Bachelor of Arts (BA) Majoring in Education

University of Otago

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is Otago's most flexible undergraduate degree programme, enabling students to study from a selection of more than 40 arts and social science subjects, as well as papers offered elsewhere in the University. Academic breadth is complemented by in-depth knowledge gained through majoring in one or two subjects with the option of minors in one or two others.

Students are taught by research-active scholars, are expected to undertake a diverse range of learning tasks and are challenged to develop their intellectual independence. Graduates of the programme are well-informed, versatile, independent thinkers with the information literacy, communication, research and interpersonal skills necessary for a career or further academic study. The completed BA is an possible qualification for the PGDipArts in the major subject of the degree.

Why study education?

We are involved with education throughout our lives. Education papers investigate how education changes lives and how learning happens, and they identify and address patterns of success and failure in education.

Topics of interest are:

Educational psychology (how children, young people, and adults learn)

How education systems evolve and how they function

The role of education in the lives of families, whanau and communities

The historical influences that have shaped institutions of childhood and education systems nationally and internationally

The cultural, social, and political influences on the school curriculum

Gender, disability, Maori education, ICT and research methods also feature in the undergraduate programme

The study of Education is diverse and interdisciplinary. It will give you a range of sought-after skills including critical thinking, problem solving, strong interpersonal skills, and both written and verbal communication skills.

Degree options

You can study Education as a major or minor for a Bachelor of Arts. You may elect to do a double major or a double degree, such as a BA in Education and BSc in Psychology.

Students find that Education papers are a useful complement to their other degrees including Arts, Physical Education, or Social and Community Work. Education papers can enhance any degree, as all professionals are involved in learning.

Career opportunities

Students with a major in Education can apply for a diverse range of jobs. Education can be an especially useful background for careers in research, policy analysis, social work, the counselling professions and many areas of public service.

Educational processes are important in almost all settings and Education graduates can have a valuable role in most organisations.

Programme Requirements

100-level

• EDUC 101 Education and Society
• EDUC 102 Human Development

200-level

• Three 200-level EDUC papers

300-level

• Four 300-level EDUC papers

Plus

198 further points; must include 54 points at 200-level or above.

Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Arts