Course Level:Undergraduate
Next Start Date: October 2023
Duration: 3 Years
Campus Location: Bedford Campus
Attendance: Full-time
UCAS Code:X420

About the course

This in-depth degree can put you on a career path where you can make a priceless difference to a young person’s learning experiences and their future life chances. It gives you the skills and understanding of SEND you need to be a confident, capable professional, supporting children, young adults and their families.

The course gives you a theoretical and research-informed grounding in the field, incorporating relevant aspects of the law; theories of learning; assessment of difficulties; and practical interventions. Discussion covers a wide range of SEND areas which may include general language and learning difficulties; autism; specific learning difficulties including dyslexia; physical and sensory impairments; mental and emotional issues; and behavioural problems.

Throughout the course, we place a strong focus on developing practical skills and real-world learning. You have the opportunity to go on experience-building visits and you also undertake a placement in your second year, giving you important insights into professional practice.

Why choose this course?

  • The course has been created around the concept that it is essential SEND provision adapts to the different circumstances of every child who experiences SEND within a school, as every child is an individual
  • Learn from an expert course team with wide practical experience and a national reputation in the field of special educational needs and disability
  • Gain the ability to reflect sensitively on the difficulties and barriers young people with SEND face in education while exploring ways to address them
  • Throughout your course, make connections between theory, policy and the reality of practice
  • Develop your knowledge and skills of the curriculum incrementally so you are thoroughly prepared to research a topic of your choice
  • Specialise with optional units in areas such as literacy; numeracy; the use of ICT to support young people; and children’s literature
  • If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year which guarantees entry to the full degree course
The campus where this course is taught

A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.

Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.

With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.

The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.

This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.

Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?

  • Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
  • Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
  • Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
  • Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees

The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.

During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.

 


Units

  • 'Need' In Special Educational Needs And Disability (EDC070-1) Compulsory
  • Historical Development And Current Legal Context For Special Educational Needs And Disability (EDC071-1) Compulsory
  • Narratives Of Childhood (EDC048-1) Compulsory
  • Understanding Human Learning (EDC069-1) Compulsory
  • Approaches To Understanding And Addressing Communication, Interaction, Cognition And Learning Needs (EDC087-2) Compulsory
  • Difficulties In Literacy Acquisition (EDC088-2) Compulsory
  • Investigating The Social World (EDC021-2) Compulsory
  • Send Placement Unit (EDC089-2) Compulsory
  • Understanding And Meeting Social, Emotional And Mental Health Difficulties And Sensory And/Or Physical Difficulties (EDC090-2) Compulsory
  • Assessment And Planning (EDC249-3) Compulsory
  • Differentiation In Classrooms (EDC250-3) Compulsory
  • Dissertation (EDC207-3) Compulsory
  • Children'S Literature (EDC205-3) Optional
  • Difficulties In Numeracy Acquisition (EDC251-3) Optional
  • Uses Of Ict To Support Young People'S Special Learning Needs (EDC252-3) Optional

This course will provide a range of assessment methods that include both individual and group submissions to evaluate the extent to which you have met the learning outcomes of each unit. These include essays, reports, posters, case studies, examinations, learning journals and presentations. The assignments will build directly on the teaching sessions and you will be supported by lecturers to complete the assignments. Substantial guidance is provided on the university's web pages and in detailed assessment briefs.

Why study in the School of Education and English?

  • Broad spectrum of opportunities to study language and linguistics
  • 92% satisfaction with English Language and TEFL, NSS 2020

Entry Requirements

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for breadth and depth in your current studies and enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

UCAS Tariff Points

  • At least 96 points with 80 points from at least 2 A level passes
  • At least 96 points with Merit Merit Merit in BTEC Extended Diploma or Distinction Distinction in the BTEC Diploma
  • A completed Access to Higher Education Diploma
  • Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, OCR Nationals, International Baccalaureate and CACHE Level 3 awards.

You can work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth with the UCAS tariff calculator

Contact the Admissions Team for additional guidance on whether the qualifications you currently hold or are taking would be suitable for entry.

T: +44 (0)1582 743500
E: admission@beds.ac.uk

The University of Bedfordshire warmly welcomes students from all over the world.

To ensure a smooth application process, we have dedicated pages with detailed information about country-specific requirements. You can find information on our generic entry requirements too, if your county is not listed.

International Foundation Year

For those who do not have a qualification that allows for direct entry to an undergraduate degree, we offer our own International Foundation Year program to enhance your English language and study skills and help you bridge any knowledge gaps before starting your degree. The program is taught on our campus by University of Bedfordshire staff and offers pathways into nearly all of our undergraduate degrees.

