Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Education Studies and English

at University of Bedfordshire - Bedford Campus United Kingdom

If you’re fascinated by the science behind sport and exercise performance, this course gives you a rare chance to be part of a world-leading research team, using high-spec equipment to get to the heart of what makes a great sports performer.

The course combines scientific knowledge and sports performance, covering the core areas of sport and exercise science. Study involves lab work using discipline-leading equipment including online gas-analysis machines, an environmental chamber, light gates and echocardiography. It also offers specialist units in biomechanics, exercise physiology and social psychology, to name a few.

You learn in a high-performance environment with a leading research team specialising in exercise physiology; molecular exercise physiology; and exercise and health. You can be part of the team working on prestigious projects for elite sports teams, governing bodies and government initiatives.

Why choose this course?

• It is endorsed by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)
• There is a fitness qualification, endorsed by Skills Active, embedded into the course, allowing you to enter onto the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) Level 2
• Gain employability skills with specific, industry-proven guidance and participation in the latest sports science research
• Explore your area of interest with a final-year research project of your choice
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year’s placement in industry (see below), gaining experience and making contacts for the future
• If you are looking to step up into higher education, take the degree with a Foundation Year which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate course (see below)

Your interest in how physical activity, nutrition, health psychology, and professional communication skills can help promote health and treat various clinical conditions could lead you to a multitude of career options.

In addition to developing a firm understanding of the links between physical activity, nutrition and health, this course offers invaluable opportunities to further career prospects during placement and research project units – including the development of practical skills and links with NHS organisations, researchers and clinicians in high-interest areas such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cancer.

With relevant experience, we will also support you in registering as an Associate Nutritionist or converting to full registration as a Nutritionist/Public Health Nutritionist.

Why choose this course?

• Study in a supportive and innovative environment, on a course covering a unique combination of topics designed to integrate with current public health policy
• Explore potential career opportunities in Public Health and/or Health Promotion and Education with this MSc that will also allow you to apply for membership of the Institute of Health Promotion and Education
• Develop high-level professional standards; understanding your ethical, moral and legal responsibilities as well as acquiring the practical competencies, the ability to apply scientific knowledge to public health settings, and the research skills that will help you access careers in public health, the health and fitness industry or academia
• Gain the opportunity to practise your skills on work placement, or if already in post or accredited, the opportunity to specialise and develop your expertise in physical activity and nutrition
• Benefit from access to a wide range of careers in Public Health, Health Promotion and Education, roles in charities whose aims are to improve the nation’s health and/or continue to further research-based study on MSc by research, MPhil or PhD programmes.

There is a growing demand for people with specialist skills in the area of special educational needs and disability (SEND). This one-year course - specifically for those who have completed a relevant Foundation Degree or higher education qualification - enables you to top up to a full degree and prepares you to develop your career within SEND settings.

Develop your existing knowledge of contemporary theories, policy and practices in SEND, using your own experience of working with children in a variety of educational settings including residential, special and mainstream schools.

Explore the complexity of defining inclusive practice; child development; the barriers to development and learning that some children face; and understanding SEND in the context of family and society, locally and globally.

There is a strong focus on using your workplace to provide context and practical application.

Why choose this course?

• Gain a strong knowledge base in special educational needs and disability studies from a variety of professional perspectives
• Develop your own individual academic and work interests, linking your current practice to your developing theoretical understanding
• Learn the importance of educational research and enquiry, and carry out research in your specialist area
• Benefit from a course that prepares you to work in multi-disciplinary education and care teams, able to take on leadership and management roles within a SEND setting
• Challenge yourself with further study to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS); GSCE grades A-C in maths, English and science (or equivalent) are required

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.

This course will allow you to enhance previous study in the early education subject area and complete a full UK ratified BA degree course in Early Years Education.

It will allow international and UK based early childhood education to be compared and evaluated. The degree is delivered by a highly experienced, research active team of staff, who also have extensive experience as practitioners. We have been delivering degree courses in Early Years or Early Childhood Education for over 10 years at the University of Bedfordshire and graduated hundreds of students who have gone onto work as leaders in the early years sector in the UK.

