BA (Hons) Education Bachelor's degree at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
BA (Hons) Education at QMUE integrates core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.
About this course
This BA (Hons) Education course is an innovative, broad-based social sciences course with an emphasis on wider aspects of education. It is the only one of its kind and it aims to equip you with a variety of skills to prepare you to enter a range of education related professional careers. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Education is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at QMUE. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Education and teaching graduates from this provider, 87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 84% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Education & Teaching, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 87% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 75% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year One 6 modules
- Introduction to Education Studies in the 21st Century
Module details
Explores modern educational issues, including evolving roles, policies, and the impact of technology on learning.
- Humans in the World
Module details
This module introduces students to the question of what is means to be human through the lenses of key Social Sciences – Psychology, Sociology and Education Studies.
- Developing Your Academic Voice
Module details
This module will focus on developing students' academic voice through key aspects of our students' academic lived experience, including tools for effective learning.
- Being Human: A multidisciplinary Exploration
Module details
This module explores key aspects of the human condition, including social, religious, cultural, political, economic and technological developments and concerns.
- Methods of Social Enquiry
Module details
This module introduces students to social sciences research and key concepts involved in research.
- Learning for Sustainability Outdoors
Module details
The module explores the relationship between Learning for Sustainability and nature-based outdoor learning as a way of developing rights-based approaches to social and environmental concerns
Year Two 6 modules
- Responding to the World
Module details
This module aims at engaging students with complex contemporary global issues in the world by drawing together insights from psychology, sociology and education studies
- Creativity and Culture in Education
Module details
Explores the intersections of creativity, culture, and learning, emphasizing their relevance in contemporary educational landscapes.
- Early Childhood Development and Learning in Context
Module details
Examines young children's learning within broader social and educational contexts, considering developmental nuances and pedagogical implications.
- Professional Challenge
Module details
Develops skills for employment by applying knowledge across disciplines to 'real-world' challenges developed in collaboration with partner organisations.
- Race, Colonialism and Decolonisation
Module details
Introduces key concepts in race, colonialism and decolonisation and apply these to contexts such as education, media and the criminal justice system.
- Exploring research
Module details
building on your research skills to prepare for year 3 and 4 when you will develop your proposal for dissertation.
Year Three 6 modules
- Inclusive Practice: Difference & Diversity
Module details
Explores strategies for inclusive education, that celebrate and support difference and diversity in educational settings.
- Futures in Education
Module details
Explores the relationship between education and the future by inviting students to consider to the relationship between histories and presents, the absences and silences in our visions of the future.
- Globalisation and International Education
Module details
This module focuses on the key themes of globalisation and international education. It does so by placing the understanding of concepts, theories, policies and practices relating to globalisation and international education within the discourse and debates on global standardisation of education.
- Qualitative Research Skills
Module details
Extends students' knowledge of qualitative research methods in the social science and to teach them how to design a feasible and ethically sound qualitative research project.
- Community Education & the Organic Intellectual
Module details
Explores the dynamics of community education and the essential role of informal educational contexts.
- Class, Poverty & Social Exclusion
Module details
Analyses the societal challenges of poverty and social exclusion, exploring the role of education in addressing these issues and promoting social justice.
Year Four 3 modules
- Dissertation
Module details
Engage in independent research, demonstrating advanced academic skills by investigating your chosen topic in-depth and presenting findings in a comprehensive dissertation.
- Education Now!
Module details
Research and explore real-world case studies of the impact of education to transform lives; collaborate and create your own group project to re-imagine education to change the world.
- Outdoor Learning Places
Module details
This module develops leadership and project management skills in the context of outdoor places. Develop a plan for an outdoor learning space, showing how the physical, social and cultural environment contributes to effective and engaging outdoor learning places.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This BA (Hons) Education course takes a broad-based social sciences approach to education, emphasising wider aspects of the field beyond teaching alone. It equips you with a variety of skills for education-related professional careers. A course like this typically begins with foundations in how children learn and schooling is organised, alongside child development from birth through adolescence. Early school placements help ground theory in practice. In Year 2, you'll usually study curriculum design, teaching and assessment methods, and inclusion strategies for learners with additional needs, with a second sustained placement. Year 3 moves into professional standards, behaviour and assessment, alongside specialist options such as primary teaching, early years, SEND and inclusion, education policy and QTS routes. You'll typically complete a final placement where applicable, with QTS assessment for teaching pathways.
Who it's for
This course suits graduates and experienced professionals seeking formal qualification in education. Most entrants hold another higher-education qualification; recent cohorts show 60% of accepted students arrived with prior higher-education study. The typical UCAS tariff band among accepted students was 96–111 points. You'll study full-time in English at the Edinburgh campus.
Careers & job market
Across Education and Teaching courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 70% are in highly skilled roles or continuing study. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £22,000 to £30,000, rising to £21,250–£30,000 after five years. Check the university's funding pages for bursaries and scholarships.
University & format
Queen Margaret University is located in Edinburgh. This BA (Hons) Education is a full-time degree of 4 years, taught in English. It is a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body qualification. The course is coded X121 at UCAS.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 67%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| another higher-education qualification | 60% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 30% |
| an Access course | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code X121). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at QMUE →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- Teacher-training bursaries: Postgraduate bursaries and scholarships are available for selected shortage subjects. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Education & Teaching graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,000 | £30,000 – £38,000 | 40 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in education & teaching · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Education & Teaching nationally
National figures for Education & Teaching graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 15-month median earnings compare with Education & Teaching courses at the same study level.
Compared with 515 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 74% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 125; response rate: 54%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Education & Teaching graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Education & Teaching graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Schools & academy trusts
- Local authorities
- Education charities
- Tutoring providers
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Education & Teaching graduates.
Education SEN MentorMacIntyreEducation Recruitment ConsultantAcademicsEducation Delivery Consultant - Fast Paced, Dynamic Organisation - WorcestershireAP EducationEducation Trustee - Lead Youth Careers & Outdoor LearningRacing to SchoolEducation Recruitment Consultant - Build Futures & Earn UncappedProtocol EducationEducation Recruitment Consultant: Grow Your Desk & ImpactEducation AssetsIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.0 out of 10: NSS 76.7% · in work or study 87% · continued 75%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Education and teaching across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Education & Teaching right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to QMUE from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by QMUE; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check QMUE’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with QMUE and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at QMUE
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
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