Education Major - Bachelor of Arts

Interested in learning and how it relates to culture, community, social media and social justice? We’ve all been to school and probably all have a view on education. The Bachelor of Arts in Education re-examines these views.

It’s a great pathway for a number of careers in fields involved in education policy or strategic development, or for further study to become a teacher. Because this major is part of the Bachelor of Arts, it’s easy to combine it with many other aspects of society and culture. Choose from subjects in areas as diverse as social sciences, psychology, business or Māori development to include as part of your degree.

Throughout your three years of studies you develop a sound understanding of education, as well as effective communication, critical thinking and other transferable skills you'll need for your future career.

Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.

Education major courses

If you're majoring in education, this is the main subject area you specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree and consists of eight education-related courses you study throughout your degree.

Year 1 courses

Complete the following courses:

• EDUC503 Critical Questions in Education
• EDUC504 Places and Learning

Year 2 courses

Complete three of:

• EDUC606 Learning and Social Media
• EDUC607 Education, Resistance and Social Justice
• EDUC608 Gender, Sexualities and Education
• EDUC616 Exploring Global Citizenship
• EDUC621 Education and Popular Culture

Or any other level 6 course with the approval of the programme leader

Year 3 courses

Complete three of:

• EDUC710 Futures Thinking in Education
• EDUC711 Education, Globalisation, and International Development
• EDUC712 Alternatives in Education
• EDUC722 Pacific Talanoa: People, Places & Education

The education courses are organised into two strands:

Sociological focus

• EDUC503 considers aspects of education in the past and how this explains issues in education today
• EDUC607 focuses on concepts related to educational questions and issues of today, such as social justice
• EDUC710 considers futures education and how the way we learn in and for a future world might be very different from today

Cultural focus

• EDUC504 considers how place affects who we are and what we learn
• EDUC621 takes a look at how popular culture can be a site of social learning
• EDUC711 and EDUC712 assume a more 'big picture' of view of education