The Special and Inclusive Education MA will develop a student's knowledge of key concepts and issues related to special and inclusive education, enhancing their understanding of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. It will give students the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise evidence, theory and practice, and help them to apply conceptual and theoretical frameworks to professional policy and practice.
By the end of the programme, students should be able to:
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), and either two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits) or three optional modules (90 credits) and a research report (30 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
In addition to the two core modules students take at least one module from the following:
Students choose either one or two further options from the list above or, subject to the Programme Leader's approval, from elsewhere at the UCL Institute of Education.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a 10,000 to 12,000-word dissertation or 6,000 to 7,000-word report.
Teaching and learning
The MA is taught through lectures, group discussions, small group one-to-one tutorials, and computer lab classes. Compulsory and optional modules are assessed by a range of assessment strategies including presentations and a 4,000-5,000 word written assignment; students may choose from a range of assessment titles. In addition, students may choose to write either a report (6,000-7,000 words) or a dissertation (10,000-12,000 words).
NB: This MA is not a teacher training programme and does not aim to train students via school-based training and teaching placements.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Special and Inclusive Education MA
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as managers in mainstream and special schools and other educational settings, while others support those with special educational needs and disabilities directly. Graduates can also be found working as staff in specialist services for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
This programme provides students with the opportunity to study in one of the country's leading specialist departments in special educational needs and disability, and educational psychology, working with internationally recognised tutors who have published widely in the areas of special education, inclusion and disability studies, and who contribute to Master's and doctoral programmes worldwide.
The programme team is committed to creating an intellectually challenging context in which students are encouraged to discuss practical knowledge, experience and ideas in order to extend their understanding of special and inclusive education.
This programme attracts students with rich and varied professional and personal experience, both nationally and internationally, and fellow students provide a valuable networking resource.
Take the next step in your career with this innovative inclusive education online programme, designed for professionals working as leaders or prospective leaders of inclusion in educational settings.
This unique joint venture partners London’s top modern university with the UK’s leading provider of professional training for SEND practitioners.
Experience state-of-the-art practice-led learning that combines our latest virtual learning environment technology (Campus OnlineTM) with the extensive resources of Middlesex University.
Learn to lead with leading learning from Middlesex University and Real Training.
Please note
The master’s degree in inclusive education is a Middlesex University programme and qualification, jointly developed, delivered and assessed by Middlesex and Real Training, and quality assured by Middlesex University. As such, this programme can only be booked with Middlesex University.
The programme starts in September and January.
Developing inclusive education practice to support the needs of all learners is one of the most important challenges facing education professionals today. The Leading Inclusive Education MA is an exciting, new distance-learning pathway for education professionals, from all phases and settings, who wish to progress into leadership roles, or to develop their leadership skills, in the crucial area of inclusion.
This practice-led and flexible Middlesex University programme and qualification offers an alternative to, and routes on from, current NCTL leadership qualifications and the National Award for SEN Coordination.
It has been developed, and is delivered and assessed by Middlesex University, in partnership with us. It is also quality assured by Middlesex University.
It is open to graduate professionals working in any educational setting – early years, schools, specialist settings, FE colleges and universities – in the UK and internationally.
The programme is designed as a distance-learning package and can be accessed from anywhere in the world. It is delivered through our Campus OnlineTM online learning platform, in partnership with Middlesex University.
You will work on practical assignments, as well as doing your own independent reading and research. You will produce written work, including a dissertation, reports and a reflective journal.
An expert tutor will oversee your work.
The SEN, Disability and Inclusive Education programme enables students to investigate the education of children and young people with learning difficulties, disability, disadvantage or other additional needs. Our programme is founded upon a democratic commitment to forms of education which challenge exclusion and enable the participation, learning, development and empowerment of all.
Students studying on the programme will engage with aspects of theory, policy and practice relevant to international and local contexts. With its international profile, this programme brings together those who have significant professional experience working with children and young people with learning difficulties, disabilities, disadvantages or other additional needs, either directly in teaching, support or project work, or as policy-makers, advisory workers or managers.
The MA SEN, Disability and Inclusive Education draws on different disciplinary traditions and approaches to theory and practice within the field of Inclusion, SEN and Disability, but is underpinned by rights-based, justice-based and equalities-based principles and a rejection of deficit-based approaches to difference (including the medical model of disability). The specialist modules within the programme include some which have particular emphasis and grounding in social or critical or psychological perspectives as well as other modules which are more generic in their foundation. The compulsory final independent enquiry module – a 60 credit Dissertation - allows the opportunity for a range of research styles and approaches for critically enquiring into an identified question or issue or for developing practice through critical enquiry.
Students greatly benefit from engaging with the insights, experiences and perspectives of other programme members, from a diverse range of contexts and backgrounds. The combination of their own experiences, insights gained from others on the programme and the theoretical resources offered by learning within the modules, enables students to deepen their understanding of, and to be able to challenge exclusion in education and the barriers that hinder participation, learning, development and empowerment of children and young people with learning difficulties, disability, disadvantage or other additional needs.
