BA (Hons)

Education

Interested in primary teaching? This degree seamlessly feeds into our PGCE primary teaching pathway. But allows flexibility to other careers working with children.

How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to Us

Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    X300

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Newport

  • Campus Code

    C

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,790*

  • International students

    £17,200*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Make an Enquiry

Our education course goes beyond typical degrees by equipping you with the skills to influence a child's development well beyond the classroom. If you are planning to pursue a one-year PGCE, our curriculum includes three diverse placements that build a solid foundation for your teaching career. We guarantee you an interview onto the PGCE Primary studies course where you will be supported by staff who know you well from your undergraduate degree.

Designed For

For those passionate about nurturing young people beyond just the classroom, this course offers excellent career prospects in the wide field of education, which includes museums and other education facilities as well as schools and colleges.

Career paths

  • Primary School Teacher 
  • Education Officer 
  • School Support  
  • Early Years Support 
  • Youth Worker 

Skills taught

  • Understanding Curriculum for Wales 
  • Digital competence 
  • Child development 
  • Leadership 
  • Research and reflection 

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

teacher and students smiling while teacher holds classroom utensils. They are all sat at a table.
teacher looking at young pupil as she interacts with a digital whiteboard with stylus pen

Course Highlights

Diverse placements

Year 1: Primary school. Year 2: Beyond the classroom. Year 3: Pick your ideal placement.

Crafting careers

Enhance your understanding of the Curriculum for Wales, boost career prospects, and prepare for teaching success.

Cutting-edge learning

Digital competencies are embedded throughout to stay ahead with the latest educational tools and techniques.

Explore your interests

Build and refine your research skills, culminating in a final project to explore a topic of your interest.

Outstanding Graduate Outcomes

99% of USW Education graduates are in Employment and/or Further Study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/23)

Module Overview

We focus on child development across all ages and prioritise your personal growth. Placements are key, combining experiences from forest schools to music therapy and sports clubs to behavioural teams to enhance learning. You’ll develop your skills through practical application during placements.

Year One
Professional Practice 1 
Introduction to Research Strategies 
Child of the World 
Creative Curriculum

Year Two
Professional Practice 2 
Health and Happiness 
Creative Learning 
Education Research Journey 

Year Three
Professional Practice 3 
Global Citizenship 
Effective Leadership 
Education Research Delivery 

An introduction to how children learn and how best to teach them. Explore child development, digital competence, and curriculum creativity. Your primary school placement involves supporting teachers and children. Welsh language and cultural identity are taught to support learners in the classroom.

Professional Practice 1 
Includes a 7-week primary school placement, focusing on essential school skills, Welsh Language Development, and resources for teaching Welsh in the classroom. 

Introduction to Research Strategies 
Dive into research, learn several types of methodology, explore ethical considerations, source selection, critical reading and academic writing.

Child of the World 
Learn the knowledge and underlying concepts of child development theory, covering social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth through policy and practice.

Creative Curriculum 
A practical hands on module which introduces the Curriculum for Wales and helps you develop the knowledge and skills to plan authentic, creative learning experiences in the classroom.

You will cover skills and knowledge required to support learning across all settings such as teaching creatively, and the personal skills needed in the workplace. Placements are in settings beyond schools, like Additional Learning Needs schools, museums, and a variety of sports facilities.

Professional Practice 2 
Enhance skills and knowledge for alternative educational settings, emphasising effective communication. Welsh language and culture are included in these settings.

Health and Happiness 
Explore how early intervention impacts the future health and wellbeing of children and families and investigate theorists who emphasise its importance for individuals and society as well as considering the importance of self-care whist working in education.

Creative Learning 
Study how learning through play, indoors and outdoors, supports young people's physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development.

Education Research Journey 
Introduces research methods for planning an independent enquiry whilst developing critical, analytical, and evaluative research skills.

We focus on future skills like leadership and sustainability. Plus, you will dive into a research project based on your placement experiences. You will build your digital skills through hands-on projects and tech integration. Choose placements that align with your interests, including overseas options.

