Summary

• School of Education

• Duration
• Full Time: 3 years
  

• Fees
• Full Time: €3,290 per year
  International Students: €9,250 International

Overview

This degree programme is for those interested in contemporary issues in education and who may want to develop a professional career in education administration and management.

Excellent preparation for a PGCE qualification in primary school teaching following your degree.

Key Facts

If you are interested in education and educational issues, this degree programme is an ideal choice.

You can study full-time or part-time and also learn through work-based learning, e-learning and block attendance at the University. The programme introduces you to the major themes of education and encourages you to review the nature and impact of current national initiatives in education against a background of understanding education as an academic discipline.

Elements of the programme will explore contemporary issues in education and society; historical perspectives on education; the psychology of education; learning theory; education in popular culture and literature. This degree combines the traditional study of the disciplines of education with innovative approaches to study and your own learning.

With the growing emphasis on education in all aspects of public and political life this degree offers an opportunity to understand, explore and make an informed contribution to education debates. You will be able to make the links between education policy, its delivery and the experience of groups and individuals.

Your studies will take place within the School of Education, highly rated by both QAA . You will focus on a critical consideration of education both within and beyond the school context. Your studies will be underpinned by ongoing research in the School and you will be taught by staff actively engaged in a wide range of educational enquiry. Inclusion, social justice and equality will feature strongly in this programme.

Course Outline

Course Structure

The course aims to develop students to become confident, well-educated and reflective practitioners with the skills to respond to developments in the field of education.

It lays excellent groundwork for professional development and career choices and encourages participants to develop their intellectual capabilities specifically related to Education.

Modules

Year 1 Contemporary Ideas in Education -30 credits Education: Perspectives over Time- 30 credits Personal and Professional Development-15 credits Philosophies that Shape Education-45 credits

Year 2 Education: International Perspectives-15 credits Learning in the Workplace- 30 credits Methods of Educational Research- 30 credits Representations of Education-45 credits

Year 3 Children's Literature: A Critical Evaluation-15 credits Education for a Sustainable World-15 credits Enhancing Learning with Technology-15 credits Psychology for Education-15 credits Therapeutic Practices in Education- 30 credits Thinking Skills: Supporting Children's Cognition- 30 credits

Assessments

This is a coursework based degree programme. There are a number of assessments, including essays, reports, journals, case studies, presentations, independent study and research. One option on the Towards Employment module currently has a timed essay as the assessment.

Although the placement itself is not assessed, there are tasks and activities to be undertaken while there, which contribute towards the assessment of a module. There is a structure of formative assessment to encourage reflection, evaluation and editing, embedded in modules.

Placements

There will be placements during the course in which students will gain experience of working with schools. Second year students are supported when they negotiate their own placement. There will be opportunities, in modules, to visit a variety of early years settings to consider specific elements of early years practice.

After your studies

Employment Opportunities

This course enables students to progress into a career in the early years sector. This could be into childcare management positions within the children's workforce, for example, in children's centres, extended schools or childminder networks.