Education

Our innovative Masters degree is for anyone with a passion for education who wants to make a difference. You will develop your expertise and ability to lead change.

Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, workplace trainer or an aspiring education professional, you can tailor the MA Education course to your career development ambitions.

You will critically examine policy and practice, explore practical ideas for improving your own setting, and become a research expert. As a member of our Institute of Education community, you will also be supported and have networking opportunities with the chance to share experiences.

This part-time course is delivered online.

Our flexible approach means you can study the MA from anywhere in the UK and beyond. The course will also enhance your ability to move within the education sector as it’s relevant to a range of professional roles.

The full Masters programme can be studied full-time or part-time. We also offer two streamlined part-time routes leading to an MA Education (Advance Standing) award:

If you’ve already achieved 60 relevant postgraduate credits, such as completing a PGCE, you will be exempt from the first third of the course
If you have 120 relevant postgraduate credits, or a PgCE and recognised education leadership award you will undertake the Social Research and Dissertation module

As both of these options are delivered through online learning, you can fit your studies round work commitments, making it ideal for professional development.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MA Education

Course content

On this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of contemporary education issues through critical thought, reflection and analysis. Themes include global citizenship, inclusion, the impact of policy on education practice, outdoor learning, environmental sustainability, and how to manage change initiatives.

We also cover entrepreneurship in education. For one task, you will pitch a creative solution to a problem, such as a new product or innovation.

Other assessments range from reports to preparing small-scale research proposals. There’s a strong focus on applying your learning to your own professional practice.

On successful completion of the Masters you may progress to an Education Doctorate or PHD:

Education - Staffordshire University (staffs.ac.uk)

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Contemporary Issues In Inclusive Education Dl	20 credits
Critical Thinking Dl	20 credits
Education For Global Citizenship Dl	20 credits
The Disruptive Educator Dl	20 credits

Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Research Project Dl	60 credits
Social Research Dl	20 credits

Show 2 optional modules

Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 2 optional modules
Change Initiatives And Teamworking Dl	20 credits
Outdoor Learning Dl	20 credits

Show 2 compulsory modules

Entry requirements

You’ll need:

An Honours degree, classification 2:2 or above
GCSE English grade C or above, or equivalent
For all stages of the course, it is necessary for participants to be able to have access to the Internet (to allow Virtual Learning Environment access and e-mail contact for communication with course tutors and administrators)
Evidence of an Enhanced DBS check (We can process this application but you’ll need to pay the standard fee)

If you would like further support with Level 7 academic writing, take a look at our Step-Up to Masters. This Level 7 module will provide you with the knowledge and skills required for successful academic performance at postgraduate level, whatever your professional background and intended level of study.

If your first language is not English, you’ll need at least one of the following:

a minimum score of 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 in the writing and listening modules) in IELTS (International English Language Testing System) as administered by the British Council in most countries
a minimum score of 550 in TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or 213 in the computer-based test. TOEFL results must include a minimum score of 4.5 for the TWE (Test of Written English)
Cambridge Proficiency Grade C

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

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Careers

This award is focused on professional development and is therefore suitable if you’re planning to work in traditional or non-traditional educational settings such as galleries, museums, visitor centres and offender settings.

Once you’ve achieved your Masters degree, you’ll have the opportunity to progress to our PhD and EdD awards – Doctoral-level programmes aimed at helping you develop your capabilities even further.

All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

This is offered as a 100 % Online Learning mode of delivery.

For the distance learning programme, a variety of distance learning and teaching methods will be used to help students develop their critical thinking and evaluative skills. Via the University’s online platforms, students will engage in synchronous and asynchronous collaborative learning activities. Students will be required to attend up to four synchronous learning sessions for each module. These are scheduled to take place on Thursday afternoon/evening.

All applicants will need to have internet access and a suitable device that enables them to work collaboratively with others when completing synchronous and asynchronous tasks.

Assessment

Each module is assessed separately and contributes to the final grade for that course. All modules are assessed through a variety of approaches. Assessment tasks are designed to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding using a variety of different approaches. In addition to traditional formal written assignments, you will also be assessed through tasks which allow you to utilise their digital, presentation, investigative and problem-solving skills. Assessment tasks include:

Literature review
Essay
Presentations and discussion (synchronous and asynchronous)
Project proposals
Report

Opportunities for formative assessment are built into every module through a variety of formats. The approaches used for formative assessment are intended to facilitate students’ self-assessment in learning and to encourage teacher and peer dialogue about learning. Formative assessment opportunities typically employed include:

Reflective group discussion
Peer Feedback
Tutor feedback
Individual and collaborative tasks

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
Academic writing (including how to reference)
Research skills
Critical thinking
Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

You’ll receive constructive feedback on all work submitted for assessment. Feedback is intended to help you learn and develop and you’re encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.

Feedback is normally provided within 20 working days following submission of work.

Your overall workload will consist of independent learning and assessment activity, with each credit taken equating to a total study time of approximately 10 hours. Your actual contact hours may depend on the option modules that you select.

Independent learning

When not in lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions, you’ll be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the library, preparing for assignments and classwork, and planning for your dissertation.

Your independent learning will be supported by a range of excellent facilities, including the library and the learning zone. Self-instructional learning materials are delivered through our Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard

Staff

Dr Jo Basford

Course Director Assoc Prof

Education is transformative. It enables us to see the world differently, to challenge our thinking and to try new things. My ambition is that student’s learning with the Institute of Education will be a transformative experience.

Jo's profile

Dr Duncan Hindmarch

Course Director

My enthusiasm for learning led me to qualify, design and deliver to initial and subject specialist teacher training courses. I have an interest in developing virtual learning environments to support learning.

Duncan's profile

Alyson Jolley

Senior Lecturer

Learning is something that we all experience throughout our lives and ensuring that it’s fun and engaging is my passion. Education is not just about schooling but is about education in our communities, from our youngest citizens to our wisest.

Alyson's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 2 October 2025 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for MA-Part-time, distance learning
Study option	UK / Channel Islands	International
Part-time	£9,135 per course	£9,135 per course

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you have previously completed an undergraduate degree with us, you may be entitled to an alumni discount off your course fee for any subsequent postgraduate taught course. For further information please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Not included in tuition fees
Not included in the fees:
All applicants will need to have internet access and a suitable device that enables them to work collaboratively with others when completing synchronous and asynchronous tasks.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,570 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning.

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Apply

Location	Award	Study option	Start date	Apply Link
Stoke-on-Trent campus	MA	Part-time, distance learning	2 October 2025	Apply now

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