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BA (Honours) Secondary Education Humanities (History, Geography and RE) 11-16 with Post 16 enhancement (with recommendation for QTS)

Undergraduate

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Secondary Education teacher in classroom with students

BA (Honours) Secondary Education Humanities (History, Geography and RE) 11-16 with Post 16 enhancement (with recommendation for QTS)

If you’re hoping to become a secondary school teacher in English, Maths, Science with Physics, Chemistry or biology, Religious Education, PE or Humanities you could qualify within three years through this undergraduate degree route.

Our BA (Hons) Secondary Teaching (QTS) courses offer you a gateway into the teaching profession as a qualified secondary teacher with a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), allowing you to teach in England and Wales.

Humanities encompasses the disciplines of Geography, History and RE as well as the commonalities that unite all of them. Whilst each of these subjects has its own separate identity, all of them are broadly about studying aspects of life and the human experience.

You will develop an understanding of the individual character of each of the three subjects and how to teach the substantive knowledge (content) of them as well as the disciplinary knowledge (skills) related to each.

The course aims to give you a grounding in each of the three subjects, but also allow you to choose a primary specialism from amongst them in order to equip you as both a specialist but also someone who can teach out of their subject.

You will also spend in total a 120 days of the course on school placement developing your practice in order to become an inspirational secondary teacher.

Birmingham Newman University has been training teachers for over 50 years and we look to train employable professionals who can make a difference.

You will be taught by experienced education specialists and our dedication to small teaching groups allows you develop strong professional relationships with the University teaching team. You will also be supported by our strong relationships with our local partner schools.

On this course you will:

Be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status which allows you teach in secondary schools in England and Wales.

Understand fundamental areas of your chosen subject as well as effective ways to teach the subject within a classroom environment.

Provide you with the skills and knowledge to become an outstanding and professional teacher.

Develop your skills and abilities in both a subject and pedagogical context and through dedicated placements in secondary schools make connections between the theories and your applied practice.

Be provided with a range of enhancement opportunities to support your training and development.

The Undergraduate programme has both a pedagogical and practical aspect. Over the three years you will have regular placements, equating to a minimum of 120* days in school, where you will develop your understanding of the subject alongside the professional skills required to teach.

In addition to your main school placements, you will have the opportunity to experience post-16 education, primary school settings and alternative placements.?Furthermore, you will develop the skills required to enhance your own professional understanding and develop your own areas of professional interest.

Got a question you’d like to ask?

We welcome students from all backgrounds and accept a wide range of qualifications. If yours aren’t listed, don’t worry – our Admissions Team can help you explore your options. See full entry requirements.

• A-Level: Grade profile of BBC or 112 UCAS Tariff Points in the named degree subject area.
• BTEC: Grade profile of DMM. This can be achieved from either an Extended National Diploma or a combination of smaller BTEC qualifications.
• T-levels: A T-level with an overall Merit grade.

Specific GCSE requirements:

• GCSE/IGCSE English language and maths grades 9-4/A*-C or equivalent

If English is not your first language, you must have the following IELTS score:

· Foundation courses: A Secure English Language Test equivalent to IELTS 5.5 IELTS with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.

· Undergraduate courses: A Secure English Language Test equivalent to IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.

Other English language qualifications are also accepted. Please contact admissions for further information.

Non-Academic Requirements:

Success at Interview. The Admissions team will use the course entry requirements, as well as your personal statement, reference and any work experience information, to shortlist and invite successful candidates for interview. Candidates will be assessed at interview on their motivation and understanding of the role of a teacher.

Occupational Health Clearance. Candidates must receive a satisfactory occupational health clearance prior to commencing the course.

DBS Clearance. Candidates must receive a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring System check prior to commencing the course.

Please contact Admissions if you have any questions.

Course fees

The tuition fee for academic year 2025/26 is: £9,535

Additional costs

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Inroduction to teaching and learning
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aims for this module are set in the context of the SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021) and the ITT Core Content Framework (2019). This module aims to provide students with a secure understanding of the role of the teacher and to start to develop an understanding of the pedagogical practices that underpin successful teaching in a secondary school setting. The module starts by exploring the identity and role of the individual teacher in their own classroom but then widens to explore the role in further contexts. These contexts will include the subject department or faculty, the school and its community, professional networks, the local authority, the British education system and the possibility of an international setting. In this way, the students will develop a sense of how the teacher’s role is context-based. For this reason, the students will also experience working directly with groups of young people in different contexts, such as on-campus as well as in partner schools.