English Language

The English Language requirement for this course is 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in any subtest) in IELTS, or an equivalent SELT. Have a look at our webpage for a list of English language qualifications we accept. If you do not have the required level of English for your chosen degree, we offer pre-sessional courses to enhance your language skills before commencing your studies.

We are committed to supporting you every step of the way, so please do not hesitate to reach out to our international admissions team for further assistance. We look forward to welcoming you to our vibrant academic community.

Clicking this card will take you to https://www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator

Entry Requirements


We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for breadth and depth in your current studies and enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

UCAS Tariff Points

  • At least 96 points with 80 points from at least 2 A level passes
  • At least 96 points with Merit Merit Merit in BTEC Extended Diploma or Distinction Distinction in the BTEC Diploma
  • A completed Access to Higher Education Diploma
  • Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, OCR Nationals, International Baccalaureate and CACHE Level 3 awards.

You can work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth with the UCAS tariff calculator

Contact the Admissions Team for additional guidance on whether the qualifications you currently hold or are taking would be suitable for entry.

T: +44 (0)1582 743500
E: admission@beds.ac.uk


The University of Bedfordshire warmly welcomes students from all over the world.

To ensure a smooth application process, we have dedicated pages with detailed information about country-specific requirements. You can find information on our generic entry requirements too, if your county is not listed.

International Foundation Year

For those who do not have a qualification that allows for direct entry to an undergraduate degree, we offer our own International Foundation Year program to enhance your English language and study skills and help you bridge any knowledge gaps before starting your degree. The program is taught on our campus by University of Bedfordshire staff and offers pathways into nearly all of our undergraduate degrees.

English Language

The English Language requirement for this course is 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in any subtest) in IELTS, or an equivalent SELT. Have a look at our webpage for a list of English language qualifications we accept. If you do not have the required level of English for your chosen degree, we offer pre-sessional courses to enhance your language skills before commencing your studies.

We are committed to supporting you every step of the way, so please do not hesitate to reach out to our international admissions team for further assistance. We look forward to welcoming you to our vibrant academic community.

How will this course improve my career prospects?

You will be prepared for a broad range of employment that requires skills and knowledge of the law; theories of learning; assessment of difficulties; and practical interventions to support children and young people with diverse needs. Careers include teaching and teaching assistance in schools; inclusion support; child and family advocacy; mentoring; adult education; local authority support; charity roles; and entry to courses related to a variety of therapies.

If you complete this course and meet the entry requirements for our PGCE Primary Education, you will be in a good position to begin your training as a primary teacher. An in-depth and comprehensive understanding of SEND will take you a long way.

Fees and Funding

The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.

See www.gov.uk/student-finance

The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.

See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2022/23 is £13,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.

See www.beds.ac.uk/intfees

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2023/24 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.

See www.gov.uk/student-finance

The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.

See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2023/24 is £14,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.

See www.beds.ac.uk/intfees

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

Fees and Funding


The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.

See www.gov.uk/student-finance

The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.

See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk


The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2022/23 is £13,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.

See www.beds.ac.uk/intfees

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk


The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2023/24 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.

See www.gov.uk/student-finance

The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.

See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk


The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2023/24 is £14,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.

See www.beds.ac.uk/intfees

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

Extra Costs

Find out more about additional costs while studying at Bedfordshire. Click here.
Clicking this card will take you to /howtoapply/money/extra-costs/

How to Apply

Application for most full-time undergraduate and foundation courses is via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

We expect to receive UCAS applications between 1 September and 15 January for courses starting in the following academic year, but may consider applications received after this date should places be available.

Please contact admission@beds.ac.uk for further details.

All UK schools and colleges are registered with UCAS to manage their students' applications. Advice on how to submit your UCAS application is available from your school or college.

If you are not at school or college (including mature students) you should apply independently via UCAS

EU students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply via UCAS or direct using our admissions form

International students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country

You can also apply online

Find out more about how to apply as an International student

How to Apply


Application for most full-time undergraduate and foundation courses is via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

We expect to receive UCAS applications between 1 September and 15 January for courses starting in the following academic year, but may consider applications received after this date should places be available.

Please contact admission@beds.ac.uk for further details.

All UK schools and colleges are registered with UCAS to manage their students' applications. Advice on how to submit your UCAS application is available from your school or college.

If you are not at school or college (including mature students) you should apply independently via UCAS


EU students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply via UCAS or direct using our admissions form


International students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country

You can also apply online

Find out more about how to apply as an International student