BA (Hons) Education Studies and Psychology

Course Overview

Gain a deeper understanding of how children think and develop. On this BA (Hons) Education Studies and Psychology degree, you’ll study the broadest issues in education, relating these to an understanding of psychology. You’ll learn about children’s cognitive development and health and wellbeing, understanding how to get the best out of children in all situations.

This focus on psychological principles will enable you to offer insights from a different perspective when you complete your degree and move into the workplace, whether that be in a school or elsewhere. There is a placement in the second and third years of the course to help you to challenge your learning and gain essential frontline experience.

Why this course at Marjon?

Focus on hands-on learning; observing behaviours and events and then understanding the principles and theories behind them, which leads to deeper practical understanding of how to use your knowledge in your career.
Long history of creating exceptional educationalists and teachers, blended with innovative approach to psychology.
Relationships with hundreds of schools to help you gain valuable practical experience.

Perfect if you're curious about:

Why do some children find learning easier than others?
Why do some children find it hard to behave?
How do teachers construct learning experiences?
Why do teachers group children in certain ways?
How do I support development of language?
How does personality influence behaviour?

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Course Snapshot

Jan Gourd - Lecturer

"In the first year you are introduced to the main schools of thought inside education and psychology. You’ll also learn about global inequalities, how they exist and what is being done about them. In your second year you will undertake a work placement in an area of your choosing and investigate questions around psychology, learning and memory. During third year you will look at how values determine the way people teach. You will learn about mental health in young people and discover what is meant by a good quality education."

Modules

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1st Year

Engaging with learning
This module gives you the skills necessary to be successful in your degree.
Introduction to psychology
A focus on the key thinkers in psychology, the core perspectives and how you might apply these ideas to working with children or adults.
Introduction to education
An introduction to all the themes that you will study in education over the three years.
Health and wellbeing
You’ll investigate factors which impact on wellbeing; ill-health, stress & loss, alongside how illness & disability are displayed in the media. For the assessment you will create an information leaflet for someone with a mental health problem.
Global inequalities
Psychology in Practice
You decide the content. Together we explore topics and questions which are of interest to the cohort.

2nd Year

Pedagogical Paradigms
A look at how key educational thinkers have influenced practice in schools.
Thinking and learning
A focus on thinking, intelligence, problem solving and learning. How these are typically developed, the biological underpinning and how we might assess these topics when working with individuals.
Social psychology
You will look at personality and close relationships, addressing questions such as is personality fixed? How do we construct our sense of self? Do early attachments impact on adult life?
Experiential placement
A chance to spend some time in a placement of your choosing looking at the application of the ideas you have considered.
Memory and language
A focus on long term and working memory, plus language expression and comprehension. How these are typically developed, the biological underpinning and how we might assess these topics when working with individuals.
Researching education
Here we introduce you to some key themes in research and you practice using research tools that you might choose to use for your Year 3 Honours Project.

3rd Year

Developing a Personal Philosophy of Education
Here you look at how views, values and beliefs determine how we practice. What kind of educator are you?
Education Honours Project
A research project devised and carried out with the help of a supervisor. Empirical Project.
Experiential Placement
A further opportunity to see how psychological and educational theory are used in a practice context.
Understanding and Managing Specific Learning Difficulties
This module looks at SEND in childhood and early adulthood applied to the practice of education. You will learn about assessment, management and integration within education in relation to SEND.
Mental health, lifelong conditions and young people
Childhood mental health is a topic of increasing concern in our society, in this module you will look at how we support children and young people with MH concerns, how to manage and work with young people with specific diagnostic labels, and how to support resilience and wellbeing.
Leadership and Quality in Education
What do we mean by quality in Education? A look at the contested notion of quality of the implications of this to leadership.

Lecturers

Dr Hazel Bending

Senior Lecturer

Hazel is a chartered psychologist. She teaches psychology, mental health and wellbeing and reflective practice. Her research focuses on how students best learn; investigating how various techniques from using technology to wellbeing can enhance students’ experiences and skills.

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Victoria Brown

Senior Lecturer

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Jan Gourd

Senior Lecturer

Jan was previously a primary head teacher in the South West and she now leads a teaching team at Marjon who together draw on decades of classroom experience and wide-ranging research specialisms to deliver Education courses.

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Dr Alister McCormick

Senior Lecturer

Alister teaches psychology and its applications to sport, exercise, and health. His main research interest is how psychological interventions can be used to improve the performances of people who participate in endurance events, such as middle- and long-distance running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon events.

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Miles Smith

Lecturer

Miles’ Master’s is in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics and he has twenty years of experience teaching, including to adults and children.

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Dr Sue Wayman

Senior Lecturer

Sue teaches primarily in Education Studies but has a multidisciplinary understanding with experience of teaching Development Studies and Geography here. She is working on research projects both nationally and internationally.

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