Education
Prepare yourself for a range of careers supporting children’s learning, development and wellbeing. Through real-world challenges developed with education professionals and community partners, you will gain skills for work across educational settings and build a foundation for postgraduate study, including PGCE routes.
How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to us/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/08-subjects/education/_R5_0871.jpg)
UCAS Code
X303
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Newport
Campus Code
C
UCAS Points
104
International students: £17,600*
Course Overview
The BA (Hons) Education degree combines real-world challenges, professional experience and research-informed learning to explore how children learn, develop and thrive, preparing you to address contemporary issues in education today.
During the course, you will explore current issues in education through challenges developed with professional partners; connect theory with practice, investigate creativity and storytelling, and build transferable skills for careers supporting children’s learning. Graduates are guaranteed an interview for USW’s PGCE Primary course, with opportunities to pursue other postgraduate study.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
Explore the foundations of learning through creativity, storytelling and early years education.
Practical challenges enable you to explore theories of development and develop your own academic and professional skills.
Explore how creativity can support children and young people’s wellbeing. You’ll work collaboratively to turn research into practical resources and ideas, developing creative approaches you can use in educational settings.
Discover how storytelling can bring learning to life and help every pupil feel heard. You’ll build your confidence in communication while creating your own storytelling activity for an educational setting.
Discover how children learn and grow during the first 1,000 days of life. You’ll explore the role of play, creativity and responsive caregiving in creating strong foundations for lifelong learning and wellbeing.
Explore how conflict, poverty, displacement and poor health can shape children’s lives and experiences. You’ll consider how education can support resilience, recovery and safe, inclusive learning environments.
Broaden your understanding of education, inclusion and childhood from a global perspective.
You’ll question inequalities, explore diverse perspectives and put your learning into practice through real educational experiences.
Discover how childhood can look very different around the world. You’ll explore the social, cultural and economic factors that shape children’s lives, before using your ideas to tackle a real-world issue.
Explore how education can shape the future and how power and inequality influence who gets opportunities. You’ll question different visions of education and develop ideas for tackling real-world challenges.
Learn what it takes to create learning environments where everyone can thrive. You’ll look at different Additional Learning Needs and gain practical experience of using inclusive approaches that support wellbeing, accessibility and belonging.
Put your learning into practice in real educational and community settings. You’ll gain hands-on experience, reflect on what you see and do, and build your confidence for a career in education.
Develop your confidence as an education professional through leadership, digital practice and sustainability.
You’ll bring your learning together in a final project, creating ideas for the future of education.
Build your confidence as an emerging leader in education. You’ll tackle real-world challenges such as inclusion, inequality and AI, while developing your own approach to ethical and effective leadership.
Bring technology into your teaching in creative and purposeful ways. You’ll create digital resources, consider issues such as inclusion and online safety, and develop the confidence to use technology effectively in education.
Shape your ideas for a more sustainable future in Wales. You’ll look at how education can respond to climate change, eco-anxiety and environmental responsibility, before creating your own ideas for positive change.
Bring everything you’ve learned together in your final project. You’ll choose an educational challenge that matters to you, work with others to develop a creative solution, and turn your ideas into something meaningful.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and assessment
Learning is delivered on our Newport campus in the heart of the city, and sessions are led by dedicated academic staff with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
You will learn by tackling real challenges facing children, educators and communities. In workshops and group projects, you will explore ideas, test solutions and learn from professional practice. Simulations, creative activities and discussion will help you connect theory with experience. As you progress through the degree, regular feedback at each stage will help you build confidence, independence and professional skills.
You’ll be assessed in a variety of ways, including presentations, podcasts, reflective writing, creative projects, case studies and applied activities. Assessments become more independent as you progress, helping you build confidence, critical thinking and professional skills. You’ll also have opportunities to receive feedback, reflect on your work and improve your ideas, with support to develop your research, referencing and responsible use of digital tools.
In Year 2, a dedicated placement module gives you the opportunity to experience education in practice. You can explore placements that match your interests, from schools and museums to wildlife trusts, with opportunities for overseas placements. Working alongside professionals, you will observe different approaches to learning and reflect on how the ideas you study apply in real settings. Your placement can help you recognise your strengths, develop professional skills and discover the range of paths open to Education graduates.
Our modern spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources, ideal for interactive learning and teaching. You will have access to innovative tools for practising augmented and virtual reality methods. Experience real-life classroom environments in specialised rooms helping you get practical experience in a safe setting. You will use our dance studio to support physical literacy and circle time activities amongst others. Our libraries are packed with resources on education theory, child development, and teaching practices, helping you get the most out of your studies.
We encourage a hands-on approach to teaching. Students learn by doing, putting their theory into practice in immersive environments and real-life scenarios. Instead of just reading textbooks and listening to lectures, we'll ensure you have countless first-hand experiences and opportunities to get actively involved in your chosen profession, gaining practical skills that will prepare you for your future career.
From hands-on projects and real-world simulations to industry collaborations working with real clients, tackling real problems, and developing the skills employers are looking for. We create graduates who are prepared for the future. People ready to build their careers.
Course Leader
Philippa Watkins
Philippa is the Course Leader for the BA Education programme. She began her career as a secondary school English teacher, working in several schools and serving as Head of English for four years before moving into higher education. She has a keen interest in storytelling and creativity and has contributed to research that has explored and evaluated how both can be used to facilitate effective learning and wellbeing. She brings her classroom expertise into her teaching, using creative approaches to support, inspire, and enhance student learning.
Entry requirements
Additional requirements include:
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration maybe given to individual circumstances.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on the Child Workforce and Child Barring List and subscription to the DBS Update Service is required. (Overseas equivalent required for non-uk applicants).
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question104 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
BCC to exclude General Studies
Welsh BACC:
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade B in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level to exclude General Studies
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit
Access to HE:
Passing the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points.
T Level:
Pass (C and above)
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Fees and Funding
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
iPad/Laptop
Students will need to purchase an iPad to access the course. Options for purchasing an iPad will be available through the University if required
Cost: Up to £465
per year
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
iPad/Laptop
Students will need to purchase an iPad to access the course. Options for purchasing an iPad will be available through the University if required
Cost: Up to £465
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
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Apply direct
Education
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Newport
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If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
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