Ask a Student: All about Education Studies!
Hi everyone!
I’m Eliza and I’m a second-year BA Education Studies student at the University of Reading. I’ll be writing a few blog posts next week to talk about my experience with Education Studies, as it’s a fairly new course.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I'm looking forward to chatting with you all!
Eliza
2nd Year Education Studies Student
I’m Eliza and I’m a second-year BA Education Studies student at the University of Reading. I’ll be writing a few blog posts next week to talk about my experience with Education Studies, as it’s a fairly new course.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I'm looking forward to chatting with you all!
Eliza
2nd Year Education Studies Student
Hi everyone!
In this post I’ll cover what Education Studies is, and who might be suited to it.
BA Education studies is a degree that focuses on education in psychological and sociological contexts. The course explores current educational issues, as well as current debates around education. Many people get it mixed up with other education courses such as BA Primary Education as they sound so similar, but they’re surprisingly different. It is perfect for students who know they enjoy educating or working with young people, but aren’t 100% sure that they want to go into teaching specifically. If you have enjoyed studying subjects such as Sociology, Psychology, English lit and lang or Law and want to work around key issues in education like social justice, this could be a great option for you!
Education Studies is a 3 year course and is assessed through 100% coursework (whether that’s good news depends on your learning style!), and is taught across 3 days per week so students have plenty of time for other responsibilities and activities, whether that be sports, societies or part-time work. Some examples of compulsory modules currently offered in the first year of the course include: Creative Learning through the Arts, Education for Inclusion, and Society, Education and Social Justice. As well as this, the course has no lectures and is taught through seminars. This means that it isn’t like the ‘classic’ university experience where you sit in a big lecture theatre and listen to a professor speak. Instead, most seminars take place in a classroom with a group of 20-30 other students, where you learn from a lecturer and discuss the topics with your peers (like a normal classroom environment). This can be beneficial as it makes it easier to make friends, and you receive more support. If you find that you prefer to learn through a discussion-based approach, with a more spaced-out workload (rather than having a set exam season), you may enjoy this style of learning.
If you’re someone who feels driven to help people grow and you enjoy working with young people, this course could be for you. Additionally, if you’re interested in sociological issues such as social justice, inequalities, and sustainability, you’ll enjoy the many modules included in the course.
I hope this insight into Education Studies was helpful – you can read more about it here!
Feel free to leave any questions on this thread, and I will try to answer them as soon as possible. Also, look out for my next blog where I’ll talk about why I chose to study Education Studies!
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
In this post I’ll cover what Education Studies is, and who might be suited to it.
BA Education studies is a degree that focuses on education in psychological and sociological contexts. The course explores current educational issues, as well as current debates around education. Many people get it mixed up with other education courses such as BA Primary Education as they sound so similar, but they’re surprisingly different. It is perfect for students who know they enjoy educating or working with young people, but aren’t 100% sure that they want to go into teaching specifically. If you have enjoyed studying subjects such as Sociology, Psychology, English lit and lang or Law and want to work around key issues in education like social justice, this could be a great option for you!
Education Studies is a 3 year course and is assessed through 100% coursework (whether that’s good news depends on your learning style!), and is taught across 3 days per week so students have plenty of time for other responsibilities and activities, whether that be sports, societies or part-time work. Some examples of compulsory modules currently offered in the first year of the course include: Creative Learning through the Arts, Education for Inclusion, and Society, Education and Social Justice. As well as this, the course has no lectures and is taught through seminars. This means that it isn’t like the ‘classic’ university experience where you sit in a big lecture theatre and listen to a professor speak. Instead, most seminars take place in a classroom with a group of 20-30 other students, where you learn from a lecturer and discuss the topics with your peers (like a normal classroom environment). This can be beneficial as it makes it easier to make friends, and you receive more support. If you find that you prefer to learn through a discussion-based approach, with a more spaced-out workload (rather than having a set exam season), you may enjoy this style of learning.
If you’re someone who feels driven to help people grow and you enjoy working with young people, this course could be for you. Additionally, if you’re interested in sociological issues such as social justice, inequalities, and sustainability, you’ll enjoy the many modules included in the course.
