Education Studies with Foundation Year

Education studies is a discipline that takes a critical and enquiring approach to one of the most fundamental institutions in human society. Rather than training you directly as a classroom teacher, it asks larger questions: what is education for, who does it serve, how does it reproduce or challenge inequality, and what role does it play in shaping individuals and communities? Drawing on sociology, philosophy, history, and psychology, education studies examines formal schooling alongside informal and community learning, and considers education in both national and global contexts.

At the University of Hull you will study across four years on a full-time programme, with the first year providing a foundation that equips you thoroughly for degree-level work. The programme goes beyond the classroom, exploring how education can challenge inequalities, empower communities, and drive social change. You will examine both formal schooling and informal education, considering the ways in which education can be a force for liberation as well as a mechanism for maintaining existing social structures.

You will engage with debates in educational policy, the sociology of schooling, theories of learning and development, and the history of educational ideas. Research skills are central to the degree, developing your ability to gather, analyse, and interpret evidence about educational practice and outcomes.

Graduates of education studies enter careers across the education sector and beyond. Many go on to train as teachers through a PGCE or School Direct programme, choosing either primary or secondary routes. Others work in community education, youth work, educational psychology support, and learning and development roles in the corporate sector.

Roles in educational policy, research, and educational publishing draw on the analytical skills the degree develops. International development organisations and charities working in education are further employers. Postgraduate study in education, social policy, or a related field is a well-established progression for those who wish to pursue research, leadership, or specialist roles within the sector.