Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Applied Early Years Studies (Top up)

at University of Bedfordshire - Bedford Campus United Kingdom

Study with one of the country’s most established providers, learning from an academic team at the cutting edge of teaching and research, on a course that’s your springboard to a career in the field of sport and physical education.

Combining theory of teaching with practical activities, this wide-ranging degree teaches you lab-based skills that develop your understanding of human performance while also focusing on sport psychology, in areas such as behaviour and motivation.

Other areas covered by the course include exercise practice; sport pedagogy; physiology and health; physical activity and social inclusion; physical activity and health interventions; and professional development. Opportunities for relevant work experience are embedded into the course and there is also the option to take a sandwich-year placement.

Why choose this course?

• Gain an understanding of teaching and coaching that gives you a skill set transferable across multiple career fields
• Develop research and analytical skills in your final-year professional study
• Choose either a BA or BSc degree route, giving you a unique chance to specialise
• A fitness qualification endorsed by Skills Active is embedded into the course, allowing you to enter onto the Register of Exercise Professionals Level 2
• Benefit from teaching that puts your future employability at the heart of the course: 97% of our graduates are in work or study six months after finishing
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below), gaining work experience and making contacts for the future
• If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the undergraduate degree

This MA is designed for practising professionals, or those interested in research, in teaching and learning or educational leadership – usually in schools, the lifelong learning sector and universities.

Its modular structure allows you to personalise your choice of units and progress at a pace that best suits you, with a final phase focused on educational research via a dissertation.

The MA Education engages you with key issues in education and aims to encourage your evidence-based practice, as you make direct and meaningful connections between the course and your own experiences and aspirations.

The course helps you to broaden your knowledge of educational ideas and research findings, as you identify and justify recommendations for further action. This places you in a better position to develop your work as a classroom practitioner or school leader.

Why choose this course?

• Study on a modular course designed for existing and aspiring education professionals, that allows you to accumulate credit at a pace that suits you, with assessments based around needs specific to your role in your educational organisation
• Explore the process of teaching, learning support and/or educational leadership, focusing on personal, academic and vocational interests relevant to your educational context
• Develop your understanding of assessment formats with a negotiated focus in support of both individual and organisational needs
• Undertake primary research that informs your current practice, as well as acquire the necessary research skills to engage in future research and progress to a PhD or EdD programme
• Progress your study in education, e.g. following your Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course
• Develop your work in educational contexts
• Support developments within the organisation where you work
• Beprepared for further study at doctoral level (PhD and EdD).

If you wish to work with sports performers as a strength and conditioner, or applied sports scientist, this innovative course is for you.

Designed to meet the needs of students interested in the optimisation the fitness capacities required for high level performance in sport, it will provide the theory and foundation knowledge and skills you need to pursue professional accreditation with a number of bodies including the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES); the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA).

Why choose this course?

• Study on a unique course with a multidisciplinary approach to strength and conditioning and gain access to world-leading staff expertise and research. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) three quarters of our work across sports science, PE and tourism and leisure has internationally recognised impact. More than 95% of our research outputs are rated as internationally recognised or better (compared with a sector average of 93%).
• Explore a range of disciplines and their contribution to helping athletes increase performance, including: strength and conditioning; testing physical capacities; sport science support; laboratory skills.
• Develop your research skills and capabilities including research design and ethics, statistics and laboratory skills, opening up additional career opportunities
• Gain from a course designed to prepare you to for employment in the rewarding and expanding field of strength and conditioning
• Benefit from gaining the necessary skills to pursue roles including Strength and Conditioning Specialist; Applied Sports Scientist; Laboratory Specialised Technician (eg in universities, sports clubs or hospitals) and/or continue to further research-based study on Masters by research, MPhil or PhD programmes.
• Learn in the newly-opened arena facility which provides a space for modern fitness professional to train in a controlled environment designed for student only access. A wide range of cardiovascular and resistance equipment is available including a dedicated Strength and Conditioning suite with weight lifting equipment vital to the development of a Strength and Conditioning coach's delivery skills.

This course aims to further develop your professional knowledge and understandings in specific areas of education and welfare.

It is based upon a critical concern for social justice and the ways this is understood and implemented through policy and practice to affect the lives of disadvantaged children and young people as well as poor and marginalised groups and communities.

The MA Education (Social Justice) aims to

• Increase awareness of, and access to, a range of academic ideas and research findings in relation to issues of education and  social justice
• Promote personalisation of broad themes around the challenges posed by changing global political, social and economic landscapes and to meet the needs and interests of students while providing a focused line of study
• Promote vocationally relevant and varied assessment formats with a negotiated focus to support individual and organisational needs
• Promote engagement with key issues in education and social justice, involving critical examination of a wide range of key sources and texts
• Encourage evidence-based practice and reflexive practice-based understandings through engagement with work-based settings allowing student to integrate theoretical ideas with practical implications

Why choose this course?

