Special Educational Needs and Disability
Special educational needs and disability, known as SEND, is a field concerned with understanding how people with a diverse range of learning, cognitive, physical, sensory, and communication needs experience education and society, and how professionals and systems can better support them. It draws on education, psychology, social policy, and healthcare to provide a multidisciplinary perspective on disability and inclusion, challenging deficit-based understandings of difference in favour of approaches that centre the experiences and voices of people with disabilities.
At the University of Derby, this full-time programme includes a foundation year and a year abroad, providing both a supported academic starting point and the opportunity to see how disability inclusion and special education are approached in different national and cultural contexts. You will encounter SEND across a wide range of settings, including education, health, and social care, developing an understanding of the legislative frameworks, theoretical perspectives, and practical approaches that shape how support is provided. The programme emphasises the importance of the experiences and voices of disabled people as central to both research and professional practice, reflecting an ethical orientation that is increasingly reflected in policy and law.
The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.
Graduates from SEND programmes work as teaching assistants and SENCOs in schools, support workers and transition coordinators, disability advisers in further and higher education, social workers, family support workers, and policy analysts in local authorities and government departments. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study or professional training, including teacher training, social work qualifications, and research in education, disability studies, or inclusive education. The degree also provides a strong foundation for roles in advocacy organisations and charities working with disabled children and adults.