ASP._Page_site_elements_razor_entry_records_course_record_cshtml

What makes Education at Worcester special?

The MA Education is a flexibly taught and inclusive masters course designed primarily for those who work or aspire to work in any field of education and training and whose aim is to develop and improve upon their practice, enhance their professional profile and engage in rigorous research and high level inquiry into their working context. 

Whatever stage you are at in your career, we invite you to come and join our learning community. We will equip you as you enter the next phase of your professional life to achieve the excellence you desire for yourselves and those you seek to inspire. 

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Awards: The course offers the following awards:  
    • MA Education (180 credits)  
    • Postgraduate Diploma Education (120 credits) 
    • Postgraduate Certificate Education (60 credits)

These non-specialist awards offer maximum flexibility, with students able to choose optional modules from the full range available

  • Specialist pathways: The choice of a number of specialist pathway awards are also available in the following areas:  Early Childhood, Leadership and Management, Mentoring and Coaching, and Special and Inclusive Education
  • Flexibility: The programme of study can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Modules are delivered at weekends, in the evenings and online to maximise accessibility and to allow students to retain their other professional and family commitments
  • International and full-time route: This route meets the needs of professionals wishing to study and familiarise themselves with the UK educational environment alongside their own contrasting experience. The programme consists of two taught modules in each of the first two semesters and a dissertation in the first half of the second year
  • To find about Summer Schools abroad, please contact the course team.
A student wearing a face mask with colourful lanterns behind her

Summer Schools

Study abroad with an international summer school and see how different countries approach education.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

General admission requirements for entry to the programme are: 

  • A good honours degree (2.2 or above) and a significant interest in education and/or equivalent professional qualifications, experience and evidence of continuing professional development
  • International students must hold a qualification equivalent to a UK first or second class honours degree
  • All International student for whom English is not their first language are required to achieve IELTS 6.5 or equivalency – with no less than 5.5 in any element. Additional information can be found on our English Language requirements page

See Admissions Policy for other acceptable qualifications.

Please note that, if you are a student route student your visa will not permit you to study remotely via online learning whilst you are in the UK. Student route students are not permitted to study online modules on this course. As a result, Student Route students are not permitted to take the Early Childhood pathway.

Other information

Students with relevant previous study at postgraduate level or with extensive experience may be considered eligible for recognition of prior learning.  Please contact the Registry Admissions Office for further information or guidance on 01905 855111. 

Further information on Recognition of Prior Learning can be found on our Registry Services pages

For further information, please get in touch with the Education CPD office on cpdeducation@worc.ac.uk

Pathways

Studying our MA Education (generic route) will allow you free choice of some modules and allows students to gain a broad knowledge and understanding in a number of key areas. 

The MA Education also embraces a number of specialist pathways, which will allow you to deepen your knowledge and understanding in an area of particular relevance to your current (or future) professional context. 

These pathways are:

Bethany Foden

Bethany Foden

I really enjoyed completing my Masters in Education. I found the mentoring and coaching module really insightful. The managing behaviour module also provided me with a lot more information about managing behaviour (and I had a strong base to begin with), and a range of strategies I wished I’d known the year before. Now that I am working in class I find that I am using a lot of what I learnt, on a daily basis. 

 

Helene Rogers

Hélène Rogers

The lecturers at the University of Worcester made me feel at ease, offered support and thorough and timely feedback, making studying alongside working full time as Head of Department possible. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and it really made me want to study at MA level. 

I completed the NPQML and, in 2017, I decided to start the MA course. By that time, I was Head of Faculty, SLE and mother to two children and, despite leading a very busy lifestyle, I have found that the course was flexible enough to enable me to carry it out successfully which I did in October 2019. I cannot recommend the course highly enough as it has given me the tools to become an effective and reflective mentor and has had a very positive impact on my career. 

