Teaching - Primary Education with Advanced Specialism in Special Education Needs

Why study with us?

If you are passionate about helping young children to grow and learn, and committed to developing a rewarding and stimulating career as a special needs primary teacher, then this is the course for you.

This course will train you to teach pupils aged 5-11. You will spend the equivalent of a full year in school, gradually developing your confidence and expertise in a range of contexts, helped all along the way by our friendly and knowledgeable team of experienced tutors. The course will help you acquire a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in the primary curriculum and the full range of teachers’ professional responsibilities.

There will also be an indepth study of an area in Inclusion/Special Education Needs (SEN) that will give you a deep insight into how children learn and the implications of this for classroom practice. Your hard work and commitment will be rewarded with a high quality honours degree that is much sought after by prospective employers.

What can this course lead to?

As a University of Cumbria trained primary teacher you will have a detailed understanding of child development and curriculum leadership and management. Through your specialist studies you will have acquired particular strengths in Inclusion/SEN and an understanding of how to manage change in your classroom and your school, making you an ideal candidate for any teaching post where school leaders are seeking a committed and knowledgeable professional who is passionate about teaching and has four years’ experience of successful placements in school. Opportunities for placements in countries as diverse as Poland and Qatar give some of our students a taste for travel and our graduates can be found working in a variety of settings in many different countries.

A number of our graduates find success in education related jobs other than mainstream primary teaching; some choose to work in special schools, in further and higher education and in related professions. Here at the University of Cumbria our emphasis is on helping you discover, expand and develop your unique talents to fit you for the rewarding and exciting career of your choice. You will build up a portfolio of key employability skills encompassing team working, problem-solving, communicating and organisation, all of which will stand you in good stead whatever eventual career you choose.

Resources and facilities

We have an excellent partnership with over 1000 early years and primary schools and settings across the country, allowing you the opportunity to gain diverse, high-quality school experience in a wide variety of environments – from small rural schools in Cumbria and north Lancashire to large, urban schools in Barrow, Blackburn, Carlisle, Lancaster, London or Preston. Many have long established relationships with us and place large numbers of students. Students also have the opportunity to do an enrichment placement in an alternative setting, which can be home or abroad.

The university has specialist rooms for core and foundation subjects. Have a look at our learning resources for Primary Education.

Entry requirements 280 UCAS tariff points.

Grade C or above in GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science at point of application.

Applicants must have a total of five national curriculum GCSEs demonstrating a broad spread of knowledge.

Successful completion of the TA Skills Test.

Successful clearance for Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) and Occupational Health.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: X360 UCAS points: 280 Selection criteria

You should be able to provide evidence of successful work experience or voluntary work in a primary school. You will need five days of experience in a mainstream primary school at the point of application, but you are expected to have two weeks by the start of the course. Places are conditional on successful interview.

Costs

Click the links below to view information on your study type and residence status. If you are unsure of your status, please see the UKCISA website for more information.

Home students

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU students

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 a year (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

International students

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £10,200.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

Indicative specialist modules:

• Inclusion/SEN as a Contested Concept
• SEN and Legislation
• Assessment and SEN
• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Behavioural, Emotional and Social Development
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs
• International Perspectives
• Developing Reflective Thought and Practice

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course.

Course summary

Your specialism will include a 20 credit module introducing you to Inclusion/SEN. We prepare you to teach a wide range of children whose needs may be very different and help you to understand the underlying principles and contentions in the area of inclusion.The modules offered reflect the many issues, including barriers to learning, differing philosophies and classroom practice.

The course covers international perspectives, current legislation, approaches to teaching and children's rights. The culture is one of debate and reflection, to allow you to become an active learner. The focus throughout is primarily on mainstream teaching, with the opportunity to visit special school situations. We want you to have the aim and the ability to teach all children well.

In your final year, depending on your progress, you will have opportunities to enhance your honours qualification with further modules at Master’s level or to further develop your expertise in an area at graduate level. This can contribute to further prestigious professional qualifications such as an MA in Education.

Case studies

"During the four years I attended the university both my confidence and knowledge grew, nourished by a wide range of experiences, theory and enjoyment. Highlights for me were an experiential placement at a school for children with social, emotional and behavioural needs, having the freedom to write a special study on a subject of my interest and being constantly encouraged to develop my own thoughts and opinions." - Christine Matu, 2010 graduate

“I chose this course because it had the best structure, opportunities to study abroad, and a very warm campus atmosphere. The staff and lecturers were impressively enthusiastic and energetic.” Third-year student.

“The great thing about the four-year degree is the extra opportunities for professional experience. In four years I have taught in Lancaster, Manchester, London and Poland.” Final-year student.