Program Overview

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PRIMARY EDUCATION STUDIES

BA (Hons) (Accelerated)

Accredited by University College Birmingham

Overview

Gain a full undergraduate degree in just two years

We work with over 1,000 employers to find you the right work placement

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.

Why should I 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 (see more details below)
• SPECIALISE YOUR STUDIES – We work with you to provide experience suited to your career aims, allowing you to explore roles and sectors within education
• NO EXAMS – If you are not keen on exams, this course is for you. Unlike many degrees in this field, you will have no written exams during or at the end of the course and will be assessed through practical assessments and coursework only
• AWARD-WINNING UNIVERSITY – Study at the highest-ranking university in the region according to student choice (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023)

Our facilities

Our learning spaces at University College Birmingham ensure you have the right environments to build your knowledge, from lecture theatres to interactive group working spaces and extensive library resources.

• ThinkSpace features glazed study pods to discuss group projects and glass wipe boards to mind-map your ideas
• Our new £44 million Moss House campus includes an exhibition space to showcase your work to assessors and prospective employers
• Our campus buildings feature lecture theatres equipped with the latest technology, as well as comfortable tutorial and seminar rooms and private meeting rooms

Course breakdown

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

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

Entry requirements

• A-levels: Grade profile of 112 UCAS points from a minimum of 2 A-levels (e.g. A*A or BBC) in any subject combination
• T-levels: A T-level with an overall Merit grade
• BTEC: Grade profile of DMM from any subject
• Tariff: Other Level 3 qualifications are accepted at University College Birmingham for entry. A minimum of 112 UCAS Tariff points will be required from a vocationally relevant subject matter
• GCSEs: GCSE/IGCSE maths, English language and science grades A*-C/9-4 (no equivalence)

Key information

Teaching and assessment

• 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
• Assessment: Estimated breakdown of assessment for this degree course
  • Coursework/practical assessment – 100%

Timetable

Whilst your lessons will be timetabled into 2-3 days a week, it is worth noting that your course includes regular placements in addition to these hours.

Tuition fees for home students

If you are a home student enrolling on this accelerated degree in 2024/2025 and 2025/26, your fee for the academic year will be £11,100.

Tuition fees for international students

If you are an international student (or have been fee assessed as an international fee payer) enrolling on this accelerated degree in 2024/2025, your fee for this academic year will be £15,500 per year. This will increase to £18,500 per year in 2025/26.

Career opportunities

• Community education officer: Average Salary: £28,000
• Museum education officer: Average Salary: £24,000
• Education administrator: Average Salary: £33,500
• Education consultant: Average Salary: £34,171
• Learning mentor: Average Salary: £22,500
• Primary school teacher: Average Salary: £29,364

What our students on this course say...

• 95% of students say they have had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics
• 95% of students say this course has the right balance of directed and independent study
• 97% of students at the University say staff are good at explaining things

Course statistics

• 96% say staff value students views and opinions about the course
• 96% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well

Meet your lecturers

• Rebecca Taylor: Head of Department
• Alison Williams: Lecturer
• Dr Jane Bradford: Lecturer
• Emma Davis: Lecturer
• Gemma Kirby: Associate Lecturer
• Laura Holloway: Lecturer
• Michelle Windridge: Lecturer