Catherine Atkinson

My experience of completing my Masters in Education at the University of Worcester was one of challenge and reward. Completing the course at the same time as working full time in school was, at times, a struggle, but enabled me to strengthen my time management skills. The greatest challenge was not getting carried away with the academic reading, I found I would get totally engrossed in a topic but sometimes need to reign myself back to stay focussed. The support from the University and staff was exemplary, hearing from previous participants and learning from their experiences was particularly useful. My tutor was always there, either on the end of the phone, in person or by email. The individual tutor sessions honed my learning but also challenged me to question my own thinking and develop my criticality. 

I would highly recommend studying for a masters at the University of Worcester. 

Ruth Leak

Ruth Leak

I chose to do an MA in Education at the University of Worcester to develop my knowledge for the job I was already doing. I am a social worker and my role at the time was arranging work based placements for student social workers. 

The stimulating and inclusive teaching dispelled any concerns about not having studied for several years. Lecturers and other students were welcoming, interested to hear about social work and happy to share their experience of education. Arrangements for tutorials were flexible. When life was busy, support was available via emails or phone calls as an alternative to face to face meetings. 

I took my time, successfully completing the course in three years but others qualified sooner. I am delighted that the MA equipped me with the knowledge and skills to move into an academic post in the University of Birmingham’s Social Work and Social Care Department. 

Sevde Isteyin

Sevde Isteyin

Sevde joined the University of Worcester’s MA Education as, having had a background in human resources (HR) in Turkey, she wanted to learn more about coaching and mentoring. She was thinking of starting her own coaching business when she returned to Turkey, as her research showed that coaching was still in its early stages there. 

In relation to moving overseas to study, Sevde says: “I found an environment at the University of Worcester where new ideas are welcome, there is clear communication and tutors pay special attention to help you realise that you are not alone.” 

Having returned to her home country in summer 2019, Sevde says that “feeling empowered in the field of coaching, I’m beginning my career with steady steps and a clear path. I’m pleased that I joined the MA Education and am starting to reap the benefits.”  

Course content

Course content

We regularly review our courses to reflect the latest research and developments in the subject area, as well as feedback from students, employers and the wider sector. As a result, modules may change to ensure the course remains current and relevant.

Please note that, if you are a student route student your visa will not permit you to study remotely via online learning whilst you are in the UK. Student route students are not permitted to study online modules on this course. As a result, Student Route students are not permitted to take the Early Childhood pathway.

Awards

In many cases it is possible to gain credit for previous study or experience. Previous study at the same level in other institutions is recognised as transferred academic credit, and professional learning can be analysed through the completion of an Independent Study. Up to 50% of taught elements of the award for which you are registered may be achieved through Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).

It is possible to study towards a Masters award (five modules) or either of the interim awards:

Postgraduate Certificate

To gain a Postgraduate Certificate students must successfully complete two modules, which may be all taught or a combination of taught and individual study modules.

Postgraduate Diploma

After completing the Postgraduate Certificate, it is possible to complete a further two modules to achieve the award of Postgraduate Diploma.

International Pathway

This pathway meets the needs of professionals wishing to study and familiarise themselves with the UK educational environment alongside their own contrasting experience. The programme consists of two taught modules in each of the first two semesters and a Dissertation in the third semester. A Masters Degree can enhance your career aspirations and offers you the chance to excel through promotional opportunities. It may enable you to work in management and advisory roles.

Programme Structure

Programme Structure (Generic MA Education)

MA Education - 180 credits

MA Education students are required to complete Contemporary Issues in Education: Theory, Policy and Practice (30 credits), Research Methods in Education (30 credits), two optional modules (30 credits each), plus a Dissertation (60 credits). 

Postgraduate Diploma Education - 120 credits

PG Dip students are required to complete Contemporary Issues in Education: Theory, Policy and Practice (30 credits) and three optional modules (30 credits each). 

Postgraduate Certificate Education - 60 credits

PG Cert students choose any two modules (30 credits each). 