I hope this insight into Education Studies was helpful – you can read more about it here!
Feel free to leave any questions on this thread, and I will try to answer them as soon as possible. Also, look out for my next blog where I’ll talk about why I chose to study Education Studies!
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my series of blogs covering my experience with BA Education Studies. In this post I’ll talk about how I discovered Education Studies, why I chose to study it, and what my favourite aspects of the course are.
When I was first applying to university I looked into all the courses on offer, and felt very overwhelmed by the wide range available. I knew I wanted to go into something surrounding young people or education, and the obvious choice seemed to be Primary Education. Looking back, I wish I had done more research to discover Education Studies, but education can be a very overwhelming area to look at as it has so many career paths.
So I decided to apply for the Primary Education course, and I got in (yay!). I stayed on the course all the way until winter break, before realising that primary teaching just wasn’t for me. While the course was engaging and the staff were lovely, I knew I didn’t want to continue with the course when I didn’t have the same passion for it as my coursemates did. I wanted a more freeing career, where I could help young people but in my own way rather than by following a curriculum.
After a very stressful week, I did some research and discovered that the Education Studies course exists! I got in contact with one of my lovely lecturers who teaches on both courses, and she gave me all the information I needed. After some emailing back and forth and signing a few forms, I officially switched courses!
Education Studies is a versatile course, with a wide range of students all wanting to pursue various careers. It allows you to explore the areas you enjoy, with Professional Development modules and placement opportunities. Being surrounded by so many career choices helped me to explore what I am interested in rather than focus on one career path, and eventually helped me discover my love for youth work.
Some of my favourite parts of the course have been the wide range of modules. I’ve loved studying ‘Society and social justice’, ‘Creative learning through the arts’, ‘Education for inclusion’, and ‘Learning gender: exploring the links between gender, education and society’. I clearly have a specific area of interest, but there are plenty of modules covering different topics! You can see the list of modules available on the course webpage.
I hope you found it useful to hear why I started studying Education Studies, even though my journey may not have been a typical one. Please leave any questions or comments on this thread, and I will answer them as soon as I can!
Look out for my next blog post where I will talk more in-depth about the kinds of careers Education Studies can lead to, and what my own career ambitions are.
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
When I was first applying to university I looked into all the courses on offer, and felt very overwhelmed by the wide range available. I knew I wanted to go into something surrounding young people or education, and the obvious choice seemed to be Primary Education. Looking back, I wish I had done more research to discover Education Studies, but education can be a very overwhelming area to look at as it has so many career paths.
So I decided to apply for the Primary Education course, and I got in (yay!). I stayed on the course all the way until winter break, before realising that primary teaching just wasn’t for me. While the course was engaging and the staff were lovely, I knew I didn’t want to continue with the course when I didn’t have the same passion for it as my coursemates did. I wanted a more freeing career, where I could help young people but in my own way rather than by following a curriculum.
After a very stressful week, I did some research and discovered that the Education Studies course exists! I got in contact with one of my lovely lecturers who teaches on both courses, and she gave me all the information I needed. After some emailing back and forth and signing a few forms, I officially switched courses!
Education Studies is a versatile course, with a wide range of students all wanting to pursue various careers. It allows you to explore the areas you enjoy, with Professional Development modules and placement opportunities. Being surrounded by so many career choices helped me to explore what I am interested in rather than focus on one career path, and eventually helped me discover my love for youth work.
Some of my favourite parts of the course have been the wide range of modules. I’ve loved studying ‘Society and social justice’, ‘Creative learning through the arts’, ‘Education for inclusion’, and ‘Learning gender: exploring the links between gender, education and society’. I clearly have a specific area of interest, but there are plenty of modules covering different topics! You can see the list of modules available on the course webpage.
I hope you found it useful to hear why I started studying Education Studies, even though my journey may not have been a typical one. Please leave any questions or comments on this thread, and I will answer them as soon as I can!
Look out for my next blog post where I will talk more in-depth about the kinds of careers Education Studies can lead to, and what my own career ambitions are.
