Introductory description

This module explores issues within widening participation policy and practice in higher education. It analyses the relationships between education and social mobility to develop an understanding of the different stages of the student lifecycle approach to widening participation (recruitment, retention, progression and lifelong learning). It considers the relationship between meritocracy and education and how widening participation policy and practice impacts on different social groups in the UK and in selected global case studies.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Widening Participation in Higher Education
Meritocracy and Educational (In)Equality in Schools
University Outreach and Recruitment
Theoretical Perspectives on Widening Participation
Study skills and essay writing
Contextual Data and University Admissions
Marketisation of Higher Education
Higher Education as Transformative Learning
Retention and Progression
Widening Participation and Gender
Widening Participation and Race
Disability in Higher Education:
The Politics of Care
Lifelong Learning
Global perspectives I - Widening Participation in the USA
Global perspectives II - Widening Participation in India and South Africa
Rethinking Widening Participation Policies

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Explore issues within widening participation policy and practice in higher education.
• Analyse the relationships between education and social mobility.
• Develop an understanding of the different stages of the student lifecycle approach to widening participation.
• Consider how widening participation policy and practice impacts on different social groups (particularly by race and gender).
• Assess contemporary government debates on widening participation.

Indicative reading list

Archer, L., Hutchings, M., & Ross, A. Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of exclusion and inclusion (RoutledgeFalmer, 2003).
Arrow, K., Bowles, S, and Durlauf, S. Meritocracy and Economic Inequality (Princeton UP, 2000).
Bhopal, K. and Maylor, U. Educational Inequalities: Difference and Diversity in Schools and Higher Education (Routledge, 2013).
Bourdieu, P. ‘The Forms of Capital’. In J. Richardson, Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (Greenwood, 1986).
Burke, P.J. Accessing education: effectively widening participation (Trentham, 2002).
Cavanagh, M., Against Equality of Opportunity (Oxford UP, 2003).
Cole, M. Education, Equality and Human Rights: issues of gender, 'race', sexuality (RoutledgeFalmer, 2000).
Curren, R. (ed.), A Companion to the Philosophy of Education (Blackwell, 2005).
Devine, F. Class Practices: How parents help their children get good jobs (Cambridge UP, 2004).
Fuller, A., Heath, S. and Johnston, B. Rethinking widening participation in higher education: the role of social networks (Routledge, 2011).
Haydon. G. (ed.) Educational Equality (Continuum 2nd.ed, 2010).
Hinton-Smith, T. Widening participation in higher education: casting the net wide? (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012).
Jackson, S. Challenges and inequalities in lifelong learning and social justice (Routledge, 2013).
Lareau, A. Unequal Childhoods (University of California Press, 2nd ed. 2011).
Lareau, A. and D. Conley (eds.), Social Class: How Does it Work? (Sage, 2008).
Matherson, D. An Introduction to the Study of Education (Routledge, 2008).
Meyer, K. (ed.) Education, Justice and the Human Good (Routledge, 2014).
Molesworth, M., Nixon, N. and Scullion, R. The marketisation of higher education: the student as consumer (Routledge, 2011).
Murray, N. and Klinger, C.M. Aspirations, access, and attainment: international perspectives on widening participation and an agenda for change (Routledge, 2014).
Reay, D., David, M. and Ball, S. Degrees of Choice. Social Class, Race and Gender in Higher Education (Trentham Books, 2005).
Taylor, Y. Educational Diversity: The Subject of Difference and Different Subjects (Palgrave Macmillan 2012).
Thomas, L. Widening participation in post-compulsory education (Continuum, 2001).
Tooley, J., Reclaiming Education (Cassell, 2000).
Vincent, C. Social Justice, Education and Identity (RoutledgeFalmer, 2003).
Warikoo, N.K. The Diversity Bargain: and other dilemmas of race, admissions, and meritocracy at elite universities (University of Chicago Press, 2016).

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate a critical understanding of key issues that shape and inform widening participation policies and practices in UK higher education.
Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of key aspects relevant to this particular field of study, including acquisition of detailed knowledge informed by the defined aspects of the discipline.
Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
Demonstrate an ability to apply methods and techniques learned in order to review, consolidate and apply knowledge and understanding.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate an ability to deploy techniques of analysis within this particular discipline.
Demonstrate an ability to solve problems, using ideas and techniques at the forefront of this particular discipline, and to comment upon aspects of current research.
Demonstrate an ability to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, including research articles appropriate to the discipline.
Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate arguments, make judgements, and frame appropriate questions in order to achieve a solution to a particular problem.
Demonstrate an ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility and also the learning ability needed to undertake further training of a professional nature.
Demonstrate their ability to present complex ideas in both written and oral form.