Learning and Teaching BA Honours

Why study learning and teaching with us

Our one-year BA Learning and Teaching mixes theory with experiential learning in the workplace to give you a solid understanding of the wider context of learning and teaching. You’ll develop your knowledge, understanding and experience in different school contexts, gaining the qualifications to advance your career towards qualified teacher status (QTS) or other graduate career paths.

You’ll have the flexibility to study while you work - spending one day each week engaged in online learning activities to build on your existing experience and receive educational support.

Develop your teaching skills through practice

We’ve been delivering education courses for over 60 years, and our experienced researchers and teaching staff are always on hand to give you the support you need to succeed.

The BA Learning and Teaching degree gives you an ideal foundation to advance your career as it links experiential learning in the workplace to your studies and coursework. On completing the course, you’ll have the opportunity to progress to an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course as a route to gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Get the support you need to succeed

During your course, you’ll get personalised support from your Personal Tutor, Student Learning Assistant, and Graduate Academic Assistant. Their first-hand experience in your subject area means they understand how to best support you.

Our BA Learning and Teaching gives you the ideal foundation to progress your career with postgraduate study or an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme.

What will you study on the BA Learning and Teaching?

The one-year course aims to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding about learning and teaching in a diverse range of educational contexts, including early years, primary, secondary and special education. You will study four modules across the course. The modules are all assessed by coursework, which includes educational research, written assignments, and presentations. Course and module information is indicative and may be subject to change.

You will study four compulsory modules on the course. Each module has a 30 credit value. You will be encouraged to relate your learning on the modules to your workplace context.

Modules

We’ve made sure that the skills and knowledge that you’ll gain on your course will not change during the coronavirus outbreak. If you’re applying to start this course or progressing into year one, two or three this autumn, your module information is below.

How is the BA Learning and Teaching taught?

Teaching on the BA (Hons) Learning and Teaching Degree incorporates a variety of relevant strategies. Most of the teaching is delivered through active learning seminars that incorporate tutor and student input, collaborative tasks, discussion and follow-up tasks and reading, which will feed into subsequent module sessions.

You will be actively involved in a range of learning, teaching and assessment approaches during the course. Such approaches aim to put you at the centre of your learning so you are involved and engaged in all aspects of your assessment and learning. Your programme will require your active participation in learning activities and engagement with your fellow students both individually and collaboratively.

Your learning will also be supported by a variety of online tools, which will allow you flexible access to a diverse range of resources and learning materials. By engaging with these online resources, you will be developing skills which are not only essential for your learning but are also highly valued by employers in the field of education.

Assessment

We’re planning to deliver our assessment in a similar way to previous years. We will review this regularly, and let you know in advance of your assessment if we need to make any changes.

Assessment is by continuous submission of coursework, including written assignments, a research project, presentations and portfolios of evidence.

Teaching and learning – changes for students in 2020

If you’re starting university in 2020, we’ll be teaching you in different ways to make sure you get the best learning experience possible. You’ll learn through live sessions with teaching staff and have the chance to study independently too, with access to all the online resources you need through our globally available student portal.

The table below shows current plans for your learning across a typical week, including scheduled live online teaching and an indication of what we hope to teach face to face, where you can make it to campus. While some weeks might look different to this, due to how we schedule classes, the table gives you an idea of what to expect based on the overall number of teaching hours on your course.

The table below shows current plans for your learning across a typical week, including scheduled live online teaching and an indication of what we hope to teach face to face, where you can make it to campus. While some weeks might look different to this, due to how we schedule classes and make arrangements for any face to face sessions (for example, in some cases these could take place every two weeks with an increased number of hours), the table gives you an idea of what to expect based on the overall number of teaching hours on your course.

You’ll receive final arrangements for your teaching and a full course timetable before you start.

Read more about our scenarios for returning to campus and what they might mean for your teaching and learning experience, and how you’ll be able to access student support.

Future plans for teaching

We’re developing our timetable for face to face teaching  with current government advice on social distancing to keep you safe. If social distancing requirements are lifted, we’ll start to safely move back towards our usual teaching arrangements with more opportunities for face to face learning. Some learning and support might stay online in this scenario. If more restrictions are put in place, or there is another lockdown, we’ll be prepared to deliver your learning and support fully online, with alternative arrangements made for any required placements. We’ll always give you notice of any changes that we make.

Definitions of terms

• Live learning – Live learning will cover everything you’ll do with teaching staff like lectures, seminars, workshops and other classes, and we’ll schedule all of this for you. This might include some study outside your regular timetable, like taking part in discussion forums or online blogs where you’re supported by academic staff.
• Independent learning – Independent learning is all the studying you’ll do outside your live learning sessions with teaching staff. This self-paced study will give you the chance to learn, prepare, revise and reflect in your own time as you need to, and you’ll have access to on-demand resources and materials to help you do your best.
  • Self-paced study – Self-paced study will give you the chance to learn wherever and whenever you want to and at your own pace, outside your live learning sessions. This independent learning could include reading and reflection, preparation for classes, revision or homework along with access to other online activities such as quizzes.
  • On-demand resources – You'll have access to on-demand resources like pre-recorded video lectures and workshops as part of your independent study. You’ll be able to review and revisit whenever you need to at your own pace.

Support

You’ll have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will mainly be delivered online and you’ll have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You’ll have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

More on teaching for your subject in 2020/21

Read our guide to what’s been happening in your subject area recently and more about what to expect this autumn.

How can the BA Learning and Teaching support your career?

Our course will qualify you to progress to postgraduate study and if you wish to become a qualified teacher, then you can apply for an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme as a route to gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), such as the PGCE courses we run (although you are not guaranteed a place). Alternatively, the detailed understanding of learning and teaching that you gain, can further your career within your own school or another organisation.

What support is available?

Our Employability Service can help you to develop your employability skills and get some valuable work experience. We provide workshops, events and one to one support with job hunting, CVs, covering letters, interviews, networking and so on. We also support you in securing part-time work, placements, internships, and volunteering opportunities, and offer an enterprise support service for those looking to start their own business.