Understanding professional practice
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aims for this module are set in the context of the SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021) and the ITT Core Content Framework (2019). University-based training is provided through the full range of modules undertaken at level 4: these introduce the theoretical, subject and pedagogical knowledge needed to underpin effective classroom practice. This module provides the opportunity to identify and apply these in practice during school-based training in a placement setting and learn about professional duties and requirements. Successful completion of all elements of the module is required to progress on to the Level 5 professional practice module, Understanding Professional Practice.

The module includes a placement block to enable students to undertake work-related learning. Students are placed in pairs in a school setting to experience the wider life of the school and undertake professional tasks and activities that contribute to children’s learning in different key stages, supported by a School-Based Tutor from the setting and a Tutor from the University. In the first school term (semester 1), the focus is on observing professional behaviours and assisting with teaching in your subject specialism. In the summer term, students return to the same setting (where possible) in order to begin applying some of the pedagogies studied in other modules. Students will also be expected to reflect on aspects of pastoral care, safeguarding, behaviour management, and subject-specific sessions during taught sessions.

he aims for this module are set in the context of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, the ITT Core Content Framework (2019), the Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) Policy Paper (December 2023) and the Initial Teacher Training (ITT): Criteria and Supporting Advice Academic Year 2024/25. University-based training sessions introduce the theoretical, subject and pedagogical knowledge needed to underpin effective classroom practice. School-based training in a placement setting provides the opportunity to apply these in practice. School-based training includes School experience placements and ITAP weeks, which allow for intensive training and practice in specific areas of the Birmingham Newman Themes. Successful completion of all module elements is required for recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status.

Planning for learning and subject delivery: humanities
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aims for this module are set in the context of the SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021), and the ITT Core Content Framework (2019) and the QAA – Subject Benchmark statements: Geography (2022); History (2022); Theology and Religious Studies (2022). This module aims to introduce the nature of learning and how planning is an essential part of successful teaching. It will be subject specific so will take into account the differing nature of each discipline and subject curriculum. The underlying moral and personal reasons for teaching will be introduced and discussed with an aim to enable a reflective approach to the teaching profession. Learning theory will be introduced and examined alongside the importance of assessing learning at a formative and summative level. Students will be expected to assess previous lesson plans and proformas and examine their effectiveness. They will be familiarised about the nature of planning lessons in their subject alongside best practice advice. Academic literature will be reviewed to aid their plan successful lessons which promotes subject learning.

Introduction to academic and professional studies
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aims for this module are set in the context of the SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021) and the ITT Core Content Framework (2019). This module aims to provide students with a secure understanding of the development of learning both in the context of self, as teacher-researcher, and how this can support children in their development and learning outcomes. The module will introduce students to the underlying concepts and principles of educational research, with a particular focus on observational research methods. Students will be given the opportunity to evaluate and interpret quantitative and qualitative data grounded in key educational issues, including behaviour management, key legislative frameworks, and learning theories. A key element of this module is to develop students’ scholarly approach through engagement in academic literature, developing academic writing skills and adhering to referencing conventions.

Subject knowledge: humanities
40 Credits (Compulsory)

The aims for this module are set in the context of the SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021), and the ITT Core Content Framework (2019) and the QAA – Subject Benchmark statements: Geography (2022); History (2022); Theology and Religious Studies (2022). University-based training is provided at level 4, to develop subject knowledge. The intention of the module is to develop expertise in order to enhance subject knowledge beyond the KS3, KS4 and post-16 curriculum. It is also to set students up to choose a subject specialism within the umbrella of ‘Humanities’ for level 5 and level 6 studies. Successful completion of all elements of the module are required to progress on to the level 5 subject knowledge module.

This module aims to:

Build upon students’ strengths and competencies evidenced prior to commencement of the course.

Establish knowledge of relevant concepts and theories related to the subject discipline.

Enable students to develop, with support, an informed position within the wider subject area.

Enable, with support, students to demonstrate understanding of core subject content.

Enable students to undertake a thematic study that interweaves elements of Geography, History and RE into a broader narrative and demonstrates how there is similarity in some areas of each subject. At the same time, individual subject identity will be emphasised.

Provide guidance to students on how to problem solve and develop skills within the subject area

Provide students with a structured programme and supportive environment that will enable them to begin to develop expertise within their subject area.

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