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
(edited 11 months ago)
Hi everyone, welcome back! Sorry it's been a while, but for my last blog post I'm going to talk about life after Education Studies, what careers it can lead to, and what my own career aspirations are.
Education Studies is a broad course, with a range of students all working towards different goals. Rather than training you to become an educator, Education Studies introduces you to a number of career options and allows you to decide which path you would like to follow. This gives students a chance to discover what they’re interested in, rather than focusing in on one area straight away.
Some examples of careers the course could lead you to are: museum education, charity work, education policies, mentoring, teaching or psychology. There are so many careers available that most people have probably never heard of, and it can be a great chance to find your speciality.
During the second year of Education Studies, students have a chance to go on placement in a wide range of settings. It is up to the student to decide where they would like to have their placement, and they will be responsible for reaching out to the organisation and arranging the details of the placement. Some examples of settings students have visited are museums, schools, and youth charities.
Personally, I joined the course expecting to focus on work in schools, but fell in love with youth work. I find it to be the perfect balance of working with young people, but also having the freedom to support them without the pressure of a curriculum. I’m currently doing my placement at a youth charity, which involves working with young people in group sessions, as well as creating resources to support them when they aren’t at the youth centre.
I’m also very interested in young people’s mental health, so I would love to look into careers surrounding mental health support. This is something I’m hoping to do over the summer and during my third year, by talking to the careers team and researching my options.
I hope it has been useful to see the type of careers Education Studies can lead to, as it can be overwhelming to think about the various options. If you want to read more about careers related to Education Studies specifically, the webpage has more examples. Also, Prospects can be a great resource to explore the range of careers that might be suited to you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts, please let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer them! If you want any further information, I would recommend checking out our website and using Unibuddy to get in touch with other students (including me) and have a chat about their course subject, or student life. Good luck with whatever you decide to pursue!
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
Education Studies is a broad course, with a range of students all working towards different goals. Rather than training you to become an educator, Education Studies introduces you to a number of career options and allows you to decide which path you would like to follow. This gives students a chance to discover what they’re interested in, rather than focusing in on one area straight away.
Some examples of careers the course could lead you to are: museum education, charity work, education policies, mentoring, teaching or psychology. There are so many careers available that most people have probably never heard of, and it can be a great chance to find your speciality.
During the second year of Education Studies, students have a chance to go on placement in a wide range of settings. It is up to the student to decide where they would like to have their placement, and they will be responsible for reaching out to the organisation and arranging the details of the placement. Some examples of settings students have visited are museums, schools, and youth charities.
Personally, I joined the course expecting to focus on work in schools, but fell in love with youth work. I find it to be the perfect balance of working with young people, but also having the freedom to support them without the pressure of a curriculum. I’m currently doing my placement at a youth charity, which involves working with young people in group sessions, as well as creating resources to support them when they aren’t at the youth centre.
I’m also very interested in young people’s mental health, so I would love to look into careers surrounding mental health support. This is something I’m hoping to do over the summer and during my third year, by talking to the careers team and researching my options.
I hope it has been useful to see the type of careers Education Studies can lead to, as it can be overwhelming to think about the various options. If you want to read more about careers related to Education Studies specifically, the webpage has more examples. Also, Prospects can be a great resource to explore the range of careers that might be suited to you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts, please let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer them! If you want any further information, I would recommend checking out our website and using Unibuddy to get in touch with other students (including me) and have a chat about their course subject, or student life. Good luck with whatever you decide to pursue!
Eliza 😊
2nd Year Education Studies Student
(edited 11 months ago)
Hi Eliza
Im so glad I found your blog as I was worried I wont get a chance to ask someone about what studying Education is like at reading is like.
Im currently in year 12 and I study Music Media studies and RS and I really like the look of reading's Education with Music BA degree however I am a bit apprehensive about making the grades and all of the other things needed along the way (personal statements and work experience)
I noticed on readings website it says students must take a 5 day work placement in a primary school before they begin the course. Is this something you had to do? did you also do some work experience in year 12?
