Our BA Education course is led by Fran Salvi and Colin Morley who are happy to share their insights in the course’s strengths and how the variety of modules and staff expertise allows you to tailor your degree to your personal interests.
Education is powerful, the key that unlocks potential and that can really drive positive change across generations.
Fran Salvi
Course Leader, BA Education
Tell us about BA Education and yourself Fran?
I like working on the BA Education because of the chance to explore how learning changes lives, and how applying knowledge impacts the world.
Education is a dynamic blend of theory, policy and practice, where every insight gained has the chance to change lives for the better.
My research focuses on two areas. The first revolves around pregnancy and parenthood and their intersections with formal education and I carried out studies in Mozambique and South Africa that consider how young people navigate school and caring responsibilities. The second one contributes to Climate Change and Sustainability Education (CCSE), where in Indonesia and the UK I considered how children, especially young children, are encouraged to develop an appreciation of their immediate environment, and how this emotional bond could bring changes in behaviour to climate change.
Away from work, I like a good hike in the mountains, or a refreshing swim in a river!
Education is fascinating as a way of challenging preconceptions.
Colin Morley
Course Leader, BA Education
Tell us about BA Education and yourself Colin?
What I like most about working on the BA Education course is being able to work with students, to shape a course and learn with them.
I used to be a drama/performing arts teacher and so I am interested in what those subjects do for people, as well as how they can be used to teach other topics.
When not at work, I like being in a second hand book-store or by the coast and I am very happy when I think I’ve taught my dog a new trick!
What and how do students learn on this course?
We have small teaching groups, and aim to model good education practice through our sessions.
It is not just what you learn, but how you learn. Tutors see themselves as ‘guides from the side’ rather than ‘sages on the stage’. It’s about you, rather than about us.
There are lots of opportunities for exploring and discovering education and its links with psychology, sociology, history, politics, and philosophy in all sorts of unexpected places.
We value sharing our ideas and experiences and learn a lot about ourselves through working and reflecting together.
Learning is not restricted to a classroom and the course includes opportunities to learn in different environments through visits to museums, city farms, community gardens, galleries and our outdoor learning spaces on campus.
Can students personalise their degree?
The BA Education modules reflect the multi-discipline aspect of education. Sociology, philosophy, psychology and history become more intersectional as the course progresses.
There's a lot of opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest within a module as you can shape the focus of assessment in many of the core modules.
You can also study optional modules that focus on topics such as counselling in education, inclusive education, learning in the digital age, and alternative education.
The optional placement module is a fantastic opportunity to experience a real-world setting and practice the educational theories you are learning.
You also have the option to take modules from other schools within the university and tailor your own individual pathway through the course to suit your personal interests.
Tell us more about the teaching team?
The BA Education benefits from a team of very experienced academics who are passionate about education and are active researchers whose work has influenced educational policy and changes around the globe. Their work focusses on areas such as mathematical education, special and inclusive education, social injustice, creativity, literacy, learning sciences, history in education, arts in education, second language teaching and international aid.
Should you opt to choose modules from other schools, we have colleagues around the university who bring different areas of expertise to broaden your knowledge.
Do you have any advice for anyone considering a degree in education?
It’s not all about teaching and you definitely should do it! It’s a great way to keep several different pathways open and develop a deeper interest in the areas that you feel most passionate about.
Students love the friendliness of the course and go on to have a wide range of amazing careers. You won’t regret it!
