Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Education and History

at Keele University United Kingdom

This highly interdisciplinary course provides you with a strong theoretical and practical background in human geography giving you the understanding and professional geographical skills to explore an array of world issues from different perspectives. You will develop problem-solving skills and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources.

Our staff's diverse research interests and creative methods reflect modern human geography that can develop your skills to address contemporary societal issues such as climate change, sustainability, health and migration from political, economic, social and cultural perspectives. What you learn here will equip you for future employment and for a lifelong appreciation of the world around you.

Studying Sociology will enable you to think independently, critically, and imaginatively about the issues that shape our everyday lives and our futures. You will gain a solid understanding of the key areas which make up this discipline such as inequalities, social theory, and research methods. Our programme also covers a wide range of topics including families, activism and protest, social media, globalisation, and belief systems.

This course includes training in professional and research skills, and opportunities for either a module or a whole year of work placement.

This MSc programme in Counselling and Psychotherapy aims to equip you with the knowledge and expertise to become professional person-centred/humanistic counsellors.  The course integrates your counselling skills practice with academic study of counselling related theory at Masters level and facilitates student’s personal and professional development, as well as offering you a grounding in research methodology.

The course is founded on a person-centred view of personhood and person-centred ways of being and the core training offered by the programme is in the person-centred approach. We accept the overwhelming evidence of the theorists that the major factor in helping human beings change in a desired positive direction is a relationship in which they feel safe, valued and challenged.  Therefore, we view the relationship in counselling as central, and support Carl Rogers’ belief in the ‘self-therapeutic capacity and wisdom of clients’. However, we also take a strong ‘anti-schoolism’ stance which reflects our sincere respect for other, non-person-centred practices and practitioners. Our starting point for the Keele Counselling Model is thus a unifying ethos which enables us to respect and welcome a diversity of professional skills and orientations. Additionally, the centrality of a secure and constantly reviewed ethical position, based on the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, is presented to the programme members as a major personal responsibility.

Our Environmental Science course at Keele draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences to emphasise the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems.

The course emphasises the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems, ensuring a course which is targeted at employment in the environmental sector.

Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete fieldwork in the UK and gain valuable work experience or study abroad at one of our partner institutions. This course is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning students can gain free membership of the IES to support their personal and professional development in the environmental sector. The course is also accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

In this programme, you will be taught in our modern laboratory facilities and have access to equipment and our dedicated Crime Scene House. By studying this course you will develop a detailed understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the major systems of the human body. These concepts will build your understanding of Forensic Science, especially in areas such as forensic identification. The analysis of the unique biological molecules produced by the bodies of both the victim and perpetrator is often the key to solving a crime.

You will learn to use biological and forensic concepts to link a suspect to a scene. You will develop not only experience in forensic investigation, but also knowledge and skills in biological and analytical science. You will be working alongside academic and technical staff, supported by contributions from forensic professionals, in our modern laboratory facilities. 

You will learn a range of analytical and quantitative skills including practical experience using professional software such as Bloomberg and Stata. You will explore the economic behaviour of households, businesses and governments, the functioning of markets and the effects of fiscal and monetary policies. You will examine topics like, the behaviour of financial institutions, such as banks, hedge funds and portfolio managers, their instruments and how they interact in markets. Wider contemporary issues such as the ethics of banking and lending markets will also be analysed.

The course will equip you with a range of skills and capabilities, both subject-related and more general lifelong skills of analytical ability, critical thinking and advanced numeracy. You will develop an awareness in using professional software tools, such as Bloomberg and Stata. These tools will enable you to analyse and interpret economic and financial data.

You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond.

Our teaching is informed by our cutting-edge research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry. There’s a strong emphasis on programming – but don’t worry if you don’t have A Level Mathematics, as the course covers what you need to know.

You’ll have access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software. Our excellent central location is ideal for industrial placements, with over 40 companies situated on the Keele Science Park alone.