• The MA in Education (Social Justice) is designed to develop a breadth of understanding of the theoretical debates that underpin the process and practice of education and social welfare and will enable you to analyse and reflect on research that contextualise the complexities of working with disadvantaged and marginalised groups across community, local authority and voluntary sector settings.
• The course will strengthen your ability, and equip you to apply for jobs (or further training) in a wide range of educational settings as teachers, community workers, social workers, police, probation officers, education welfare workers, home school link or family welfare workers and professionals working across the voluntary sector.
• This Master's degree will also enable you to progress to doctoral study in specific specialist areas.

This course is a great choice if you are thinking of going on to do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) after your degree but don’t yet want to commit to primary or secondary level teaching.

You’ll get a very good grounding in the key National Curriculum subject of English Literature and learn about key educational ideas and theories, gaining a wide knowledge of key educational ideas and theories, major literary periods and genres, and the use of language.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to choose units which are of particular interest to you and which will have relevance for your future career.

During your degree you will have the opportunity to explore the role of language in society, contemporary and historical notions of childhood and children, study the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the philosophy of education and choose from a range of English and Education Studies options and a dissertation based on your interests and your future career plans.

Economies are increasingly global. With this degree - designed to give you the knowledge and skills to manage a business effectively in the global context - show potential employers that you understand how business operates on an international scale.

Alongside traditional business skills and disciplines such as strategy, human resource management, finance, operations and marketing, you will acquire global skills via units such as international economics, global marketing, and Intercultural awareness in business.

In your final year you are supported in finding a placement which delivers invaluable international experience, as well as credit towards your degree, as you apply your learning to project work in a live setting.

Whether you plan to work for an organisation in the UK or abroad, BSc International Business at the University of Bedfordshire Business School (UBBS) is designed to equip you with the skills you need to succeed in diverse global environments. The course offers you a global perspective of business and an education to perform in multi-cultural business environments across different organisations and industry sectors.

Choose International Business at Bedfordshire and

• Learn through lectures, seminars and workshops, plus projects, research exercises, presentations, and case study analyses with a focus on using your knowledge and understanding in practice
• Study business management, business research, marketing, finance, accounting, operations management and human resource management
• Develop your communication and collaborative skills as well as a recognisable high level of professionalism, enabling you to fit in and be effective from day one
• Gain an understanding of the roles and relationships of businesses in the international arena, and the specific operational and strategic issues, challenges and opportunities that they face at an international level
• Explore opportunities for further postgraduate and professional study
• Benefit from a degree which gives you understanding of global business operations, analytical and problem-solving skills, and personal effectiveness and credibility when working across cultures in international teams – attributes which are highly attractive to potential employers

Why choose this course?

BSc International Business offers students a holistic understanding of the global environment with a solid foundation in intercultural competencies, international business, marketing in a global context, global expansion strategies, international new ventures, cross-cultural negotiations, and international trade relations. The course units are delivered through stimulating modules and supported by an optional placement opportunity. You will also be encouraged to take advantage of other initiatives available to UBBS students including our popular Go Global programme and centrally-run employability language classes.

UBBS not only offers an international business degree, but most importantly an international business experience through

• International business programs, with various degree pathways, at all academic levels - undergraduate, Masters, and PhD;
• The opportunity to participate in international business and marketing competitions;
• A supervised final year project with an international focus;
• Research informed teaching delivered by an international faculty recognised for their top level research in international business, entrepreneurship, and marketing;
• Business Matters and other discussion forums where you can explore topical business issues;
• Go global experiences; and,
• Employability units and optional language classes.

Graduating with an LLB from the University of Bedfordshire is the first step on your journey towards becoming a solicitor or a barrister as well as a range of other professional opportunities.

The LLB (Hons) Law is the undergraduate degree for all students wishing to pursue a career in law.

During your degree, you will explore the latest developments in legal practice. In addition to the core subjects all LLB undergraduates are required to study, you will have the opportunity to study a range of specialist optional units including medical law and ethics; family and child law; immigration and asylum law; aviation law; commercial law; and international law.

Teaching is delivered by a dedicated team with professional experience in the legal industry. In-class teaching is supported by a range of fantastic extra-curricular opportunities including our Law Clinic; our award-winning Refugee Legal Assistance Project; and our mooting programme.

