Build an understanding of the key principles of education and its evolution whilst exploring the application of Chemistry in the real world. You will develop your ability to problem solve whilst exploring today's global challenges. From using chemistry to develop sustainable production of materials to contributing to the development of new drugs and treatments, Education and Chemistry at Keele enables you to explore two evolving subject areas. This course is also beneficial in preparation for teacher training programmes should you wish to pursue a career in the education sector at secondary level upon completion of your degree.
Global Top 300 for Education
(Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings, 2022)
Professional accreditation pathway available
State-of-the-art
Use a wide variety of research-grade experimental equipment in Keele's Central Science Laboratories
Student testimonials
Course content
Studying a combined honours degree in Education and Chemistry will provide you with the opportunity to develop a foundation of knowledge in two evolving subjects, complimented by scientific skills and tools to critically evaluate.
Education at Keele explores the nature of learning as well as core elements including policy, teaching and practice. You will actively engage in discussions around diverse topics such as the psychological, sociological and cultural influences in education, and how these may evolve in the future. You will consider key issues and challenges associated with teaching and learning at different levels, such as primary and secondary education.
The programme allows you to critically evaluate what education means to individuals and encourages you to consider the roles and responsibilities of teachers. You will explore how children learn and analyse contemporary assessment methods considering factors such as age, the support a student may receive in a range of educational settings, as well as the influence of technology that plays a crucial role in their learning.
Chemistry is essential to our modern life and offers a wide variety of career opportunities in many fields from pharmaceuticals and food technology to forensics and teaching. You will explore the practical use of technology and uncover how we treat illnesses, building your problem-solving and analytical skills in this developing sector.
Our degree will provide you with a solid grounding in the underpinning theory of Chemistry, plenty of hands-on practical experience in Keele's state-of-the-art laboratories and the opportunity to personalise your learning and advance your research skills by undertaking an independent research project or dissertation in your final year.
Work Placement Module in the School of Social, Political and Global Studies
In the School of Social, Political and Global Studies, you may have the opportunity to apply for a placement module to develop your knowledge and skills in professional environments. This may include opportunities to experience teaching and learning in Primary, Secondary and Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools. During this experience, you would observe and assist with classroom activities and develop your practical and professional skills in the company of professionals and learners in different age and development stages. We have a wide range of contacts with local schools in the area where you can gain this valuable hands-on experience in the education sector.
Please note: There are limited spaces on this module.
Work Placement Year
On this course, you will have the opportunity to opt for a Work Placement Year, aligned to either Education or Chemistry. This will allow you to apply your knowledge and practical skills in a workplace environment enabling you to build key skills in communication, teamwork and project management. You will be able to demonstrate your abilities and creative thinking, working with fellow professionals as well as independently.
You will be supported by staff in your preparation to apply for a work placement that suits your interests and career prospects. This opportunity will allow you develop both personally and professionally during your studies which will assist you in your employment after university.
Industrial Placement Year Chemistry
In an increasingly competitive job market, employers are seeking to recruit employees who have high-level knowledge, skills and an understanding of the workplace. In the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, you will have the opportunity to spend a year gaining practical experience with a chemistry-focused company or organisation. You will become familiar with the professional working environment and have the opportunity to apply the chemistry skills and theories you have learnt to the real world.
Please note: If you wish to opt for a Work Placement Year, you will be required to choose an opportunity aligned to either Education or Chemistry.
International Year
In between years two and three of your studies you can choose to spend a year studying abroad. This exciting opportunity enables you to understand education from different cultural perspectives and to establish international networks. It also shows you have the personal attributes to embrace new experiences which can enhance your employability.
A Combined Honours degree in Education means studying approximately half of your degree in Education and the remainder in another subject. If you are considering a career in secondary school teaching you will be required to take at least 40% of your degree in the subject you want to teach so this could be a great option to prepare you for your career. At Keele, Education can be studied in the following combinations:
Our Course Information Documents (CIDs) are designed to give you all of the details you need to make an informed decision about what and where to study.
Education provides an array of diverse teaching styles to ensure you have a strong understanding of the subject area. Our aim is to equip you with the necessary skills to assist you throughout your studies, in preparation for your career.
You will develop key analytical and presentation skills as well as the ability to engage with important discussions with academics and peers. This will help you to construct and form strong arguments.
You will be taught through various methods including:
Lectures
Tutorials
Workshops
Seminars
Web-based learning
These teaching methods will enhance your experience, allowing you to share your knowledge and expertise.
