About Education Studies (joint Honours) BA/bsc (hons) in University of Northampton

A degree in Education Studies will help you to understand the key issues, policies and debates in education today. You will gain an insight into how education systems develop and how children and adults learn. The course is a strong foundation for a variety of careers.

The joint honours Education Studies degree is a particularly good choice if you would like to become a secondary school teacher. Majoring in a subject that is taught at secondary school level, and minoring in Education Studies, is the perfect foundation for Key Stage 3 Initial Teacher Training. However, joint honours gives you many other career choices as well.

We will support you to achieve your career and study ambitions, which is why if you complete our Employability Plus Gold programme or Changemaker Gold certificate alongside your studies and if you haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating* we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you, or support you into postgraduate study.

Course Details

You will examine the ways in which knowledge, skills and attitudes are passed on and developed in children and adults in a variety of settings. You will see how external factors such as values, beliefs, culture and the environment can affect learning.

Using the disciplines of psychology, sociology, philosophy and history, you will explore contemporary issues in education, curriculum studies, comparative and international education, and education policy.

There will be a number of opportunities to visit a variety of educational settings in order to research and compare how individuals learn in different environments. These settings can range from museums and prisons, to schools and European universities. These practical experiences will prove invaluable to your future career development.

In your first year you will be introduced to the approaches, perspectives and theories within education as well as gaining the skills you need to be successful at University. At the end of the first year you will have the opportunity to go on a study trip to one of our partner universities in Europe to compare education systems to the UK.

During the second year offsite trips are included in most modules. This allows you to see how the theory you have been learning is applied in practice. Essential trips are covered in your tuition fees but optional visits may incur an additional cost.  See additional fees for further information.

Your final year allows specialist and intensive study on the areas or subject you are most interested in, culminating in a dissertation or independent study that focuses on your choice of subject.

Schedule

The amount of on-campus teaching varies from module to module, as does how it is delivered. Generally, you will have the most time face-to-face with the lecturer in your first year. Some modules in the second year will be taught off-campus on trips and visits and final year study is often based on tutorials and individual time with the tutor rather than formal lectures.

Assessments

There are no exams for Education Studies, but your second subject will have them. For Education Studies, assessments take the form of essays, portfolios, presentations, analysis and reflection.

Joint Honours – Combinations with Education Studies

Education Studies can be taken with any subject listed on the combination table.

We suggest discussing the combination which is right for you with a staff member at an Open Day. However, as an indication, the following combinations have been popular.

Education Studies and Social Care

Combining Education Studies and Social Care gives you an insight into the key factors that affect education performance beyond the school gate, such as poverty, family turbulence and various forms of social exclusion.

The course covers issues such as policy, social class, race and ethnicity, and how social welfare and educational institutions can work together. Current governmental interest in inter-professional working between these fields makes this combination increasingly relevant for any related career.

This combination of subjects is particularly useful if you would like to teach in a primary school, or if you want to teach Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) studies in secondary schools. It’s also a useful grounding if you are looking to work with disaffected youth or in youth work.

Sports Studies and Education Studies

Combining the study of sports with the study of Education can open up careers in a wide variety of areas, including schools, sports and leisure centres, professional and amateur sports clubs and community groups. You will get an introduction to each subject and then be able to specialise in the subject you feel suits you best. If you do wish to become a secondary school PE/Sports teacher, you will need to major in Sports Studies in order to move onto Initial Teacher Training.

Psychology and Education Studies

Psychology and Education Studies cross over in a number of fascinating ways. You will learn about the psychology of education, gain an understanding of learning theory and develop a grounding in human experience and behaviour.

A joint honours degree in Psychology and Education Studies will give you access to a range of jobs such as management, arts administration, coaching and teaching. It is the perfect foundation for Initial Teacher Training, whether at primary level, or for teaching Psychology itself in further education. If you wish to become a professional psychologist, you will need to major in psychology and take the modules necessary for BPS membership.

