Education Studies

Education studies is a discipline that examines education as a social and intellectual phenomenon, asking how learning happens, how educational systems are organised and why they take the forms they do, and what role education plays in shaping individuals and societies. It is distinct from teacher training in that it approaches education from a theoretical and analytical perspective, drawing on sociology, psychology, philosophy, and policy analysis, while still engaging deeply with the practical realities of how schools, universities, and other learning environments function.

At the University of Bristol, this BSc Education Studies considers how education can contribute towards changing societies and individuals, exploring how learning happens at all ages, from very young children to older adults. It includes a foundation year, providing structured academic preparation for students who benefit from additional support before degree-level study. The programme develops your capacity for critical analysis of educational policy, practice, and theory, and engages with the social and political contexts that shape educational provision.

It runs full-time over three or four years depending on the foundation year.

Graduates of education studies programmes pursue careers in educational administration and policy, learning development, youth work, community education, educational consultancy, and the voluntary sector. The degree also provides a strong foundation for initial teacher training, for postgraduate study in education, and for roles in research and policy that concern learning and development across the life course. The analytical skills and critical perspectives the programme develops are valued wherever education intersects with social change and public policy.