Education

Overview

Course description

The Education programme at The University of Manchester draws upon psychology, sociology and critical policy analysis to help explain and understand teaching and learning processes, the mechanisms of and solutions to global inequalities both within and beyond education, and how such issues are affected by government policies on education.

You will study the psychology of education, the sociology of education and policy analysis in order to foster critical insights into the key problems facing education in a global world. You will study:

• key issues in education; 

• childhood development; 

• social justice and global inequalities in education.  

In Year 2, you will have the option to select one of three specialisms to focus your studies on a particular career trajectory. This is not compulsory and you are welcome to tailor all your optional units to your own preferences instead. The three optional pathways are:

• Primary/Early Years Education; 

• International Education; 

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). 

The course is ideally suited for those who wish to:

• begin a career pathway towards Primary or Early Years teaching (e.g. through PGCE Primary); 

• begin a career pathway towards professional psychology training routes, with an educational focus (e.g. educational psychology); 

• enter into other education-based vocations, with a specialism towards pastoral responsibilities and/or special educational needs; 

• enter into a career in Teaching English as a Second Language and/or Non-Government Organisations (NGO) focused on community education or adult learning both in the UK and overseas; 

• prepare for a research career within the public sector and/or private industry. 

A key feature of the course is its `Learning through Research' approach, which enables you to develop skills relevant to employment in a range of professions (including teaching but also civil service, third sector, NGOs, and educational psychology). These include:

• the ability to collate and analyse data, information, evidence; 

• critical analysis of contemporary global problems in education; 

• written and oral communication skills.