Computer game development requires a deep understanding of the architecture of computer systems, a thorough knowledge of practical software engineering in multimedia contexts and a strong ability to program complex graphical applications in C++. By following the 'Games' route through our undergraduate programme you will gain these skills and more, strengthening your CV and solidifying your understanding of high-performance Computer Science. You will have the opportunity to explore your interests in this area extensively, and will have the option to tailor your dissertation project to showcase your learning in a large project.

The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories, and learn to conduct effective independent research. You’ll develop valuable skills for employment, such as problem solving, presentation and communication.

Biology at Keele focuses on the amazing world of organisms – from how they’ve evolved to their relationships with the environment and each other. Keele takes a broad approach to biology, examining the diversity of life and its evolution from the geological past.

You’ll consider a range of biological concepts which may include the complexity of biological processes and mechanisms at molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels, and the related philosophical and ethical issues. You’ll engage in activities to strenghten your skillset which may include sampling, recording and analysing data in the field and in our well-equipped labs.

As a History and International Relations student you will develop an understanding of the different approaches to both disciplines and the range of theories and methods used. The programme encompasses a broad range of topics, from societies in the very distant past to contemporary migration, conflict, gender, security, and the EU, in order to understand how social and political organisation today comes from that of yesterday.

The History element of the degree will carry you chronologically from the medieval period to the present, and span the globe. You will be introduced to a wide range of history – from political, social, economic and cultural history to the history of gender, health, sexuality and religion. Throughout your first year, you may engage in modules that encourage you to explore topics such as how European rulers tried to strengthen their authority with the increase of military power between the late fifteenth and late seventeenth centuries, or some of the key defining moments in History which may include the 1720 South Sea Bubble in Britain, the 1791 Haitian Revolution or the 1933 Bauhaus movement.  

Additionally, throughout the International Relations element of the programme, you will study more than just current events - you will explore how history, structures, ideas, power, people and politics all come together to shape and direct the world that we live in. International Relations is everywhere around us, from what we see on the nightly news to the films we watch. It is an interdisciplinary subject that draws on an almost inexhaustable list of disciplines, such as history, politics, sociology, cultural studies, regional studies, anthropology, economics, business, philosophy and gender studies. 

The MA/MRes in Politics and International Relations is distinctive as it is one of the most diverse collections of Masters pathways in the UK. The programme offers the possibility of developing an individual specialism as well as learning about broader issues in the pathway, and in wider fields of Politics and International Relations. You will gain a thorough grounding in the philosophical and practical issues underpinning study and research in Politics and International Relations. You will study 3 compulsory core taught modules, 4 optional modules and a dissertation over 12 months. 

Key benefits of studying for the MA/MRes in Politics and International Relations include; small class sizes, expert dissertation supervision on cutting-edge issues and debates, a dynamic academic community, strong student-staff relations and stimulating extra-curricular seminars and workshops. Staff and students regularly organise research events, which provide important opportunities for learning, networking and collegial debate on contemporary political and philosophical issues. For example, we host an annual Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series, a bi-annual European Consortium on Political Research environmental politics PhD summer school, and in recent years have organised several ESRC-funded (Economic and Social Research Council) seminar series. 

The course involves three main aspects:

• the study of theories and ideas about media and cultural production in a global context
• the critical analysis of cultural texts and practices from around the world
• engagement in practical creative production.

The MA in Global Media and Culture seeks to explore the relationship between these three areas and to show how knowledge of each informs and influences the others. In addition, it will provide you with the skills necessary for academic study at an advanced level, either for those wishing to go on to further academic research, or as advanced preparation for those interested in pursuing careers in a range of media and culture industries.

The emphasis of the programme is the critical and analytical study of the contemporary global framework of media and cultural studies, the production and continuation of localised cultural identities within a global context, and a theoretically-informed approach to the creative production of media texts.

The Global Media and Culture programme at Keele University represents the multidisciplinary coming together of academics and practitioners from a range of fields. The distinctive nature of Keele as a pioneer for interdisciplinary academic study provides the Global Media and Culture Programme with an ideal basis for the development of cross-subject study.