Group of children using chalks to draw plants and flowers on a wall

BA (Hons)

Education with Sustainability

Explore the effects of environmental and social change on education - and build practical experience for your future career.

Start date: September 2026
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 3 years
UCAS course code: X307

Start date: September 2026
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with foundation
UCAS course code: X312

Top 10%

of universities in the country for graduates who agree their current activity is 'meaningful'.

Source: GOS 2025

Learn how education intersects with planetary health, sociology, globalisation, technology, and social justice.

At ARU in Cambridge you'll focus on Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) in policy and practice.

Explore theories on outdoor learning, place-responsive teaching and creative pedagogies – and conduct your own research on these approaches.

As well as gaining academic knowledge, you’ll build practical experience through volunteering, placements, and community engagement.

Deputy Head of School Dr Paula Daines explains how our degree course will help you shape the future of education.

Why ARU?

Study at a university with 20 years + experience of training education professionals
Ranked 13th in the UK for Education (The Guardian University Guide 2025)

Study at an award-winning university

We've received a Gold award for the quality of our education in a UK-wide review of teaching standards. We were also proud to be named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023.

Careers

Gain specialisms in environmental sustainability, including outdoor learning, place-responsive pedagogy, conservation education, and environmental justice.

You could work in education in schools, further education colleges, environmental charities, zoological/botanical attractions and museums, or in policy making/research nationally or transnationally.

What can you do with an education degree?

I'm interested in primary teaching. Which course is right for me?

If you want to work in primary teaching, we have several courses that can support your ambitions. See which one works for you.

Infographic: Routes into primary teaching

I don't yet have an undergraduate degree
You have a choice of four courses at ARU. One leads directly to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The others allow you to explore different aspects of teaching before progressing to School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT). See below for more information about SCITT.

BEd (Hons) Primary Education with QTS is a three-year course. When you graduate, you'll be qualified to work as a teacher.
BA (Hons) Primary Education Studies. This is an accelerated course, meaning you'll gain a degree in just two years. It prepares you for teacher training.
BA (Hons) Education with Sustainability. This three-year course explores Environmental Sustainability Education, including approaches like outdoor learning.
BA (Hons) Education with Inclusive Practice. This three-year course has a focus on inclusion in education.

I have an undergraduate degree, but not Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Consider School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT), which allows you to gain Qualified Teacher Status while working in schools. Training takes one year. See below for more information about SCITT.

I have an undergraduate degree, and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Our PGCE is a great way to improve your classroom skills, and you'll study 100% online.
If you're interested in further study after a PGCE, explore our MA Education. You can study online, or in Cambridge or Chelmsford.

What is School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)?
SCITT programmes are teacher training courses run by local groups of schools. They let you learn 'on the job'. When you complete the programme, you'll receive a postgraduate qualification.

We work with a number of groups across the East of England so, if you complete your SCITT with one of these groups, your qualification will be awarded by ARU. You'll gain a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status.

You can apply for SCITT through the Government's Teacher Training Portal.

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

Study our BA (Hons) Education with Sustainability to future-proof your career in education.

You’ll explore the nature and role of education in society, and take one sustainability-specific module each year.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

Journey through Life: Stages of Human Development
Safeguarding and Wellbeing
Research Foundations
The Power of Connection: Building Strong Educational Relationships
Environmental Sustainability Education: Policy and Practice

Year 2

Equity in Education: Understanding Identity and Social Justice
Ruskin Module
Learning Theories in Education
Educational Research Methods
What's in a Place?

Year 3

Undergraduate Major Project
Neurodiversity and Inclusion: Strategies for Effective Learning
Education in the Digital Age: Policy, Theory and Global Trends
Leadership and Enterprise
Education and Environmental Justice

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Learning to Learn
Critical Thinking
Composition and Style
Intercultural Studies
Ethics
Social Perceptions
Psychology

Module details

What happens on a foundation year?

How is BA (Hons) Education with Sustainability assessed?

Who teaches Education with Sustainability at ARU?

Drew Quayle
Senior Lecturer
Dr Gareth Bates
Senior Lecturer
Dr Paula Daines
Deputy Head of School
Dr Elsa Lee
Senior Lecturer
Natalie Combes
Senior Lecturer Practitioner
Dr Eleni Lithari
Senior Lecturer

Facilities

Join our community and benefit from our network of primary schools. You'll be able to observe teaching, create lesson plans and develop activities for a range of learners.

You can also use extensive library and IT resources, and access support with careers and employability, study skills, health and wellbeing.

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Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

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Fees and funding

UK students

£9,790 UK students starting 2026/27 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,790 UK students starting 2026/27 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

International students

Living costs

Bursaries, scholarships and part-time work

Apply now for Education with Sustainability

UK students

Apply through UCAS

International students

Apply online

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Education with Sustainability

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

Careers

Teaching and modules

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

Facilities

Entry requirements

BA (Hons)

Important additional notes

With foundation year

Important additional notes

International students

Fees and funding

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

Apply now for Education with Sustainability

UK students

International students

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