Course overview

This course poses challenging questions inspiring you to critically examine essential issues relating to education.

You'll be encouraged to explore what is meant by education and how it has changed over time, including its central place in the foundation of modern societies.

You'll examine what form education should take, who should make those decisions, and who will benefit.

You'll investigate how the media influences the portrayal of education and schooling, and whether the teacher still has a role to play in a society where Google knows more.

The diverse research interests and expertise of our staff offer you a broad range of topics and perspectives. Small group teaching provides opportunities for lively interaction and debate.

This course covers the study of education across the globe from sociological, philosophical, historical, political, and psychological perspectives. It investigates the role of international development in supporting education in developing countries.

Teaching methods

Research-informed teaching and practice by leading academics and professional practitioners are central to the programme.

You'll learn through a combination of online lectures and in-person seminars. You also undertake a considerable amount of independent study. Our award-winning Library Service has a huge array of resources available to access online.

You'll draw on your existing knowledge of formal and informal educational settings as you explore issues relating to teaching and learning. You'll also consider how these would relate to other educational settings including classrooms and museums.

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Placements are subject to availability.

Your future

A degree in education from Newcastle shapes your development and understanding, demonstrating your capacity to work individually and as part of a team.

It also provides you with the transferable skills, including workload management, meeting deadlines, written and oral communication, IT, problem-solving and the critical analysis and interpretation of complex ideas and policies.

You may use this degree as a springboard for further postgraduate study at Newcastle (for example, Primary PGCE, International Development, Cross-Cultural Communication, International Education).

Alternatively, you may find work in fields as diverse as community or health work, human resource/education management, widening participation or rehabilitation programmes, environmental organisations, heritage sites, museum, theatre and library provision or information management (eg digital learning).