Education, Special Educational Needs, and Inclusion

Education, special educational needs, and inclusion is a discipline that takes seriously the diversity of human learning and development, asking how educational systems can genuinely serve all children and young people, including those who learn differently, face barriers to participation, or have been marginalised by mainstream provision. It draws on developmental psychology, sociology of education, disability studies, and educational policy to understand how inclusion can be made real in schools and other learning environments, rather than remaining an aspiration that falls short for too many children.

At the University of East Anglia, this three-year full-time programme develops your understanding of how children learn, what gets in the way of learning, and what effective inclusive practice looks like. You will study learning theory, child development, the social model of disability, the legal and policy framework for special educational needs in England, assessment and intervention approaches, and the skills needed to support children with a wide range of needs including autism, dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, social and emotional challenges, and complex needs. The programme takes a critical approach, asking not just how to help individual children but how to change the systems that create barriers in the first place.

A typical entry tariff of 120 points makes this an accessible programme.

Graduates work as SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators), teaching assistants, education welfare officers, learning support workers, early intervention specialists, and in advisory and consultancy roles with local authorities and multi-academy trusts. The degree also provides an excellent foundation for a PGCE or postgraduate training in educational psychology, speech and language therapy, or social work. Many graduates go on to play leading roles in developing inclusive practice within schools and other settings, or in policy and advocacy work aimed at improving outcomes for children with additional needs.