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Dip HE - Education Studies

Are you passionate about education? Do you want to inspire people of all ages, races, and backgrounds? Apply your drive to make a positive impact through education in our DipHE Education Studies program.

This innovative course is designed around current research and pressing social issues, giving you the chance to explore the topics that truly fascinate you. Once you successfully complete the course, you may be eligible to transfer to our full BA (Hons) Education Studies program.

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Course Overview

Study education and learning from a national and global point of view, in vocational and non-vocational education and training and in lifelong learning. You'll gain hands-on experience through practical placements and be supported by industry-experienced tutors who will provide you with a solid academic foundation to complement your practical skills. Explore subjects related to education, teaching, and learning such as sociology, psychology, philosophy and history and gain a multidisciplinary insight into the landscape of education.

Dive into the world of social justice, policy, and current affairs within the context of education.

On this course you will...

Complete work-based placements to enhance your academic knowledge and boost your employability.
Develop a critical understanding of educational environments and approaches, focusing on social justice, social policy, and educational diversity.
Benefit from a personalised learning environment, with support from a personal tutor and small class groups.
Conduct research inquiries into educational issues and settings of your choice, developing your analytical and critical thinking skills.
Enjoy flexible learning, studying and undertaking placements in educational areas that interest you.

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Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
EU / EEA / International
Course LocationLondon
Institute Institute of Education, Arts and Society
UCAS CodeX302
Delivery StyleIn-person
Course DurationFull-time: 2 Years
Course Start PointSeptember
AwardDip HE
More informationProgramme Specification
Prospectus
Open DaysLondon
All

Minimum entry requirements

96-112

UCAS Tariff points

Tuition fees

£9,535

UK | year

£14,900

International | year

Tuition Fees Policy

Course Structure

What you will learn

This programme will support you in developing useful skills and competencies to prepare you for a future working in a range of education settings, including roles such as a learning mentor, teaching assistant or family support worker. With two days off timetable, you will have opportunities to gain experiences in a range of educational settings of your choice to develop your professional understanding of working in education and earn while you learn. The course aims to build on and develop your existing knowledge and transferrable skills and apply them in professional practices with the aim of becoming a skilled, confident and reflective practitioner in education. If you wish to pursue a career in teaching, you can top up your qualification with a one-year PGCE course to gain Qualified Teacher Status, subject to application and completion of the full BA Honours programme.

You will be given two days off timetable to complete placements in educational settings of your choice with the flexibility to earn while you learn.

Year one

In year one, you will begin to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills drawn from a range of subjects; principally sociology, psychology, and policy. You will also complete placements in up to two different educational settings of your choice.

Professional Studies and Work-based Contexts
Develop a professional understanding of relevant education working environments including schools and non-school settings via your placement.
Learning and Development
Consider different influences on the development and learning of children, young people and adults, with a particular focus on social and emotional factors.
Introduction to Safeguarding in Education
An introduction to issues relating to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults in the context of education services in England.
Educational Environments
Understand education environments with reference to different forms of both formal and informal education.
Introduction to the History and Sociology of Education
Develop an historical and sociological understanding of education.
Key Issues in Education Today
Build upon concepts around the links between education across the lifespan, social justice, identity and issues in society which effect education today.

Year two

In Year Two, you will build on the knowledge, understanding, and skills from Year One, progressively deepening your learning while adding global and philosophical perspectives. You will also have the opportunity to complete placements in another two educational settings of your choice continuing with two days off timetable to complete your placements.

Professional Studies and Work-based Contexts
Further develop your professional understanding of education working environments.
Psychology of Education
Develop an understanding of psychological theories, relevant to educational practice, and how these relate to practice and their influence in educational settings.
Educational Policy and Context
An introduction to the reasons for policy in education (across all age phases) and the relationships between policy and social justice.
Global Childhoods
Develop a theoretical understanding of public policy issues surrounding global childhoods.
Education, Faith and Philosophy
Understand your own values and personal ethics in relation to philosophical thought.
Planning an Enquiry
Plan and prepare for a small scale research project.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

Modules will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials; these may be supplemented with independent directed activities, supplementary reading or electronically based activities. Blackboard is used by the programme team to support students. This is also where students can access module information and resources, submit assignments and complete other activities. Electronic discussion boards are used to encourage communication between students from different year groups.

You will combine your theoretical knowledge with practice by undertaking practical placements each year providing you with hands-on experience enhancing your academic knowledge and boosting your employability. The flexibility of our placements enable you to gain experience in areas that are of interest to you and network with relevant stakeholders in those fields. You will be allocated two days of the week to carry out your placement which can be voluntary or paid, giving you the flexibility to work whilst you study.

