BA (Hons) Education with Humanities (with Foundation Year)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Central Lancashire

Program Overview

This four-year programme begins with a foundation year to build your academic skills and confidence, then moves into a full honours degree where you’ll explore education combined with a humanities discipline (such as History, English Literature, Sociology, TESOL, or a modern language). It’s ideal if you’re passionate about how people learn, how culture and society shape education, and you want a flexible pathway into educational roles, community work or further study.

Curriculum structure

Foundation Year (Year 0)
In the foundation year you’ll focus on modules that help you transition into university-level study: you’ll develop your academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and digital literacy. You’ll also explore the basics of how individuals, societies and learning systems work, ensuring you’re prepared for the full honours programme.

Year 1 (Level 4)
In your first full honours year you’ll begin core education modules like Introduction to Education Studies and Education for Everyone? alongside your chosen Humanities subject. You’ll start reflecting on how children and young people learn, how society influences education and you’ll build your professional skills for working in educational or community settings.

Year 2 (Level 5)
In the second year you’ll expand your understanding: you might take modules such as Sociology & Education, Learners with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and Academic Writing and Research in Education. Meanwhile your humanities subject deepens and you’ll engage in real-world observations, evaluating how learning environments support diverse learners and the influence of culture and policy.

Year 3 (Level 6)
In the final year you’ll prepare for professional life or further study: you’ll complete advanced modules like Policy and Practice in Educational Settings, The Education of Vulnerable Young People, and your major independent research or dissertation. You’ll refine your expertise in both education and your humanities discipline, draw together your learning, and position yourself for the next step in your career.

Focus areas

Education theory and practice; humanities disciplines (history, literature, sociology, language); inclusive learning and support; research and reflective practice; professional skills for working in schools, youth or community contexts.

Learning outcomes

Graduates will be able to understand how societal, cultural and historical contexts affect education; design and evaluate learning experiences for diverse learners; integrate knowledge from a humanities discipline with educational practice; apply research, policy insight and professional skills in educational or community settings.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

This course offers a foundation year route for students whose entry qualifications might not allow direct degree entry, providing a supported progression into higher education. It is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and reflective practice valued by education employers and community organisations.

Reputation (employability rankings)

UCLan is known for offering flexible foundation year routes and strong support for student success. The university’s humanities and education-related degrees emphasise applied, professional skills and connectivity with real-world practice, helping graduates move into roles in schools, youth services, further study or community work.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

With this degree, you’ll start with a foundation year that builds your study skills and subject knowledge, then progress into a full degree combining education and humanities. You’ll be actively involved in educational practice, humanities inquiry, and real settings where you serve learners and communities. You’ll engage in placements, collaborative projects, digital tools, and reflective practice that prepares you not only for employment but for thoughtful professional practice.

Here are some of the specific ways you’ll gain practical skills and use specialist tools:

Foundation Year preparation – You’ll develop academic skills such as research methods, academic writing, digital literacy and critical thinking, giving you a strong platform before Year 1.
Education-based placements and settings – As you move into the core degree you’ll work in schools, community organisations or educational contexts where you’ll apply what you learn about teaching, support, inclusion and how people learn.
Humanities integration – Alongside education you’ll explore humanities subjects (such as history, culture, philosophy or language) in applied ways: for example analysing cultural influences in education, designing learning experiences with a social justice lens.
Group projects and collaborative learning – You’ll design, deliver and reflect on interventions or learning activities in teams, drawing on both education theory and humanities perspective (e.g., exploring how culture or society shapes learning).
Digital and research tools – You’ll use digital teaching/learning platforms, data to track learner progress, research tools rooted in the humanities (texts, culture, archives) and reflect on the impact of your work.
Focus on diversity, inclusion and community context – Much of what you’ll do focuses on real issues: how education responds to varied learners, how cultures and communities shape learning, how humanities insight improves your practice.
Professional portfolio and reflection – Throughout the course you build a portfolio of your placement work, humanities-informed research, reflections on your own practice and insights into education in context — a strong asset when you graduate.
Academic and support resources – You’ll benefit from UCLan’s library, study zones, digital learning environments and disciplinary support in both education and humanities areas, aiding your practical and theoretical growth.

This combined and experiential approach ensures you graduate not just with knowledge, but with the ability to apply it thoughtfully in education and community settings.

Progression & Future Opportunities

If you enrol in the BA (Hons) Education with Humanities (with Foundation Year) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), you’ll finish with rich expertise in both education and a chosen humanities subject — preparing you for dynamic roles that support learning and development, as well as wider cultural or community-based opportunities. Graduates often step into roles such as learning coordinator, education policy assistant, youth or community engagement officer or humanities-educator support specialist.

Progression & Future Opportunities:
With this degree you could aim for careers like:

Learning Support or Curriculum Coordinator in schools or colleges
Youth and Community Engagement Officer in culture, heritage or social services
Assistant Education Policy Analyst or Research Assistant in educational/humanities settings
Humanities Specialist or Outreach Educator for museums, community organisations or NGOs

How UCLan helps you get there:

Student & Career Services: UCLan offers strong employability support via its careers service, including building CVs, interview preparation, access to placements and work-experience opportunities in both education and community/humanities settings.
Practical Experience & Foundation Year: The foundation year gives you a supportive entry with skill-building in academic study, research, communication and digital-literacy before progressing into the full honours programme — making the transition smoother and giving you more confidence.
Flexible Education + Humanities Mix: This course allows you to study education alongside a humanities subject of your choice (for example English, History, Sociology, Modern Languages) which broadens your scope and gives you versatility for roles not just in schools but also in cultural, community or public-sector settings.
Accreditation & Long-Term Value: The programme is designed to develop transferable skills — about learning, teaching, culture, society and critical thinking — which remain valuable whether you go into a teaching-related role, community development or further study.
Graduate Outcomes: On completion you’ll hold a full honours degree with the blend of education theory AND humanities awareness. You’ll be equipped to engage with learners, understand wider social/cultural contexts, and operate in roles that demand both educational insight and humanities-based communication, research or community skills.

Further Academic Progression:
After you complete your BA (Hons) Education with Humanities (with Foundation Year), you might move into postgraduate study such as a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) if you want to train to teach, or alternatively a MA/MSc in Education Leadership, MA in Social & Cultural Studies, MA in Youth & Community Work, or MA in Heritage & Learning. These pathways can open up specialist or leadership-level roles in education, policy, research, community engagement or cultural organisations.