Professional Practice 3 
Develop skills, knowledge, and understanding in an educational setting of your choice, including overseas school settings.

Global Citizenship 
Get to grips with national and international policies on sustainability and citizenship and see how they shape education and society.

Effective Leadership 
Develop an understanding of the role of leadership in education contexts whilst also focusing on your personal and professional growth.

Education Research Delivery 
Fine-tune your research skills, enabling you to conduct an independent research project and present your findings in an academic format.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

Learning is delivered on our Newport campus in the heart of the city. Sessions are led by dedicated academic staff with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Our classrooms and practical spaces are designed for small-group work and engaging discussions, providing hands-on learning. There are no exams. Assessments take different forms, offering opportunities to demonstrate your skills through essays, presentations, portfolios, and the creation of educational resources. Your placement will be assessed through your portfolio, and you'll receive plenty of support from both a member of the Education team and your placement mentor.

Teaching staff

All our team are qualified teachers – each bringing a range of perspectives, experiences and practical know-how to your learning. Plus, we work closely together across all teaching and early years degrees, offering you valuable insights, connections and opportunities between pathways. Students tell us they really value the supportive environment of the Education degree, which is fostered through personalised support and mentorship, a collaborative learning environment and by helping students find their passion for placements, career paths and research interests.

Facilities

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.

Placements and work experience

Wildlife trusts, behavioural units, music therapy, cricket clubs… the list of where our students gain valuable experience goes on, even overseas. This mix helps you discover your strengths and interests and opens your eyes to new opportunities available to Education graduates. You will spend seven weeks on placement each year, alternating between university and work to reflect and strengthen your development. Year 1 will be in a primary school, so you understand the curriculum for Wales. Year 2 will be in an educational setting outside mainstream schools. Year 3 is your choice, and we work closely with you to organise a placement which suits your needs and interest. You can even opt for a three-week international placement.

A primary initial teacher education student smiles while standing in a primary education classroom.

  • Top in Wales for Career Prospects in Education - Guardian League Table 2023

  • Top in Wales for graduate prospects in Education (Complete University Guide 2023)

90%

of USW BA (Hons) Education students were satisfied with their course

National Student Survey 2025

  • Top in Wales for Career Prospects in Education - Guardian League Table 2023

  • Top in Wales for graduate prospects in Education (Complete University Guide 2023)

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Our degree provides you with skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience to begin a rewarding career outside traditional classroom settings, positively impacting children's lives of all ages. It is fulfilling to see children gaining confidence and excitement for learning in the real world. Opportunities span schools, art galleries, outdoor learning centres, and pupil referral units, with some supermarkets even employing education officers. Whether you pursue roles as an education officer, provide school support, engage in youth work, or enter teaching, you will play a crucial role in shaping the next generation's growth and development.

Careers support

As a University of South Wales student, you have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate. This includes one-to-one appointments with faculty-based career advisers, available in person, over the phone, via Skype, and through email through the "Ask a Question" service. We also offer extensive online resources to help you consider your career options and make a great first impression with employers.

Industry partners

We have strong links with schools and a diverse range of organisations that offer educational elements, providing you with practical placements and hands-on learning opportunities. These range from schools and cultural organisations to charities and businesses. Links to institutions in Maastricht, Prague, Finland, Budapest, and Qatar mean we can offer a final-year international placement overseas.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS Points: 104 (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)

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).

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.

English 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.

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.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£9,790

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,200

per year*

Further Information

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.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional Costs

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.

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

University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Life at USW

Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.

A student sat smiling and talking to friends off camera in Treforest Student's Union
Student Life
University of South Wales Newport Campus.
Newport Campus
A double room at our Pontypridd accommodation featuring a large window.
Accommodation

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).

Advanced entry

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 admissions

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.
 

Next Steps

How to apply
Apply Through UCAS
Book an Open Day
Chat to Us