Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) top-up
Why choose this course?
This one-year course is a route to a BA(Hons) in Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice for those who have a relevant Foundation Degree or equivalent. This qualification will enable you to combine academic study with work-based learning. You will develop your critical thinking and understanding whilst exploring theory and practical subjects through a range of learning experiences.
| Attendance | UCAS code | Year of entry |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year full time (employment based) | X361 | 2019 2020 |
External applicants: please note that places for external applicants are limited on this course. If you studied your Foundation Degree at a college that is not within the Kingston University partnership, please apply early to avoid disappointment.
| Location | Kingston Hill |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- If you have a relevant foundation degree (or equivalent), this one-year course offers a route to a BA (Hons) in Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice.
- You'll be able to combine academic study with work-based learning.
- 100 per cent of students from this course are in employment or further study six months after graduating (DHLE 2016/17).
What you will study
You will study key areas such as removing barriers to participation, learning and play, enabling inclusion within settings and the community, effective and smooth transition between places, people and phases of education, research and theories of learning, development and assessment, regulation and legislation around good practice in the curriculum, pedagogy and the learning environment, ethics in inter-professional relationships and collaborative working, critical and reflective approaches to managing challenges and leading informed change in the field. Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.
Modules
You will learn about strategies to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities through life transitions and creating enabling environments. You will also choose an area of special interest to research.
Core modules
Transitions
30 credits
This module will introduce you to the complexities involved in removing barriers to effective transition to and between educational phases. It will explore:
- theory and government initiatives that may impact on transition policy and procedures in the work place;
- strategies for effective transition; and
- the role of parental support in times of change.
Enabling Environments
30 credits
In this module you explore effective and inclusive learning environments, both indoors and outdoors.
It covers regulatory guidelines and risk assessment to ensure access to learning opportunities and the safety of all children.
Critical Issues in the Context of Inclusive Education
30 credits
This module is a core requirement for students taking the BA(Hons.) in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice. It aims to introduce students to theory related to leadership and management as well as to working ethics and dilemmas facing professionals that work in various positions in the context of special and inclusive education. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their knowledge and experience of effective practices and to identify an area for development. Students are required to produce a plan outlining strategies to effect positive change in their setting identifying effective leadership skills.
Dissertation in an aspect of Professional Practice
30 credits
This module introduces students to a range of methodologies, which will enable them to design and manage the implementation of a small-scale enquiry, which is pertinent to their interest and work place. They will gain an understanding of the philosophies and practices of systematic enquiry in education-related fields and its application within the professional and pedagogic contexts.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Guided independent study
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.
Academic support
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
Dedicated personal tutor
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
Your workload
You will attend taught sessions one evening per week between 5pm and 9pm. (Please note that this is indicative, and dependent on student numbers and University resources).
Teaching includes lectures, work-based learning activities, tutorials, online learning, workshops and seminars.
| Type of teaching and learning | Year 1 |
| % of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity: | 86.7% |
| Scheduled teaching and learning: | 1040 hours |
| Guided independent study: | 160 hours |
| Placement: | 512 hours |
How you will be assessed
Progress is measured through a variety of assignments, including a class-based timed task, enabling you to draw on your professional knowledge in work-based situations which you will underpin with theoretical perspectives. In addition, you will participate in practical learning experiences that will enable you to reflect on and apply the knowledge you have gained.
| Type of assessment | Year 1 |
| Coursework | 95% |
| Written exam (timed task) | 5% |
Feedback summary
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Your timetable
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Scheduled teaching takes place one evening per week between 5 and 9pm. For undergraduate students Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
Class sizes
Sample text
Who teaches this course?
This course is a work-based learning degree with part-time study at Kingston University.
Our lecturers all have experience teaching in their specialist fields and remain actively connected to over 200 partner colleges and schools in the central and Greater London region.
Course fees and funding
Facilities
The Kingston Hill campus features an outdoor learning environment where trainee teachers lead curriculum-linked natural sciences activities with children. It includes a specially built 'cubby house', outdoor pond, beehive and nature trail. It offers early years students the opportunity to simulate teaching and learning with natural materials.
There are a number of teaching rooms set up to replicate actual classrooms. Each classroom is subject based - such as an art room, science lab, and each is equipped with all the relevant facilities you will need to practise your lessons before taking them into school.
Our library (the Nightingale Centre) has an excellent range of teaching resources to help you plan and teach your lessons, such as a range of children's topic books, music and nursery rhymes on CD, as well as artefacts and kits that can be used to illustrate historical periods, different religions, science, maths and music.
After you graduate
This qualification is valued by employers and is seen as a mark of your professional excellence and expertise, enabling you to develop your career.
Once you complete this course, you will be well-placed to pursue postgraduate opportunities to enhance your professional development in education and related fields. Many students return to Kingston University for postgraduate and continuing professional development studies. These include Early Years Initial Teacher Training leading to Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and MA studies.
