Course overview

This course poses challenging questions inspiring you to critically examine essential issues relating to education.

You'll be encouraged to explore what is meant by education and how it has changed over time, including its central place in the foundation of modern societies.

You'll examine what form education should take, who should make those decisions, and who will benefit.

You'll investigate how the media influences the portrayal of education and schooling, and whether the teacher still has a role to play in a society where Google knows more.

Download information about this course as a PDF

Your course during COVID-19
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption.

Given the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commitments outlined are subject to guidelines that may be in place from time to time.

View our COVID-19 Study page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2021-22.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information

Quality and ranking

• Top 150 for Education and Training – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
• Top 200 for Education - Times Higher Education World Rankings by Subject 2022

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

You'll be introduced to the contested nature of education and the different conceptual frameworks we'll be using for explaining education – global, social, cultural, historical, political, philosophical, sociological, pedagogical and technological.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Education, Children and Society	20
International Development	20
The History of Education	20
Social Policy and Learning	20
Adventures in Digital Learning	20

You'll develop a more specialised and sustained engagement with areas of study such as learning theory, the broader discourses of education in society and educational research methods.

You'll begin the first of the two major optional career development modules in either student tutoring, student volunteering through the Students’ Union, or learning from work.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Psychological perspectives on teaching and learning	20
Introduction to Research in Education	20
Globalisation and Development	20
Social Constructions of Childhood	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Gender and Education	20
Child Development and Speech and Language Acquisition	20
Career Development for second year students	20

The emphasis is on you obtaining a deep and critical awareness of specific aspects of education both in its national and international contexts.

You'll become more deeply aware of the importance of attention to detail, argument, criticality, ambiguity and complexity through modules relating to social justice, inclusive education and international development.

You'll also complete a research dissertation.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Research Dissertation	40
Philosophy of Education	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Social Justice and Education	20
Responding to Special Educational Needs	20
Child Development	20
Contemporary Issues in Development	20
Career Development for final year students	20

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They combine data on the planned delivery and assessments of our courses in 2021-22 with data on the modules chosen by our students in 2020-21.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

Research-informed teaching and practice by leading academics and professional practitioners are central to the programme.

You'll learn through a combination of online lectures and in-person seminars. You also undertake a considerable amount of independent study. Our award-winning Library Service has a huge array of resources available to access online.

You'll draw on your existing knowledge of formal and informal educational settings as you explore issues relating to teaching and learning. You'll also consider how these would relate to other educational settings including classrooms and museums.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

• 

  Case studies

• 

  Coursework

• 

  Essays

• 

  Examinations – practical or online

• 

  Group work

• 

  Presentations

• 

  Projects

• 

  Reports

Skills and experience

Research skills

You'll join a thriving research community and have the chance to conduct your own original research through a dissertation.

Business skills

You'll have the opportunity to select two career development modules to enhance your employability. You'll also undertake a research project which enables you to showcase your knowledge and expertise.

You'll develop key skills including communication, teamwork, personal enterprise, problem-solving, planning and organising, which are directly transferable to a wide range of graduate employment contexts.

These assist our graduates to find work in areas such as primary teaching, community and social work and education management.

Opportunities

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Placements are subject to availability.

Find out more about work placements

Facilities and environment

Facilities

You'll be based in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, which has a wide range of facilities for studying how people learn and communicate.

There's a well-equipped Education Resource Centre with excellent computing facilities.

We have two active Research Centres engaging with the latest thinking and research in education:

• Centre for Learning and Teaching (CfLAT), which researches teaching and learning in different contexts 
• SOLE Central, is a global hub for research into self-organised learning environments (SOLEs)

Support

You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.

Your future

A degree in education from Newcastle shapes your development and understanding, demonstrating your capacity to work individually and as part of a team.

It also provides you with the transferable skills, including workload management, meeting deadlines, written and oral communication, IT, problem-solving and the critical analysis and interpretation of complex ideas and policies.

You may use this degree as a springboard for further postgraduate study at Newcastle (for example, Primary PGCE, International Development, Cross-Cultural Communication, International Education).

Alternatively, you may find work in fields as diverse as community or health work, human resource/education management, widening participation or rehabilitation programmes, environmental organisations, heritage sites, museum, theatre and library provision or information management (eg digital learning).

Employability at Newcastle

96% of Newcastle University graduates progressed to employment or further study within six months of graduating, with 85.5% in graduate-level employment or further study.

Take a look at the most recent data available for our graduates. See what they have gone on to achieve and be inspired to follow in their footsteps.

Statistics are based on what graduates were doing on a specific date, approximately six months after graduation (Destinations of (undergraduate and postgraduate UK domiciled) Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2016/17).

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2022 entry (per year)

Home Fee Students

£9250

International Fee Students

£20400

The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for home fee-paying students is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Read more about fees and funding

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Find out more about:

• different tuition fees
• additional costs

Scholarships

Find out more about:

• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages