develop a practical understanding of special educational needs and disability.
three a-levels at grades ccd or above.
or btec triple grades mmp or above.
or access 3-36 d/m with min 3d.
and gcse english language at grade 4 or grade c or above.
dbs clearance required.
this is the perfect degree for those who have an interest in special educational needs and disability and would like to work with children, young people and/or adults who have special educational needs or are disabled, and their families and carers. the course has been designed by both academics and professionals working in disability and special educational needs and disability (send) contexts.
our ba (hons) special educational needs and disability studies enables you to recognise the key elements of exclusion in society and provides you with the tools to challenge this. you'll explore a number of theories and models regarding disability which will give you the confidence and the knowledge to work towards a more inclusive society.
you will experience placements alongside taught modules, enabling theory to be put into practice. sessions are delivered by professional practitioners to ensure that the degree remains up-to-date and relevant, as well as inspiring our students around potential careers and future research. we'll encourage you to explore disability policy and practice with critical reflection and curiosity.
learn about the ways disabled people are excluded from everyday life and how to recognise this.
student-led learning in small groups.
wide range of partnerships and work placements, for example working with children going through grief, sencos, or adults with learning disabilities.
study inclusion and integration from different standpoints, for example sociological vs educational, or medical vs social models of disability.
teaching is research informed so we deliver cutting edge knowledge.
focus on a topic of interest to you in the field of special educational needs and disability studies.
“i enjoy the inclusivity of the course and the friendships. i feel accepted and welcome and my confidence has improved. all the staff and students are very supportive. the course has helped me to believe in myself and know that i can achieve and complete the things i start as a student with complex disabilities.”
“i enjoy the wide areas of study and the course leader, jonathan, is a great lecturer and tutor. the student support team have been amazing with helping me and exploring why i’ve struggled with education in the past. there is a great variety of people on this course and as a mature student this has helped me to integrate into university life.”
"i was a nursery manager and the course has helped me to develop myself, to research and i’ve learnt the skills to become a lifelong learner. i wasn’t thinking about teaching when i started but i’ve seen alternative roles in education and now i want to be a teacher. i’m also really passionate about outdoor learning but i wasn't 'outdoorsy' at all when i started. i’ve made lovely friends and there is on-campus nursery which my daughter goes to, it fits in with my life."
how can i support a child's wellbeing?
how does the paralympics help or hinder the disability movement?
how should advertising, film or tv reflect or incorporate disability?
what can i do to support parents?
how does changing government policy impact on disabled people’s everyday life?
do schools cause mental health problems or support them?
“ this level of shaping by both professional practitioners and service users should make this programme stand out from the crowd and encourage students to consider it in terms of a number of diverse and interesting career paths. ”
work in charities, healthcare and education settings; promoting equality and access; managing a care service. many of our sen graduates have continued in higher education commencing teacher training, training to become a social worker, a speech and language therapist and into other health professions.
the programme also prepares students for a route into teaching via pgce and schools direct in mainstream and/or special schools and other educational settings or for other postgraduate training courses.
“it was amazing, all of the lecturers were great and any questions i had they would answer above and beyond what i would expect. they taught me so much about disability and attitudes towards disability. it really influences everything i do in my job especially with ideas around dignity and disabled people. we can be doing more, that’s what the course really opened up for me and it prepared me with lenses on life to really do that properly.”
stephanie is a children's practitioner for a children with disabilities team.
“ in our first year we did a lot of work on wellbeing and health, with a particular focus on mental health. we also touched on psychology and the way people learn. now we’re learning social theories and how society thinks about different disabilities and their needs. in the third year we’ll do our dissertations and pick our focus based on where we want to go after the degree. throughout the course there are opportunities for work placements to gain practical skills.”
fees uk students: £9,250 per annum
fees for international students: £12,000 per annum
lectures are supported by small seminar groups that provide close contact with course tutors. online materials support the learning and teaching environment; practicals, visits and placements enable students to put theory into practice.
we fully recognise the value of assessing knowledge in a wholly flexible and individulised way. therefore, assessments vary in format from essays, to producing materials to use on placement, from doing your own research to working in project groups to presentation delivery. we can adapt our methods of assessment depending on student needs.
dr jonathan harvey is a lecturer in education who specialises in sen and disability. his research has been conducted primarily with disabled people. his published research includes work which explores identity and disability; narrative methods; and the daily lives of chronically ill and disabled people. he is currently researching the complexities surrounding navigating the higher education system when you are a disabled person.
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hazel is a chartered member and associate fellow of the british psychological society, and a senior fellow of the hea. she teaches psychology, mental health and wellbeing and neuropsychology. her research focuses on identity, student engagement and hidden disabilities.
kate specialises in special educational needs and disability. she is a qualified teacher of the vision impaired.
jan was previously a primary head teacher in the south west and she now leads a teaching team at marjon who together draw on decades of classroom experience and wide-ranging research specialisms to deliver education courses.
the course team have developed close links with employers and professional organisations to ensure that the course meets the current demands of the work place. these links are further developed through work-based learning placements, the integration of a series of professional seminars delivered by external partners and key stakeholders in year 3. as well as developing strong links with both local and national professional practitioners, members of the course team have also developed strong links with academic partners at other institutions. this results in the course team being able to provide an exceptional learning experience which centres student learning on the needs of individual students.
