BA (Hons)

Education and Youth Studies

LL55

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people, families and communities? Our Education and Youth Studies degree provides you with the knowledge and critical understanding to explore the nature and functions of education in relation to young people with their families and communities. 

Stack of children's books with a cup on top

Course overview

If you aspire to teach or work with young people, this fascinating programme prepares you for a rewarding career in a variety of roles. It also arms you with the skills and knowledge necessary to understand and contribute to the education and lives of young people. 

Understanding education as a lever for social and political change, this course combines the study of education in its broadest sense – from philosophical, political, historical, sociological and cultural perspectives – with the exploration of a variety of policies and practices relevant to the lives of young people, their families and communities. 

You select from a range of modules which enable you to develop your own interests through themes including: philosophies of education, power, gender, inclusion, early childhood, ecology and technology. These themes help you to explore a variety of factors which affect the learning, development, health and wellbeing of young people. 

You also consider changes in ideas concerned with family life, ways of caring for others, and expectations of educational and wider provision for young people and their families. This allows you to reflect on the significance of the ways in which individuals think, act and relate to others in society.  

The course is both a rigorous academic degree and excellent preparation for those who wish to become a teacher, or work with young people in a range of other settings. It is also a solid grounding for those who wish to pursue MA routes, such as the MA Philosophy of Education. 

In Year 1, core modules such as Literacies in Higher Education, Educators, Development in Childhood and Adolescence and Understanding Inequality, introduce key concepts and skills. 

Social and Political Thought, and Social Research are core modules in Year 2, and you also choose from a range of progressive, optional modules such as: Technology and Education, Constructing Identity, and Social Inclusion and Exclusion.  

In your final year, you may choose from cutting-edge modules including Gender Roles in Schools; Inclusion and Refugees, Deconstructing Philosophies of Education, and Young People’s Mental Health. You also complete your dissertation by exploring in-depth an area of special interest to you. 

Opportunities to work alongside young people through an optional volunteering module at level 5 enable you to make informed career choices. Graduates enter rewarding professions in educational roles within public services, teaching, working in extended schools, business, service industries, charities and voluntary organisations, early years settings, libraries, museums, health services, services for young people, and children’s services. 

What you need to know

Course start date

September

Location

Winchester campus

Course length

  • 3 years full-time
  • 6 years part-time

Apply

LL55

Typical offer

104-120 points

Fees

From £9,250 pa

Course features

  • Excellent preparation if you want to become a teacher, or keep your options open for other careers in educational services 
  • Gain the skills to work with young people in a wide range of settings 
  • Voluntary work with children and young people in your second year counts towards academic credit 
  • Choose from an extensive range of modules around your own developing specialist areas of interest

Course details

Learning and Teaching

Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market. 

You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc.), you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.

Independent learning

Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.

Overall workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.

While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.

Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
  • Teaching, learning and assessment: 276 hours
  • Independent learning: 924 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
  • Teaching, learning and assessment: 240 hours
  • Independent learning: 948 hours
  • Placement: 12 hours
Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
  • Teaching, learning and assessment: 216 hours
  • Independent learning: 984 hours

*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.

Teaching hours

All class based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.

Assessment

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Percentage of the course assessed by coursework

The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:

Year 1 (Level 4)*:
  • 28% coursework
  • 44% written exams
  • 28% practical exams
Year 2 (Level 5)*:
  • 87% coursework
  • 0% written exams
  • 13% practical exams
Year 3 (Level 6)*:
  • 94% coursework
  • 0% written exams
  • 6% practical exams

*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Modules

Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions

Modules

‘44 and ‘88 : The Acts

This module provides an in-depth analysis of the 1944 and 1988 Education Acts. It looks at the historical and political backgrounds to the Acts, investigates the ideologies which lay behind the Acts, and looks at the influence of and reaction to them amongst different groups. The ideologies of the Acts are compared and related to the wider social and political context in which they originate. The module encourages students to reflect on notions of educability, equality, selection and differentiation. It enables students to explore how those notions have been related to differing philosophical and political views and how they have been implemented in relation to different economic models of education including the education market. The implications of changes in early years education are considered in relation to the ideologies underpinning the Acts. The introduction of Special Education Needs into the state provision of education in the 1944 Act is also considered. The module also raises questions about education and social and cultural reproduction. Students are encouraged to reflect upon the two Acts in the light of their own views about education provision and their own experience of education.

