MA Education

Develop your knowledge and understanding of education and educational research with our MA Education degree.

Offered by the University of Reading’s Institute of Education, this programme examines the broader philosophical, sociological, and psychological aspects and issues related to leadership, teaching, mentoring and research in education.

Take the steps to achieve your career aspirations and have a direct, positive impact on the lives of students in your care. The course is designed to enhance the analytical and research skills that you will need to pursue your desired career, whether you choose to specialise in teaching and working with children and young people in schools and other education settings, develop your profile in education leadership and policy to bring about change, or investigate the research and scholarship that influences professional practice and decision-making in education.

After you enrol, you can then choose to follow the general programme or specialise by module choice.

Flexible study options

Designed to meet the needs of busy professionals, the course is offered both on a full-time and a part-time basis. Several modules are taught outside regular working hours to accommodate the needs of full-time working students.

Your learning environment

At the Institute of Education, you will join a thriving community of education practitioners and scholars. Our staff specialise in a wide range of topics relating to education, including:

education and social justice
inclusive education
education policy
language education
arts and music
education teaching and mentoring
leadership and schooling of all ages, from early years to adult education.

The Institute of Education is rated in the top quartile of education departments in the UK with 98% of our research being of international standing. 100% of our environment submissions rated 4* and 3* conducive to producing internationally excellent research and very considerable impact. (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Education).

Our students come from all around the world, and our work is rooted in our local community of partnership schools and educational settings.

How you’ll learn

Our experts are passionate about giving you opportunities to learn through a variety of contexts and developing your skills in education research and critical enquiry into education practice.

During your course you’ll benefit from:

professionally relevant academic content – Our tutor team are active researchers and scholars in education, many of whom also have experience working as teachers, education consultants and policy advisors. Their research and practice directly informs the focus and content of your course.
small class sizes – We offer an excellent staff-student ratio across our taught modules, and you will receive individual dissertation supervision. Our teaching is interactive, practical and discursive, giving you plenty of opportunities to develop your academic skills.
student enrichment – All students take a non-credit-bearing student enrichment module which includes both an Academic English programme and focused study support. This programme helps you to develop strong academic literacy skills throughout your studies, allowing you to develop effective academic reading, writing, analysis and discussion skills. Students are also encouraged to volunteer with Students in Schools to gain experience of different primary and secondary settings.
on-campus facilities – Teaching takes place on the University’s historic London Road campus, a dedicated world-class education centre. You will study in custom-built teaching spaces for more specialist subjects, including: modern laboratories; musical studios; well-equipped art studios; and the Learning Hub, which offers treasure trove of teaching aids for loan or reference for teachers and students.

Choosing a specialism

Alongside your core modules, you can choose from a range of optional modules which span various topics. You may also select modules to follow a specific pathway, tailoring your degree to your chosen specialism. The available specialisms are:

MA Education (Early Years) – Explore research in child development and the wider context of families, communities and educational settings in which young children learn.
MA Education (Inclusive Education) – Explore what diversity means for education, and how to make teaching more inclusive by investigating inclusive teaching and learning for all pupils.
MA Education (Leadership and Management) – Develop your leadership skills by critically examining research-based models of leadership for change in education.
MA Education (Research Methods) – Study the qualitative and quantitative research methods used in education research in depth. This specialism is only available for students on the SENSS Social Sciences Studentships funded Doctoral Training Partnership.
MA Education (Creativity in Education) – Explore the many ways that educators can be innovative by encouraging learning through playful exploration and fostering creativity in all learners and teachers in all subjects and age phases.

Overview

Develop your knowledge and understanding of education and educational research with our MA Education degree.

After you enrol, you can then choose to follow the general programme or specialise by module choice.

Flexible study options

Learning

Your learning environment

At the Institute of Education, you will join a thriving community of education practitioners and scholars. Our staff specialise in a wide range of topics relating to education, including:

education and social justice
inclusive education
education policy
language education
arts and music
education teaching and mentoring
leadership and schooling of all ages, from early years to adult education.

Our students come from all around the world, and our work is rooted in our local community of partnership schools and educational settings.

How you’ll learn

Our experts are passionate about giving you opportunities to learn through a variety of contexts and developing your skills in education research and critical enquiry into education practice.

During your course you’ll benefit from:

professionally relevant academic content – Our tutor team are active researchers and scholars in education, many of whom also have experience working as teachers, education consultants and policy advisors. Their research and practice directly informs the focus and content of your course.
small class sizes – We offer an excellent staff-student ratio across our taught modules, and you will receive individual dissertation supervision. Our teaching is interactive, practical and discursive, giving you plenty of opportunities to develop your academic skills.
student enrichment – All students take a non-credit-bearing student enrichment module which includes both an Academic English programme and focused study support. This programme helps you to develop strong academic literacy skills throughout your studies, allowing you to develop effective academic reading, writing, analysis and discussion skills. Students are also encouraged to volunteer with Students in Schools to gain experience of different primary and secondary settings.
on-campus facilities – Teaching takes place on the University’s historic London Road campus, a dedicated world-class education centre. You will study in custom-built teaching spaces for more specialist subjects, including: modern laboratories; musical studios; well-equipped art studios; and the Learning Hub, which offers treasure trove of teaching aids for loan or reference for teachers and students.

