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Course information

Entry requirements

UCAS code

X390

Entry requirements

A-level: BBC
BTEC: DMM
IB: 31 points with three HL subjects at 655

Length

3 years full-time or up to 6 years part-time

Department

Educational Studies

Course overview

This degree will develop your knowledge of the education system in the UK and beyond. You'll enter into key debates about policy issues with a focus on social justice and equality, and get to understand education from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Why study BA Education

  • You'll gain an understanding of the role of education in diverse societies and how the education system continues to be shaped by social, political and economic factors. You'll use this knowledge to address a broad range of themes and ideas including gender in the early years, alternatives to schooling, mental health and wellbeing, and institutional racism.
  • You’ll be encouraged to think about the ways people are excluded from education and society, and explore possible reasons for, and alternatives to, this. We're interested in the tensions that can arise in a system that advocates education for all but mediates against the full participation of some groups.
  • We are proud of the strong creativity strand that permeates the programme and reflects our expertise in visual and performing arts. If you are interested in employment in the creative industries, with a focus on education, this is the degree for you.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to gain work experience at a range of organisations. Previous students have worked on literacy with Bengali women, developed educational materials at a city farm, and put together an art exhibition at a pupil referral unit for excluded secondary school students.
  • As well as taking on a work placement, you’ll have the opportunity to apply to study abroad which will give you the chance to explore how education, culture and society can be interpreted in a new context. The Goldsmiths’ Go Abroad team support our students in applying for a range of study opportunities from 2 weeks to a term, in various locations across Europe and sometimes beyond.
  • We offer support for your personal and career development through our personal progress programme. You’ll have access to a professional network made up of departmental and university staff running tutorials and workshops to help you reflect on your personal, academic and employment goals.
  • If you already practice in an education or community setting, we’ll work with you so you can use your experience to inform your studies. Past students have interviewed young people they have been supporting, and have created resources for children with special educational needs from countries where they have connections, such as Ghana and Slovakia.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Yael Gerson or Dr Thomas Zacharias.

Watch videos about your course

What you'll study

Note about optional modules (if available): The below is indicative of the typical modules offered, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. The module content and availability is subject to change.

Overview

Your pathway through the degree is individually designed, offering you the opportunity to create combinations that match your interests and/or intended career route. You take part in seminars, lectures, tutorials, studio practice, performances and personal research.

Year 1 (credit level 4)

In the first year, you'll take the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Culture and Identity 30 credits
The Curriculum: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives 30 credits
Understanding Learning 30 credits
Identity, Agency & Environment 1 15 credits
Identity, Agency & Environment 2 15 credits

Year 2 (credit level 5)

In your second year, you'll complete 60 credits of compulsory modules, as well as 60 credits of optional modules. Optional modules will be chosen from a list produced annually by the Department of Educational Studies.

Compulsory modules include The Goldsmiths Elective. This allows you to take an approved interdisciplinary module from another department across the University.

The second year compulsory modules are:

 

Module title Credits
Introduction to Social and Cultural Research 30 credits
The Goldsmiths Elective 15 credits
Goldsmiths’ Social Change Module 15 credits

Year 3 (credit level 6)

In your final year, you'll complete a compulsory Dissertation. You'll also take 90 credits of optional modules from a list produced annually by the Department of Educational Studies.

Module title Credits
Dissertation BA Education 30 credits

Teaching style

This programme is taught a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You’ll also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. This includes carrying out required and additional reading, preparing topics for discussion, and producing essays or project work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

  • Year 1 - 15% scheduled learning, 85% independent learning
  • Year 2 - 14% scheduled learning, 86% independent learning
  • Year 3 - 14% scheduled learning, 86% independent learning

How you’ll be assessed

You'll be assessed through a combination of essays, examinations, written assignments, exhibitions, presentations (including multimedia), reports, practice-based assessments and dissertation.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

  • Year 1 - 63% coursework, 20% written exam, 18% practical
  • Year 2 - 88% coursework, 13% practical
  • Year 3 - 95% coursework, 5% practical

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for 2022/23. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices. Find out more about how this information is calculated.

Credits and levels of learning

An undergraduate honours degree is made up of 360 credits – 120 at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and 120 at Level 6. If you are a full-time student, you will usually take Level 4 modules in the first year, Level 5 in the second, and Level 6 modules in your final year. A standard module is worth 30 credits. Some programmes also contain 15-credit half modules or can be made up of higher-value parts, such as a dissertation or a Major Project.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Entry requirements

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: BBC
BTEC: DMM
International Baccalaureate: 31 points with three HL subjects at 655
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including a number of distinctions/merits in subject specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBCC (Higher) or BCC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75%
Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H2 H2

We welcome applications from candidates with non-traditional routes.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Alternative qualifications

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

We welcome students with a range of educational experiences. If you believe you may not meet the standard qualification requirements we would still encourage you to apply because we consider all aspects of your application when making a decision.

We’ll pay particularly careful attention to your personal statement, which is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the subject you’ve applied for. Your referees are also welcome to include any relevant contextual comments around your academic achievements. We’ll look at all these things when making a decision on your application, as well as your qualifications and grades.

Fees & funding

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

From August 2021 EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for 'Home' fee status. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will be classified as 'International' for fee purposes, more information can be found on our fees page.

  • Home - full-time: £9250
  • Home - part-time: £4625
  • International - full-time: £19640

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

Student work

Freedom and Control

A collection of short films by BA Education Culture and Society students.

First-year students make short films as part of their Introduction to Creativity and Learning module. In 2019/20, students have responded extraordinarily well to the theme of ‘Freedom and Control’, developing inventive collaborative processes in lockdown. Many of the films relate to Covid-19 and social distancing, and explore these experiences for different groups in society.

To find out more and watch the films, visit the Freedom and Control page.

Careers

Skills

This programme helps you develop:

  • analytical and critical thinking skills
  • the ability to synthesise and distil information and communicate ideas in writing and other media
  • presentation skills
  • interpersonal communicative attributes
  • the ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • expertise in carrying out personal research and working to deadlines

Careers

The knowledge, understanding and skills you can develop on this degree are transferable to a range of professions such as:

  • primary school teaching
  • working in the creative industries
  • youth and community work
  • social work
  • educational administration
  • other areas that require a specialist knowledge of education, such as charities and the leisure industries

If you are considering primary teaching, you will need to combine your degree with a one-year PGCE. Successful completion of the BA (Hons) Education, Culture and Society guarantees you an interview for Goldsmiths’ highly regarded PGCE Primary programme, provided you meet current government requirements. You can find out more about the career options open to you after you graduate on our Education Studies careers page.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.