Education (Special Needs Education) MA

This course will broaden and challenge your existing knowledge. It could be a starting point for a future career in a range of settings or help you to develop in your current role. If you are already a SENCO it will give you many skills for your role and help you develop and expand this in line with the range of special needs you may encounter. Our course doesn’t aim to provide you with all the answers. Instead it will enable you to explore and develop new thinking and ultimately work towards expertise in your field. If you believe that pupils with special needs have untapped potential, and you want to help them explore this, then this is the course for you. Inclusive learning and teaching are at the heart of any good practice; these modules will help you explore this further and understand the important role of nurturing development in all pupils with special educational needs.

You do not need a teaching qualification to study on this course, nor do you have to intend becoming a teacher. We welcome anyone who wants to expand their understanding, knowledge and skill set in the changing world of special education and disability. You’ll have the opportunity to explore how the education system works for special needs and disability, how it all evolved and the challenges it poses for these pupils. You’ll broaden your knowledge on the range of conditions and their impact on learning and develop new teaching skills to help pupils overcome their day to day challenges. The focus of all modules will be critical thinking, challenging and developing your knowledge to enable you to become an expert in your field.

This course is delivered by qualified lecturer practitioners from NICE – Centre for Movement Disorders, making it a unique partnership merging theory and practice. The course aims to give you a postgraduate qualification, whether you are interested in early years, primary, secondary further or higher education. You do not need a relevant degree to do it if you have the appropriate experience. The course will be run part-time and is designed for those who want to study alongside their current workplace. Individual modules can be studied separately and/or combined with other MA modules from BCU as a part of a full time MA Education.

This course allows those in the field of education to fulfil their continuous professional development needs by providing relevant courses for career enhancement. Some pathways within MA Education include opportunities to undertake voluntary work experience in local schools and other educational institutions. There is also a Placement Experience module which can be used to gain credits for experiences like this as part of your studies. This module provides opportunities for you to undertake a work experience in educational settings as part of your programme of study. You will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers and other education professionals to develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and/or the wider school environment.

Opportunity: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market. It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.