The teaching provided on modules is informed by active research and scholarship in the field of Inclusion, SEN and Disability theory and practice. All lecturers leading modules on the programme have high level specialist qualifications, teaching and leadership experience in the field of Education and Inclusion.
This programme can be taken full-time over one year (for those who are not working or working very little) or can be taken part-time over 2 – 4 years.
The programme rests on a critical approach to education in general, with an emphasis on inclusion, enablement, human rights and social justice in the education of those with learning difficulties, disabilities and disadvantage.
The specialist modules within the programme include some which have particular grounding in social or critical perspectives, whilst other modules are more generic in their approach. The compulsory final independent enquiry module – a 60 credit Dissertation - allows the opportunity for a range of styles and approaches for critically enquiring into an identified question or issue within Inclusion and SEND or for developing practice through a critical practitioner enquiry.
All students complete a common module which takes a broad view of key perspectives and issues in Inclusion, SEN and Disability. Optional modules are available to students, some of which focus specifically on the education of pupils with particular learning difficulties or disability, and some of which focus on issues such as pedagogy, social and emotional development and behaviour.
Students may also have the opportunity, instead of taking a taught optional module, to take a (non-taught) Independent Study module to learn about a specific issue relevant to their interests or needs, which is not taught about in the programme. Most modules carry a 20 credit value apart from the Dissertation, so the full programme comprises six 20 credit modules plus the Dissertation.
It is possible for students to withdraw from the programme with an award short of the full MA (180 credits) if they wish. The Postgraduate Diploma is achieved with 120 credits and the Postgraduate Certificate is achieved with 60 credits.
Required modules (must be taken)
Compulsory module (must be passed)
Optional modules
Compulsory and Required modules
Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.
Optional modules
Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.
The Programme supports and enables those with significant professional experience to:
The UWS Masters course in Inclusive Education is a part-time qualification and is ideal if you are a teacher or a professional teaching and/or supporting learning in a mainstream school or other inclusive educational setting.
With increasing diversity in society being reflected in the classroom, where children and young people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities and needs learn together, we believe that it is becoming progressively more important that teachers and other professionals working in mainstream schools or other inclusive educational settings develop appropriate responses to diversity.
Through our Masters' course, we will support you as you strive to make all learners feel included, and to provide for them learning experiences that are relevant and accessible.
Completing five of the following modules, plus a module in educational research and the dissertation will give you the award of MEd Inclusive Education.
Course modules you will study are:
Throughout our course, you are given opportunities to use the principles of practitioner enquiry, such as the need to engage in professional dialogue about, systematic reflection on, and evidence-based enhancement of practice to explore the themes of each module in their professional context.
Teaching & Assessment
Our teaching and learning strategy is designed to help you achieve the learning outcomes associated with each module, while the assessment strategy provides you with a structured opportunity to demonstrate that you have actually achieved them and to gain formal recognition for this achievement. All modules are assessed summatively through reflective essays exploring key themes associated with each module. Formative assessment opportunities are built into each module.
Jobs
Our Inclusive Education course will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills that make you well suited to pursue positions of responsibility in the areas of inclusion and support for learning.
Professional and personal development abilities are greatly enhanced, and you will be perfectly poised to undertake positions of leadership as well as seeking new opportunities in this exciting field.
Find out more about the structure, learning outcomes, compulsory and optional modules in this course.
Achievement for All and UCL Institute of Education are working in collaboration to deliver an international leadership Master's in inclusive education. The programme focuses on international, national and local policy and practice relating to improving the achievement, access and aspirations of vulnerable young people including children with special educational needs, disability and other additional needs.
Students will learn to critically debate challenges of leadership and inclusion within global educational settings; application of frameworks to an understanding of international professional policy and practice; to produce and communicate analytical and critical argument, both in writing and orally, informed by the international academic and professional literature; to enhance evidence-based professional practice through greater knowledge, understanding and awareness
capacity for self-reflection; independence of thought.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits
The programme consists of four core modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
There are no optional modules on this programme
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words (60 credits).
Each module is delivered over one intensive week through lectures, seminars and workshops. Assessment is by essays, posters and the dissertation/report.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: International Leadership in Inclusive Education MA
Career options are likely to include middle and senior positions in schools, colleges, local advisory services and other educational settings.
Employability
Students learn to lead and manage staff to develop an inclusive school drawing on evidence from a range of international contexts. They will enhance their ability to make reasoned and informed arguments both in writing and orally, based on evidence-based professional practice, and reflect on their own practice to instigate change with reference to key issues and concepts of SEN, disability awareness and leadership within a variety of educational contexts.
This is a cutting-edge international programme within a first-class university. It delivers an opportunity to learn from ongoing research in this field, exploring critically the values and practices of leadership and inclusive education internationally.
You will be able to connect academic learning with workplace practice. You will visit an outstanding school for children with special educational needs - an opportunity to study practices in a UK setting, and compare with challenges faced here and in your own country.
