BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs & Disability Studies

Jonathan: In the first year, we give more of a kind of introduction to disability studies, and that is kind of good and fits with the placement aspects of the course because it gives you the theoretical grounding on which to act with confidence in a workplace when it comes to placement times. So the kind of blend between practical and theoretical learning is a real strength of the course.

Ruby: I've known that I've always wanted to work with like children or adults with special needs, especially because I've had like personal experience with it from home. And so I saw this course available and thought that, that's what I wanted to do and I liked how it was at a small uni, which meant I could get support if I needed it. I really enjoyed doing placement in second year and first year because that sort of proved what areas I want to go into, and the modules that are focused more on disability I really enjoyed as well.

Jonathan's a lecture that has come in this year, and he's had experience with disability himself in his personal life, so he can bring to us the personal experiences as well as like the wider society views and stuff on disability, and gives us that view.

Stephaine: So I'm a children's practitioner with the London Borough of Sutton. I work in the Social Services Children Disabilities Team, and part of that is I manage cases where disabled children have short breaks, whether that's overnights or support workers, and I kind of manage that and make sure the family are getting the support they need and are okay. So my time at Marjon was fantastic. The lectures were phenomenal. Any questions I had, they went above and beyond and answered the questions even more thoroughly that I ever expected. Hear the lectures in my ear kind of saying, "No you should do this," and "This is what the family need." And so it really prepared me more than I could ever imagined.