Education MA

Place yourself at the cutting edge of education theory and practice, while developing as a forward-thinking education professional on a programme delivered full-time, part-time and online.

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Overview

Course length:	1 year full-time 2 years part-time 2 years (Burnley College) part-time 2 years (Burnley College) full-time
Start dates:	September 2025 September 2026
Location:	Edge Hill University
Example offers:	2:2 or above (or equivalent) in a related subject View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Education and Teaching
Faculty:	Education
Department:	Secondary and Further Education

The MA Education has been designed to help realise the life and career ambitions of a diverse body of professionals who are working in education and related settings. This programme promotes an unrelenting adherence to socially just and inclusive educational practice, and provides you with opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills to positively influence the lives of learners across all age phases and all types of learning needs. You will also develop skills of intellectual synthesis and analysis, critical writing, and confident dissemination to enable you to lead and transform institutions, policy, academic literature, and public debate about education. If you are seeking to develop your practice and gain expertise in the field of education, then this is the programme for you. Furthermore, the knowledge, understanding and skills nurtured on this MA will prepare individuals for further study at PhD and EdD level.

You will benefit from exceptional personalised support, tailored to your individual professional interests, and needs, and a flexible delivery model, consisting of twilight on campus sessions enhanced by activities on our VLE. The blend of students from different professional backgrounds will enable discussion, debate, and the sharing of experiences in a supportive and welcoming environment, facilitated by staff who are experts in education theory and practice. You will also develop essential transferable skills, from purposeful and effective communication to utilising a range of media, making justifiable decisions in complex and unpredictable situations, and planning appropriate targets for improvement.

We offer a range of MA Education pathways covering different age phases and learning needs as part of our professional development portfolio:

MA Education (Children and Young People’s Mental Health)

MA Education (Cognitive Science and Learning)

MA Education (Curriculum Design)

MA Education (Early Years)

MA Education (Evidence Informed Practise)

MA Education (Leadership)

MA Education (Special Educational Needs)

MA Education (Teacher Education)

Burnley College

What you'll study

The overall focus of the course is on equipping you with comprehensive, theoretical, research-informed knowledge and an understanding of differing educational perspectives in diverse contexts.

Key themes include the nature and application of theory in education, the evolution of education policy, social justice, and a critical appreciation of educational research.

Supporting your personal professional development and enhancing your research skills are essential elements of the course, preparing you for the completion of an independent research project on a relevant topic of your choice.

Applicants who wish to choose the online pathway will have the following six modules to choose from, subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. One module will be studied per term.
Semester 1
Educational Policy (PRL4040)
Educational Leadership in Context (PRL4046)
Inclusive Education: Evaluating Practice and Analysing Policy (PRL4048)

Semester 2
Social Justice (PRL4041)
Leadership of Educational Change (PRL4047)
Inclusive Practice for Learners with Special Educational Needs (PRL4062)

Compulsory modules:

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One of:

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Interpreting the Evidence Base for Educational Practice will enable you to reflect on the basis of educational practice and in particular on the role of research evidence. You will develop the skills to critically review the evidence that informs educational policy-making and organisational practice, and interrogate dominant discourses associated with what is considered to be the ‘best’ evidence within this sphere. You will cover a range of perspectives on evidence-informed practice (EIP) including, engaging with and in research, evidence-informed policy, and where EIP sits within the wider ideological landscape regarding the role and purpose of education. You will develop your critical and analytical skills as you address fundamental questions about evidence use including what forms of knowledge, and whose knowledge counts when it comes to evidence, and which forms of knowledge are overlooked or marginalised in the process. You will be encouraged to reflect upon the implications of these dominant frameworks for social justice in education.

Module code: PRL4051

Credits: 30

Assessment

100% Coursework

The Power of Playful Pedagogies provides you with an advanced overview of play and playful pedagogies within the field of early years education. You will be engaging in high levels of critical thinking about the current discourses and research related to the field of play in children's early years education. You will be involved in critical discussions about historical and contemporary definitions, theories and practices of play and playful pedagogies within the interdisciplinary and intercultural contexts and constructs of childhood. You will focus on understanding play as a pedagogy in early years from diverse personal and professional perspectives and will also have an opportunity to explore contemporary research about the role of play in different pedagogies, cultures, and societies, focusing on the tensions and challenges associated with promoting playful pedagogies within specific policy agendas. You will develop high levels of criticality and systematic understanding of the concept of play in relation to early years education.

