Education Studies
Education Studies with a focus on primary education is a discipline that examines how children learn, how schools function, and how educational policy and practice shape the lives of young people. It draws on psychology, sociology, philosophy, history, and the science of learning to build a rigorous understanding of education as both a personal experience and a social institution. Studying primary education through this lens means developing critical awareness of how teaching and schooling work, why they sometimes do not, and what evidence and theory can tell us about improving outcomes for children.
The Open University offers this programme in part-time distance learning mode, making it accessible to students who cannot study on campus and who need to fit their education around employment, family, or other responsibilities. The Open University's long experience in flexible, distance-delivered degree programmes means students are supported through well-designed materials, tutor relationships, and a community of learners who, like you, are managing study alongside the rest of their lives. You will explore child development and learning theory, curriculum design, assessment practice, inclusion and special educational needs, the sociology of education, and the history and politics of primary schooling in the UK and internationally.
You will develop critical analytical skills alongside understanding of the research evidence that underpins effective primary education.
Graduates of education studies programmes pursue careers in teaching, school leadership, educational support, teaching assistance, and special educational needs work. For those wishing to teach in primary schools, further professional qualification such as a PGCE or School Direct route is typically required after the degree. Careers beyond the classroom include roles in educational research, policy, curriculum development, school inspection, and education publishing.
The degree also provides a foundation for postgraduate study in education, child development, psychology, or social policy.