History and Education Studies

You could not have a better backdrop to your studies of History and Education Studies than Derbyshire. As one of the centres of the British Enlightenment during the eighteenth century, the county has a strong literary heritage and inspired many great writers including Jane Austen, Walter Scott, Charlotte Brontё, George Eliot and Henry James.  

Derbyshire is the ideal location to study history - with its rich industrial past and thriving heritage industry, including a UNESCO World Heritage site, we offer study visits and fieldtrips to bring your learning to life. You will explore the practical and intellectual applications of history in museums, art galleries, country houses, parks and heritage sites.  

As a History and Education student you will be able to use your ability to analyse literary sources and to interpret the past for the benefit of the wider community. We provide exciting opportunities for projects involving international arts and heritage organisations. Among recent initiatives, our students have worked with Derby Museums in thinking about the communication of the past to a wider public. 

Your Education Studies modules will explore the role of education in society and examine how moral and social issues shape learning. You’ll then be able to apply this practically on work placement opportunities throughout your studies. 

Putting theory into practice 

You’ll benefit from varied teaching approaches, including guest speakers from a range of industry backgrounds, real-world learning opportunities such as live briefs, and projects set by industry, so you’ll graduate with a wealth of experience.

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact jhs@derby.ac.uk.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

You will learn through lectures, seminars, self-directed study, tutorials, study visits, workshops, and work-related learning.  We use digital learning materials to support you in your studies and we encourage discussion and debate through all our modules. You will have the opportunity to shape your own learning in individual research projects and student-led presentations. 

For Education Studies modules, you will be taught using a variety of methods from directed study, lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will be taught by influential researchers and published authors whose work is shaping the debate about the future of education. Their research in education includes topics such as:   

• inclusion  
• diversity  
• social equality  
• online learning  
• pastoral care in primary, secondary and higher education

How you are assessed 

Our assessment strategy is designed to produce confident, articulate graduates with a broad set of skills. There are no exams and forms of assessment include seminar debates, group presentations and conference papers alongside essays and longer research projects. We place great emphasis on developing your research skills, with independent projects playing a key part in the second and third year of the course.   

Personal academic tutoring 

Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals. 

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

Studying English and Education Studies provides you with transferable creative and analytical skills to give you excellent career prospects when you graduate. You will not only build your academic capabilities but also apply your education and historical knowledge to the workplace. We encourage you to develop skills in areas such as presentation and teamworking which will help you stand out in the job market.  

You may consider a career in:  

• Writing, editing or publishing
• Journalism  
• Marketing, advertising or events
• Art and literature-based organisations such as media centres, museums or galleries
• Teaching  
• Early-years practitioners  
• Care assistants  
• Community-learning facilitators
• Civil service or Law
• Local government
• Human Resources  

If you’d like to train to be a teacher, you will be guaranteed an interview for our PGCE Primary if you meet the entry requirements.

You could also apply to study our PGCE Post-14 (Education and Training) or enhance your career prospects further still by continuing to study with us at masters level.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Other courses you might like

• History BA (Hons)
• Education Studies with optional pathway in SEND or TESOL BA (Hons)
• History and Sociology BA (Hons)
• English and Education Studies BA (Hons)