Education

Education as a field of study asks fundamental questions about how human beings learn, what schools and other educational institutions are for and how different societies organise and distribute access to knowledge. It draws on philosophy, sociology, psychology and history to examine the structures, practices and values that shape learning across the lifespan, from the earliest years of childhood through to adult and workplace education. Studying education at degree level is not the same as teacher training, though it provides an excellent foundation for that pathway; it is first and foremost a serious intellectual engagement with what education is and what it does.

At London South Bank University this three-year programme develops your understanding of the major theories and traditions in educational thought alongside an engagement with contemporary policy and practice. You will examine questions about curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and the relationship between education and social inequality, developing the analytical skills to interrogate assumptions and the research skills to engage with evidence critically. Two work placements are embedded in the programme, giving you direct experience of real educational settings and the opportunity to observe and reflect on how the ideas you encounter in the classroom operate, or fail to operate, in practice.

This connection between theory and experience is one of the most valuable aspects of the degree.

Graduates of education studies pursue a wide range of careers. Many go on to qualify as teachers through postgraduate routes, working in primary, secondary or further education. Others move into roles in early childhood education, community education, educational charities and social enterprises, youth work or education policy in local authorities and government departments.

Research in education, educational publishing and school leadership are further destinations. The analytical and communicative skills the degree develops are valuable well beyond the education sector, and graduates are found in the civil service, charities, HR roles and public affairs.