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Education MA

  • Intro
  • Entry
    criteria
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
  • Fees
    and costs
  • Location and
    student life
  • Stay in
    touch
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Intro

If you're looking to advance your career or seeking to work in the education sector, our degree will develop your knowledge and understanding.

Our part-time, two-year Education MA degree offers a blend of in-person and online teaching and learning with modules that can be personalised to reflect your interests and career plans.

You'll graduate with an in-depth and critical understanding of theory and research with course content that includes educational debates and issues, national and international policy contexts, the challenges of social justice and the principles of educational research.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Falmer

Study mode blended delivery: in-person and online learning

Part-time 2 years

Meet us at an event

  • Join us on the Falmer campus on 21 May for our Education MA information event
  • Get your questions answered at one of our drop-in online sessions.
    • 14 May, 12:30–1pm
    • 15 May, 5–5.30pm
    • 22 May, 5–5:30pm

There is no need to book for our online sessions, just click on the links above to join. Online sessions will be held on Microsoft Teams and you may need to download the app if you are joining on your smartphone. (Google Play / App Store)

Apply now for your place

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

  • 2nd in the UK for education courses – Guardian University Guide 2025

  • Top 20 in the UK for education graduate prospects – Complete University Guide 2025

  • UK top 15% for graduate earnings in education and teaching, three years after graduating – Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2024

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Qualifications
Provide evidence of prior study at IQF level 6, normally in the form of a good honours degree (usually an upper second class honours or above), or equivalent.

Demonstrate readiness and potential ability to study at master’s level.

The personal statement
In this section, you should explain your rationale, and motivation for studying the Education MA, and include details of your educational interests, and some relevant context about this.

You may include examples of your academic and professional interests in the field of education, of relevant professional experience, as well as examples of potential areas of interest and study related to the modules.

It is vital that this is written in an appropriate professional tone. Applications will only be considered if the personal statement is complete.

Making your application
You are strongly encouraged to submit your application as early as possible to ensure that pre-course preparations can be made. As the course begins in early September, applications should be received before the end of July.

In considering each individual applicant for admission to the course, tutors will seek evidence of academic qualifications alongside a strong rationale and capacity to engage with the course, and of personal and educational experiences that provide indications of ability to meet the demands of the two-year blended course.

If your application is successful, you will be invited to interview which will provide an opportunity to further explore your rationale for study and to discuss elements of your personal statement. Interviews are via Microsoft Teams.

Recognition of prior learning

Masters (level 7) credits which have been achieved through previous study may be used for entry to the course. Depending on your credits, you may be eligible to reduce the number of modules you need to complete as part of the Education MA. 

Postgraduate certificates studied at the University of Brighton and other institutions can include Level 7 credits, 30 or 60 of which may be considered for entry to the course. 

Credits must have been earned sufficiently recently for them to be deemed ‘current’. This will be judged in relation to their subject matter and disciplinary context but would normally have been awarded no more than five years prior to your application. 

Claims for recognition of prior learning will be considered in line with university guidance and each applicant will be considered on their individual merits. 

Prospective candidates will be asked to contact the Admissions Tutor to discuss these options.

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in writing and no less than 6.0 in all other components.

In education, 100% of our research impact is assessed as outstanding or very considerable in terms of its reach and significance in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

The course team were absolutely brilliant; they have a wealth of knowledge they are keen to impart and encourage you to work at your absolute best.

Emma, 2023 Graduate

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Part-time study designed to fit with work commitments.
  • Blend of in-person and online teaching and learning.
  • Study in small groups where you’ll be an active participant in a supportive and engaging environment.  
  • Modules can be personalised to reflect your own areas of interest and career plans.
  • Learn with tutors qualified to at least masters level with many holding or studying for doctoral qualifications.
  • You'll graduate with an in-depth and critical understanding of theory and research. 
  • Suitable for both educational professionals and those looking to work in the sector. 
  • Provides a springboard for further study at a doctoral level.
three people looking at notebooks

Course structure

In response to student feedback, our Education MA is a truly blended course. Expert tutoring and face-to-face on-site seminars are combined with pedagogically-led use of selected technologies.

