Primary Education Studies - BA (Hons) Degree

The bilingual degree is focussed on developing your academic and practical understanding of primary education studies in a bilingual context.

Whilst most of the programme will be delivered through the medium of English, 40 credits per year of the bilingual course are available through the medium of Welsh. Welsh-medium personal tutor support and Welsh-medium placement opportunities also form part of the Welsh-medium provision on the bilingual programme.

Assessments can be submitted in English or in Welsh. The course is designed to meet the increasing demand for graduates who have bilingual capabilities and qualifications.

To graduate with the bilingual award, students must take at least 40 credits (33%) in each year through the medium of Welsh. Students following this route will also qualify for The Incentive Scholarship worth up to £1500 over the three years.

Year One

History of Education: Evolving Systems

This module develops your knowledge of historical developments within the field of education since 1870, facilitating their understanding of the contemporary UK system. Through this, you will become cognisant of the relationships between education, society, politics, and the individual.

An Introduction to Higher Education Academic Literacies*

This module aims to develop your awareness of essential skills required to succeed within higher education, enhancing your knowledge of and capacity to apply academic approaches and techniques in relation to tasks set. During this module, you will be guided towards being an independent learner and encouraged to engage in self-evaluation and set personal goals for further academic development.

Play, Creativity and Development in Young Children

This module introduces you to the role of play in young children’s development, including their cognitive, emotional, language, physical and creative development. Developing their knowledge and understanding of theories of development and creativity, as well as concepts and underpinning principes of inclusion and diversity, you explore ways this knowledge can be applied in practice to support and enhance children’s experiences.

Professional Studies and Work-based Development*

As part of this module, you will gain experience within an alternative setting to primary school (e.g., charitable organisations, ALN provisions, secondary schools, nurseries). During the placement, you will work collaboratively with stakeholders to identify and address an area for development within the setting, applying knowledge and skills within the context of project planning. The process of evaluating their experiences in placement and engaging with the Career Service supports you to develop a professional identity and mapping your ongoing career trajectory.

Controversies and Debates in Education

This module develops your knowledge of contemporary debates and controversies, deepening your understanding of the key themes and strands that characterise the field of education studies. The module explores the relationships between education, society, politics, and the individual, making you familiar with the factors that characterise contemporary debate. Becoming aware of the cyclic nature of key issues, you will reflect on the underlying explanations for why certain patterns persist.

An Introduction to Cross-curricular Learning

During this module, students explore the concept of ‘cross-curricula learning’, evaluating its potential to support children in learning more effectively within the context of primary education. Practical insight into how to make links between subject domains within primary education curricula will develop your knowledge of how to apply underlying principles of cross-curricular approaches within the context of practice and provision.

Year Two

Exploring Pedagogies for Practice and Provision

This module engages you with multiple perspectives of and international debates surrounding pedagogy, enabling you to apply your knowledge in relation to practice and provision. You will explore a range of pedagogical approaches, equipping you to identify links between these and their corresponding theoretical underpinnings. You will also develop your knowledge of how key underpinning principles of a range of pedagogical approaches affect experiences for children at different stages within a range educational settings, contexts, and environments.

Diversity, Identity and Equality in Education

Within this module, you will develop a critical and systematic understanding of well-established theories and concepts in relation to contemporary approaches to education and equality. This will equip you to engage in debate on diversity, inclusion and equality within education, and demonstrate knowledge of policy, legislation, key issues, challenges and competing perspectives. This module will enable you to apply critical understanding of contemporary research on diversity, identity and equality, considering this in relation to practice and provision.

Outdoor Play and Learning in and with the Natural world

During this module, you will gain practical insight into a range of pedagogical approaches which involve engagement with the natural world. In doing so, you will consider the associated philosophical perspectives of different approaches, evaluating the impact on children’s experiences (including those with additional and complex needs). This module will develop your knowledge of the affordances of the environment within the context of children’s outdoor play and learning through which you will identify and evaluate key issues surrounding experiences in, with, and about the natural world. Experiences within this module will develop your capacity to design, facilitate and evaluate experiences of outdoor play and learning in relation to their theoretical underpinnings.

