Gain a clear understanding of the nature and significance of policy and practice in education, relevant to researchers as well as professionals in schools, colleges and universities.
The MA in Education provides outstanding opportunities to study a wide range of educational issues. It will provide you with a clear understanding of the nature and significance of policy and practice in education, relevant to researchers as well as professionals in schools, colleges and universities.
A key feature of the course is the facility for you to draw on your own professional and personal as well as academic and theoretical interests, through being able to choose from a range of optional modules to study (see below). You will also be able to explore your own interests in depth through the completion of a dissertation.
In all of our modules, we aim to introduce you to key ideas and ways of thinking that enable you to engage with related issues in contexts that are relevant to you. Our course is constructed in such a way that contexts as diverse as science education in schools, informal learning in the workplace and the management of schools outside the UK, can be explored through module assignments as well as the dissertation.
The degree has been designed to meet the needs of educational professionals, especially those in teaching, management or administration at all levels of education. Students likely to benefit from the course are those who are interested in education, often teachers or people planning to become teachers, who have a commitment to pedagogy, and educational managers in schools, colleges and higher education institutions, as well as those working in educational administration, in the UK and overseas.
Students who have successfully completed the PGCE at Durham in the previous academic year have the option to use 90 credits they have accredited on this course.
The MA Education comprises compulsory core, and optional modules, designed to provide you with a critical understanding of theories, research, and issues relevant to your chosen course of study.
Course structure
Year 1 modules
Core modules:
Design and Methods in Education Research
introduces key issues, terms, and ideas in education research. It teaches a range of key research skills including the evaluation of research techniques across different research contexts and the ability to conduct a high-quality study. You will learn to recognise the different purposes of education research; understand key terms and vocabulary in education research and develop a critical standpoint in relation to research in education.
Conceptual Perspectives in Education
engages with some of the key debates in education today and considers the role of ‘theory’ in the research process. You will develop an understanding of the ways in which education theories and/or conceptual frameworks inform the types of questions researchers ask about education and learn how this contributes to educational research.
Dissertation
is a substantial piece of research based on an educational issue within your chosen field of study. You will use an approved research strategy to design and carry out your research and report the outcomes.
Optional modules:
You will select modules from a list of options, which in previous years have included some of the following:
Secondary Data in Education Research
Ethnographies of Education
Measurement in Education Research
Interviews
Narrative Inquiry - Methodology and Methods
Experiments in Education
Systematic Reviews (MA Education)
Synthesis of Research Evidence through Meta-Analysis
Student Engagement: An Agent of Change for Positive Youth Development and Learning Success
Critical Perspectives in Education
Leading Change in Educational Organisations
International Development and Education in a Global World
The Case for Higher Education: From Precarity to Empowerment
Enhancing Teaching and Learning for Purposeful Productive Thought
Digital Technologies and Education: Critical Perspectives
Our postgraduate taught courses place an emphasis on empowering students to be autonomous, independent learners. The taught modules introduce content which is further developed through the use of online resources, key reading, independent study and research; enabling you to cultivate initiative, originality and critical thinking.
Modules are delivered using a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials.
The MA dissertation is a significant piece of independent research bringing together theory, method, and practice developed through the taught modules. Support is provided through individual supervisor, a dissertation coordinator and specialist dissertation workshops.
Assessment
The majority of core and optional modules are assessed via written assignments; a small number of modules include review essays and portfolio work.
The 15,000-word dissertation, supported by a conference presentation, makes up one third of your credits. In comparison to undergraduate level study, you will find that a Master’s degree requires an increased level of independent learning.
Entry requirements
We typically require a 2:1 Bachelor (Honours) degree (or overseas equivalent), in any degree subject.
Significant relevant experience will also be considered.
A personal statement should include an outline of your interest and understanding of your chosen programme.
International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.
Home students who do not meet our direct entry requirements, may be eligible for our Foundation Programme which offers multidisciplinary programmes to prepare you for a range of specified degree programmes.
The fees for this academic year have not been confirmed yet.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only.
The consistently high ranking of the School gives us a worldwide reputation for the quality of not only our teaching but the skills and knowledge of our postgraduate community. The delivery of the subject by relevant academic experts brings together world class research, innovative teaching and exceptional support.
Your time as a member of our student community places you in the strong position to pursue a successful career in a range of different sectors. Career opportunities in education are numerous, rewarding, and far reaching.
Most of our PGCE graduates go directly into teaching whilst MA graduates progress into a wide range of roles including educational research, publishing, education administration, policy making and management plus jobs in commercial or public sectors.
Department information
Education
One of the leading education establishments in the UK, Durham’s School of Education provides the skills and experience necessary whether you aspire to become an outstanding teacher, contribute to educational development, or carry out vital research that informs the creation of education practice and policy.
The School of Education offers both teacher training and non-teacher training education programmes, set within a vibrant and engaged learning community of around sixty academic staff and 350 postgraduates. We are a leading educational research centre with strong international ties and numerous partner relationships with schools and colleges.
Our postgraduate courses are flexible and allow you to follow a particular interest. They include MAs in Education, Educational Leadership and Change and Intercultural Communication and Education. We also offer a range of PGCE qualifications at primary and secondary levels and in specific school subjects.
We provide opportunities for learning from academic staff who are leading research and teaching experts in their fields. They underpin our School’s commitment to conducting research that contributes to shaping educational practice and policy, develops educational research and methodologies, informs school improvements and supports the professional development of teachers around the world.
Our portfolio of research projects attracts interest and financial support from important bodies who have a key role in developing education in the UK. They include the Economic and Social Research Council, the Nuffield Foundation, the Sutton Trust, and the Education Endowment Foundation, as well as a range of other organisations and charities.
Facilities
The School is located at Lower Mountjoy on the main University campus and is not far from the centre of Durham with its UNESCO World Heritage status and the beautiful Cathedral.
Apply
Find out more:
Apply for a postgraduate course (including PGCE International) via our online portal.
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