Education University of Sheffield

Award	Attendance	Study	Duration	Start	Domestic fees	International fees
MA	On-Campus	Full-time	1 years	September	find out	find out

Course fee notes

Please see our website for the most up-to-date fees information.

Course overview

Our MA programme is designed to allow you to explore a range of perspectives on educational theory, policy and practice.

This course will prepare you to be an ethical scholar, innovator and future leader in education.

You will not only master the methodologies needed to design and conduct original, high-impact educational research, but you will learn to ground your findings in a deep, critical understanding of educational theory. Crucially, you will develop advanced generative AI literacy. You'll learn not just how to use these powerful tools for creative ideation and reflection, but how to deploy them responsibly and ethically to effect positive change.

Our MA Education is designed for anyone with an interest in education who wants to develop a deep knowledge of the origins, purposes and future of educational provision, the relationship between global and national societies, regional and local cultures and education, and how to design and conduct innovative and informative educational research.

The course is excellent preparation for any roles related to educational practice, governance, policy and research. (Please note this course is not an accredited teacher training course.)

Our MA will equip you with a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of development, teaching and learning across the lives of learners and which transcend national boundaries and contexts including formal and informal education, government and third sector organisations. Such a diverse and integrated base of knowledge and skills will not only establish you as a rigorous academic in your own right, but empowers you to lead evidence-based changes that will benefit learners and communities in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Exploring histories, philosophies and practices in education, you will gain an understanding of recent trends and debates within educational research and explore changing understandings of education and schooling, locally and internationally.

You will have the opportunity to focus your studies on your interests in education, including the psychology of learning and development, early childhood studies, languages education, neurodiversity and special educational needs, and the cutting-edge evolution of AI, digital literacies and creativity. You will have extensive critical engagement with generative AI tools to prepare you for the evolving digital landscape.

You'll develop as an independent, critical scholar in your chosen field, concluding your studies by carrying out a research project on a topic of your choice under the close supervision and guidance from our expert tutors.

The course prepares you to be a critical thinker and researcher, able to skilfully navigate your future roles with attention to sustainability and social justice. By exploring how these considerations can be embedded throughout educational practice and research, you will be well prepared for your future career and to contribute to positive social change.