Developing Professional Identities*

This module provides you with experience in a primary school placement during which you will identify and propose how to address an area for improvement / development within your primary school placement. The experience of placement provides an opportunity for you to enhance a range of employability skills and to demonstrate innovation.

Language, Literacy and Childhood Education

During this module, you will explore concepts of literacy, engaging in multiple perspectives, definitions and international debates. They will gain critical insight into theory, policy and practice in relation to children’s language and literacy development. Through your engagement with children’s literature and pedagogical practices, you will develop your capacity to create resources and materials to support children’s language acquisition and literacy development.

Developing Your Research Skills*

During this module, you will examine a range of methodologies, research tools, and data sources, developing your critical understanding of contemporary research and practice within a chosen area of interest. Module content will support you towards considering critical issues when undertaking research with participants, including ethical issues and researcher integrity. Choosing an area of interest, you will learn how to apply research tools and engage with evidence to enhance knowledge and its application in relation to policy, practice and/or provision.

Year Three

Independent Project*

The Independent Project is an opportunity for you to apply your personal interests and skills within the context of a project of your own design. You can choose from a creative output, enterprise project, literature-based project or research involving human participants. The project is largely an independent piece of work for which you will receive guidance from an academic supervisor.

Curriculum Design: Theory, Practice and Politics

Through this module, you will gain critical insight into the concept of curriculum design, examining it in relation to theory, politics, and practice. You’ll engage in critical reflection of curricula from perspectives of design and enactment, articulating key principles and values. Module content and delivery will also equip you to develop a curriculum in a particular context / subject area which is underpinned by theory and evidence informed.

Global and Comparative Education

This module engages you in key issues and debates from competing perspectives, developing your capacity to evaluate evidence from the multidisciplinary field of comparative education. Developing a critical and systematic understanding of and the connections between key concepts, theoretical perspectives and educational policy discourses within the field of comparative education, you will be equipped to apply knowledge, synthesise ideas and information to formulate convincing and informed arguments in relation to pedagogical approaches and practices.

Towards Healthy and Sustainable Futures in Education

Module content encourages you to develop a strong sense of personal and professional ethics as you examine, for example, health and well-being in the curriculum and the role of education for sustainable development. This module will encourage you to critically evaluate information, using it to make reasoned decisions on courses of actions for healthy and sustainable futures within education.

Exploring Educational Environments

This module develops your interdisciplinary knowledge of educational environments, bringing together philosophy, pedagogy, and different agendas. You will explore and critically evaluate the affordances of educational environments, drawing on your knowledge of a range of perspectives, philosophies and practices. Module content, experiences and assessment equips you to design, develop and adapt educational environments, aligning them with pedagogical principles and practices.

All modules marked* are also available to study through the medium of Welsh.

We adopt innovative and engaging teaching approaches designed to accommodate a range of learning needs. Lead Lectures introduce you to key module content, seminars provide opportunities to engage in learning in small group settings and workshops provide hands-on experiences, providing practical insight into key concepts and approaches whilst supporting you towards making connections between theory and practice in enjoyable and authentic ways.  Virtual learning environments provide flexible access to materials and resources. Opportunities for independent guided learning allow you to engage in additional reading and research related to modules and provide allocated time to prepare for and complete assignments. Opportunities and strategies are embedded within modules to support you towards developing your professional identity, empowering you to actively craft your ongoing career. 

Two work-based placements embedded within the programme and a range of field trips provide practical insight into careers within and outside primary education. All students get indoor and outdoor experiences of learning by spending time in classrooms and specialist spaces, including the university's Outdoor Learning Centre and Tŷ Froebel.

Our teaching and learning methods embed the Cardiff Met 'EDGE' (Ethical, Global, Digital & Entrepreneurial) skills and you will be well equipped to demonstrate graduate attributes expected of you in an increasingly competitive world of work. We aim to help you to develop into reflective professionals and critical scholars.