The two-year part-time Education MA comprises of five modules delivered by blended learning. The MA is studied over 25 months from September to September.

Up to half of the course will be delivered face-to-face on our Falmer campus, and comprises of regularly scheduled Saturdays alongside a pedagogically-led programme of facilitated online learning including some Thursday evenings.

You will also engage in student and tutor-led critical study groups, seminars, academic tutorials and one-to-one meetings. You will learn from students already studying on the degree and graduates who will share examples of their work such as dissertations and assignment extracts.

Assessment methods vary for each module and include a literature review, academic poster and presentation, a written assignment (case study), a research proposal and the 60-credit dissertation.

As an Education MA student you'll also attend our annual Research Symposium.

people in an online meeting

Syllabus

Our Education MA can be tailored to meet your individual learning goals with all modules offering the flexibility to be applied to broad contexts and interests. Module outlines and learning outcomes have been written with ongoing market research and policy shifts in mind.

The degree comprises five modules which are studied over two years and all offer the flexibility to personalise learning. Module outlines and learning outcomes have been written in light of the postgraduate student’s needs, ongoing market research and policy shifts.

You will benefit from a structured ‘transition’ pedagogy to support the development of academic and research literacy at level 7, and a subsequent personal academic tutoring programme integrated into each module.

Should you wish to withdraw from the course after having successfully completed 60 masters-level credits, you may be eligible for a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Education.

Should you wish to withdraw from the course after having successfully completed 120 masters-level credits, you may be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Education.

Inclusive module design offers built-in flexibility to ensure you can meaningfully engage with ideas that have true applicability to real-world situations, your academic interests and relatable professional issues.

Modules

  • Contemporary Education Policy

    In this module you will be introduced to learning and studying at postgraduate level through critical talking, listening, reading and writing for academic purposes. You will deepen your understanding of educational structures and related policy and develop the ability to critique the impact of policy in educational contexts by examining contemporary literature and research evidence.

  • Education for Social Justice

    While education can enable individuals to thrive, educational systems and practices can create or exacerbate structures of inequality, discrimination and oppression. This module enables you to understand the interplay between education and social justice. By examining case studies, you will explore issues around class, ethnicity, gender and young people in care, and look at approaches to social justice in teaching, curriculum and educational governance.

  • Designing Your Research

    This module helps prepare you for your forthcoming dissertation by providing an introduction to research design, methodology and methods. You will produce a research proposal that reflects the requirements of a research problem and question within a specific educational context or area of interest. The module normally includes participation at the annual research symposium.

  • Conceptualising Key Debates in Education

    In this module you will focus on key debates and discussions in education and explore why they are important, looking at research to understand their key arguments and underlying theories. You will critically examine selected educational debates, the issues surrounding them and their relevance in an international context.

  • The Dissertation; Independent Research Study

    In this module you will gain an in-depth understanding of an issue by formulating a research question typically based on interests you’ve developed during previous modules or a specific area of professional relevance. You will complete an independent research study incorporating one of two research types appropriate to your academic or professional intentions.

Recent dissertation titles include:

  • The digitalisation of teacher work and professional identity during COVID-19 school dismissal: A UK secondary school case study
  • Strategies to enhance peer-to-peer and pupil-to-teacher dialogue to improve children’s inductive mathematical reasoning.
  • What factors do ‘first generation’ undergraduates perceive as contributory to their academic success?
  • How do pupils perceive the distinctively Christian nature of the Church of England primary school?
  • Why do girls choose to study computer science at A-level? 

