Studying our Applied Education Studies BA (Hons) course will equip you with in-depth knowledge around educational provision, child development and professional practice. As an educator, curriculum is at the heart of teaching and learning. Our two units, English: Knowledge and Understanding and English: Theory and Practice will introduce you to areas critical to teaching English. You will explore language teaching theories and investigate current practice in settings, with an additional refresher on key grammatical, punctuation and spelling conventions of English. Furthermore, you will learn approaches to identifying children’s needs in reading, spoken language and writing and consider suitable interventions to support a child’s learning.  

In other areas of curriculum, you will also be equipped with the concepts and skills to teach mathematics in our Mathematics Education unit. Here, you will develop your understanding of the subject with various topics including algebra and data handling. You will investigate a range of approaches to mathematical thinking and problem solving and, by reviewing theory and research, you will consider effective ways to structure content that will support pupils in developing reasoning skills to solve mathematical problems. On a broader scale, you will also be Exploring the Curriculum to learn the principles of curriculum design while questioning the aims, effectiveness and structure of the school curriculum and how it aligns with the National Curriculum for England. More importantly, you will actively consider equality, diversity and inclusion within curriculum design.  

Another important role as an educator is to facilitate positive learning environments for children. This is why our Learning Environment unit aims to develop your knowledge and skills to create safe and stimulating environments rooted in mutual respect to maximise opportunities for students. In addition, you will look more closely at individual pupils in our Personalised Learning unit to assess specific needs and use this to inform the inclusion and support of all children in an educational setting. Furthermore, through examining research, theory and pedagogy, our Developing Learning unit will also provide you with the knowledge and skills to support the development of babies, children and young people.  

To assist you with your learning, your first unit in Skills for Education Studies will develop your key academic skills to source and use literature effectively to link theory and practice. As you progress through the course, you will also engage with our Reflecting on Practice unit where you will be supported in identifying your strengths and areas for improvement in your academic and professional work at the midway point in your studies. In the later stages of your studies, our unit in Professional Practice will encourage you to consider ethics and policy within wider educational settings, including how professional and legal frameworks operate within settings and how roles and responsibilities are carried out by the education workforce. Following this, you will write a reflective journal and create an academic poster using your critical analysis of a given topic.  

In your final year, you will complete a Research Project in Applied Education Studies where you will carry out an in-depth study into an area of interest relevant to your study and professional interest. Under the guidance of a supervisor, you will discuss and refine your research while developing key academic and investigative skills within an area of practice that is relevant to your future career. To prepare you for your research project, our unit in Research Methods will guide you in choosing your area of interest and the fundamentals of research including research approaches, methods, data collection tools, ethics and data analysis