Education Studies and Psychology

Education studies and psychology is a combination that addresses two of the most interconnected disciplines in understanding how children and young people learn, develop and thrive. Education studies examines the structures, purposes and practices of education as a social institution, drawing on sociology, history, philosophy and policy analysis to ask how educational systems work, who they serve and how they might be improved. Psychology provides the empirical science of learning, development, motivation, emotion and individual difference, offering tools for understanding why learners behave as they do and what conditions support effective learning and wellbeing.

At Nottingham Trent University you will study for three years full-time, engaging with the most relevant contemporary issues in education and psychology, including wellbeing, mental health, the impact of social media and the factors that inhibit and motivate learning. You will develop skills in research, analysis and critical argument across both disciplines, building the theoretical and practical understanding needed to work thoughtfully with children, young people and the institutions that serve them.

Graduates from education studies and psychology work in schools, colleges, early years settings, youth services, educational psychology support, mentoring, learning support, community organisations and research. Many graduates go on to teacher training through PGCE or School Direct routes, where the combination of educational and psychological knowledge provides an unusually strong foundation. Others pursue postgraduate professional training in educational psychology, counselling or social work.

The growing recognition of mental health and wellbeing as central educational concerns means that graduates who understand both the social dimensions of schooling and the psychological dimensions of learning are increasingly sought after by schools, local authorities and children's services.