Aims

The aims of Education MA are:

  • to demonstrate advanced understanding of a range of educational debates and issues relevant to academic and professional interests
  • to develop a critical awareness of developments in education consequent to current and emerging national and international policy contexts
  • to engender an understanding of education inequity and knowledge of the interplay between education and social justice
  • to facilitate a thorough understanding of the principles of educational research and ethics appropriate to advanced scholarship and the successful completion of an independent research project
  • to relate key learning to an ethos of agency and responsibility for impact in personal and professional contexts
  • to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the broader field of education and apply this learning to relevant academic, research and professional contexts.

 Student writing on post it note on wall

Small group learning

This isn’t a traditional lecture-based course where you’re one face in a large crowd. Instead, we pride ourselves on providing our Education MA students with a small group learning environment where they feel supported and empowered.  

By keeping our intake smaller, you’ll benefit from tailored guidance from our course team. Our interactive discussion-led approach means that you’re not just passively absorbing information but actively engaging with the course content, participating in discussions and learning from others.  

This collaborative environment allows you to build deeper connections with both your tutors and peers on the course.  

UOB_02DEC24_AW_403

Who is this course for?

The variety of modules, flexibility to pursue your own area of interest, and the over-arching aims of the MA mean this is an ideal course for a range of applicants.

It is suitable as a progression route from a related undergraduate degree or PGCE as well as for those currently in employment and seeking to diversify interests in the broader field of education.

It offers enrichment and challenge for education professionals seeking professional learning and development opportunities. Candidates may have varied educational backgrounds and contexts, including:

  • schools and colleges / universities
  • education advisory and support
  • policy making
  • recruitment
  • local authority policy
  • development and governance
  • related professions such as health care.
Mature students working around table

Facilities

As an Education MA student, you’ll have access to all libraries across our Falmer, Moulsecoomb and City campuses and importantly, our extensive online library, giving you a wealth of resources to support your studies.  

In-person teaching takes place on our Falmer campus which is home to our Falmer library. Here you’ll have access to an extensive array of literature and resources related to education, with the support of expert librarians, along with spaces for quiet study and group collaboration. 

As part of the course, we will support you to refine your use of a search techniques and databases to access the literature you need for your studies.

Our 2024 graduate Adam notes: “In a word, the learning experience was lovely. Welcoming, spacious, modern buildings. Smiley, approachable staff. And a set of incredible libraries/librarians.”

Falmer Library

Meet the team

All course tutors are qualified to at least masters level with the majority holding or studying for doctoral qualifications.

Research and professional expertise and interests are hugely varied across the team and tutors harness their passion and enthusiasm in support of MA students.

The majority of our MA tutors also hold QTS and have significant experience of schools and educational settings.

Dr Alison Barnes, course leader

Dr Alison Barnes is the course leader for our Education MA. She is a Principal Lecturer in Education, specialising in postgraduate education research and primary mathematics education. Alison is a qualified teacher with more than 30 years of experience in education, including as a primary teacher, mathematics consultant, university lecturer, supervisor and education researcher. She teaches and supervises on postgraduate education courses and initial teacher education programmes. 

Alison is passionate about supporting postgraduate students to deepen their understanding and knowledge across all aspects and phases of education through their desk-based and empirical research. 

Her research interests include mathematics and postgraduate education. Her doctoral research focused on improving children’s perseverance in mathematical reasoning. With a transnational team, she recently researched the masters dissertations and doctoral theses from the 23-year postgraduate partnership between the University of Brighton and the Mauritius Institute of Education to investigate the research capacity and network development arising from the partnership legacy. 

In 2019, she won the Janet Duffin Award for the most outstanding contribution to the Research in Mathematics Education journal. In 2022, with colleagues Dr Nancy Barclay and Dr Rachel Marks, she won the Best Paper Award in the Mathematics Education Special Interest Group at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference.

Other key members of the teaching team

  • Professor Andrew Hobson
  • Dr Jools Page
  • Lis Bundock
  • Professor Michael Jopling
  • Dr Nancy Barclay
  • Dr Nosheen Rachel
  • Dr Anne Denmead
  • Richard Harvey-Swanston
  • Vicky Byfield
Dr Alison Barnes course leader

More about this subject at Brighton

Get to know our Education MA course team

Our Education MA here at the University of Brighton is shaped by our incredible course team who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from a range of different educational backgrounds.

Top 5 reasons to choose Brighton for your Education MA

Choosing where to study for your Master’s in Education is a big decision.

Why study an Education MA?

Education is at the heart of shaping and inspiring the next generation.

Thinking about an Education MA? Join our online info sessions

Are you interested in finding out more about our Education MA?

Read more from our blog

This course isn’t like the ones where you’re just a number amongst hundreds of other students, you get really close attention and personalised support. If you value the relational aspects of your work, then you’ll get a lot from being part of a tight and super-supportive cohort.

Adam, 2024 Graduate

Careers

 

Further developing your career

Our Education MA will give you the skills and knowledge needed to take the next step in your career, whether you’re already working in education or transitioning from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

For those currently in the field, our MA will help you deepen your expertise and enhance your employability for leadership roles. 

For recent graduates, the course will help you develop an enhanced knowledge of educational issues and specialist areas of interest which will be attractive to a wide range of employers.

The part-time course, with a blend of online and in-person teaching, is designed for students to be able to balance their studies alongside professional or personal commitments. 

Key aspects of the course that prepare you for your future career include: 

  • Skill development: Graduate with strong analytical, critical thinking and research skills that will set you up for success after graduation.
  • Leadership development: The course has positioned many of our graduates for a promotion into senior and leadership roles.
  • Communication and collaboration: Being part of a small close-knit cohort allows you to build on your teamwork, communication and collaboration skills.
  • Professional and academic communication: the range of assessment and presentation opportunities, including oral poster presentations, research plans and reports and essays, will further develop your professional and research communication skills and confidence.
  • Research career: the research and academic skills developed through Education MA are excellent preparation for an academic career and/or doctoral study.
Education BA122

Graduate destinations

Our Education MA opens the door to a wide range of career opportunities in the education sector and beyond.

Our graduates have shared how the course positioned them for senior and leadership roles, helped them make successful career moves and improved their professional skills and potential. 

Typical career moves after graduation include: 

  • promotion to senior leadership teams 
  • transitioning into advisory roles 
  • promotion into a different education sector
  • working as curriculum specialists or education consultants 
  • moving into research, policy and advocacy. 

The course also acts as a springboard for further study, with many graduates progressing to doctoral-level research through our Education PhD.

A group of teachers in a staffroom

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK for each 60-credits of study3,083 GBP

Students have the opportunity of paying for fees in instalments.

The total fees you will pay to achieve the MA will be based on taking 180 credits, however this may be reduced if you have prior learning which can be accredited towards the qualification. Fees are calculated pro rata according to the number of credits taken and charged annually.

The fees are fully inclusive. The course is modular in design, and structured in stages so if students need to suspend studies or leave and re-enter the course, it may be possible to accommodate this. There are some administrative costs associated with this option of course progression.

The fees listed here are for the first year of study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year. UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (depending on which is higher).

If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

Find out more

  • Advice and guidance for part-time students.
  • Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
  • Student finance and budgeting while studying
  • About the university’s fees, including fee status and payment, by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf)

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our education and teaching students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What’s included in your tuition fee

  • Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the subject area guides in the library for an up-to-date list of key subject journal databases.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university.

Additional course costs

  • For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your travel expenses but you may be able to claim some travel costs back from the university, depending on where your placement is in relation to where you live.
  • You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own.
  • You may wish to budget up to £25 for stationery/teaching materials.
  • Many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects including education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the Students’ Union shop and bar.