Modules

Mandatory Modules

  • Research Methods in Education  
  • Contemporary Issues in Education: Theory, Policy and Practice 
  • Dissertation in Education 

Optional Modules (Generic Route)

  • Developing Learning Communities 
  • Understanding and Developing Pedagogy 
  • Leadership in Context 
  • Leadership, Theory, Research and Practice 
  • An Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring 
  • The Practice of Coaching and Mentoring 
  • Current Issues in Religion, Worldviews and Values Education 
  • Interpretations of SEND - Critical Concepts and Issues 
  • Supporting Dimensions of Need in SEND 
  • Negotiated Learning 
  • Negotiated Learning: Employment-based Critical Reflection 
  • Negotiated Learning: Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy 
  • Enhancing Learning and Teaching 

NB – Optional modules are not guaranteed to run during every academic year. 
Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and the university VLE.  Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures. Tutorials offer additional support both during taught modules and significantly through offering supervision for the dissertation. The VLE is employed to support face-to-face sessions with additional resources and is also utilised to deliver online modules, on both a synchronous and asynchronous basis, where journals and discussion forums are also hosted. Four modules are delivered online to add to the flexibility and accessibility of MA provision; these are available to all students (MAED4118, MAED4119, MAED4101 & MAED4106). Online modules mirror the content of their face-to-face counterparts whilst adding additional activities, which offer online interaction including formative and summative feedback on assignments, blogs, and discussion fora. Reading Lists, including direct links to many of the required / recommended sources, are available online through Talis Aspire. Assessment grades and written feedback are likewise made available via module VLEs.  

You are assigned a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT); the PAT will work with them throughout their studies on the MA. Meetings with PATs are formally scheduled on at least 2 occasions in the year.  

Contact time

Modules for the MA in Education are delivered in a number of ways; consequently, the precise contact time depends on the options selected and the mode of delivery. Modules are offered during the weekends on Saturdays, on weekday evenings and via online learning. 

In a typical week full-time students will have around four to ten contact hours of teaching, and part-time students two to five contact hours of teaching. The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected. During completion of the dissertation students are supported through supervision, which as a minimum includes six hours of one-to-one support.

Typically, class contact time will be structured around:

  • FT 2-4 hours lectures, PT 1-2 hours lectures
  • FT 2-6 hours seminars, PT 1-3 hours seminars 

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, FT students are expected to undertake around 30 hours of personal self-study per week and PT students 15 hours of personal self-study per week.  Typically, this will involve weekly tasks, reading, and VLE engagement. 

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources.   

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.  

Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and 100 per cent of course lecturers have, or are working towards, a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles. 

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessment, which is graded and counts towards the overall module grade.

A range of assessment methods are used to provide students with the maximum opportunity to achieve success. These include: essays, critiques and analyses which encourage critical thinking; critical reviews; individual and group seminar presentations; poster presentations; reflective accounts and case studies and presentations of cases.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course for a FT student is:

Semester 1
  • 1 Reflective Diary
  • 2 Essays
Semester 2
  • 1 Research proposal
  • 1 Academic poster
  • 1 Essay
  • 1 Presentation

The precise assessment requirements for part time students will vary according to the modules selected. 

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Feedback

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Duration

  • Full-time: 18 months
  • Part-time: Three years

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Scheduled teaching takes place on Saturdays, during the evening or online. 

Programme specification

If you would like to see a full programme specification for this course, please email AcademicQualityTeam@worc.ac.uk

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

dr-elizabeth-m-a-russell

Dr Elizabeth M A Russell

Prior to joining the University, Elizabeth spent a decade in teaching and subject leadership in schools in the South East, South West and the West Midlands. Elizabeth held a number of roles during this time, including working with sixth form students on Oxbridge and university admissions.

