Professional Practice in Education BA(Hons)

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We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

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Top reasons to choose this course

• 2nd in the UK for education courses – Guardian University Guide 2025.
• 100% of graduates in work or further study 15 months after their degree – Graduate Outcomes Survey.
• Excellent results in the 2024 National Students Survey.
• You can continue to work while studying and develop both your practice and career.
• Can provide a stepping stone to professional qualifications such as Early Years Initial Teacher Training and postgraduate qualifications in teaching, social work and other allied professions.
• Learn with a team who have many years experience working in the education sector.

Course structure

The Professional Practice in Education BA(Hons) is a part-time work-based programme studied over four years.

The modular design of the programme enables you to reflect on your professional experience, increase your awareness of current issues and practices and develop your academic and research skills.

Typically you will:

• attend university for one half-day, twilight session each week as well as approximately one Saturday a month between September and May. This will not always be face to face at university; methods of learning include small group seminars, participatory workshops and online learning experiences as well as attending lectures led by experienced practitioners, tutors and researchers
• be supported in your individual learning and career progression throughout
• take on a series of structured work-related tasks and assignments, supported by an individual work-based mentor
• have opportunities throughout the modules to explore and understand more about other settings and complimentary learning environments
• conclude your studies with an individual extended professional enquiry of your own choosing.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

Modules

• Introducing Concepts of Practitioners as Learners

  This module is an introduction to studying at university and aims to build your confidence in academic writing, reading and reflective practice. The module will help you to develop your awareness and understanding of you as a learner, the impact of social and contextual issues on your own and others’ learning and prepares you to meet the academic requirements of the course, including foundations for professional development and critical reflection on practice.

• Reflecting on Action Learning

  This module introduces the concept and associated theoretical models of action learning. Through practical application and professional experience, you will explore and examine your own learning within the context of an action learning set. At the end of the module you will produce a poster that demonstrates key learning in relation to your engagement with the action learning set. 

• Developing Perspectives of Social Pedagogy and Professional Identity

  This module will support you to examine your professional identity through a social pedagogical lens. You will have the opportunity to reflect on your personal beliefs, values, motivations and professional aspirations within the context of your professional setting and role. You’ll use a digital resource to articulate your developing understanding of social pedagogy and your own professional identity.

• Exploring Digital Resources in Learning and Development Environments

  You will explore digital learning resources to support learning and development relevant to your professional context. You’ll explore a range of digital technologies and be supported to maintain your wellbeing and a safe digital identity which is particularly relevant due to the fast-paced changes of the digital landscape. This module will include extension activities to support CPD opportunities relating to digital skills and literacies.

• Acquiring Foundations of Research and Professional Reflective Practice

  This module introduces reflective professional practice and helps you develop the capacity to engage in research and informed, constructive reflection to support and develop your professional practice and professional identity. Content covered includes the nature of professionalism in the children and young people’s workforce; professional identity, ethics and values; professional collaborative relationships; and action learning sets.

Year 2

Modules

• Understanding Psychological Perspectives of Social and Peer Learning

  This module explores the dynamics and psychological processes of groups, including the skills and understanding required to facilitate and work with groups in different educational settings. You will look at areas including the roles people play in groups, interpersonal communication, projection and transference, acceptance and belonging, and power and control.

• Engaging with Sociological Perspectives of Practice

  This module enables you to explore the underpinning sociological factors which influence the barriers to learning and engagement for children and young people, focusing on how children and young people’s relationship with practitioners contribute to their overall wellbeing. You will relate theory to practice with regards to children and young people’s needs.

• Debating Contemporary Issues for Children and Young People

  This module explores issues facing children and young people and enables practitioners working with children and young people to examine their roles and responsibilities in relation to these. Topics include resilience and risk factors, the impact of inequalities, poverty and structural disadvantage and alternative perspectives.

• Researching and Reflecting Upon Key Challenges in Professional Practice

  This module explores the nature of potential barriers to learning within your specific professional context. Using practitioner research, you will engage with interventions that support inclusive and anti-oppressive practice with the children and young people you work with. You will also build on your critical reflective practice skills.

Year 3

Modules

• Applying Concepts of Safeguarding and Wellbeing to Practice

  Through this module you will develop a strong understanding of the risk factors to wellbeing within your professional contexts. The module looks at effective theory and policy underpinning strategies to support children and young people to become more resilient and raises awareness of mental health. It also enables you to keep up to date with the impact of social media and challenges posed by new technology.

• Evaluating Contemporary Issues of Equality and Inclusion

  This module explores equality and inclusion issues in the context of current policy, political discourse and the duties and obligations of educational establishments. Content includes dimensions and models of inclusion, equality and disadvantage; personal, cultural and structural factors affecting equalities and inclusive practice; and attitudes and values and the impact of political and societal discourse.

• Analysing Organisational Culture and Leadership in Practice

  In the context of organisational culture and leadership in children and young people’s services relevant to your professional context, this module covers aspects of leadership and management such as leadership styles, professional identity, organisational culture, supervision, professional development and management of change.

• Applying Critical Perspectives to Contemporary Issues in Education

  This module will support the development of your dissertation and introduces critical perspectives relating to learning in different contexts. It includes how societal ‘discourse’ shapes understanding of a contemporary issue and how policies are developed in relation to an issue. The assessment integrates critical theoretical perspectives, analysis of societal discourses and practical knowledge within your professional context.

Final year

Modules

• Dissertation

  This module enables you to achieve the honours component your degree by completing your dissertation. Material will cover the planning, organising and delivering of a small-scale research project; the literature review process; research methods and methodology; data analysis; and the application of research process and findings to professional practice.

• Developing Critical Practitioner Researchers

  This module introduces research methodology which will inform a small-scale research project in the KV600 Dissertation module. It will support you to plan your project within an educational context; help you develop awareness of the nature of research techniques, including analysis and interpretation of data; and enhance your critical-thinking skills.

Meet the team

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year. UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (depending on which is higher).

If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

Find out more

• Advice and guidance for part-time students.
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• About the university’s fees, including fee status and payment, by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf)

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