Education Studies (Primary) - BA (Hons)

On this course, you will: 

• develop the skills, confidence and passion to make a real difference in the lives of young learners as a teacher;
• study contemporary issues in education, psychology and sociology to develop a sound knowledge base of children’s developmental pathways and the range of factors that affect them;
• gain an understanding of how pedagogic theory and knowledge inform classroom practices at the early years and primary school level;
• develop a detailed knowledge of all areas of the curriculum and become skilful at integrating literacy, numeracy and wellbeing throughout your teaching;
• benefit from practical experience in educational, community, and outdoor learning settings, learning how to build positive relationships with children and work alongside other professionals;
• develop your academic literacies including digital and data literacy; and
• develop research skills to enable you to develop as an autonomous, critically thinking, reflective professional.

Structure

You will study for four years to become qualified to work as a primary school teacher. Progression into Year Two will be dependent on successfully engaging with and completing all modules, a community-based education placement and a presentation that evidences emerging planning and pedagogical skills in Year One. If, after the first year you decide not to pursue teaching there is an option to transfer to our BA (Hons) Education Studies course. This is a broad based social sciences degree with an emphasis on broader aspects of education.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will learn through lectures, seminars, workshops, enquiry-based, student-led activity, independent study, and school experience/community placements. An innovative feature of the course is the incorporation of outdoor learning skills, as well as the opportunity to undertake a British Sign Language course. Assessment methods are varied, including essays, reports, presentations, audiovisual submissions and assignments that specifically draw on school experience, such as reflective work and case studies.

Placements

School experience: School experience is a core element of the course. You will complete a total of 30 weeks school experience split into three blocks across the four years. School placements are allocated through the Student Placement System (SPS) which is automated and administered by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Placements are allocated by matching students to schools based on information provided by universities, local authorities and schools. Placements are based on a student’s term-time address and students may be required to travel up to 90 minutes each way to a school placement. Students are not permitted to seek placements independently. Students are continually assessed throughout each school experience by maintaining a professional development portfolio. All students are supported on placement by school and university tutors.

Community experience: Undertaking a community-based education experience is a unique aspect of this course and enables students to learn about the integration of formal and informal education through a range of community projects. In Year One you will complete a 5-day (or equivalent) community-based education experience. Students are responsible for sourcing the placement host organisation. To help with the process, we can suggest suitable organisations.

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn

Year One

You will:

• begin to develop and understanding of education theory; 
• complete a 5-day (or equivalent) Community-based education experience;
• develop skills in using British Sign Language (BSL) in an education setting; and
• gain skills and experience to enable you to incorporate outdoor learning into your future teaching. 

Modules

• Introduction in Education Studies in the 21st Century
• Developing Academic Literacies for Learning (incorporating Introduction to BSL)
• Introduction to Psychology
• Learning through the Lifespan
• Sustainable Human Behaviour: Learning for Sustainability
• The Sociological Imagination 2: Diversity, Identity and Wellbeing (Education)

Year Two

You will:

• complete two placements: 4-week introductory placement and a 6-week teaching placement. These are based within the early level and first level of (Primary 1 to Primary 3);
• develop your knowledge and understanding of numeracy and literacy education as well as early childhood development; and
• develop practical teaching skills in creative education, including expressive arts, drama and health and wellbeing.

Modules

• Early Childhood Development and Learning in Context
• Language & Literacy: Theory and Pedagogy
• Society and Sustainable Lifestyles
• Mathematics & Numeracy: Theory and Pedagogy
• The Inclusive Curriculum: Theories of Learning & Teaching (placement preparation module)
• Creativity and Culture in the 21st Century

Year Three

You will:

• complete a 10-week placement in a school with primary 4-5, including whole class teaching*;
• further develop your skills in literacy and numeracy education;
• develop your skills as a reflective teacher, in key areas such as planning and inclusive practices; and
• develop practical teaching skills in physical education, science and technology.

Modules

• The Creative Curriculum: Planning for Assessment and Continuity (placement preparation module)
• Languages, Literacy and Children’s Literature
• Everyday Life Contexts: A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics
• Teacher as Reflective Practitioner
• Inclusive Practice: Difference and Diversity

Year Four

You will:

• complete a further 10-week placement in a school with primary 6-7; 
• engage with a community-based education provider as part of your school placement; 
• look at the role of a teacher in working with other professional agencies (eg education psychologists and social workers); and 
• carry out a Professional Enquiry into Practice  

Modules

• Teacher as Professional: Inter-agency Working
• A Global Curriculum: Planning a Pedagogy for Social Justice (placement preparation module)
• Community-based Education
• Professional Enquiry into Practice

NB The modules listed here are correct at time of posting (Feb 2024) but may differ slightly to those offered in 2025. Please check back here for any updates.

You will graduate fully qualified to work as a primary school teacher. By law graduates must register with the GTCS before they can be employed as a teacher in a Scottish education authority nursery, primary, secondary or special school. A teacher’s fitness to teach (ie in terms of conduct) will be considered at the point of application for registration. Graduates will be provisionally registered with GTCS, and Home/Rest of UK/Republic of Ireland students will be eligible to join the Teacher Induction Scheme and undertake a one-year induction in a Scottish primary school to become fully registered with the GTCS. For information on teacher salaries in Scotland, visit the Teach in Scotland website.

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard - ABBB, Minimum - BBBB

A Level: BBC

Irish Leaving Certificate (ILC): H2 H2 H2 H3

International Baccalaureate: 30 points

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5

Required subjects:

• Higher English grade B AND Maths at Nat 5 at grade C or above. We can also accept National 5 Application of Maths or Lifeskills at the same grade.
• A levels: GCSE English Literature B/6 AND GCSE English Language B/6 AND GCSE Maths B/6
• ILC: English H2 AND Maths O3
• IB to include HL English and SL Maths at grade 5

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with relevant qualifications or experience. Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Direct Entry:

Year One

• HNC in a related subject with B in the graded unit, plus Higher English at grade B B and Maths S/Int2/Nat 5 at grade C or equivalent.

Year Two

• There may be limited places for applicants with HNC Childhood Practice (120 SCQF credits), A in the graded unit, evidence of 40 placement hours, plus Higher English at grade B and Maths Nat 5 at grade C.

Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Other requirements

A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.

Other costs

• The cost of the PVG check is the responsibility of the student. For more information on this, visit the UG 2025 fees page on our website.
• The additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the student. Students who receive SAAS funding may be able to claim for some of these expenses to be reimbursed.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Terms and Conditions

The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).

QMU