Education and Special Educational Needs

Education is one of the most examined and contested fields of human activity, touching questions of social justice, cognitive development, cultural transmission, and political power. Studying education at degree level means engaging seriously with why and how people learn, what schooling is for, and how systems and institutions shape the opportunities available to individuals and communities. Adding special educational needs to that foundation deepens the enquiry further, bringing into focus the diverse ways in which learners think, develop, and participate, and the ethical and practical responsibilities that follow.

At Liverpool Hope University, this three-year full-time degree invites you to explore the personal, social, cultural, and political forces that shape learning, both in the UK and worldwide. You will examine theories of learning and development, the history and sociology of education, policy frameworks, and the particular considerations that arise when supporting learners with special educational needs. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, which means that alongside your academic study you will gain substantial first-hand experience in educational settings and the opportunity to see how different systems operate in an international context.

The entry tariff is 88 points.

Graduates from education and special educational needs programmes are well placed for a wide range of careers. Teaching remains a common destination, with many graduates going on to initial teacher training, but the degree also opens doors in educational psychology, specialist support roles, local authority SEND services, early years practice, social care, and charities working with children and young people. Policy roles, research, and educational leadership are further possibilities.

For those who wish to go deeper, postgraduate study in education, SEND, inclusion, or developmental psychology is a natural continuation, and the understanding you develop of how people learn has value across virtually every professional context involving people.