The course team has a wide range of research interests including outdoor education, expressive arts, pedagogies, curriculum development, sport in education, international collaboration, technologies within education, comparative education, ecological education, children’s rights, childhood identities, and the lives and experiences of vulnerable and marginalised children. Our research underpins and shapes experiences on the Primary Education degree, resulting in both module content and experiences being driven by contemporary thinking and research.

Welsh-medium education is facilitated wherever possible to enable all students to use the Welsh language to suit their level of confidence and ability. Students may also elect to be part of a Welsh language tutor group.

Pastoral and tutorial support are provided and integrated throughout course provision. All students have a personal tutor, and each level of study has an assigned Year Tutor.  

We are committed to innovative assessment practices that match the learning outcomes for your modules and degree. We use a wide variety of assessment methods, placing importance on their authenticity and providing you with opportunities to reflect, make choices, problem-solve, be creative and work collaboratively with stakeholders.  

Assessments include practical assignments, written work, portfolios, different types of presentations, and projects. The course also makes use of online platforms (e.g., blogs, videoconferencing, forums) to further enhance your learning experiences. 

In your final year, you will complete an independent project, providing you with an opportunity to apply your personal interests and skills within the context of a project of your own design. The independent project can take the form of one of the following:

• Evaluative report based on a chosen area of research.
• Creative output featuring integration of specialist skill(s)/knowledge (e.g. music, art, drama, sport)
• Enterprise Project development and implementation (e.g. community project, family engagement initiative, technology-based project)

You will receive support for assessment in a range of ways, including formative assessment for work-in-progress, class-based peer assessment, and feedforward intended to help you in future assessments. Support for assessments can also be accessed from the Library & Information Services.

The Primary Education Studies degree is designed to support you towards a career within the broad field of primary education, including but not limited to teaching. During your studies, you will be exposed to a range of career paths, including roles in SEN provision, third sector positions, Outdoor learning provision, community and alternative education, early years education and care, and Education Welfare Officers, with the programme team utilising their wide-ranging links with stakeholders.

Two work-based placements provide opportunities to gain experience in professional environments and create opportunities for you to demonstrate skills in entrepreneurship, leadership and management as you develop ways to address real-world issues, challenges and areas for development in policy, practice and provision. These opportunities, together with course content encourage you to consider and be proactive in your career planning.

The breadth of focus within the programme and our commitment to developing your employability skills, creates scope for you to develop a professional profile as part of your studies, enabling you to identify and apply the knowledge, skills and experiences gained from your degree, using it as a foundation for further study, training or future employment/self-employment.

This course will support you in pursuit of careers in a variety of job markets and industries, including:

• Primary education
• Third sector roles
• Community education
• Media and communication services
• Publishing
• Health and wellbeing
• Government administration
• The arts
• Tourism and leisure

You may also choose to apply to study at Cardiff Met at postgraduate level on our MA, MPhil and PhD courses.

Please note: This undergraduate degree does not award ‘Qualified Teacher Status’ (QTS).

Progression to PGCE Teacher Training

We are pleased to guarantee an interview for the PGCE Primary Course at Cardiff Met for all graduates of this programme (subject to the course being open with UCAS). An Honours degree minimum classification of a 2:2 is currently required, and the statutory entry requirements for training in Wales (including Grade C / Grade 4 or equivalent at GCSE for English Language or Welsh Language (First Language), Mathematics or Mathematics – Numeracy and Science must also be met.

Typical Offers

• Tariff points: 104
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
• GCSE: Preferably five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
• A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include grades CCC. No specific subjects required. Welsh Advanced Skills Baccalaureate considered as a third subject.
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM
• T Level: Merit.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 2 x H2. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Grade DD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.
• Other requirements: DBS.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact, Sian Sarwar:

• Email: ssarwar@cardiffmet.ac.uk
• Tel: 029 2020 5599