Our research is world-leading and we have two REF Units of Assessment – UoA 20 Education and UoA 23 Social Work and Social Policy. The Faculty research Institute includes two centres – the Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) and the Centre for Research in Education (CRE). The Faculty has a strong focus on inclusion, equality and diversity, both academically and in the support and opportunities that we offer to our students and staff.
The School of Education
Our Education courses are ranked 12th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023). We have four main areas of provision, three of which are predominantly concerned with training teachers at local, regional, national and international levels – Initial Teacher Training, Distance Learning, and Post Compulsory Education and Training (PCET). Our Distance Learning provision provides teacher training in over 60 countries worldwide. Our Post Compulsory Education and Training provision offers training for teachers in sixth form colleges, further education colleges, vocational training and adult education. The fourth area is our postgraduate provision of Professional Development courses, which offers post-qualifying masters degrees in Education, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP).
The School of Social Sciences
Our Social Sciences subject area has been officially ranked 601-800 in the 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject. We have four main areas of provision united by a life-changing ethos. Three of the areas focus on professionally accredited and professionally orientated courses – Crime, Policing, and Investigation; Social Work, Community and Youth Work Studies; and Childhood, Health, and Society. In this academic provision we work closely with our partners in the statutory, care or voluntary sectors. Our fourth area of provision is the Integrated Foundation Year, which enables access to degree courses across the University for those who may not have the qualifications for direct entry into those courses. Our postgraduate provision across the School focuses on Social Work, Childhood and Youth Work, and Inequality and Society.