Educational Reflections

This module enables students to reflect meaningfully on their own educational experiences and provides an opportunity for collaborative work.  Through studying a range of educational theorists, students will be introduced to various approaches to teaching and learning which will a) provide a point of departure and foundation for future study and b) provide a means through which they can reflect on their own educational experiences and those of others. In addition, students will be encouraged to explore and question what ‘educational experience’ might mean beyond formal, institutional settings.

Educators

The module combines an introduction to the ideas and theories of various educators concerned with education. Some of the educators encountered will offer ideas about education directly in relation to schooling whilst others offer insights into education in its broader sense. The range of educators examined will represent particular interests of course tutors and will introduce students to the breadth of content they will encounter during their studies. Drawing on a diverse range of figures from various fields, including the arts, religion, and philosophy, this module asks students, not only to engage with the insights and teachings of each of the individuals they encounter, but also with the very question of what it means to be an educator and to educate.

Principles in Education

This module encourages you to discuss issues in education not just by asserting what you think to be right, but by working with a set of principles which enable you to make a sustained and coherent argument to defend and explain your position.  You will be introduced to a series of differing forms of schooling and distinct educational practices in relation to educational contexts, issues and situations. Students are provided with opportunities to engage in independent and group research to examine these practices and issues. The module draws upon Kant’s notion of a universal principle to inform a substantive engagement with educational concepts, contexts and practices.

Development in Childhood and Adolescence

This module aims to introduce students to the typical stages in development of children and young people. Social, emotional, cognitive, language and physical development will be considered as well as the concept of holistic development. Students will explore both biological and social influences on development and reflect on the impact that research has had on our understanding of development and it’s implication for practice.

Communication with Individuals and Groups

This module seeks to develop student knowledge and understanding of a range of theories, concepts and skills used when communicating and working with individuals and groups. It does this through a combination of discussions, lectures and practical classes which complement skill based activities undertaken with peers. These activities will help students practice and refine their communication skills with others. A commitment to reflective practice is essential if learning is to be maximised.

Understanding Inequality

People who work with children need to be committed to the principles of equality of opportunity and diversity and to the promotion of anti-discriminatory practice. This module gives students the opportunity to consider the impact of prejudice and discrimination on individuals and groups of people and how this can limit experiences, opportunities, choices, wellbeing and life chances.

Community and Community Development

This module will allow students to build on their existing knowledge of what constitutes ‘community’ – for example, communities ‘of interest’ as well as geographically-based communities. Students will analyse how communities develop, exploring the part which community practitioners may play in that process. Students will be encouraged to consider examples of development, change, cohesion and conflict within a community of which they are a member. The module will also give students a general introduction to the study of community development as an academic subject area, in beginning to investigate theories related to community development. In particular, political and philosophical concepts underpinning community development will be explored.

Literacies in Higher Education

‘Reading’ Education Studies requires more of the ‘reader’ than the basic ability to translate symbols on a page into words. The module provides an introduction into interpreting and referencing a range of resources which may include newspapers, films, internet websites, television, radio, fine art, popular art, ephemera, academic journals, novels, non-fiction books and music. In doing so, students will develop a broad range of higher education literacies. It will also prompt an exploration of what it means to be a higher education student in the larger context of society, including the implications and responsibilities which are the core of this new identity.

Optional modules
  • Introducing Early Childhood 15 Credits
  • Introducing Special and Inclusive education

Modules

Education: Social and Political Thought

This is the first of the two mandatory modules for Education Studies at level 5. In this module you will be introduced to a range of thinkers who have argued for education as a tool for social and political reform. The emphasis in this first module will be on the notion of education as enlightenment, both in ancient and modern versions.  We will explore selected theorists through primary sources and you will be expected to have access to the key texts. A list of these is available on our web site. The goal of this module is to extend our understanding of education beyond the classroom and into the wider world. It will, of necessity, introduce many important social and political issues, and will provide perspectives that can be employed in other optional modules.

Education: Social and Political Thought (2)

In Education: Social and Political thought we studied attempts to offer definitive explanations of what should motivate individuals to act.  In this module we turn to theories of ethics that disrupt these accounts. The materialist interpretations of social and political relations advanced in Education: Social and Political thought are also disrupted as we consider the complexities of knowledge and power, along with the ethical dimensions of human relations. We will explore selected theorists through primary sources and you will be expected to have access to the key texts. A list of these is available on our web site. The goal of this module is to extend our understanding of education beyond the classroom and into the wider world. It will, of necessity, introduce many important ethical and political issues, and will provide perspectives that can be employed in other optional modules.

