Special Educational Needs and Disability

Special educational needs and disability, commonly known as SEND, is a field concerned with understanding the diverse learning, developmental, and support needs of children and young people with disabilities and difficulties, and with developing the professional knowledge, values, and practice needed to make a real difference to their lives and experiences. SEND is present across education, health, and social care, and practitioners in the field draw on knowledge from psychology, education, medicine, law, and social policy to support individuals whose needs may be complex and whose voices and experiences are often underrepresented in research and practice.

At the University of Derby, this part-time programme includes a foundation year, a year abroad, and a year-long element, giving you both a structured academic entry point and substantial breadth of experience across the programme. You will develop a grounded understanding of the full range of needs that SEND encompasses, including learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions, sensory impairments, mental health needs, and other disabilities and difficulties, from both academic and practical perspectives. The programme places the experiences and voices of individuals living with disabilities at the centre of its inquiry, ensuring that your understanding of SEND is rooted in the realities of the people whose lives the field seeks to support.

Graduates from SEND programmes are well placed for careers in special educational needs coordination, teaching roles in special schools and mainstream settings with specialist provision, educational psychology (requiring further postgraduate training), occupational therapy, social care, health settings, local authority SEND teams, parent-carer liaison, and advisory roles across education and care systems. The field is one of consistent and growing demand, given legislative drivers and increasing recognition of diverse needs. Postgraduate study in educational psychology, speech and language therapy, or specialist education provides a natural route for those who wish to deepen their expertise.