The campus has extensive sport and leisure facilities including a fitness suite, swimming pool, outdoor grass football and rugby pitches, sports hall, tennis and badminton courts, and dance and spin studios.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources, clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students, and labs and a strength and conditioning suite used by sport students. We’ve recently redeveloped the Falmer campus – learn more about the many facilities our students have access to.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine-minute journey to central Brighton.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you apply for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Falmer

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
  • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

student outside the sport and health complex at Falmer

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus

Meet our graduates  

Theresa Nimoh

"I have been a qualified teacher for six years I wanted to deepen my knowledge of teaching and learning with academic rigour and to feel part of a community. 

"The tutors were amazing in helping us develop our collective study skills, particularly through taught sessions, discussions and readings. I was able to develop my skills as a researcher and explore my positionality in relation to my research. My critical reading and writing skills developed and they were and are symbiotic in that they sharpened one another!

"The research and reading I undertook was in a topic area that I was and am passionate about as a practitioner researcher. It also shared similarities and differences to other projects undertaken by colleagues on my course, which I found illuminating.  I learned so much from others- whether it be methodology discussion or a critical question about a shared reading or my own writing.  For me, the MA was very much about looking inwardly as well as making a small and important contribution to the educational landscape.

"The impact of my dissertation is that it allowed me to examine my own classroom practice through the lens of the children, with implications for other classes and primary schools and policy. I have also had the chance to share my findings with other practitioners.

"Brighton is a great university – it is very inclusive and has high levels of academic quality through its staff. This helped me to challenge my own thinking, as well as learn from different perspectives."

Theresa Nimoh

Emma Le Prevost

“I initially decided to complete a masters in Education because I enjoyed the masters-level writing during my PGCE year. I believe the best teachers remain students and I’ve always loved learning, researching and academic reading.  

“The masters degree fed into my daily work which really helped me to not see it as something surplus to my career, but something which was supporting my development as a teacher. It also helped me understand the importance of research in schools.

“My knowledge surrounding education has broadened vastly through the research and reading I undertook, and I have gained an ability to confidently implement new strategies at a high level within my school. My analytical skills have improved so much since completing the Masters degree and means I now question a lot of policies, being inquisitive about the impact and the ‘why’ behind them. My time management skills were already good, however they have certainly improved from completing the masters and working full-time.

“Collaboration was a key part of each lecture, and this stimulated discussion between teachers and students from different settings. Resources were always organised and available for us before, during and after each lecture. Lecture information was communicated to us in good time, and we had a variety of different lecturers which made the learning much more interesting.

“The course team were absolutely brilliant; they have a wealth of knowledge they are keen to impart and encourage you to work at your absolute best.

“I felt hugely supported during my time completing the masters in Education at the University of Brighton, my dissertation supervisor in particular knew the correct balance of pushing me and supporting me to ensure I kept developing as both a researcher and teacher.”

Emma is Head of Dance at a secondary school and sixth form. Read more about Emma on our blog.

Emma Le Prevost

Adam Muirhead

“I chose to do an MA as felt that my lack of postgraduate study might hold me back in my career progression. I had a wonderful experience of working and studying at the same time as my employer gave me a paid day per week to study. I know not everyone has the same opportunity, so I felt very grateful. 

“The course team were great. Excellent communication, regularly making themselves available and feedback on work was useful, with opportunities to discuss 1-2-1.   

“This course isn’t like the ones where you’re just a number amongst hundreds of other students, you get really close attention and personalised support through a professional, academic relationship. If you value the relational aspects of your work, then you’ll get a lot from being part of a tight and super-supportive cohort, as I was. 

“The focus of my study was youth participation. I’m now an expert in this field and have been able to export and devolve this knowledge through my work team and in other professional spaces.  

“Beyond this, the research skills I gained (including methods, ethics, analysis) have already had such profound implications for approaching work in my setting. I’ve been able to guide professional research with young people and present it professionally and compellingly in front of senior decision-makers to influence resourcing and improve outcomes for young people. 

“In a word, the learning experience was lovely. Welcoming, spacious, modern buildings. Smiley, approachable staff. And a set of incredible libraries/librarians.”

