Thursday 23rd February 2017, 11:19am
This September a brand new degree course will be available to those looking to develop a career in outdoor education.
Introduced by Perth College UHI, the BA (Hons) Outdoor Education and Learning degree is the only undergraduate degree in Scotland to focus wholly on using the outdoors in education and learning, combining theory and practice to help students become fully rounded outdoor educators.
Dave Girling, programme leader, said students who successfully completed the new course would have a qualification that is strongly linked and recognised by the outdoor industry, with significant practical elements.
With study at the state-of-the-art Academy of Sport and Wellbeing at Perth College UHI, the course will offer practical experience and placement opportunities, with subjects including: the outdoor classroom, outdoor learning with a Scottish context, bushcraft, residential outdoor education, mountains and morphology, and more. There will also be support to complete National Governing Body awards.
Mr Girling said: “Students will explore how outdoor activities and learning opportunities can nurture and support participants to develop and grow. They will also gain an understanding of education systems and how to design and instruct accredited outdoor experiences.
“These experiences could be early years outdoor learning sessions, school outdoor learning activities through to expeditions or residential ventures, all of which students will gain practical experience of within the degree.
“On successful completion, they will have an excellent knowledge of leading, coaching and educating.”
Mr Girling said that in devising the course the college spoke with institutes, trusts, agencies, service, authorities, businesses and associations, and created the structure of the degree with their support.
“The relationship with these organisations has deepened through this process and they are now helping the lecturing staff to write the modules that relate to their particular specialism. This means every module is forward facing, relevant to the field and has employability at its core.”
Partnerships have meant the Adventure Activity Licensing Service (AALS) has helped write the safety modules; the Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL) helped write modules looking at the interpersonal skills; the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) has helped write module on Exploration, Expeditions and Geography; the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Outwards Bound Trust have written about Experiential Education, and the Scottish Canoe Association and UK Canyon Guides helped write their respective modules.
The degree course breaks down to:
Year One:
Year Two:
Year Three:
Year Four:
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