BA (Hons) Education Studies and Theology, Philosophy & Ethics

This module builds on and develops the basic methods and data interpretation skills developed during Level 4 modules. The module also prepares you for your Dissertation at Level 6 especially if you are intending to pursue a Dissertation (Capstone Project) in Education Studies or other Social Science (at Level 6). You will explore ways in which a range of quantitative and qualitative methods can be brought to the investigation of educational issues. You will apply selected quantitative and qualitative methods and will be introduced to the benefits and difficulties of education research. You will develop your understanding of the range of research methodologies and research methods (data collection tools) that can be used in education research, and further develop your skills of statistical analysis and data interpretation.

An understanding of the principles and practice of inclusive education is crucial to those who intend to work in an educational context. This module will introduce you to the philosophical social justice debate and theories and ideologies of inclusive practice, and will examine interpretations of diversity and inclusion in different contexts. Although matters relating to inclusion are embedded in all modules, this offers you the opportunity to study the topic in depth and to critically analyse and apply a range of theories in the context of your work with young people in a range of educational contexts. It will build on the values, beliefs and philosophies explored in Level 4 modules and extend your appreciation of issues of human rights, equality and equity.

This module will explore the historical relationship between the World’s main religions and the environment. It will place the issues that surround our environment in an historical context in order to ask whether these religious organisations contributed to the problems facing our planet since the advent of industrialisation and whether they can now contribute to a solution. It will explore sacred text from the Jewish Torah, the Bible, the Koran as well as the Eastern texts from Hinduism and Judaism in order to determine their significance in terms of Green issues. It will also explore the modern contributions from historians, such as Lynn White, through to theologians such as Sean McDonagh, as it assesses the contribution of the eco-theology movement to the wider disciplines of Theology and Ethics.

This module builds on the introductory themes studied at Level 4. The module content offers you the opportunity to explore selected accounts of psychic and paranormal activity in the UK and elsewhere, considering popular, scientific, and theological explanations for these phenomena. Historical mainstream and alternative religious teachings about angels, spirits, miracles, mystical experiences etc are explored, and a study is made of established mystery cults and sects, and the conspiracy theories which have often surrounded them.

This module covers a broad sweep of the of three major world religion’s attitudes towards and treatment of women particularly that of Christianity, Judasim and Islam. It looks at the contributions to theology and spirituality of some of outstanding women; scriptural women such as Esther, Deborah, Mary mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, historical women such as Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila and the more modern contributions made by feminist theologians such as Mary Daly and Rosemary Radford Ruether. This module provides you with an arena in which to apply previously acquired knowledge and skills in order to engage with the study of women thinkers and writers of theology and spirituality.

This module will draw on and develop your understanding and experience of real- world contexts. Building on placement experiences in Level 4 the module explores the wider role(s) of a professional in a setting. It enables you to apply knowledge and skills in a real-life context offering you a valuable experience to draw on when you present yourself to employers or selectors upon graduation. The module will introduce you to key theoretical ideas and principles related to reflective practice and professionalism. It will provide a critical understanding of successful elements for career development including relevant practical guidance on tools to support this such as individual ‘professional context’ action plans, careers advice, CVs, letters of application and personal statements. The syllabus will include a block placement and the study of reflective practice and student-professionalism. You will be introduced to key educational theorists and philosophers concerned with reflective practice such as Dewey, Schὂn and Kolb and the significant contributions of each. You will reflect on your own approaches to reflective practice and further develop critical thinking. The strengths, limitations and general applicability of reflective practice for professionals will be considered carefully in the light of evidence presented and this will be related to your own work on placement. Workshops provide you with the opportunity to participate in academic practices, including developing academic reading and writing skills at level 5 which is embedded in the context of the taught component. This module is deliberately structured in an open-ended way to allow placement to develop in a manner most suited to your potential future career and to respond to opportunities presented by employers.

This module covers a broad sweep of the last 2,000 years of major world religion’s attitudes towards and treatment of women and in particular that of Eastern Religions and new religious movements. It looks at the contributions to theology and spirituality of some of outstanding women as well as the experiences of women who belong to these faiths. This module provides you with an arena in which to apply previously acquired knowledge and skills in order to engage with the study of women thinkers and writers of theology and spirituality.

An awareness of global perspectives on education strengthens Education Studies students’ understanding of educational issues, ideas, and solutions by broadening the scope of study beyond the UK. This module explores the impact of globalisation on education policy and practice in different international settings in varied international, social, economic, and political contexts. The module requires you to take a global perspective on issues and trends such as citizenship, human rights, access to education, and education for sustainable development and relate these to social theories of education and development goals. You will be encouraged to reflect on the global, multicultural nature of our society and your own cultural fluency, and research contrasting perspectives on effective responses to the diversity of international school pupils’ backgrounds, experiences, and needs. You will be required to engage critically with module topics and develop as an independent learner and critical thinker to investigate your chosen area of research.