Social Research

The module is designed to introduce students to managing and conducting a small-scale social research project. Lectures will provide an introduction to a range of research approaches which may be used, as well as considering the practical aspects of managing a research study e.g. gaining access, literature review, writing and presenting information, ethical issues and so forth. Published research relevant to children and young people and their families will be used to promote the critical reading of research and to provide examples of the various research methods and tools in order to support students in thinking about their own project ideas.

Optional modules
  • What is a Child? 15 Credits
  • A Thinking about 'Race' 15 Credits
  • B Thinking about 'Race' 15 Credits
  • Independent Study 15 Credits
  • Theorising Early Childhood 15 Credits
  • Impairments, Disability and Inclusion 15 Credits
  • Theories of Discipline 15 Credits
  • Theorising Progressive Education 15 Credits
  • Thinking the Holocaust 15 Credits
  • Technology and Education 15 Credits
  • Knowing through Observation 15 Credits
  • Globalisation and Comparative Education 15 Credits
  • Physical Education 15 Credits
  • Constructing Identity: Teachers' Lives and Pupils' Stories 15 Credits
  • Theorising Special and Inclusive Education 15 Credits
  • What was a Teacher? Histories of Teacher Education 15 Credits
  • 'Pioneers and Separate Spheres' Gender and History of Education 1789-1923 15 Credits
  • Social Inclusion and Exclusion 15 Credits
  • Sexuality: Education, Policy and Practice 15 Credits
  • The Teacher: Power and Pedagogy 15 Credits
  • Education and Work 15 Credits
  • Education & Nature: learning in the Anthropocene 15 Credits
  • Education Beyond Left and Right 15 Credits
  • Culture/ Education 15 Credits
  • Education and Christianity 15 Credits
  • Philosophies of Education 15 Credits
  • Play 15 Credits
  • Volunteering in Education Studies 15 Credits

Modules

Dissertation

The dissertation will be a piece of independent research undertaken by the student resulting in an 8,000 – 10,000 word project.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

This module aims to cover a variety of complex issues relating to the safeguarding of children and young people. Students will explore the concept of child protection and what constitutes abuse. They will look at the importance of multi-disciplinary team working and their role within the safeguarding process. Students will also develop methods, techniques and processes relating to how to deal with safeguarding issues, including skills of listening to and communicating with children and young people. A number of complex and challenging topics will be critically discussed including children’s rights, confidentiality, consent and refusal of treatment. The role of CAMHS and mental health issues will be explored and an understanding the complexities surrounding sexual health and young people with regard to safeguarding will be developed. Students will develop an understanding of internet safety looking at ways to help parents to keep their children safe as well as helping the children themselves. The importance of empowering children and young people to keep themselves safe will be an important component of this module.

Entry requirements

104-120 points

Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:

A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)

BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4

T Level: Merit in a T Level

Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.

In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:

GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further. 

If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.

300-320 International points required

If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:

  • IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
  • We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT

If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages

2024 Course Tuition Fees

  UK / Channel Islands /
Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland 

International

Year 1 £9,250 £16,700
Year 2 £9,250 £16,700
Year 3 £9,250 £16,700
Total £27,750 £50,100
Optional Sandwich Year* £1,850 £3,340
Total with Sandwich Year £29,600 £53,440

Additional tuition fee information

If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2024, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.

Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.

UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.

International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.

* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year.

**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.

Additional costs

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the optional costs for this course:

Optional

Overseas trip

Students have the option to attend a trip to a Film Festival throughout the duration of the course. Indicative cost: £375 per academic year.

Technology

It is recommended that students purchase their own hard-drive storage at the beginning of the course. Indicative cost: 2TB devices cost £80.

Disclosure and Barring Service

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. The indicative cost is £40.

Mandatory

Printing and Binding

The University is pleased to offer our students a printing allowance of £5 each academic year. This will print around 125 A4 (black and white) pages. If students wish to print more, printer credit can be topped up by the student. The University and Student Union are champions of sustainability and we ask all our students to consider the environmental impact before printing.

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Graduates enter careers in a wide range of areas including educational roles within public services; teaching; working in extended schools; business; service industries; charities and voluntary organisations; early years settings; libraries; museums; health services; services for young people; and children's services.

The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021, HESA.

Pre-approved for a Masters

If you study a Bachelor Honours degrees with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.

OUR CAREERS SERVICE
Student with careers staff member

Come visit us

learn more

SEE OUR OPEN DAYS

View all
06 July 2024
28 September 2024
12 October 2024
02 November 2024