

Sociology of the Body and the Emotions introduces you to different ways of understanding ‘the body’ and its significance in past and contemporary societies. Relevant classical social theorists, such as Bourdieu, Elias, Le Breton, Foucault, Mauss and Goffman, will be covered, as will more contemporary sociologists such as Turner, Shilling, Fraser, Butler, Burkitt and Williams. The social production of bodies, how the body is deployed socially and culturally, the socially constructed dualism between body and mind, and the relationship between power and the body, are key issues for evaluation and analysis. They will be illustrated through a range of substantive topics such as gendered, classed and racialised bodies, the body, health and illness, body modification, biotechnology, and social and digital media and the body.

Dissertation provides you with the opportunity to design and execute a research project, with support from your tutors, which focuses on an area of interest in education (ideally relating to a sector in which you may wish to pursue a career). You will be responsible for the design of data gathering tools, for the choice of data analysis methods, as well as the production of a final dissertation that reports your findings.

Understanding Education through Sociological Perspectives enables you to engage in the in-depth study of one of the key disciplines of education studies. You will examine the genealogy of key aspects of the current education sector, such as the National Curriculum, Early Years Provision, Lifelong Learning, the Exam System, or Higher Education. You will explore what current researchers are investigating, where the discipline appears to be heading, and how it can continue to contribute to the future of education and education studies.

Knowledge, Learning and Understanding enables you to study the thinkers and ideas currently existing at the forefront of the philosophy of education, exploring how philosophy contributes to education policy-making, curriculum design, teaching and learning. The module encourages independent thinking through philosophical approaches and building upon your skills in critical analysis to develop an awareness of your own values and beliefs. You will need to communicate and defend your personal position in relation to challenging issues, exploration of which will structure many sessions.

Current Debates in the Psychology of Education immerses you in the advanced study of psychological theories to develop in-depth knowledge of what constitutes effective teaching and learning. Psychology makes a vital contribution to the field of education, offering theories which can explain learning, behaviour and the mind. It allows examination of the motivations and perceptions of individuals, enabling educators to better understand the most effective ways to promote learning and how potential barriers to progress might be overcome. The module will support you in developing the skills required to examine and critique psychological enquiry and then applying this knowledge to consider key educational issues from a psychological angle.

Exploring Issues and Affecting Change in Education enables you to explore shifts in educational policy and consider the most pressing contemporary issues in the sociology of education. You will reflect on how education across the age spectrum, and in its formal and informal paradigms, is affected by the design and implementation of government policy, as well as by factors such as class, gender, race, religion and wealth. Additionally, you will explore the origins of the history of the sociology of education and how researchers apply the core concepts, collect and analyse data, and report on the results of their research.

Critical Autism Studies adopts a critical approach to understanding autism and seeks to challenge the dominant medical model of neurological deficit. Rather than viewing autism as a cognitive development disability, you will be encouraged to consider it as a naturally occurring form of cognitive diversity. The module will examine the argument that autism has been constructed as a neurobiological deficit in a context of neurotypicality or cognitive normality. Understanding autism as neurodiversity opens up spaces for more positive interpretations of autistic people’s experiences, skills and identities. The module is underpinned and, in part, informed by, research by members of the programme team which is focused on areas of sexuality and autism and, specifically, what professionals and care workers should do when providing support for people whose intellectual disability or mental condition makes their consent – being informed, competent and free from coercion – legally unreliable.

Self-Directed Study enables you to look in depth at a theme or issue covered over the duration of your programme of study. The module involves identifying a chosen area for study, developing and negotiating a learning contract (which will outline the what, how, when, where and why of the study period), as well as the means of assessment to showcase the acquired learning. You will be assigned a module supervisor who will help you to develop the negotiated learning and agree the nature of the assessment.

Arts in Society focuses upon the way that a range of feminist and community-based artists work with specific communities and the general public in order to address social issues. The module enables you to explore and develop notions of social justice and community engagement through innovative and creative means. In its examination of the ways in which the arts can ameliorate social conditions, it raises philosophical, ethical and practical issues. You will have the opportunity to learn about a range of artists and practices and the resonance these have with the social issues that are meaningful to them and their study. You will be encouraged to think creatively and reflectively and be expected to engage with works of art as well as with critical literature.

Critical Terrorism Studies recognises that in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and those in London, Madrid, Paris and beyond, terrorism and political violence have become ever more pressing contemporary issues. But, what is ‘terrorism’; what does the term itself actually mean? What causes political violence, how is it represented in modern multi-mediated societies and how does the issue of ‘counter terrorism’ impact on the lives of people today? How has the ‘fear’ of terrorism come to affect our society? These are the sort of questions this module is designed to address. You will be invited to employ and develop your understanding of critical sociological theories, concepts and approaches in order to investigate these matters of great contemporary social importance.

Social, Cultural and Political Ideas enables you to undertake focused work on trans-disciplinary theoretical studies that combine social, political and cultural dimensions in order to understand issues and problems in the contemporary world. The module provides a discursive base on the relationship of theory to practice and the critical study of ideas before focusing on three particular issues and/or theoretical positions and perspectives. Topics might include democracy and democratisation, neo-liberalism, models of justice, consumerism, governance and globalism, cultural Marxism, Orientalism, post-colonialism, or post-Marxism. The balance of generality with specific focus allows for a detailed and critical approach to social, political and cultural ideas.

Childhood and Sexuality juxtaposes how children and young people are constructed simultaneously as desexualised or pre-sexual beings and, therefore, in need of protection and, at the same time, young people, in particular, are portrayed as sexually ‘promiscuous’ or engaged in sexual ‘risk taking behaviour’. The module introduces you to the tensions between these contradictory constructions of youth sexuality and explores the ways in which young people understand their sexuality and develop their sexual identity.

Socio-Cultural Issues and Questions provides you with the opportunity to intensively study a particular society and culture through some of its contemporary issues. The module allows for the comparative cultural analysis of a different society to the one you live in, focused around some preparatory lectures and reflective sessions and an intensive study trip to that country. The focus of the study trip will be to explore both comparisons and contrasts, and use the experience of difference to explore social and cultural issues and problems.

SPY3048 Critical Autism Studies (20 credits) and SPY3118 Childhood and Sexuality (20 credits) added as optional modules in Year 3.

Example offers updated to include the Education and Childcare T Level with an overall grade of Merit.

SPY3118 Childhood and Sexuality (20 credits) removed as an optional module in Year 3.

BED2003 Education, Meaning and Understanding: Debates in the Philosophy of Education (20 credits) changes from compulsory to optional in Year 2. BED2001 How and Why We Learn: Explorations in the Psychology of Education (20 credits), BED2002 Agency Power and Change in Education (20 credits) and BED2004 UK Education in its Global Contexts (20 credits) added as optional modules in Year 2.

BED3001 Understanding Education through Sociological Perspectives (20 credits) and BED3002 Knowledge, Learning and Understanding (20 credits) change from compulsory to optional in Year 3. BED3000 Dissertation (40 credits) added as an optional module in Year 3.

SPY2135 Broken Britain (20 credits) replaces SPY2137 Sexualities: Identities, Politics, Cultures (20 credits) as a compulsory module in Year 2. SPY2126 Promoting Equality in Childhood (20 credits) added as an optional module in Year 2.

SPY3130 Sociology of the Body and the Emotions (20 credits) replaces SPY3112 Desire: Law, Politics, Ethics, Difference (20 credits) as a compulsory module in Year 3. SPY3110 Critical Terrorism Studies (20 credits) changes from compulsory to optional.