EDST4009
15 credits
You'll learn about important things in education policy and how it works in England. You'll focus on schools and the links to bigger changes happening in...

Explore how people learn and how education shapes lives, developing critical understanding of teaching and society.
How can we support young people with special educational needs (SEN) or a disability to learn and thrive? How can therapies or alternative settings help an excluded child become a happy, confident adult?
Our Education Studies (SENDI) BA explores the world around the child with a focus on children with additional needs. You’ll develop a specialist knowledge of the demands and needs of children with special needs or disabilities and learn skills to launch a rewarding teaching career. Others have gone into various therapeutic roles to specialist support worker or outdoor learning specialist.
You’ll explore the underlying principles, history and psychology of education and analyse education’s role in society with a view to the future. We’ll help you discover exciting career paths through hands-on annual work placements connected to your future goals – perhaps in a special school, forest school or working alongside a range of allied professionals. And you can tailor the course to your special interests through a wide range of options.
One strength is the annual placement. See how things work in special schools, family centres and forest schools or join support workers in a local authority.
Throughout your time on this programme you will have the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the importance of wellbeing within education, using trauma-informed and relational practices to support this.
You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Most exchanges take place in the second year. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.
Our university-wide language programme is available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| UCAS tariff points | 112 |
| Contextual offer tariff points | 88 |
| A-level | BBC |
| BTEC Extended Diploma | DMM |
| International Baccalaureate | 27 |
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk
| Fee types | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| Home full-time | £9,790 | £10,050 |
| Home part-time | £1,220 per single module | £1,255 per single module |
| International full-time | £17,250 | £18,500 |
| International placement year | £1,905 | £2,010 |
Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
For further information please see our tuition fees FAQs.
Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
In year 1, the key themes are nurturing and inclusion. You’ll examine human development and explore education from medieval times to now. This includes new approaches like outdoor learning, approaches to teaching science and technology, and the importance of play.
Discover how the developing brain works and explore contemporary issues around children with diverse needs in year 2. You can also tailor parts of the course to your interests. For example, you can study the way dance and play benefit children who are struggling in mainstream education, or you could study the impact of children’s literature.
Next, you choose a year abroad at a partner university or continue to your final year.
In your final year, you’ll study young people in challenging circumstances and look at alternative learning spaces. You will complete a dissertation and examine education philosophies. Finally, you can pick from options that include outdoor learning, the family, inequalities, and care.
Each year includes a field trip and a work placement.
A wide variety of modules ensure that you will be able to develop a depth of knowledge about complex educational issues. As well as opportunities and challenges associated with improving the outcomes for our most vulnerable learners.
These involve:
| Contact hours | Total workload | Timetabled |
|---|---|---|
| about 8 hrs a week | 1,200 hrs a year | Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 |
Assessment is 100% coursework.
Coursework may be in the form of:
EDST4009
15 credits
You'll learn about important things in education policy and how it works in England. You'll focus on schools and the links to bigger changes happening in...
EDST4003
30 credits
While studying early childhood and education you'll read various texts, such as: - research papers - government policies - and media reports. It's important to...
EDST4004
30 credits
You'll explore important aspects of childrens’ and adolescents' development from different perspectives. You'll learn theoretical knowledge about how growth...
EDST4007
15 credits
This is your chance to work in the community and learn about education in real-life situations. The goal is to give you a wide range of experiences and show you...
ECS4011
15 credits
You'll focus on the importance of nurture and care in education, with a specific emphasis on promoting inclusion and wellbeing. By studying this module, you...
EDST4008
15 credits
You'll start an exploration of how educators can support and encourage curiosity and exploration in children, through the use of Science, Technology...
ECS4012
15 credits
You'll focus on understanding play from various personal and professional perspectives. Exploring how children, young people, and adults engage in play, make...
LOCAL-G33048
You can attend a non-UK higher education institution for a full academic year. You’ll be able to choose modules in your own subject or in a subject you consider...
Field Trips are optional and the cost will be in addition to your course fees. See the 'Additional costs' section for details of this and other additional costs.
Studying BA Education (SENDI) empowers you with a wealth of specialist knowledge to kickstart your career. Your annual placements help you build a network of professional connections. This means you’ll graduate feeling well-placed to apply for specialist education settings and postgraduate training.
Some of our students pursue careers in youth work or join charities, while others go straight into schools as specialist behaviour support workers. Others choose to pursue a PGCE in Primary or Secondary (alongside a specialist subject) or an MA in Education with a specialism.
You may decide to study in a postgraduate therapeutic field, such as play therapy or speech and language therapy. WIth this route your SENDI specialism could give you an advantage over other applicants.
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)