Many alumni have gone on to qualify as teachers in the primary sector in the UK. In order to familiarise you with the UK system we also offer a unit prior to the start of the course that will familiarise you with the UK early years sector. It will allow you to compare it to your own country and assist in your transition onto the early part of the degree course. The course can be entered at Level 5, with two years subsequent full time study, or Level 6 with one year of study. The level of entry will depend on your previous qualifications.

Corporations today work in a highly regulated environment so need managers who understand the legal aspects of business. This degree gives you this knowledge as well as the skills to successfully manage any organisation.

By taking this course, you benefit from an integrated syllabus that brings together business management and the legal framework within which it operates. You study essential aspects of business management including marketing, accounting, human resource management, strategy and project management alongside the fundamentals of business law such as contract law, tort law and intellectual property law.

You also learn how to apply theory to real-life situations, making you an efficient and effective manager in any organisational, cultural or social context.

Why choose this course?

• Learn in small classes through lectures, seminars and workshops, cementing your learning via group projects, research exercises, presentations and case study analyses
• The combination of business skills and legal knowledge make you attractive to employers across a wide range of organisations. It is also an invaluable preparation if starting your own business
• Gain from the opportunity to work independently on a final-year dissertation, undertaking research in your chosen area
• Take the course over four year and benefit from a fee-free placement year in industry (see below), gaining experience, building your CV and making contacts for the future
• If you need an entry route into degree-level study, start with a Foundation Year (see below), completion of which guarantees you entry to this degree course
• Benefit from a degree which gives you access to careers in general management roles, plus more specialist opportunities in human resources, e-business, operations or project management

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 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

Find your individual voice and put your passion into practice on a course that will see you graduate as a versatile and highly employable dance artist, ready to forge a portfolio career within the dance sector.

The course comprises daily technique classes including contemporary, ballet and commercial; fitness sessions; choreography and creative sessions; workshops in digital technologies, dance-teaching skills and community dance practices. You will also be encouraged to think, write and talk about how dance theory informs your work.

There are many opportunities to perform in works by professional choreographers for the University Dance Company, as well as works created by your fellow students. Performances are presented in our professional theatre.

The emphasis is on professional practice, technical competence, creativity and teamwork, a combination that supports students to be versatile, adaptable and employable.

Why choose this course?

• Learn from our highly experienced teaching team specialising in different areas of dance
• Develop your skills through visiting dance artists and choreographers
• Create your own work for performance, including a major piece for the annual student showcase and dance festival
• Gain performance experience in our up-to-the-minute dance studios and professional 280-seat theatre
• Explore extra-curricular activities including cultural exchanges, dance societies and trips
• Take up opportunities for internships and participation in external dance projects

This bespoke top up course is for you if you have completed a related foundation degree or HND and wish to gain a full bachelor’s degree in one year.

You will gain deeper understanding of sport science and coaching as well as relevant experience through work placements/internships at sports organisations, schools and within a coaching environment, preparing you for a successful career.

By linking closely to your previous studies and work experience it provides seamless progression to university-level study with the added benefit of a targeted initial induction and a week-long summer school to help support your academic development.

Why choose this course?

• Study key areas of sport science (coaching) including coaching for performance, sports physiology and psychology as well as research methods and employability units.
• Develop your coaching skills and build partnerships with local sports clubs and teams with help from our excellent links with industry including Sport England and the Football Association.
• Learn from our team of experts in fitness, personal training and strength and conditioning.
• Gain a sound training, skills and knowledge of sport science (coaching) together with the transferrable skills needed for a range of careers.
• Build your employability through relevant work placement/internships at sports organisations, schools and within a coaching environment where you can also carry out a research project.
• Benefit from specialist teaching laboratories and sports facilities at our School of Sports Science and Physical Activity as well as world-class teaching from a team with research expertise in environmental physiology, health and metabolism and movement within sports science field.