How you will be assessed

Modes of assessment will be closely aligned with the programme modules and will encourage the development of breadth and depth of intellectual, practical and transferrable skills. Methods will include:

Essays
Group presentations supplemented by individually-produced supporting papers
Individual/paired presentations
Video presentation/short film/podcast
Portfolios
Patchwork texts

Career Outcomes

Upon completion of the programme, you will have acquired skills and experience useful for employment in a range of settings and roles including:

Teaching
Teaching Assistant/Learning Support Assistant
Learning Mentor
Family Support Worker
Museum Education Officer
Educational Administration
Community Education Officer
Further studies (complete full BA)

You will also have the opportunity to transfer on to our full BA (Hons) Education Studies programme and thereafter progress on to Masters level study and postgraduate Primary QTS programmes. Traditionally, large numbers of our students go on to successfully complete the full BA (Hons) programme.

Overview

96-112 UCAS Tariff Points, You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Offers are tailored to the individual applicant and their circumstances and can be across the tariff range. Applicants who meet our contextual information criteria will be offered at the bottom of the range.

GCSE English Language at grade 4/C or above. 

FITNESS TO PRACTISE 

All offers of a place are subject to satisfactory health screening. Further information will be provided following acceptance of an offer (and no earlier than three months before the course start date). 
For more information about core competencies and medical fitness to train please click here. 

In some instances, an applicant may be invited to attend a professional practice panel to discuss any recommended reasonable adjustments, and whether or not core professional competencies are achievable. 

 For information about Medical Clearance and vaccination requirements  click here. 

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECK 

If you accept an offer of a place we require you to comply with an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) background clearance check. Details on the policy can be found here. 

If you think you have a criminal conviction You will need to submit a Criminal Record Self Disclosure Form as part of the process For more information on this and the form itself, please refer to Self-disclosure of criminal record.

Qualifications

Entry Requirements

GCSEs: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C or above.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Where you have received a conditional offer subject to achieving particular grades/UCAS tariff scores, and do not quite meet these scores, please try not to worry, where vacancies exist our Admissions specialists will review your whole application again and take account of any mitigating circumstances and reassess your suitability for the course.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to this programme. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course; emphasise your areas of interest and reflect upon any experience you have gained. You should be an original thinker who is keen to bring your unique experience to the academic study of Education.

We are looking for passionate individuals who are keen to understand the wider context of Education; someone who excels at team work and has made positive contributions to their current enterprise or community.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here), applicants that are estranged from their parents, are care leavers or have caring responsibilities or are in receipt of or received free school meals during their secondary education. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply) 

Contact ugadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk for more information.

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

£9,535 - UK
£14,900 - International

2024-2025:

£9,250 - UK
£13,575 - International

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

Funding

In addition to any student finance allocation, you may also be eligible for additional funding. We offer a range of grants, scholarships, and bursaries to support low-income students, students from partnered organisations, those who go on to study a PGCE course, and more. You learn more about these on our Fees and Funding Pages.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000..

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs associated with the course including stationery, textbooks, field trips and membership fees although some of these features are optional.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.

Books and Journals

The core text used on this course is 'Introduction to Education Studies' by Steve Bartlett and Diana Burton. Most core text books are available via the University's library, however students may wish to buy copies of any texts used to support your learning on your course. This could cost between £50 - £100 per year.

Stationery

You should budget for stationery and consumables for your own personal use. This should include notebooks, pens and pencils for taking notes in class and/or in the field.You should also budget for the purchase of USB pen drives, as well as occasional printing and photocopying costs incurred in the preparation or submission of coursework. Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these items.

Clothing and Equipment

Placement will require sensible, professional clothing and footwear as appropriate to the setting. You may wish to have your own computer or laptop for undertaking their assignments. This is not however a requirement for access to the programme as the University does make such facilities available across all of its main sites and learning gateway buildings. Should you wish to purchase a computer then an entry-level laptop would suffice, £300 - 400.

Other

Placements in educational settings are an integral part of the programme. You will be required to undertake a criminal background check as part of the application process and there is a cost associated with this of approximately £50-£60. You will need to fund your own transport to your placement. The placement is usually at least 10 days per year. You can arrange your own placement close to home, and it can be in your place of work if this is an appropriate setting, such as a school. If the university has supported you in arranging a placement, we cannot guarantee that this is close to the your accommodation. There is the possibility that a university arranged placement will require travelling time, and any expenses incurred are to be met by you. Therefore, you should budget for these travel costs. Placement will require sensible, professional clothing and footwear as appropriate to the setting. Other trips and events may take place.

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Dip HE - Education Studies