Choosing a specialism

MA Education (Early Years) – Explore research in child development and the wider context of families, communities and educational settings in which young children learn.
MA Education (Inclusive Education) – Explore what diversity means for education, and how to make teaching more inclusive by investigating inclusive teaching and learning for all pupils.
MA Education (Leadership and Management) – Develop your leadership skills by critically examining research-based models of leadership for change in education.
MA Education (Research Methods) – Study the qualitative and quantitative research methods used in education research in depth. This specialism is only available for students on the SENSS Social Sciences Studentships funded Doctoral Training Partnership.
MA Education (Creativity in Education) – Explore the many ways that educators can be innovative by encouraging learning through playful exploration and fostering creativity in all learners and teachers in all subjects and age phases.

Entry requirements

The deadline for applications to this programme is 1 August 2024.

You may be offered a place on an MA Education programme provided you meet all of the requirements listed. If you are in the process of completing or achieving these requirements, then a conditional offer may be made pending satisfactory completion of the offer requirements.

You hold, or are predicted to achieve, a 2.2 or above UK honours degree or equivalent non-UK qualification normally in Education Studies, or Education Studies with another subject. Other subjects will be accepted if you can demonstrate in your professional experience and/or personal statement that you have an active interest in education and/or an appropriate level of professional experience.
You present a personal statement that details your rationale for applying for the MA Education programme. It should explain your motivations for taking the programme.
International applicants must hold IELTS 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0 (or equivalent).

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score, you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Structure

Modules

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Core modules:

Investigating Education

The aim of this module is to provide students with an overview of approaches to research in education. You will learn how to understand and evaluate research studies and develop a critical approach to research design and methods. You will develop academic literacies and academic integrity in writing about education research design and methods.

Analysing Research Data in Education

The aim of the module is to provide students with practical knowledge to analyse data collected from Education-related research. It also aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand and evaluate a variety of quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods and to independently carry out a small-scale empirical research study for their dissertation.

Dissertation

On this module, you will develop an understanding in depth of the chosen area and produce a high quality, fully referenced dissertation (15,000 words) supported by appropriate evidence. You will develop and make use of all academic skills in identifying and defining a research topic, applying appropriate research techniques to collect original data, analysing the data and where relevant, offering practical conclusions. You will be required to display academic rigour in carrying out the agreed research and in presenting findings and develop an argument for a considered and well-informed dissertation.

Optional modules

Future Leaders in Education

This module will equip students with the tools to critically evaluate policy and practice and develop models of sustainable leadership in education. Different policy agendas and institutional approaches will be examined in this module. Reflection will be supported through engaging and reflecting upon the views of a range of ‘expert witnesses’ with varying levels of educational and / or political authority.

Families and Learning

This module provides a theoretical understanding of issues relevant to the topic of families and learning. The questions raised draw upon theoretical models such as family systems, attachment and parenting styles and feminist research in mothering/teaching. The module enables students to analyse family structures and dynamics and to relate styles of parenting to real-life examples. It also introduces sociological research, both quantitative and qualitative in the field of families and education. It also enables students to apply their understanding to professional contexts. Formal and informal opportunities are provided for participants to reflect upon professional work with families and to apply theories and insights.

Educating Diverse Groups

This module provides an opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of the diverse groups that are seen in schools and settings. This includes children with disabilities as well as other disadvantaged groups that a teacher may see in a mainstream classroom. It explores the theoretical basis for inclusion as well as the impact this has on practice. It will also debate the impact that diverse groups have on society. Topics covered include: inclusion, social justice, the way England supports diverse groups of children including some specific disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia, as well as how we support other minority groups such as issues relating to gender, socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnicity. etc. Each session will start with an exploration of recent academic literature and provide a description, history and current research.

The Creative Educator

In this module we explore the value of creativity in education, how it manifests and can be facilitated in different disciplines. You will interrogate your own understanding as a creative educator through practice-based approaches in the arts to develop and challenge possible educational futures in your own contexts. The module draws on research, practice and social debates around creativity, imagination and cultural integrity in education. It explores the transformational agency of creative learning and competencies across diverse and different educational models and contexts. You will develop your understanding with particular reference to key theoretical approaches and research in the creative arts with an emphasis on practical responses and policy perspectives. The module will consider the psychological significance of creativity/ies in human nature and its potentialities for health and well-being. This will include understandings of creativity in educational futures and consider what alternatives they offer within and beyond formal education. Through this module, you will explore the ways in which children and young people use their imagination in creative learning and make sense of their practical and arts rich experiences.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £10,800

New international students: £22,350

Tuition fee information

The fees listed are for full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fees are calculated pro rata for flexible modular study.

Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

Our master’s programme is the ideal qualification for educators at all points in their careers. Where students choose to pursue a specialism, they may wish to use this to further develop their professional expertise in education and teaching.

Our graduates use their master's degrees to progress to higher levels in a variety of educational and education-related settings, such as:

management in schools and colleges, including headship qualifications
leadership positions in government and charitable trusts
policy and curriculum design at national and international levels.

Other graduates have gone on to work in educational consultancy, using their education research skills to develop careers as specialist advisors in their chosen area of expertise in education.

The MA Education provides you with the knowledge and skills to carry out quantitative and qualitative education research and projects in education and related areas of educational philosophy and sociology, policy and government, leadership and management, and educational psychology. It is also the ideal foundation for doctoral study on the EdD and PhD programmes at the University of Reading.

MA Education

Flexible study options

Your learning environment

How you’ll learn

Choosing a specialism

Tuition fee information

EU student fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

Ready for more?