Program Overview

Education Studies and Sociology with Foundation Year

Overview

This is a highly practical degree, teamed with the theory you will need to succeed. Gain up to 9 weeks of experience within work-based placements. You'll gain invaluable classroom practice and will have flexible opportunities to experience other educational settings.

Why Study This Course

• Gain a broad skill set by combining sociology theory with research skills and practical application
• Guaranteed free interview for PGCE and free interview training

Course Summary

Studying Education Studies at BGU will provide you with an excellent understanding of education in its widest sense, nationally and globally, and is a great course if you are interested in a career in teaching or are thinking about working in other education-related areas.

BGU’s Sociology undergraduate degree provides a comprehensive and exciting introduction to the study of all aspects of the social world. The course takes you on a journey from the 19th-century foundations of the discipline through to the social, cultural and political changes that are reshaping our globalising world.

Key Facts

• Award: BA (Hons)
• UCAS code: LX3F
• Duration: 4 years
• Mode of study: Full time
• Start date: September 2025
• Award: Bishop Grosseteste University
• Institution code: B38

What You Will Study

Foundation

• Self as Learner
• Resourcing Learning
• Critical Engagement
• Critical Thinking
• The Digital Learner
• Effective Communication
• Reflective Learning
• Academic Writing
• Perspectives on Learning

Year 1

• Perspectives on Learning
• Understanding Education Inequality
• Writing and Thinking Sociologically
• Social Research Skills: Texts and Interactions
• What is (the point of) Sociology

Year 2

• Social Justice: Diversity and Inclusion
• Interpreting Education Research
• Public Sociology: Religion, Race and Sexuality
• Sociology of Education
• Becoming a Professional
• Sociology of Happiness

Year 3

• Global Perspectives on Education
• Curriculum Debates and Future(s)
• Surveillance and Society
• Contemporary Imprisonment
• Sociology of Personal Life
• Contexts for Learning
• Dissertation

Entry Requirements

• Application for this course is via UCAS, although there is no formal requirement for UCAS points to access the course (normally GCSE English or equivalent is desirable).
• As part of your application, you will have the opportunity to speak with a member of BGU Admissions staff to resolve any questions or queries you may have.
• Different degree subjects may have specific entry requirements to allow you to progress from the Foundation Year. Whilst not a condition of entry onto the Foundation Year, you will need to have met these by the time you complete the first year of this four-year course.

Further Information

• Click here for important information about this course, including additional costs, resources, and key policies.
• The Foundation Year syllabus does not include any specific element of upskilling in English language, and you are not entitled to apply for Accredited Prior Learning, AP(C)L into a Foundation Year.

How You Will Be Taught

• There is no one-size-fits-all method of teaching at BGU – we shape our methods to suit each subject and each group, combining the best aspects of traditional university teaching with innovative techniques to promote student participation and interactivity.

Academic Staff

• Dr Adam Hounslow-Eyre
• Dr Richard Newton
• Dr Laura Way

Assessment

• In Education Studies, assessment is carried out through coursework of different types, including essays, reports, oral presentations, multimedia presentations, reflective logs, and portfolios. There are no examinations.
• In Sociology, we see assessment as a powerful driver of student learning and a means for demonstrating what students have learnt. We believe it’s a great way to develop the employability skills that employers demand from graduates.

Careers & Further Study

Education Studies

• Education Studies graduates enjoy very high levels of employability – the course facilitates your personal and professional employability skills through regular work-based placements – and our students are in high demand.
• Currently, around 70% of our students complete a teacher training course and will go on to be highly successful Primary or Secondary teachers.
• An Education Studies degree from BGU means your career opportunities are diverse. In addition to careers in education, Education Studies graduates are well placed to work in other education-related, health, social care, public information, or communication sectors.

Sociology

• The wide range of graduate-level employment-related opportunities and positions available to BGU Sociology graduates include activism and campaigning, advertising, arts, bankers (e.g., investment bankers, analysts), charity administrators, community and youth workers, curators, entrepreneurs, film makers, financial analysts, journalists, lawyers, lecturers, marketing, police officers, public relations (PR), researchers, school and college teachers, and social workers.