BA (Hons) Learning, Development and Support

Program Overview

The BA (Hons) Learning Development and Support at Liverpool John Moores University prepares individuals for careers in education and social care, emphasizing child development, support for learners with SEND, and graduate employability skills. Delivered through a blended learning approach, the program offers flexibility with Saturday-only classes and electronic learning materials. Graduates are well-equipped for roles such as teaching assistants, mentors, and social workers, or to pursue teacher training or other professional qualifications.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The BA (Hons) Learning Development and Support at Liverpool John Moores University is designed for individuals working in all phases of education, particularly those seeking to progress to teacher training, social work, or a mentoring role. It caters to students returning to education after gaining practical experience with children and wanting to enhance their understanding of child development and support. The program emphasizes the emotional and mental development of children and young people, incorporating graduate employability skills and opportunities for direct work with practitioners. It is constantly updated to reflect current issues in education.

Outline:

The program is structured over three years, with modules categorized into Levels 4, 5, and 6. Each level includes core modules that are mandatory and optional modules that offer flexibility and choice.

Level 4:

• Core Modules:
• Study Skills (20 credits): Introduces essential skills for lifelong learning, including communication, academic skills, and group work.
• Personal Professional Development (20 credits): Focuses on reflective practice, personal development needs, and analysis of skills and knowledge.
• Transition and Resilience Theory (20 credits): Provides a theoretical framework for examining issues central to professional practice and linking them to personal and professional needs.
• Mentoring and Communication in Education (20 credits): Examines mentoring and communication in education from a critical and reflective perspective, exploring current issues and policy implementation frameworks.
• Child Development in the Early Years (20 credits): Introduces child development theories, including early nurturing, attachment theory, and theories of play, in light of current research.
• Supporting Learners with SEND (20 credits): Provides opportunities to investigate, reflect, and develop practice in supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Level 5:

• Core Modules:
• Including the Excluded (20 credits): Focuses on inclusive institutions and societies, encompassing issues of equality of opportunity, disability awareness, and examining current policy.
• Child Development in the Middle Years (20 credits): Identifies key developmental milestones and domains in middle childhood and explores factors affecting development in this phase.
• Academic Research Methods (20 credits): Encourages reflection on practice and published research to draw conclusions and make suggestions for future research engagement.
• Research in Professional Practice (20 credits): Encourages reflection on practice and published research, considering ethical considerations to inform plans for a small-scale research project.
• Optional Modules:
• Dyslexia - Theory and Practice (20 credits): Explores theories, debates, and educational practices associated with dyslexia, supporting students in completing an assignment tailored to their professional needs.
• ADHD in a Mainstream Context (20 credits): Provides opportunities to investigate ADHD, reflect, and develop practice, encouraging students to develop critical faculties in relation to research, policy, and practice.
• Current Issues in Education (20 credits): Examines current policy initiatives in education, critically reflecting and analyzing policy using published research.
• Learning From Work - Developing Professional Practice (20 credits): Supports students in completing a personal study based on their professional practice, linked to a specific professional practice issue.
• Study Abroad Replacement Year - Learning, Development and Support (120 credits): Offers a year of study at an approved overseas partner institution, replacing Level 5 study at LJMU.

Level 6:

• Core Modules:
• Work Based Enquiry (40 credits): Encourages reflection on practice and published research evidence to conduct an independent research project.
• Developing Professional Practice (20 credits): Supports students in completing a personal study based on their professional practice, linked to a specific professional practice issue.
• The Autistic Spectrum (20 credits): Provides opportunities to complete a supported personal study based on professional practice, linked to a specific professional practice issue.
• Child Development in Adolescence (20 credits): Explores literature and research considering the meaning and nature of childhood in the adolescent years, examining adolescent child development in the context of society and legal and ethical systems.
• Optional Modules:
• Current Issues in Education (20 credits): Supports students in completing a personal study based on their professional practice, linked to a specific professional practice issue.
• Learning from Work - Theory to Practice (20 credits): Examines current policy initiatives in education, critically reflecting and analyzing policy using published research.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary depending on the modules chosen but typically include a combination of exams and coursework. The program utilizes a variety of assessment methods to cater to different learning styles, including written essays, individual and group presentations, and work study projects that assess work-based knowledge and experience.

Teaching:

The program employs an active blended learning approach, combining face-to-face and online learning. Lectures, seminars, and tutorials take place on Saturdays, comprising approximately one-third of the study time. Electronic learning materials support taught sessions, allowing students to study the remaining two-thirds of the course at their own pace and convenience. The program also includes learning at work modules that enable students to gain credit for their professional practice.

Careers:

Graduates from this program are well-prepared for a range of careers in education and social care. They can pursue roles such as:

• Teaching Assistants
• Nursery Staff
• Mentors
• Special Educational Needs Coordinators
• Social Workers
• Educational Psychologists
Many graduates progress to teacher training programs, such as the Graduate Teacher Training program and PGCE courses in primary or early years education. Others use their qualifications to advance to other professional-level qualifications and training programs.

Other:

• The program is taught on Saturdays to accommodate full-time employment.
• The School of Education is located in the Education Building on the Mount Pleasant campus, offering various facilities, including a pedagogy room, lecture rooms, computing facilities, an Outdoor Learning Zone, independent study spaces, a cafe, and library access.
• Students have access to dedicated personal tutors, study skills support, and student welfare and support services.
• The program is designed to enhance academic, personal, and professional skills.
• The university offers a reduced offer scheme for eligible students who have been in local authority care or participated in LJMU's outreach initiatives.
• The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to courses and facilities if necessary.
• The program is open to applicants with a minimum of two years of experience working with children and young people, including paid or voluntary work.
• Applicants should have a strong desire to develop their knowledge and skills concerning children and education, a caring and positive attitude, commitment, enthusiasm, and good time management and communication skills.

• Home full-time per year: £9,250
• International full-time per year: £18,250