Adam Muirhead

Jessica Swain

"I have a newfound interest in educational leadership, and I wanted to explore this avenue through research. I have always loved to learn, and felt like an MA would be the ultimate personal challenge.  

"I knew I wanted to complete my MA at the University of Brighton – their inclusivity and high levels of academic quality was what drew me to the university. 

"Due to the part-time nature of the course, I was able to balance working full-time as a year 6 teacher and the demands of the course. Although there were more challenging times throughout the course, I was well supported by both my peers and tutors. 

"The learning environment was great – especially for our small, close-knit group. We felt supported by not only the tutors and each other, but also the individuals in the year ahead of us. 

"I learnt a great deal through the MA, from research skills to writing academic pieces. However, the biggest learning curve for me was my self-confidence – I learnt that I am more capable than I give myself credit for, I certainly have a whole new sense of pride. 

"The MA has given me a whole new outlook on what I hope to achieve as an educator. I hope to continue my studies and intend on returning to the University of Brighton for Doctoral study. It has taught me to ask more questions, listen with purpose and have more confidence in my own ability."

Jessica Swain

Nikki Smith

"I choose to study an Education MA because I wanted to challenge myself. I have always had a love-hate relationship with my own education and wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. My children were growing up and becoming more independent and I had more free time to do something for myself. 

"Brighton offered the possibility of researching anything education related that was of interest to me. I liked the autonomy of this and was different to the other MA courses I had looked into because there was no standard pathway through the MA course,  as long as you met the criteria for each module. This meant that everyone came to the course with a different educational experience and interest which led to some really stimulating conversations.

"The course team were excellent. There was unconditional support both during good times and bad. When things went wrong, the team were there for you and when things went right, they were there to celebrate with you. There is an astounding range of experience and knowledge within the MA team at Brighton. 

"I particularly enjoyed  the confidence the MA gave me both academically and personally, I felt so out of my comfort zone to start with. Professionally, I became an expert in my research subject and now have the confidence to talk about different topics based upon the academic research that I have read and conducted myself. Personally, I felt a little bit taller, I am still so proud of the self-determination, motivation and resilience that I needed to complete this course. 

"For my research project I chose to explore the experiences of autistic girls in mainstream school, this is a topic close to my heart and I wanted to provide a platform for the voice of this underrepresented group of young people. 

"The data from my research was used to improve the daily experiences of all the autistic children in the school that I worked in because I had input into whole school CPD on how to make our classrooms inclusive for all. 

"After graduating from the Education MA, I was asked to write an article for a journal, I have been approached to support schools in becoming ‘autistic friendly’ and I got promoted at the school where I worked in at the time. My success during the MA gave me the confidence, and a strong foundation of research skills. This enabled me to successfully apply to Brighton and the SCDTP  for a fully funded PhD.  

"I am now a very happy full time PhD student at Brighton, where my research focus is exploring the experiences of autistic young people of all genders." 

Nikki Smith Education MA graduate

Nick Huxley

"The knowledge and fresh perspectives I gained from completing the MA have not only made me more knowledgeable but have also rejuvenated my enthusiasm for teaching. It has steered me to evaluate my career priorities and how best my skills could be used to influence education. 

"The MA has been a transformative experience for me, both professionally and personally. It significantly expanded my understanding of how research influences education, showcasing its potential for great impact and, at times, its misuse. 

"The course guided me through new avenues of research I wouldn’t have explored otherwise. Before the MA, my grasp of quantitative and qualitative data, as well as the nuances between methodology and methods, was quite limited. The course provided a wealth of opportunities to not only understand but also apply these concepts, significantly boosting my competence in these critical areas of educational research. 

"Every single course tutor was incredibly knowledgeable, with very high levels of experience in their fields, spread across many facets of research and backgrounds. They all have had a multitude of research papers published, which enabled them to be able to speak from extensive experience in the research field. On many occasions, they were able to demonstrate the research skills being discussed with examples from their own research, providing very real examples. 