Sean Bracken 1

Dr Seán Bracken

Seán Bracken is a Principal Lecturer and Principal Fellow of the HEA. He has worked internationally as a primary and secondary teacher, a teacher educator, a lecturer and an educational project manager in a diversity of countries including; the United States, Ireland, Samoa, Vanuatu, the UK and Papua New Guinea. For the past 10 years he has acted as the Course Coordinator for the National Award SENCO. Additionally, he currently teaches on the PG Cert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and he also supervises students pursuing Doctoral and Masters level studies.

mandy-duncan-profile

Dr Mandy Duncan

Mandy has a deep commitment to early years having begun her career in this sector as a nursery nurse and then going on to teach early years practitioners and teachers for many years. She has also worked with young people in a variety of capacities including running summer camps and teaching 14-19 year olds in college.

Madeleine Findon

Dr Madeleine Findon

Maddy started working at the University of Worcester in November 2023. She has worked in academia since 2011, starting at the University of Warwick and then more recently at the University of Birmingham. Prior to this, her background included working as an Early Years Professional and as a TESOL teacher in both the UK and Spain.

Ellie Hill - 2024

Dr Ellie Hill

Ellie's expertise and interest lie in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, student experience at university, personal values, social justice, reflexive research, narrative approaches to research and inclusion. She has completed a PhD in Higher Education student experience, using narrative inquiry to find out about Gen Z student values and the impact of the student experience. Her methodological expertise is in narrative methods and reflexivity as a researcher.

Alexandra Sewell

Dr Alexandra Sewell

Alexandra joined the University in 2018 and is course lead for the BA (Hons) in Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion. Alexandra is a HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist. Prior to embarking on a career in academia, she held positions as an educational psychologist and trainee educational psychologist across the West Midlands and currently maintains an independent practice. She completed her Doctorate degree in Applied Educational and Child Psychology at the University of Birmingham in 2016.

Alexandra is passionate about the application of psychology to education to promote evidenced informed, inclusive practice. She focuses her practice and research on the topic of ‘inclusive voice’ and is broadly interested in how traditionally marginalised voices can be listened to and acted upon to promote equality and diversity across a range of contexts.

Alexandra’s portfolio of educational research and publications consists of a co-written introductory textbook in Special Educational Needs, Inclusion and Disability for Sage Publications and an edited book titled, ‘Diverse Voices in Educational Practice’, published with Speechmark Routledge. Her research has been published in numerous international educational research journals.

Jo Smith 2023

Joanne Smith

Jo has worked at the University since 2014. She also owns a local children's day nursery and was in Primary Education for 15 years, with responsibility for Inclusion for the last 7 years.

Jo has taught both at undergraduate and postgraduate level programmes within the department. She is passionate about Inclusive Education and has a variety of experience and anecdotes to share. She believes in lifelong learning and values the contributions all students make to group discussions and activities.

Carla Solvason 2

Dr Carla Solvason

Dr Carla Solvason came to the University of Worcester in 2008 having previously worked as a primary teacher for twelve years, an advisor for a children’s communication charity and a writer/ researcher.

She has led on a wide range of modules, including parent partnership, language development, study skills, and special educational needs. Over recent years her teaching has increasingly focused upon preparing students to carry out ethical practitioner research and preparing final year students for the professional responsibilities of leadership in practice. Carla also delivers CPD in supporting children with speech and language difficulties.

Carla is an active researcher and has published widely over the past ten years, particularly in the areas of ethical practitioner research and parent partnership. She has carried out longitudinal, funded studies on supporting language development in primary schools, the role of collaborative leadership clusters in primary schools, and the impact of Maintained Nursery Schools.

dr-marie-stephenson-updated-image

Dr Marie Stephenson

Marie joined the Department for Education & Inclusion in 2014 and brings extensive teaching experience from the post-compulsory (FE) sector. Marie has several specialisms, which include teaching the visually impaired, having spent a few years designing and delivering courses at the Royal National College for the Blind. She teaches on undergraduate & post graduate courses in the Department for Education & Inclusion and is pathway lead for the MA in Education (Leadership & Management). She is also Course Lead for the BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion.

