BA (Hons) Education Top Up

Program Overview

This BA (Hons) Education program equips students with the skills and knowledge to become effective learning practitioners. It offers both Early Years and general Education pathways, with assessments directly linked to students' own practice and settings. The program is designed for work-based individuals, with online sessions held for four hours per week over three semesters. Graduates can pursue careers in various educational and early years settings.

Program Outline

Outline:

This BA (Hons) Education (with optional Early Years specialism) course has a top-up structure designed for work-based individuals. The course equips students with the skills and knowledge to become effective learning practitioners. It provides opportunities to:

• Reflect on your own practice: This course encourages students to examine their own skills, attributes, and abilities, fostering self-confidence and a strong understanding of their professional identity.
• Study alongside work: The course is designed to fit around work commitments, with online sessions held for four hours per week over three semesters.
Both Early Years and general Education pathways are available.
• Choose your focus: Students can choose modules specializing in Early Years or modules with a broader focus on Education, allowing for personalized learning.
• Work-based assessment: Assessments are directly linked to students' own practice and settings, ensuring real-world application of learning.

Modules:

• Education Pathway:
• Changes and Developments in Education (20 credits)
• Doing Education Differently (20 credits)
• The Reflective Practitioner (40 credits)
• Individual Study Project (40 credits)
• Early Years Pathway:
• Doing Education Differently (20 credits)
• Embedding Literacy and Numeracy Approaches in the Early Years (20 credits)
• The Reflective Practitioner (40 credits)
• Individual Study Project (40 credits)

Both Pathways:

• Additional optional modules may be available.

Assessment:

Assessments are designed to develop a range of professional skills and strongly link theory with practical application. Some modules may have multiple assessment tasks connected to the teaching and learning methods.

• Formative assessments: These are used throughout the course to identify areas for improvement and maximize the effectiveness of learning.
• Summative assessments: These take various forms, including written assignments, presentations, and examinations.

Teaching:

The teaching methods are designed to maximize the use of students' work experience. They include:

• Online group discussions and problem-based learning
• Case studies and individual research
• Observation of other professionals
• Guest speaker presentations
• One-to-one tutorials and critical reflection activities
• Access to course materials, lecture notes, and reading lists through the Virtual Learning Environment "Blackboard"

Careers:

Graduates can pursue careers in various settings such as:

• Educational establishments
• Children's centres
• Care and family support organizations
• Educational administration and management
• Play work and learning support
Many graduates also go on to postgraduate studies in Early Years Teacher and Masters programs.

Other:

• Students must be employed in an educational or early years setting for at least four hours per week.
• The course has been designed for graduates of foundation degrees in Education or Early Childhood Studies.
• Students receive dedicated support from the careers team.
• The course offers opportunities to develop a small-scale research project on a topic relevant to current practice and interests.
• The course encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and negotiation skills.