Education (Part-time) MA

Become a specialist in Education. Deepen your knowledge. Expand your career options.

Learning and teaching in 2021

Overview

Our MA Education is a highly flexible degree. Depending on the modules you choose, you will graduate with one of two MA degree titles:

MA Education
MA Education (Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion)

This degree is ideal for teachers or other educational professionals who want to develop their careers with a highly specific postgraduate degree.

Upcoming start dates
1 March 2021
4 October 2021

Why us?

‘World-leading’ research in Education, according to the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Tailor the degree content to your interests

Carry out research which is specific to your own workplace
Opportunity to study a Special Education Needs and Disabilities route

Learning and teaching in 2021

We are really looking forward to you joining us in October. The course will be delivered using a hybrid approach of online teaching and learning and face-to-face contact, with a range of core content and optional modules which allows you to tailor the course to your own interests and career plans. It has been carefully designed to give you the opportunity to engage critically with theory and gain a clear understanding of how this relates to practice. The topics that you will explore as part of the course are timely and relevant as we create and design our modules in response to key areas of education deemed as priority by the government. I am sure you will enjoy the challenge of studying at MA level, and our team will be here to support you throughout the whole process.

Course structure

Your progress will be assessed through written assignments, including a dissertation, and oral and written presentations. Throughout the degree, you will have one-to-one support from academic staff, including the appointment of a supervisor during your thesis year.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that a Master's degree requires a higher level of independent working.

When you complete a part-time Masters in Education, your optional modules may be taught on-campus (one evening per week) or via distance learning. Where modules run as taught modules, you would study on-campus one evening per week.

This degree is also available as a full-time Education MA and a distance learning Education MA.

You will need to complete 180 credits to achieve the full MA award as follows:

Year 1

Core modules:

An Introduction to Criticality (30 credits)

Optional:

Optional module (30 credits)
Optional module (30 credits)

Year 2

Research Methods (30 credits)
Thesis (60 credits)

If you have studied modules at Masters level previously, eg: through a PGCE, NPQH or NASENCO award, then you may be able to transfer some of these credits to the MA Education course. The credits must be less than 5 years old and mirror some of the learning criteria associated with the MA Education modules.

If you chose to leave the course before completing all 180 credits, then you may be awarded the following:

60 option module credits – Postgraduate Certificate
60 option module credits and completion of the Research Methods core module – Postgraduate Diploma

To gain an award in a the Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion route, you need to study both of the SEND-focused optional modules on offer at the time of your study and have your thesis focus on an aspect of SEND-related theory, research and/or practice.

Optional modules may include:

Mentoring and Coaching (30 credits)

Explore mentoring and coaching of colleagues, students or other staff in educational establishments.

Inclusive Education From Policy to Practice (30 credits)

Understand the concepts behind inclusive policies in the UK and other countries, and examine and contrast how these policies translate into practice.

The Nature of Teaching and Learning (30 credits)

Study current educational policy and practice, grounded in a range of ideologies that suggest improvements within teaching, learning and assessment.

Supporting Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (EPDM102)

Explore the impact of supporting and working with children, young people, families and stakeholders in the area of social, emotional and mental health. Undertake a critical examination of the rights and needs of children with SEMH difficulties, including childhood adversity, and the impact of school policies and procedures in supporting participation and learning and preventing school exclusion.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Facilities

You'll be primarily based at The David Goldman Informatics Centre, on the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. It’s a modern building with great views of the River Wear, and just a few minutes walk from the coast.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Fees and finance

2020/21 fees:

£375 per 10 credits if you are from the UK or EU.

2021/22 fees:

£389 per 10 credits if you are from the UK or EU.

This part-time course is not available to international students. International students wishing to study a part-time MA Education programme may be interested in MA Education (Distance Learning) or MA International Education (Distance Learning).

Please note, if you are a UK home student or EU student residing in the UK, you can apply for SLC funding if you choose to study the part-time course, on campus, over two years or the full-time course over one year. If you elect to take longer to complete the course or bring any Level 7 credits from prior study with you, you are likely to be ineligible for SLC funding.

If you are not sure whether you qualify as a UK, EU or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.

The Skills Boost North East Discount is a 20% waiver on the full cost of course fees for postgraduate taught Masters courses for any worker who has been furloughed, has been made redundant, or is likely to be made redundant and who has a local connection to the North East region. The discount is also available to anyone with a connection to the North East who graduated in academic year 2019/20 with an undergraduate degree from any university, or who has graduated with an undergraduate degree from a university in the North East in academic year 2019/20 and has been unable to secure full-time graduate employment due to pressures of Covid-19. Read more about the discount.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

Use our scholarships calculator to see what you may be entitled to.

Scholarships calculator

This information was correct at the time of publication.

The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's by night

Career ready

This degree is ideal for teachers and people working in educational management who want to quickly progress their careers. The ability to specialise the content of the course offers opportunities in particular fields of education, such as Special Educational Needs.

The knowledge and skills you develop will also transfer to many other sectors, particularly education policy and government. Please note that this course does not qualify you as a teacher.

Centre for Pedagogy

The University of Sunderland’s Centre for Pedagogy has three research themes: Affective Issues in Learning and Teaching, Pedagogy and Critical Thinking in Specific Subject Areas, and Professional Education and Development. The Centre unifies the University’s research, influences policy, and organises conferences and professorial lectures.

Meet the team

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Education and Society.

Page last updated: 04 December 2020

Sign up to receive emails about your subject area.

Keep me up to date relating to my interest in the University of Sunderland via:

Email

You may unsubscribe at any time.

Using Your Personal Information
The University of Sunderland is collecting this data in order for you to receive information on your chosen subject(s). Your information will be stored securely in our Customer Relationship Management system which is provided by a 3rd party and used only for the administration and provision of this information. Should you choose to opt in to further communications we will also use your information to facilitate other useful marketing information based on your preferences. Further information on how your data is stored and used can be found in our Privacy notice - marketing.