English and Education Studies

This combination may be an obvious choice if you would like to teach English at Key Stage 3 and 4, but it has a number of other useful applications as well. There is a focus on the impact that literary genres have had on education and how education is represented in literature.

Joint honours graduates in Education Studies and English will be equipped for careers in management, journalism and librarianship as well as teaching. If you do wish to become a secondary school English teacher, you will need to major in English in order to move onto Initial Teacher Training.

Scholarships

EU and International Scholarships

We’re committed to offering the opportunity to study in the UK to the best and brightest students from around the world.

Sir Thomas White Scholarship

The Sir Thomas White scholarship will support and acknowledge an academically gifted student, with the proviso that the selection panel is confident that there is…

TD Lewis Scholarship

The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

The Chancellor's Fund

The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply.  The…

Wilson Endowment Scholarship

The Wilson Endowment Scholarship provides a £1,500 scholarship to undergraduate students from the Northamptonshire area. The endowed scholarship was donated in memory of Mr Lynn Wilson,…

Entry Requirements

General University entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. We welcome international applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications. Some Joint Honours subjects require specific entry qualifications which Education Studies does not, so please check the entry qualifications for both of your proposed subjects; you will need to meet both sets of requirements.

For information on how to apply to study with us, please see our How to Apply page.

English Language Requirements

All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

• IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
  for study at undergraduate level

For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

University of Northampton Highlights

Institute Type	Public
Campus Setting	Urban
Number of Staff	1,611
Number of Students	11,984
Number of International Students	1000
Graduation Employment Rate	95%
Student Satisfaction Rate	89%
Academic Programs Offered	Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Mode of Programs Offered	Full time, Part time and Distance
Medium of Instruction	English
Average Tuition Fee for International Fee	GBP 12,000 - GBP 15,000
Proficiency Test for English Language	IELTS, TOEFL iBT or Pearson PTE
Financial Aid	Scholarships, Funds and Loans

University of Northampton Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

For all the prospective candidates for the institute, an estimated cost of living in the UK is as cpmipield below.

University of Northampton Tuition Fee

The tuition fee varies from one course to another. Following are some of the popular courses along with the tuition cost:

University of Northampton Undergraduate Courses 

Course	Fee
BA and BSc Degrees	GBP 12,900
BSc Podiatry / BSc Occupational Therapy	GBP 13,900
BSc Nursing	GBP 15,750
Sandwich / placement Year	GBP 1,000

University of Northampton Graduate Courses 

Course	Fee
MA or MSc Degrees	GBP 13,750
MBA	GBP 14,750

University of Northampton Cost of Attendance

Basic list of expenses apart from tuition fee are as follows:

Type of Expenditure	Cost (in GBP, per week)
Accommodation (includes basic facilities)	130 to 300
Food	36 to 52
Mobile phone	4 to 14
Travel	Around 17
Books and supplies	Around 11
Clothing and personal care	16 to 26
Entertainment	Around 29

University of Northampton Application Process

Basic Admission Requirements

1. Certified transcripts of high school/college/university
2. One reference required
3. Statement of Purpose depicting the interest of the applicant in the chosen course
4. MBA applicants must also have a proof of work experience
5. Arts and design applicant must also submit their portfolio 

The outcomes of the English proficiency tests taken by all of the international applicants. IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and Pearson PTE are acceptable tests. The minimal IELTS scores needed to get admitted are as follows:

Academic Programs	Minimum Score
Undergraduate	6.0 overall and not less than 5.5 in each section
Postgraduate	6.5 overall and not less than 5.5 in each section
Research	7.0 overall and not less than 6.5 in each section

Additional Requirements

1. An overseas student who has been accepted must pay the GBP 5,000 deposit fee before the university would issue them a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies).
2. Other documents for the visa application process are:

• Passport
• UK visa history form
• Proof of financial support