Our law graduates leave us as articulate and knowledgeable individuals with a range of transferable skills, ready to pursue a career in law, management, human resources, the civil service and public sector, education, and many other areas.

All our LLB courses satisfy the requirements set by the Bar Standards Board for the academic component of Bar training. For further information, go to the Bar Standards Board website here.

Why choose this course?

• Study law within its broader economic, social, political, historical, ethical and cultural environment
• Develop your advocacy skills in our modern Moot Court, giving you confidence in a realistic setting
• Explore your ability to present arguments in a persuasive and authoritative way
• Gain skills in critical analysis, research, teamwork, use of language and argument, and the ability to work and learn independently
• Benefit from the option to obtain an additional qualification, the Higher Diploma in Paralegal Practice, accredited by the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP).

This course is designed to give you high-quality profession-specific training to prevent, assess, diagnose and treat sports and physical activity-related injuries. Centered around developing competency within a vocational topic area utilising industrial standard equipment and techniques and thereby preparing you for your future career.

Teaching and assessment within the course is centered on significant practice-based learning including extensive use of case studies, work-based placement with industrial experts including course graduates, internal commercial experiences as well as student learning trips. Embedded within the course are wider transferable skills to enables you to successfully enter graduate level employment across a much wider scope of opportunities following their completion of the course.

Why choose this course?

• The BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation course aims to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge to progress into a career as a Graduate Sport Rehabilitator (GSR) on the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredited register held by the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT).
• Throughout the course students apply their knowledge and skills while completing a minimum of 400 hours of practice placement in a range of different environments while benefiting from guidance from both practicing sport rehabilitation professionals as well as academic staff.

This course will provide you with a stimulating programme that ensures a sound knowledge of Special Needs and Inclusive Education and the role of professionals who serve the needs of children, young people (0-25) and their families.

You will explore special and inclusive curricula, challenging behaviour, communication and language, international aspects of special education, individual life stories and reflect upon the role of adults in the education of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

This will fully prepare you for a diverse range of professional roles in special and mainstream educational settings and for further, possibly postgraduate, study or teacher training.

You will explore your individual interests through personal study and work placements in some units. You are encouraged to gain voluntary experience and reflect upon your experiences and professional development in your academic work.

Why choose this course?

• Learn through lectures, seminars, placements and practical workshops
• Study issues around supporting children and young people with special needs and disabilities in a range of educational settings
• Understand international perspectives on special needs and inclusive education
• Develop the ability to understand the importance of educational research and to carry out your own research
• Gain experience through  work placements and a strong focus on employability
• Explore issues like diversity, equality, rights, inclusion, exclusion, behaviour, communication, cognition and learning.
• Benefit from a degree that fully prepares you for varied work in a variety of educational settings, for further study or teacher training
• Benefit from studying with staff who have extensive experience in the field of special needs and inclusive education

Study a multidisciplinary course that prepares you for a key role in teaching and supporting children and young adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), a key area for education policy and practice.

With many different future roles for those with the right blend of skills and knowledge, this course integrates discussion of theories, policies and practices related to special needs and inclusive education, both UK-based and international. The staff team encourages you to gain relevant work experience both in the degree and as a volunteer.

If you want to take your love of literature to the next level, this course will give you a confident critical voice across prose, poetry and plays, from Chaucer to Zephaniah. As an English Lit graduate, the degree opens the door to a wide range of rewarding careers.

You study the development of English literature from Chaucer to the contemporary works of Benjamin Zephaniah and Monica Ali. The course introduces you to less well-known literary periods, critical approaches and world literature while offering deeper exploration of favourites such as the Romantics and Victorian literature. Plus you can follow a special interest with options in creative writing; gothic fiction; Shakespeare and his contemporaries; and language, power and ideology.

You will also develop your own critical or creative voice with a final dissertation choice of an extended essay on your preferred subject or a portfolio of your own creative writing.

Why choose this course?

• You work in small groups, guided by expert lecturers and supportive, enthusiastic tutors with strong research backgrounds in their specialist subjects
• Study all the major periods of English literature, including the Middle Ages; Renaissance; Restoration; Victorian; the Romantics; and the modern age
• Explore the exciting Hockliffe and Cinderella Collections, two of the most important archives of children’s literature in the UK, held at the University of Bedfordshire
• Develop valuable transferable skills including communication and debating
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year’s placement in industry, gaining practical experience while building your CV and your contacts for the future
• If you need to get up to speed with education at a higher level, take our Foundation Year option which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate degree
• Benefit from a degree which could lead to careers such as academic librarian; copywriter; arts administrator; editorial assistant; journalist; public relations officer; and teaching