Marie is also currently the lead coordinator for the new NPQ SENCO working with valuable partners such as the Church of England (Diocese of Worcester) to deliver their excellent replacement course for the PGCert NASENCo Award – which welcomes SEND practitioners from across the country.

simon-taylor

Simon Taylor

Simon joined the School of Education in January 2016 having worked in the arts and cultural sector for many years. He specialises in collaborative research, building partnerships, commissioning, strategic planning, interdisciplinary working and professional development supporting artists, teachers and senior managers.

Simon is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).

Careers

Careers

The course has a tradition of improving the career profiles of participants, as many case-studies of former students demonstrate. This award is intended to prepare students to deepen their engagement with issues in the educational workspace, fostering transformative personal and organisational learning for those involved. The programme additionally offers preparation to continue study for some participants wishing to go on the professional doctorate (EdD) award or to an MPhil/PhD.  

The University maintains close links with education providers locally and regionally and meeting workforce need is the ethos of a number of modules and pathways in the MA Education. In addition, the course is also designed to enable those with an intention of working in an education context to deepen their understanding of education in a range of contexts and building the skills which will enhance their career opportunities. For example, the Institute of Education works with members of the Careers and Employability Service. Where appropriate, many modules have an applied focus intended to facilitate the development of learning, which will have direct impact on professional contexts from which participants are drawn.  

The course team is comprised of academic staff with a breadth of backgrounds in education, research profiles in specialist areas and in most cases extensive experience of education in various contexts. Staff within the Institute, and the Institute itself, maintain strong relationships with schools, colleges and other education providers.

Please note – the MA Education is an academic qualification that is beneficial to careers in education, but it is not a teaching qualification and does not offer Qualified Teacher Status. Find out more about training to teach at Worcester.

Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

In 2026/27 standard fee for full-time home and EU students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA and MRes degrees is £9,730 per year.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

International students

In 2026/27 standard fee for full-time international students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA and MRes degrees is £18,400 per year.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA/MRes/PG Cert/PG Dip degrees in the academic year 2026/27 are £811 per 15-credit module, £1,081 per 20-credit module, £1,622 per 30-credit module, £2,162 per 40-credit module, £2,433 per 45-credit module and £3,243 per 60 credit module.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fees for part-time international students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA/MRes/PG Cert/PG Dip degrees in the academic year 2026/27 are £1,533 per 15-credit module, £3,062 per 30-credit module, £4,600 per 45-credit module and £6,133 per 60-credit module.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Postgraduate loans

The Government will provide a loan of up to £12,858 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025 per eligible student for postgraduate Masters study. It will be at your own discretion whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs.

For more details visit our postgraduate loans page.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
How to apply

How to apply

For all taught postgraduate and PG Cert programmes, please apply directly to University of Worcester.

If you have any questions about the admissions process, please contact the Admissions office on 01905 855111 or admissions@worc.ac.uk

Please make your application via our online application form. You can apply for postgraduate taught courses at any time, but preferably as early as possible before the start of the academic year, which begins in September.

APPLY FOR THIS COURSE - FULL TIME - SEPTEMBER APPLY FOR THIS COURSE - PART TIME - SEPTEMBER

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Dr Elizabeth M A Russell

MA Education Course Leader
e.russell@worc.ac.uk
01905 542079

CPD Education

cpdeducation@worc.ac.uk

Institute of Education - Similar Courses

Assessment Only Route to QTS

Postgraduate

The Assessment Only programme provides a fast-track route for experienced practitioners in school to gain qualified teacher status without the need for further training.

Early Years (0-5) Initial Teacher Training with Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) PGCert

Postgraduate

Give young children the best start in life as an Early Years Teacher by training with one of the best teacher training providers in the country.

Education (Early Childhood) MA

Postgraduate

The MA Education is a flexibly taught masters course designed primarily for those who work or aspire to work in any field of education and training

Education (Leadership and Management) MA

Postgraduate

The MA Education is a flexibly taught masters course designed primarily for those who work or aspire to work in any field of education and training