Education
A comprehensive guide to studying Education at university.
- The workload isn’t too heavy, so you’ll have time to enjoy other aspects of the university experience.
- Because the majority of your teachers will be passionate about education and teaching themselves, it can be much easier to get academic support than in other degrees, and lots of lecturers will be very open to constructive feedback concerning their courses.
- If you’re not looking to work directly in the field of education in the future, such as in teaching or educational management, this degree may be less useful when applying for jobs.
- A lot of the content isn’t very practical; much like other humanities subjects, it’s very academic, so there’s not a lot of knowledge that is explicitly applicable in the workplace.
- You definitely need to be passionate about education — while the course covers lots of different disciplines, this is always done so through the lens of educational practice, and so it’ll become quite boring if you lack passion.
- You’re expected to do a lot of independent self-directed work and research in your own time, which definitely requires a lot of self-discipline.
Education studies encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, and philosophy.
Modules can range from the anthropology of childhood to educational policy development, and from the cognitive psychology of learning to radical alternative models of education.
**Please note: **while the knowledge gained will be useful for those interested in teaching, this degree does not specifically train you to be a teacher.
Examples of topics you might cover:
- Alternative Education: Examining non-traditional educational styles that emphasize student choice and self-directed learning, like Montessori Education.
- History of Education: Understanding how education has evolved and its role in addressing social injustices, such as during the Civil Rights Movement.
- Cognitive and Social-Cultural Development Theories: Studying how children learn and develop within different cultural contexts.
- Educational System Analysis: Critically evaluating the current education system and exploring future-oriented alternatives.
Education is a highly academic course focused on reading and analysis. It is fundamentally a sociology-based humanities course, with core topics rooted in sociological theories and perspectives.
The individual workload is not extremely heavy, but you are expected to engage in a lot of wider reading in your own time. This independent study is crucial for success in the course.
This degree is particularly suited for those passionate about educational reform and interested in exploring both the practical and theoretical aspects of education.
Because of the wide range of areas you study, you’ll be able to develop skills such as criticality, communication skills, and the ability to work well collaboratively. Some modules may also offer placement opportunities with schools, charities, museums, or other organisations, which will allow you to develop these skills further.
Surprisingly, although some do, not a lot of graduates go into teaching. Many students opt for other paths such as working in NGOs and charities, governmental organizations, or edu-businesses such as EdTech startups. However, it may be difficult to get into careers outside of the education field.