Education (MA)

The MA in Education is designed for those working in education across a range of contexts and for those wishing to study and research in education.

The course is concerned with the development of critical enquiry and reflection in the field of education, and the development of professional knowledge and expertise.

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-in-education/

Why choose this course?

- The course is shaped to create a learning environment that draws upon the divergent intellectual and practice backgrounds of students and to provide opportunities to network with others.

- Through the course students are supported in improving and developing their professional organisations through critical enquiry, reflection and the promotion of creative and innovative practice.

- The School of Education at Oxford Brookes is a focal point for stimulating and informed debate on education through its seminar and lecture programmes and ongoing work with schools.

- The School of Education works in close partnership in a range of educational settings and services and can provide opportunities for placements as part of the course experience. For example, each year students carry out commissioned work as part of their dissertation study. Recent examples have included co-research with pupils investigating cyber bullying and investigating parents perspectives on play spaces.

- We offer a wide range of Postgraduate Certificates, specifically designed for part time students who are working full time. Sessions typically run in the evenings, with some online discussions. On completion of a postgraduate certificate you can then choose to go onto study a further three modules and the successful completion of a dissertation will complete your MA Education.

Teaching and learning

Learning methods include lectures, directed reading, workshops, student and staff-led seminars and project work. Teaching, learning and assessment draw on the different backgrounds, experience and knowledge of participants, and encourages critical reflection.

Teaching is organised on a module-credit basis, each module involving blended learning (face-to-face and online) equivalent to approximately 24 hours of staff contact as follows:
- part-time on campus: eight weekly teaching blocks . Modules are usually taught on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays (depending on choice of module), from 5pm to 8pm

- full-time on campus: students join part-time students in some evening modules, and complete the rest of the course through daytime sessions (currently on Thursday)

- distance learning - an MA qualification can be achieved by online learning but the full module offer is not available in this format (please check availability for individual modules).

Approach to assessment

Each course module is assessed separately and is based on coursework, eg individual essays, seminar presentations, reports, portfolios, investigative research and group work.

How this course helps you develop

Studying the MA Education will bring depth and insight into your professional thinking. You will meet students who are at various levels in their careers and you will learn from each other's experiences.

Completion of the course shows commitment to professional development and should lead to improved prospects for career progression.

- Postgraduate certificates
Alternatively, you can develop your professional practice in specialist areas through our range of Postgraduate Certificate Awards.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.