Postgraduate Module Descriptor


EDUM033: Primary Curriculum Studies

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The principal aims of the module are to:

  • enable you to gain a comprehensive understanding of theory and practice in the key areas of English, Communication and Languages, Mathematical understanding and Scientific understanding;
  • enable you to gain an introduction to the teaching of the Arts, Physical Education (PE), Humanities, Music and Modern Languages (ML), Computing in primary school settings;
  • help you meet the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status and thus be in a very good position to gain employment as a primary school teacher; 
  • nurture your development as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner who is able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and curriculum theory.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, ML, Computing and engage in critical debate about current educational issues, drawing on evidence from theory, research and practice;
2. recognise pupils’ learning needs in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, ML, Computing and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work;
3. demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic subject knowledge to teach in the primary phase of education;
4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, Computing and ML;
Discipline-Specific Skills5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice;
6. synthesise relevant educational literature to support understanding of children’s development in the primary curriculum;
7. appreciate the potential for cross curricular, integrated and themed approaches;
Personal and Key Skills8. manage your own learning;
9. be aware of your own effective learning strategies;
10. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes; and
11. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, committee based, etc.).