Excellence and innovation in curricula are a central tenet of any world class education system. This highly responsive module provides you with a theoretical and critical understanding of key considerations in the development and implementation of curriculum policy, content and practice in educational settings. The module considers future developments in the current curriculum and possible alternative future directions. It provides you with an opportunity to study this at first hand in placement settings. A range of theoretical approaches to the curriculum will be critically examined. The syllabus may include topics such as differing views of the nature and organisation of knowledge, and examination of various curriculum frameworks, including aims, content and contemporary views of pedagogy. These will vary over time in order to ensure that the module is responsive to new developments and future directions in education for instance decolonising of the curriculum and environmental education. Innovative practice from inspirational educational settings may be showcased in order to provide models of excellence. Placement will allow you to gain real-world experiences of current curriculum arrangements.

After preliminary consideration of what is meant by 'modernity', 'religion' and 'atheism', this module examines the thought of some central thinkers, theistic, agnostic and atheistic, and the implications of their thought for religious questions. Some of the most central themes in Enlightenment and post Enlightenment Western religious and atheistic philosophical debates will be examined and evaluated in order to engage students with both the history and the latest developments in core religious, philosophical and ethical issues.

The module takes as its theme "Crisis and Change" and responds to it in such a manner as to historically narrativise the development and dissemination of knowledge and responses to the theme. It is broken into four segments, with a coherent link provided to what came before and what will come next. The four are: Crisis of Modernity; The Challenge of Nihilism; Lemons to Lemonade; and Post-Modernity taking students from the end of the 19th century through to today. It engages with topics of what is real and how can we know? Making moral choices, race, humour, gender and non-gender, marginalization, migration and belonging (or not). The four sections are infused by the question of where religion sits within these topics - consciously and unconsciously -for the creators and the readers / consumers, and what do we mean by 'religion'? You will be exploring thinkers such as Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Adorno, Beauvoir, and Hooks. You will also be reading works by sociologists of religion, specifically Tricia Rose, Rachel Wagner and Francis Stewart, and popular writers such as Reni Eddo-Lodge. In addition you will be working on the following films: "Black Swan", "Calvary", "Trainspotting", "In Time", and "Pulp Fiction". You will be examining television shows, specifically "Gone Too Far" and "Best of Times, Worst of Times" and will engage with two documentaries, Dave Chappelle's "Black Party" and "The Taqwacores". You will also be taught how to analyse and critically respond to music, not necessarily in the genre you would choose to listen to. This will focus on "Big A, Little A" by Crass, "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone, "All Along the WatchTower" by Bob Marley, "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop, and a selection of Krishacore and Taqwacore bands. Finally, you will engage with video games, specifically "Far Cry 5" and "Bioshock" as a new medium with a very powerful message.

This module looks at the historical relationship between Religion and acts of political violence. It will examine Christian, Islamic, Judaic, Buddhist and Hindu responses to politics, violence, and the world. It will explore the issues raised by modern conflict, war and terrorism in order to discuss their implications for theology. In particular it will offer insights into how and why religions might regard acts of violence as an appropriate expression. It will provide opportunities to encounter issues of war, terrorism, and liberative theological thinking. It will offer an in-depth exploration of the implications these global issues have for Religions, and will critically engage you in the responses of World Religions to these challenges. This module will look at the role of Islam, Hinduism and other religions in confronting issues of terrorism, war and globalisation. Various responses of religious individuals will be discussed, such as Martin Luther King, Ghandi and Malcolm X, to political and social problems. Finally it will discuss the future for World religions in the 21st Century.

This module will build on (EDU50322) Vision to Reality and introduce you to a further range of contexts and settings for learning, examining these from the perspective of educators and learners, policy and practice. Throughout the module you will be encouraged to consider and appreciate the scope and limitations of education within a variety of teaching and learning environments and organisations. You will be introduced to a wider and more complex range of research and theory related to the benefits and limitations of teaching and learning in informal and alternative learning environments alongside the unique personal embodiment / impact of these on the overall experience of learners and educators. You will consider how pedagogical approaches are utilised in these contexts and how such contexts are positioned in contemporary educational policy. You will develop and apply skills of critical analysis in module sessions and independent learning. First hand experiences of different learning contexts through study visits and work with visiting experts will be threaded through the module as a basis for comparison, analysis, evaluation and reflection.

During this module you will undertake a project, drawing on tutors’ advice as well as your own interests and instincts. You will conduct your researches through self-formulated questions, supported by the gathering of relevant information and opinion along organized lines of enquiry. The relatively modest guiding role of the supervisor means that you will be empowered to develop your skills of initiative and responsibility. You will more fully understand the opportunities in, and vicissitudes of, advanced independent study, further defining and drawing upon your particular styles of learning. You will proactively manage the development of your conceptual ideas and related arguments, using the challenge of the abstract and working bibliography to summarize both quantitatively and qualitatively the research you have undertaken; and that of the dissertation itself to construct an advanced piece of literary scholarship that is both conceptually and structurally strong.

You will undertake a project, drawing on tutors’ advice as well as your own interests and instincts. You will conduct your researches through self-formulated questions, supported by the gathering of relevant information and opinion along organised lines of enquiry. The relatively modest guiding role of the supervisor means that students will be empowered to develop their skills of initiative and responsibility. You will more fully understand the opportunities in, and vicissitudes of, advanced independent study, further defining and drawing upon your styles of learning. You will proactively manage the development of your conceptual ideas and related arguments, using the challenge of the abstract and working bibliography to summarize both quantitatively and qualitatively the research you have undertaken; and that of the dissertation itself to construct an advanced piece of literary scholarship that is both conceptually and structurally strong.