I also noticed that the website says the degree is not included in the firm choices scheme. How did this affect your application as If I was to get an offer from reading I would have wanted it to be my firm choice/best option
one last question I have is if this course is typically very popular?
Im so glad I found your blog as I was worried I wont get a chance to ask someone about what studying Education is like at reading is like.
Im currently in year 12 and I study Music Media studies and RS and I really like the look of reading's Education with Music BA degree however I am a bit apprehensive about making the grades and all of the other things needed along the way (personal statements and work experience)
I noticed on readings website it says students must take a 5 day work placement in a primary school before they begin the course. Is this something you had to do? did you also do some work experience in year 12?
I also noticed that the website says the degree is not included in the firm choices scheme. How did this affect your application as If I was to get an offer from reading I would have wanted it to be my firm choice/best option
one last question I have is if this course is typically very popular?
Original post by michaela002
Hi Eliza
Im so glad I found your blog as I was worried I wont get a chance to ask someone about what studying Education is like at reading is like.
Im currently in year 12 and I study Music Media studies and RS and I really like the look of reading's Education with Music BA degree however I am a bit apprehensive about making the grades and all of the other things needed along the way (personal statements and work experience)
I noticed on readings website it says students must take a 5 day work placement in a primary school before they begin the course. Is this something you had to do? did you also do some work experience in year 12?
I also noticed that the website says the degree is not included in the firm choices scheme. How did this affect your application as If I was to get an offer from reading I would have wanted it to be my firm choice/best option
one last question I have is if this course is typically very popular?
Im so glad I found your blog as I was worried I wont get a chance to ask someone about what studying Education is like at reading is like.
Im currently in year 12 and I study Music Media studies and RS and I really like the look of reading's Education with Music BA degree however I am a bit apprehensive about making the grades and all of the other things needed along the way (personal statements and work experience)
I noticed on readings website it says students must take a 5 day work placement in a primary school before they begin the course. Is this something you had to do? did you also do some work experience in year 12?
I also noticed that the website says the degree is not included in the firm choices scheme. How did this affect your application as If I was to get an offer from reading I would have wanted it to be my firm choice/best option
one last question I have is if this course is typically very popular?
Hi @michaela002!
Firstly, I’m so glad my blog has helped you, as I know education can be a bit of an intimidating course to research. I’m not on the Primary Education course anymore but I did spend almost a year on it, so I hope I can help you out 😊
Regarding the 5 day placement – it’s not as scary as it sounds! The university just wants applicants to have some experience in a primary school, as education isn’t always what people expect so it is good to have an idea of what teaching is like when applying to a course like this.
Personally, I spent some time volunteering in my old primary school (a few hours every week whenever I had a big gap in my timetable) and found it super rewarding. Even if the university didn’t require it, I would still highly recommend spending some time helping in a school as it can really help your confidence when starting a teaching course.
But don’t worry too much! The staff on the Primary Education course are really lovely and understanding, so any experience you can get will help. I would recommend getting in touch with your old primary school or a local primary school, and explaining your situation. Usually they are happy to take on volunteers, although they may ask for you to have a DBS check (a service that checks your criminal record).
I have to admit that I don’t think the firm choices scheme had been introduced when I applied for uni, but I have had a look at their website, and it seems to be an extra perk that just means when you firm Reading they will guarantee you a place if your grade is one lower than the original offer. Obviously, the Primary Education course doesn’t offer this, but that doesn’t mean there’s no chance of getting into the course with grades slightly lower than the entry requirements! Because the course has an interview as a part of the application process, they often value that just as much as your A Level predicted grades/results and will consider this when giving you an offer.
Finally, the course is fairly popular as Reading has a good Department of Education. The primary education course is fairly small (there were about 65 people in my year although I don’t know how this has changed since) which means there are less spots than some other unis, but don’t let that discourage you. The main thing the interviewers are looking out for is people’s personality, and whether they could make a good, caring teacher.
Apologies for such a long response, but I know how scary applying to an education course can be, and wanted to give you as much information as possible!
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I would be happy to help.
Eliza 😊
2nd year Education Studies Student
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