Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Young People, Family and Community with Foundation Year

at University of Wolverhampton - Walsall Campus United Kingdom

Our three year Undergraduate course in Primary Education provides a high standard of training for those preparing to take up a teaching post in the primary school sector.  The course complies with the statutory guidance from the Department for Education for Initial Teacher Training courses.

The BA (Hons) in Primary Education is specifically designed to ensure that those who are successful will be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - the professional award required by all those who wish to teach in a maintained school.

You will focus on the teaching of the National Curriculum for primary schools and specialise in teaching Key Stages 1 and 2 whilst also having valuable opportunities to experience alternative educational settings such as Early Years, Secondary, SEND and transition.

The BSc (Hons.) Football Coaching and Performance degree will give you the skills and experience to help gain employment in the football industry as a coach within an academy, performance, community or grassroots setting, as a football performance specialist. You will also be well prepared for a range of coaching and related roles within the wider sport and physical activity sector. 
The course has been designed through consultation with West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall FC, as well as The Football Association (FA) Coach Educators to identify the skills and qualities needed to work in the football industry. Our unique coaching course combines a football specific degree with the opportunity to apply your knowledge in industry through our excellent placements with our partner clubs, at home or abroad. 

You will study all disciplines of football coaching, covering modules in; pedagogy, coaching science, and performance analysis, all of which are taught both theoretically and in a range of practical contexts.

What happens on the course?

• Placement modules allow you to gain hand on experience and receive mentorship within professional environments, including opportunities with some of our key partners such as Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall FC, West Bromwich Albion and WLV Sport FC.
• The first two years of our football coaching degree will prepare you to complete the Football Association (FA) Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications (although completion of these qualifications will require additional tasks outside of the degree programme).
• This degree is delivered by academic staff who are Union of European Football Association (UEFA) qualified coaches, coach educators, and who have extensive applied knowledge and experience from grassroots to international level.
• Our employability modules enable you to explore careers in football coaching and engage in career development planning that prepares you for graduate-level employment in the football industry or elsewhere.
• Each year you will have opportunities to participate in career development activities and network with employers from sports businesses, sport development and performance sport.
• The course has been designed in line with The International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) coaching degree standards. On completion of this course you should, therefore, have the knowledge and skills required to meet the sector standards for employment in certain specific roles, as well as a range of other related roles.
• You will have the opportunity to transfer to a sandwich placement year in a coaching or football related context, with a partner club or organisation. Our sandwich placement option allows you to take a full-year work placement, which can be undertaken abroad. A number of students in our department have been successful in securing places on these schemes in countries such as Spain, France, Canada and the US.

The BA Musical Theatre course at Wolverhampton offers a unique opportunity to develop performance skills in a department at the cutting edge of international musical theatre research. Our staff members have professional industry experience as musical directors, choreographers, performers, dramaturgs and writers, and this is reflected in the breadth of the course. 

The course is vocationally-led and aims to enhance your future employability so that by the end of the course, you will have the know-how to develop your professional skills further.  The balance of practical and academic work in the programme allows for a wide range of career choices upon graduation.

The BA Drama and Musical Theatre course at Wolverhampton offers a unique opportunity to develop performance skills as a ‘singing actor’ in a department at the cutting edge of international musical theatre research and drama practice.  Our staff members have professional industry experience as directors, musical directors, performers, dramaturgs and writers, and this is reflected in the breadth of the course.  The course is vocationally-led and aims to enhance your future employability so that by the end of the course, you will have the know-how to develop your professional skills further.  The balance of practical and academic work in the programme allows for a wide range of career choices upon graduation.

What happens on the course?
Our course prepares students for employment in all areas of theatre and beyond.  The practical element of the course focuses on developing singing and performance skills, with a particular emphasis on the role of the ‘singing actor’ and the application of theatre in different educational settings.  There is a particular focus on the use of text and physical theatre alongside contemporary musical theatre, and students are encouraged to enhance and expand their chosen repertoire through weekly individual singing lessons with professional vocal tutors.  Practical work is supported by an outstanding academic programme that investigates how identity shapes our experience of musicals as creatives, performers and audience members through the lenses of gender, race, nationality, sexuality and class.  The continued dialogue between practical and academic skills make our graduates particularly versatile for future employment prospects, as evidenced in our 100% graduate employment rate.   

The BA (Hons) Education Studies provides you with the knowledge and skills to work in a range of educational settings, either as a teacher or if you also want to have other career options open to you. The course is suitable for people new to this area or experienced staff searching for career development. If you are considering becoming a teacher, we offer the guarantee of a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Primary Education interview upon completion of this degree (providing you are on track to achieve a 2:2 or above and meet the course entry requirements). We also have excellent progression opportunities on to our Master’s in Education.

During your course, you, as an Education Studies student, will have opportunities to consider a range of issues and perspectives relevant to educational contexts. You will consider contemporary issues in relation to education and children’s lives, including exploring issues around climate change, Black Lives Matter, mental health, social media, the impact of Covid-19 on education, and LBGT student experiences. You will also explore the role of education in relation to social justice, education policy, curriculum, and the types of education provided in the UK and internationally, as well as much more. You will draw upon a range of perspectives and disciplines to develop your familiarity with the complex and varied nature of teaching and learning and will examine diversity and inclusion in relation to education. We work with our students to explore and challenge a wide range of educational ideas and developments, and we value learners’ own perspectives and diverse experiences of education. We encourage independent thought and curiosity, and a belief in the potential of education as a tool for improving people’s lives.

