Education Studies
The Education Studies major and minor is offered by the Sydney School of Education and Social Work.
Education units can be taken as part of a major in the field, or as unit choices for students taking other majors. If you are interested in taking individual education units, check the necessary prerequisites listed in the unit of study table.
About the major and minor
Education is the means by which we learn about the world and our place within it. More than this, educational practices shape how we think and play an active role in determining the forms of knowledge, cultural practices and identities that come to matter in society. Education is a meaning making practice.
Education Studies is not only intended for students enrolled in initial teacher education programs. It offers an opportunity for all students to reflect upon their own experiences of learning, to develop a deeper understanding of how education institutions (eg early childhood centres, schools, universities, cultural and community organisations) function in society in ways that produce difference, inequality, opportunity, and transformations.
A major in Education Studies supports you to apply knowledge from diverse fields of study such as Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, Psychology, Sociology, and History to problems in education. It will challenge you to become a more informed, critical, and active citizen in a world where there are many competing claims to authority through knowledge. The development of these kinds of citizens is a primary goal of education in democratic societies.
The Education Studies major is a compulsory component for Bachelor of Education courses that commence in 2022 onwards. The Education Studies major is a structured three year program.
Honours
The Education Studies honours year is a preparation for postgraduate study. Honours study can be the culmination of your formal education, an experience that extends your intellectual range, hones your research abilities as well as analytical and communication techniques, and helps you to develop the personal and professional skills needed to see a research project though to completion.
Honours can also be the first step on a path to a career as an academic or professional researcher. The Honours year comprises seminar classes and work toward a short thesis on an independent research project under the supervision of an academic staff member who is an expert in the field of your research.
Students interested in doing Honours are advised to contact the Honours Coordinator and a possible supervisor by October 1 of the year prior to the intended Honours year to allow sufficient time for students to work on a research proposal to be approved by School in time for University application closing dates.
Honours admission requirements
Honours is a separate full year program via the Bachelor of Arts (Honours). Admission requires approval from the Honours coordinator and the completion of:
- a 4-year equivalent Bachelor of Education with a weighted average mark of 65 percent or above, or
- 48 credit points in the Education Studies Major with a weighted average mark of 70 percent or above.
Prior to commencing Honours, you will need to ensure you have completed all other requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Education. For pre-July 2024 students, where undertaking a Bachelor of Advanced Studies, a second major is also required.
Mid-year entry to Honours is not available. Part-time honours enrolment is available with the permission of the Honours coordinator.
Requirements and units of study for Honours can be found on the Education Studies Units of Study page.
Contacts and further information
- Website: Sydney School of Education and Social Work
- Education Program Support Team
Phone: +61 2 9351 2634
Email: ssesw.enquiries@sydney.edu.au
