University of Birmingham
School of Education

The original Department of Education was founded in 1896 and became the School of Education in 1947. It has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. The School employs over 100 academic staff who teach more than 2,500 students. It has a history of 5 star rated research and in the 2008 Research Excellence Exercise (RAE), 80% of its work was recognised as being of international quality.

The University of Birmingham is a top-ranking University. Founded in 1900, it was England's first civic University and ranked at 13th overall in the UK in The Sunday Times University Guide 2013. It is a campus-based university with over 20 acres of open green space, 21 listed buildings and an array of facilities, including bars, banks, shops, cafes and a sports centre with swimming pool. With a population of more than 28,000 students including 4,000 international students from over 150 countries, Birmingham is one of the largest international student communities in the UK.

The School of Education is home to three departments:

• Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN)
• Department of Education and Social Justice (ESJ)
• Department of Professional Education (DPE)

Postgraduate Study

The School of Education offers a wide variety of Initial Teacher Education, Masters and Professional Development Programmes and Postgraduate Research which are ideal for teachers and other professionals who wish to study towards higher qualifications or obtain mandatory qualifications in a broad range of educational fields, which are linked to the research interests of members of staff.

Initial Teacher Training

The School is an Outstanding Provider of Teacher Training for Primary and Secondary Education, as accredited by OFSTED. It offers Teacher Training for Primary and Secondary Education through the PGDipEd, which is a one-year teacher training programme leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). It is like a PGCE but has the advantage of offering 120 credits which may be used towards the MEd in Teaching Studies programme. The PGDipEd is available in the following subjects:

Primary

• General Primary or Early Years
• Primary with Mathematics Specialist (new for 2013)

Secondary

• English
• Geography
• History and Citizenship
• Mathematics One Year
• Mathematics Two Year
• Modern Foreign Languages: French/German/Spanish
• Physical Education
• Physics with Mathematics
• Religious Education
• Science: Biology
• Science: Chemistry
• Science: Physics

Masters and Professional Development Programmes

The School also provides specialist training and expertise in many areas of educational practice and policy. Programmes are award-bearing from Certificate to Masters Level and are delivered within a field of study, each of which has an academic tutor responsible for all programmes. The School recognises the need for flexibility by delivering the following programmes in a variety of modes of study on a full or part-time basis and via web-based or distance learning:

• Autism (Adults)
• Autism (Children)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (Webautism)
• Bilingualism in Education
• Education for Health Professionals
• Inclusion and Special Educational Needs
• International Studies in Education
• International Studies in Education (Citizenship Education)
• International Studies in Education (Intercultural Communication)
• International Studies in Education (Management & Policy)
• International Studies in Education (Education & Development)
• Management of Special Education in Developing Countries
• Multisensory Impairment (Deafblindness)
• Professional Studies
• School Improvement and Educational Leadership
• Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
• Special Educational Needs Coordination (SENCO)
• Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
• Teachers of Children with Hearing Impairment
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
• Visual Impairment: Mandatory and non-mandatory Qualification for Teachers of Children with a Visual Impairment

Postgraduate Research Programmes

The School also provides wide and varied opportunities to undertake the following Research Programmes that will support the growth of research skills and build on subject knowledge:

Taught Doctoral Programmes

• Postgraduate Professional Training Programme in Educational Psychology (AppliedEducational and Child Psychology Doctorate)
• Leaders and Leadership in Education
• Learning and Learning Contexts
• PhD with Integrated Study: Education and Learning

Research degrees by Thesis

• Educational Studies MRes
• MA by Research
• PhD

Facilities

The School of Education is located at the heart of the campus and provides students with access to a wide range of facilities including well-equipped classrooms, a student common room, computer facilities and its own café. It also has its own dedicated library where there are both individual and group study spaces, computers and Wi-Fi access. The School of Education is one of four schools within the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham which brings together academics across a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields in social sciences. The School of Education also has its own Education Society which arranges meetings, trips, speakers and plenty of socials.

Birmingham

Birmingham is a multicultural city and a European centre for retail, commerce and culture. With investments of around £9 billion, it has shaken off its industrial image to become a modern city for young professionals, boasting leading museums, galleries and music venues. With its central location, international airport and excellent railway and motorway links, Birmingham is accessible from within the UK and beyond. It is an excellent place to study, work and live which is why 40% of students stay in the region after graduation.

Student Profile

David Lehmann graduated with a PGDipEd in Mathematics (QTS) in 2011 and now works as a Teacher of Mathematics at King Edward VI Aston School. David says:

"The PGDipEd was the most challenging, yet rewarding year of my life. The entire course was mapped out so that everything was a useful learning experience for a career in the classroom. Being from a small town, the opportunity to live in a big city with many different cultures was an appealing one. The academic reputation was also a big draw, in particular for the teacher training course widely regarded to be amongst the best in the country."

Visit the School's website to see more alumni profiles

We look forward to welcoming you to the School of Education.

Contact

School of Education
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham
B15 2TT, UK

Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 4866
Email: education@bham.ac.uk
Website: www.birmingham.ac.uk/education