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ED22009: Educational inequalities in global contexts

[Page last updated: 03 June 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Education
Credits: 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 200
Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: CWES 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Essay 1 (CWES 50%)
  • Essay 2 (CWES 50%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes:
  • Identifying and comparatively analysing the multifaceted nature of educational inequalities across different global contexts.
  • Critically applying a range of theoretical approaches related to educational inequalities.
  • Demonstrating critical awareness of the situated nature of educational inequalities especially with regard to intersectionality.
  • Examining key national and international policy agendas and their impact on educational inequalities.
  • Developing effective communication and team learning skills.



Synopsis: "Explore inequalities in and through education. Using diverse theoretical perspectives, you will analyse educational inequalities in different national contexts of low, high and middle-income countries. This will encourage you to think critically and comparatively. You will examine the nature, extent and potential causes of inequalities, including the structural and institutional factors at the local, national and global levels. "

Content: In this unit you will explore the social, cultural and economic factors and policy trends that contribute to educational inequalities in high-income and low-income countries. The unit will draw upon theoretical perspectives, national and international policy agendas and empirical research from different countries across the globe. In the first part of the unit, you will learn about persistent issues of educational inequality specific to high-income countries and key sociological approaches to understanding them. For example, using relevant case study countries, we will explore how the intersection of social class, gender, ethnicity and other factors shapes educational inequalities and examine policy trends such as marketisation and internationalisation. In the second part, you will learn about how colonial histories, low economic development and cultural diversity in low-income countries interactively shape educational access, experiences and learning outcomes for different social groups. You will also engage critically with the key international agendas such as Education For All, Millenium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals. By drawing upon key theoretical frameworks, you will learn how these international development agendas interact with national educational policies in diverse cultural contexts and reproduce or transform educational inequalities.

Course availability:

ED22009 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Education
  • UHED-AFB20 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology (Year 2)
  • UHED-AKB20 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology with professional placement (Year 2)
Department of Psychology Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB31 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB31 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB32 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB32 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB35 : BSc(Hons) Sociology (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB36 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB36 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB35 : BSc(Hons) Sociology with professional placement (Year 2)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.