Module code: PRL4044

Credits: 30

Assessment

100% Coursework

One of:

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Inclusive Practice for Learners with Special Educational Needs will allow you to reflect upon and consider the range of Special Educational Needs and how inclusive practice may be achieved for these learners. It will enable you to develop a greater understanding of internal and external barriers to learning and how these can impact on learners with Special Educational Needs. The module will contribute to your understanding of how inspiring practice can support those with Special Educational Needs. It is designed to enable you to critique professional practice in order to further develop understanding of the inclusion of those learners with Special Educational Needs. Concepts, ideas, and perspectives of Special Educational Needs will be examined within a mixture of theoretical frameworks and practice-based reflection. Such an approach will allow you to address issues relating to the inclusive education of learners with Special Educational Needs.

Module code: PRL4062

Credits: 30

Assessment

100% Coursework

Leadership of Educational Change explores educational leadership in relation to identifying, initiating and implementing a positive change in a range of educational settings. You will have an opportunity to engage in critical discussions associated with the theories and models of change in light of contemporary theoretical perspectives and research. The module challenges some commonly held notions of what it means to be a leader of change and you will analyse the practice(s) in your own setting, considering concepts such as ethical leadership, transformational leadership, followership, and sustainability. The module will also enable you to comprehensively understand, as well as critically analyse, the drivers of individual behaviour and performance for creating a motivated and productive team as one of the key aspects of leading a positive change. The analysis of different approaches to educational change will ensure you gain critical insights into the key aspects of change and understand their implications for effective leadership practice.

Module code: PRL4047

Credits: 30

Assessment

100% Coursework

How you'll study

The MA Education pathway is available in a variety of modes of study for example part-time and full-time face-to-face, and online. Online study will only be available in the part-time mode.

Taught sessions are built around dialogue, discussion and collaborative learning, with tutor support and expertise immediately at hand. Teaching is interactive, experiential and innovative, using a variety of technologies to enhance your learning, from presentation tools and virtual classrooms to mixed media, social media and mobile technologies. The programme will be tailored to enable you to focus your learning on your individual interests and professional requirements.

Each 30-credit module may typically involve a weekly session of 3 hours (during the day for full-time and twilight for part-time) and a significant amount of private study, as well as reading and independent research.

How you'll be assessed

You will be assessed through a combination of 5,000-word written assignments, project work, portfolios and presentations, as well as a 10,000 word research report and summary. Opportunities to receive formative feedback are embedded into each module.

Who will be teaching you

The programme is delivered by a team of research-active academic staff who have extensive expertise in education and its related disciplines.

The work of the programme team has national and international impact, contributing to and informing education curricula and learning techniques, both in the UK and overseas.

Their research interests include educational policy and practice, educational leadership, educational philosophy as well as research methods and methodologies.

You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

Entry criteria

An undergraduate degree (normally a 2.2 or above) in a field related to education or an equivalent qualification acceptable to Edge Hill University. Applicants, who come from a different academic background, which is equivalent to degree level, or have 2 or more years of relevant work experience, are welcome to apply. Or a Masters degree or equivalent in a relevant field.

English language requirements

You are expected to have English language proficiency minimally equivalent to overall 6.5 with no element below 6.0.

How to apply

Please note, this course is now closed for 2024 applications.

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred mode and location of study.

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Facilities

The Faculty of Education enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of transformative education, training and research for the teaching and education workforce. Housed in a state-of-the-art £9m building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.

Facilities in the lakeside building include a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, and 18 teaching rooms complete with the latest technology.

Our nearby piazza building houses our Research Hub and our Secondary and Further Education department including a lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms.

If you choose to study at Burnley College you will study in their purpose-built, cutting-edge facilities. Burnley College University Courses environment is custom-designed to ensure you have access to the resources, the materials and the tools you need to empower you on your educational journey. BCUC has recently expanded with three whole new storeys packed with cutting-edge facilities including state-of-the-art laboratories, large social spaces for relaxation, brand-new study areas, a futuristic lecture theatre, a café for catching up with friends or studies, an expanded library, access to advice, guidance and the very latest learning technologies.

Where you'll study

Finance

Tuition fees

£9,250

for the course

£51 per credit

for 180 credits

£17,000

for the course

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University.

Money Matters

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see our EU student finance page for further details.

Your future career

Preparing you for a wide variety of roles across the education workforce in the UK and internationally, this MA can enhance your professional career opportunities and employability.

On successful completion of the programme, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to make a significant and positive contribution to a range of education settings and education-related contexts.

You will graduate well placed to apply for more senior positions both within your current workplace and with other providers. The skills and experience acquired through this MA will also provide you with essential preparation for progressing onto research qualifications, such as a PhD or Professional Doctorate.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.