You will have the opportunity to engage in practitioner-based research related to your own educational practice, informed by international perspectives and be part of an ongoing professional learning community.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Psychology & Human Development
78% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This new programme will interest graduates who want to make a difference to the lives of a wide range of children in education. You will compare inclusive educational practices in Scotland, the UK and across the world. You will study particular approaches to removing barriers to learning and including all children.
The programme has specific pathways for Postgraduate Diploma (visually impaired learners), Postgraduate Diploma (deaf learners) and Postgraduate Diploma (bilingual learners).
Compulsory courses
Option courses
You will choose three option courses from this range:
Dissertation (MSc)
The programme aims to:
Suiting newly qualified teachers and experienced practitioners alike, this programme provides a qualification that can open doors to a new career in inclusive and special education, or an advanced role in the field.
It can also provide the foundations for a career in policy formation and development, as well as a broad range of highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles in any field.
Are you an experienced education practitioner with a particular interest in inclusive education? If so, this course is designed to address your professional development needs and help you understand how to implement and support approaches that provide fair access to learning for all.
Equality of opportunity in education is an important, but often overlooked or misunderstood, aspect of an educationalist’s responsibilities. Education that is designed and delivered so that it is accessible to learners with specific needs can transform the lives of individuals and fundamentally change the opportunities available to them in wider society. The need for highly trained, passionate and creative educationalists with expertise in this field has never been greater.
Aimed at existing education professionals, this contemporary and stimulating programme of study provides opportunities to critically evaluate current national and international developments in the education sector. You’ll study the principles and theories that underpin best practice in inclusive education and consider the implications of this knowledge for your own practice.
We’ll encourage and guide you in formulating creative solutions to complex educational problems, especially those surrounding diversity in a multicultural society. You’ll also have the chance to develop enhanced key skills in line with your personal and professional development needs; for instance, team working and leadership, problem solving, communication, numeracy and ICT skills.
For more information please visit http://www.bolton.ac.uk/postgrad
The course begins with a discussion about how the term ‘inclusion’ can be interpreted. You will then explore policies and philosophies of inclusion in relation to both special educational needs and special provision, as well as to theories of social justice and equality in education.
We will consider how to evaluate and develop policy and practices in individual educational institutions, and analyse how far current educational contexts of performance and high-stakes accountability may affect developments in inclusionary thinking and practice. The programme is suitable for serving teachers at all career stages and from all sectors of education.
It includes:
Compulsory modules
Optional modules include:
Assessment is 100% by coursework
Gain a detailed knowledge and critical understanding of theories and practices of inclusion.
Gain a thorough knowledge of perspectives on inclusionary policy development and analysis of implementation issues.
The programme is suitable for serving teachers at all career stages and from all sectors of education.
This course is a part-time, three-year taught Masters course which looks at additional support needs, inclusive pedagogy and collaborative practice.
It'll provide you with an opportunity to learn about the pedagogy and background, policies and procedures related to inclusive education.
The course is recognised by local authorities as desirable for all teachers working in, or looking to work in educational support.
You’ll learn from a wide group of teachers from all sectors and stages, like:
It's a requirement of the General Teaching Council of Scotland that teachers continually update their skills and experience throughout their careers. This course is designed to provide outstanding opportunities for teachers to develop their professional knowledge and practice in-line with the most current developments in research, practice, policy and legislation.
Our lecturers are members of the Scottish Teacher Education Committee Inclusion Group and co-authors of the National Framework for Inclusion, commissioned by Scottish Government.
The course is only delivered part-time and classes are usually run on Tuesday evenings and Saturdays.
Year 1
You'll attend three classes in Year 1 - one class per semester. Each class is three hours per week, delivered either on a Tuesday evening or on Saturday morning. In total each class should take 200 hours including self-study.
Postgraduate Certificate
If you decide to complete your studies after one year, you'll graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert).
Year two
You'll also attend three classes in Year 2 - two elective classes and one compulsory.
The compulsory class - Research Methods and Reasoning - will give you the necessary skills and understanding to undertake a dissertation at Masters level. It's delivered entirely online via our virtual Learning Environment, My Place, during semester 1.
Just like Year 1, you'll have one class per semester. The expected study time is also 200 hours, including self-study.
Postgraduate Diploma
Students who decide to complete their studies at the end of year two will graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma.
Year three
You’ll carry out a research dissertation in a subject area of your choice or a strategic leadership and work based project.
Dissertation
If you go the dissertation, we'll allocate a supervisor for one-to-one support while you carry out and report your dissertation. We'll also try our best to match you with the best fit for your area of specialism. You can complete your final dissertation by distance learning so you have the flexibility to finish your studies around work commitments.
Work based project
As an alternative to a dissertation, you can instigate a strategic change initiative at work and evaluate its impact on your learning.
There will be a one-day induction over a weekend before the course begins where you'll be introduced to the course, receive guidance on study skills and be introduced to university systems, like the library and Myplace.
This course is taught on campus and provides the opportunity for teachers to learn alongside colleagues from the widest possible range of educational settings, from mainstream primary and secondary schools to highly specialised provision, including secure units, teachers within the prison service, home visiting teachers and more.
Each class is assessed by written assignment. These are usually practice-based.
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