The School of Education and Lifelong Learning was formed in 2003 as a merger between the Department of Education and the Centre for Continuing Education.

The School offers both MPhil and PhD degrees. These are research-based degrees, in which students undertake individual research projects under close academic supervision from within the department. They can be studied full or part-time.

The MPhil normally takes one year of full-time research (two years part-time), after which students complete and submit a dissertation of around 60,000 words.

The PhD normally takes three years of full-time research (five years part-time), after which students complete and submit a dissertation of 80-100,000 words.

Research Interests

Research supervision is available in a number of areas, including childhood studies, rural education and pedagogic research.

Some of the research themes within the Department include:

Pedagogic research including:

learning and teaching
subject knowledge and understanding
ICT assessment
assessment for learning
achievement
bilingual context

Childhood Studies including:

how children learn; gender studies
achievement
health and wellbeing studies
healthy schools
curriculum development in Wales and elsewhere in the UK
special educational needs

Rural Education including:

partnerships in education;
community education
National and local educational policy and the impact on small schools
14-19 Learning Pathway
adult education