"The MA provided essential professional 'me time' allowing me to engage with research and refresh my passion for teaching, which is often side-lined by the hectic daily school routine. There is no denying that working and studying is a real challenge, and you do need to be self-disciplined. However, the MA develops at a pace where the assignments and essays build the skills and competence required for the final dissertation research piece very well.

"Engaging with academic work ignited a love of learning in me and an understanding of the foundations of my teaching practices."

Nick Huxley

Louise Tomlinson

"I chose to study an Education MA at Brighton because I wanted to engage with different stakeholders and gain different perspectives on various topics in education. I was also keen to develop my research skills, learn to develop a more critical approach to educational research and take on a challenge. I thought it would be fun too! 

"I had previously completed my PGCE at the University of Brighton and had a wonderful experience, so it seemed the best place to continue with my educational journey.  

"Studying for the Education MA allowed me to develop my skills and knowledge, including how to research with young people ethically and look at the research I read with a critical eye. I also improved my academic writing. 

"The lecturers make you feel confident - they really are experts and have a wealth of knowledge. It is also a place to feel comfortable when discussing various topics free from judgement or worry about getting things wrong! 

"The whole team are supportive and have the best interests of the students at heart. They want you to do well and to be successful! The teaching styles are varied, and everyone brings interest to the topics that they cover. 

"My experience of studying alongside other commitments was one of the more challenging aspects of the MA. Working full-time with a young family and various in school responsibilities on top of teaching was tough and at times I wondered whether I could do it, but I had fantastic support from my lecturers and supervisor so managed to organise my time to do both! 

"My research project was entitled 'Sense of belonging among secondary school minority ethnic students on the South Coast of England'.

"I chose it because it is something I was/am passionate about. There has been copious amounts of research into belonging because it is so important. I wanted to cast a lens on topic in a specific area, in the first instance to see whether students felt that the belonged, and then use the results to implement  and support change.

"Since graduating, I have shifted my focus from classroom to community. I now work as an education coordinator working with PGCE, ECTs and ITT. Part of my role involves research too, so the MA has certainly supported this!"

Louise Tomlinson

Phil Marsh

"I had a positive experience at the University of Brighton for my PGCE. The blending of practical and theoretical expertise in the education department meant I started teaching with an interest in studying further later in my career. A group of colleagues at my school had expressed an interest in undertaking the MA programme as a cohort, enabling peer support in a shared context, so I felt it was perfect opportunity to enter the programme. 

"Studying the Education MA gave me a really rich understanding of research methodology and practice, as well as an in-depth opportunity to learn about areas of theory, policy and practice in my specific areas of interest within teaching. I feel like it has made me a more reflective and evidence-based practitioner, much more able to critically assess what I do and am asked to do as a teacher. 

"The course team are experts in their field and can relate to students as ex-teachers as well as academics. There was a huge amount of support available when we needed it and a genuine focus on student well-being. The blending of online and in person components of the course were matched to purpose and I enjoyed the variety.  

"It was a challenge to work full-time while studying part-time, but I would definitely recommend it. The course team are very aware of and supportive of working around your duties as a teacher; I felt able to plan my study around my school commitments, so didn’t feel overwhelmed. 

"For my research project, my title ended up being ‘The Digitalisation of Teacher Work and Professional Identity during Covid-19 School Dismissal: A UK Secondary School Case Study.’

"I was about to start a project on KS4 students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher and peer modelling of writing on their confidence to analyse language when we entered lockdown at the start of the pandemic. This led to a shift in my focus due to the practicality of working with students during school closures.

"I have had the opportunity to change roles once while studying and once after graduation; the MA has been a big focus in interviews. Employers not only appreciate the increased knowledge of pedagogy and methodology that come from postgraduate study, but also the ability to time manage and prioritise that you evidence when gaining a qualification alongside your employment."

Phil Marsh

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