Special Educational Needs & Disability with Foundation Year

Special educational needs and disability is a field concerned with how educational systems can be made to work for every child, including those whose learning, communication, behaviour, or physical development makes the standard curriculum inaccessible without additional support and adjustment. Understanding SEND requires knowledge of child development, the specific profiles of conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and complex needs, the legal frameworks that govern provision, and the relational and pedagogical skills that make a genuine difference to children's lives and chances.

At the University of Derby, this four-year full-time programme provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of SEND support. A foundation year begins the degree, building the academic and professional knowledge base that the subsequent three years develop. You will study cognitive and neurological development, inclusive education theory, the SEND Code of Practice, communication and language support, behavioural frameworks, assistive technology, and the ethical dimensions of working with children and young people who have additional needs.

A year abroad broadens your perspective on how different educational systems approach inclusion and SEND provision. Clinical and educational placements are central to the programme, giving you direct experience in schools and support settings.

Graduates work in schools as SEND support practitioners, learning support assistants, specialist teachers, and SENDCO trainees. Others pursue roles in early intervention services, residential care, therapeutic settings, and local authority SEND teams. The degree also provides strong preparation for teacher training, educational psychology, and postgraduate study in SEND, inclusion, educational psychology, and autism studies, which opens more senior and specialist roles.