Work experience placements are an integral part of the course and can be negotiated in a variety of settings such as schools, colleges, children’s centres, charities, pupil referral units, prisons, youth centres, and other relevant settings.

We recognise that you will have a unique learning journey and we will maximise your potential through a wide variety of optional assessment choices such as presentations, written assessments, reflective journals, report writing, peer mentoring and written plans. Our course does not include any exams and we work hard to make our assessments inclusive and relevant to your career goals.  We usually teach in smaller classroom-based student groups, as opposed to larger lecture theatres, to give you a supportive and personalised learning experience, and our staff work hard to help develop the confidence of our students.

This exciting Sport Business Management programme has been developed alongside industry partners and endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). The course has been mapped against the Professional Standards of a General Manager, meaning that you will be equipped with the competencies and skills needed to meet the requirements of potential employers.

The programme will provide opportunities to explore different strands of sport business management including marketing, strategy, policy, finance, economics, and sport event management. Studying these key areas will prepare you to enter a range of careers including sport development management, governing body management, insight and data management, facility management and business management.

This exciting and applied course has been endorsed through the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme (BUES), which awards endorsement to sport and exercise science degree courses that provide undergraduates with the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills essential to enter into the profession. 

The course covers the physiological, biomechanical and psychological influences on human performance and health. You will examine how individuals respond and adapt to sport and exercise in a variety of settings, and learn how to design interventions to maximise performance and promote health for a range of people. This may include elite athletes or clinical populations such as those with obesity or cardiac rehabilitation patients.

You will also explore local, national and international public health and sport initiatives that aim to encourage a physically active population. This course is therefore ideal if you wish to work in applied settings such as professional sport, exercise referral schemes, community physical activity programmes and professional environments that promote active lifestyles and well-being.

What happens on the course? 

• You will have access to our sport and exercise science laboratories that include cutting edge technology such as our 3D motion capture system, and our environment chamber.
• Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to work with a range professional sport organisations, clubs and university sports teams to develop industry skills relevant to a career in sport and exercise science. Including opportunities with some of our partners such as Wolverhampton Wanders, Walsall FC and GB Judo.
• Our employability modules enable you to explore sport and exercise science related career pathways and engage in career development planning that prepares you for graduate-level employment in a competitive industry
• You will also have the opportunity to transfer to an optional sandwich placement year. Our sandwich placement option allows you to take a full-year work placement, which can be undertaken abroad. A number of students in our department have been successful in securing places on these schemes in countries such as Spain, France, Canada and the US
• Teaching staff bring their internationally rated research expertise into their teaching. The department has research links across the world and students can progress to postgraduate study with these collaborators

The Education, Childhood and Youth degree is a course title change of our popular BA (Hons) Childhood & Family Studies and Education Studies degree and will develop the skills and knowledge required for a range of careers working with children, their families and the services that support them, in both education and social contexts.This degree aims to provide invaluable insights into learning, teaching and education systems. Although it does not lead to qualified teacher status, it introduces students to a variety of educational concepts and fields of enquiry.The course is suitable for people new to this area or experienced staff searching for career development.Work experience placements are an integral part of the course and can be negotiated in a variety of settings such as schools, nurseries, community care centres, hospitals, social services, libraries and other relevant settings.- This course involves work placements at every level of study.- The teaching team are from a range of professional backgrounds including education, social work and youth work and are all actively involved in research.- Student support is a priority with systems of pastoral and academic support provided from the start by personal and module tutors.- This is a unique course which offers both academic rigour and professional relevance.

This unique course been developed alongside industry partners and endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). It has been mapped against the Coach Professional Standard, meaning that you will be equipped with the competencies and skills needed to meet the requirements of potential employers. The course covers aspects of football coaching such as pedagogy, coaching science, and performance analysis in combination with opportunities to apply your knowledge in industry. Placement modules are a leading feature of the course allowing you to gain hands-on experience and mentoring in an applied setting. These settings include the option to work with our partner clubs such as Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, Walsall FC, AFC Telford and our University team, WLV Sport FC.

The BMus (Hons) Music degree at the University of Wolverhampton aims to develop your musical creativity, and help you to acquire the skills needed to become a versatile and practical musician. This course stimulates your innate love of music, explores and identifies what music is, what music does, and what music means and provides a structured approach to your career progression as a performer, technologist, teacher or academic.

This degree offers a unique balance of scholarly research and practical musicianship to produce an all-round teacher, musician or practitioner. Our aim is to facilitate and stimulate your personal musical growth and to help you to develop confidence in your ability through both practical and theoretical elements of the course.

You will study practical performance modules where you will develop your skills as both a soloist and an ensemble performer, as well as community music leadership, composition and arranging. You will also have the opportunity to study music in the community by exploring pedagogical processes and undertaking a series of placements in community venues. You will use the latest technology and software for scoring, recording and engineering live music.

Members of staff are all actively involved in research, music education, performance and composition at a regional, national and international level and their expertise and enthusiasm will assist you in becoming a professional musician or community practitioner.

The course incorporates a variety of learning and teaching experiences including seminars, discussion groups, lectures, presentations, guest speakers and performers, visits to sites of musical importance and concert attendances. Placement opportunities are available within modules in the second and third year of this degree.