Education, Power and Social Change (Postgraduate Certificate)

This course examines the role of education in shaping power relations within society. It explores how education can be used as a tool for social change, and how it can perpetuate existing inequalities. Students will investigate the ways in which education reflects and reinforces dominant cultural, political, and economic structures, and learn how to critique and challenge these structures through their work in education. This course is ideal for those interested in pursuing careers in education policy, youth work, or social activism.

Additional Information

This course is designed for students who have a background in education or a related field, but it is also open to those with no prior experience. The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops, and will involve both individual and group work. Students will have the opportunity to engage with real-world case studies and projects, and to develop their skills in critical thinking, research, and project management.

Join the ranks of education leaders at Birkbeck University of London - where knowledge meets power.

Birkbeck University of London is a world-renowned institution for education research and policy. Our faculty members are leading experts in their fields, and our courses are designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to make a real impact in the world. By studying at Birkbeck, you will gain access to state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge research, and a vibrant academic community. Plus, our location in central London provides easy access to cultural and political institutions, offering unparalleled opportunities for networking and professional development.

This course will deepen your awareness of how education shapes, and is shaped by, our understanding of the world. We explore the links between education (all forms of informal and formal learning, across all age ranges, including adult, higher and professional education), and social and political movements, and develop understandings of how 'education' as a contested field should be viewed within a globalized and postcolonial context. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to think about education, we draw on the arts and humanities as well as the more conventional representations of education in social science. We explore key debates on what is the role of education and how people learn, developed from a range of viewpoints, including critical theory. Studying this course may contribute to your professional development. Graduates go into careers in teaching and training, youth work, education policy, and in community and voluntary sector organizations. Possible professions include community education officer, education administrator, or youth worker. This degree can also be useful in becoming a career adviser or community development worker.

Our standard postgraduate entry requirement is a second-class honors degree (2:2 or above).