You will engage with various assessment methods which may include:
Essays
Reports
Presentations
Reviews/analysis
Portfolio
Teaching and assessment in Chemistry
Teaching expertise
To ensure you receive a high-quality learning experience, teaching will be delivered through a range of authentic methods such as:
Audio feedback
Case studies
Computer-aided learning (simulations and animations, online activities and exercises)
Demonstrations
Detailed personalised, generic written and face-to-face feedback
Electronic submission and return of marked coursework (with feedback)
Group work
Interactive personal response systems
IT instruction (spreadsheets, word-processing, chemical structure drawing, databases and processing of spectroscopic data)
Laboratory classes
Lectures
Pre-laboratory and post-laboratory exercises
Problem-based and context-based activities
Recorded lectures
Research projects
Screencasts
Self and peer-assessment for learning
Seminars
Tablet PCs
Team based learning
Use of e-learning/the Keele Learning Environment (KLE)
Assesment
Our methods include a mix of examinations and a variety of authentic assessments that mirror the type of tasks you may be asked to complete in your future career working in the field of chemistry. Methods of assessment include:
Class tests
Design exercises
Information retrieval exercises
Laboratory reports and diaries
Oral and poster presentations
Practical and oral examinations
Pre-laboratory exercises
Problem sheets
Research projects and reports
Unseen written examinations
Video/screencast presentations
Foundation year
You may choose to study this course via foundation year.
If you’re returning to education following a break, wish to study a new subject or don’t have the grades or sufficient equivalent experience for direct entry to this course, a foundation year may be a good option for you.
Following successful completion (including any additional progression requirements) of the foundation year you can progress on to this course.
The foundation year offers September starts across all subjects, and January starts across all science, humanities, social sciences and business routes.
The information within this page is for students wishing to start their studies in September. If you would like to start this course in January, please visit our January pages for further details.
COURSE CONTENT
Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills which will be invaluable in your academic studies and beyond. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.
The Keele Foundation Year is a two semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Education and Chemistry degree. All of the modules you take will prove useful in your degree and professional career.
Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.
Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.
Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
Relevant work experience
AND
GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)
AND
GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above
HOW TO APPLY
Students should apply for BSc (Hons) Chemistry with Foundation Year (UCAS code F103) through UCAS at www.ucas.com. You will be contacted to confirm your second subject by a member of our team.
DIRECT ENTRY STUDENTS
If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.
Information for students returning to education
We are interested in a broad range of qualities, not just your points on entry. We would like to learn more about you, your interests, experiences and motivation to study.
We would be delighted to talk to you about your work experience (paid or voluntary) and qualifications, and help you to explore your options for study with us.
Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.
We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Keele University Hardship Fund and emergency loans.
96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (HESA, 2017)
With a degree in Education and Chemistry, you will be equipped with transferable skills that will enable you to work effectively in a professional workplace environment. You will be able to demonstrate your communication and problem solving skills as well as your ability to evaluate critically, working independently and with others.
You will have the confidence to share your ideas and opinions and have a strong grounding in laboratory techniques. Your awareness of the ethical implications and issues relating to environmental impact and sustainability that you will develop on the programme will highlight your knowledge and understanding of contemporary matters.
Graduates of this programme may pursue a wide range of professions, both in and out of the laboratory. You may wish to develop your expertise by undertaking further study at Master's or PhD level.
You may wish to pursue a career in:
Teaching
Science
Social Work
Youth Work
Politics
Journalism
Business
Law
Research
Other roles that are related to your degree include:
Academic Chemist
Analytical Chemist
Associate Scientist
Chemical Engineer
Environmental Scientist
Forensic Scientist
Material Scientist
Medicinal Chemist
Museum Scientist
Nuclear Engineer
Patent Attorney
Policy Advisor
Research Assistant
Science Communicator
Scientific Picture editor
Synthetic Chemist
Toxicologist
Transferable skills you will acquire include:
IT and technology
Monitoring/maintaining records and data
Numeracy including error analysis and order-of-magnitude estimations
Problem-solving relating to qualitative and quantitative information
Research and presentation
Teamwork
Time management and organisation
Written and oral communication
Enhance your employability
Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offers a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability.
From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.
Practical teaching will take place in Keele’s state-of-the-art £34m Central Science Laboratories (CSL). You will have access to a wide variety and high volume of industry-standard equipment that is housed within a space designed to encourage and enable collaborative and interdisciplinary working. We continue to invest in high quality equipment and instrumentation to an industry standard. You will be trained how to use research level equipment from the first semester of your first year. This means you will be familiar with the type of instrumentation you may use in your career or research within the field.
Equipment includes: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray diffractometers (powder and single-crystal), infra-red spectrometers, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Raman spectrometer, Fluorescence spectroscopy, Quadrupole time of flight liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (Q-TOF), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course. Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.