About this course
This MA covers social justice, democracy and participation, it involves critical multi-disciplinary study and deepens your understanding of education in a global context.
- Ideal for those with a professional and personal interest in education whether you are already in practice or aspiring to develop a career in education
- Critically interrogate education policy, discourse and practice in a supportive and stretching learning community
- Explore and analyse social, political, historical, philosophical and cultural issues in education
- Focus on social justice and globalisation in education
- Enjoy the rich environment created by a diverse breadth of learners
- Alternative Exit/Interim Awards of PgCert and PgDip available
The MA Education critically examines the purpose of education, its social and cultural impact and the implications of democracy and educational governance. You will learn to question accepted theory and policy, view education from a global perspective and explore key issues such as inclusion and accessibility.
Taught by experienced academics with backgrounds in teacher education, higher and further education, specialist provision, nursing and social work, the programme provides a rich, stimulating and relevant learning experience. As well as recent graduates looking to take their understanding to the next level and, perhaps, embark on a career in research and academia, the programme will appeal to experienced practitioners. Applicants may come from a standard education setting, further education, community arts, education welfare, prison education or other informal settings.
The programme is expected to attract education professionals at all levels thus giving students the opportunity to learn from each other as well as academic staff and visiting guest speakers.
The programme will enable you to enrich and develop essential skills for career progression. You will explore your own values and principles regarding education and educational discourses and practices and will investigate how education facilitates opportunity.
Led by staff with significant practical experience of education systems in Nepal, Thailand and Brazil, you will explore education in an international context. This will enable you to build a global view of education, enhancing your existing knowledge and experience with new concepts and theories, grounded in research.
Available full-time or part-time, the programme is flexible enough to fit around existing commitments. Module content and assessments are flexibly designed to cater for new graduates and those facing workplace experiences and challenges. The dissertation module enables you to specialise in your specific area of interest, with those in employment able to focus on a topic applicable to their current role.
Are you an Early Career Teacher? You may be interested in our MA Education Practice degree, which is specifically designed for ECTs.
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
Employability
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
This programme offers excellent opportunities to enhance your employability and career progression through your developing skills and confidence. You will benefit from our strong and established relationships with employers in education and other fields.
As a graduate you will be able to enter or progress in a range of careers where education is central to practice and organisational purpose. You may go on to undertake roles in: policy work; arts education; educational leadership; community-based education; learning, development and support; schools; adult, further and higher education; local authorities/central government; diplomacy and international projects; educational research; NGOs and educational consultancy.
The student experience
Discover life as a postgraduate student at LJMU.
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Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.
Core modules
Education, Society and Culture
20 credits
This module provides the critical skills required to review the inter-relationship between education, society and culture across a variety of educational contexts. It:
- introduces you to the relationship between ethnicity, multiculturalism and identity
- enables you to conceptualise life-long learning to explore the social and educational process that shape individual life chances
Competing Philosophies of Education
20 credits
This module examines the breadth of issues concerning education philosophy and the range of views on these issues. It offers an introduction to important debates and traditions within education philosophy and explores how these relate to on-going issues in globalisation and social change.
Education, Globalisation and Social Justice
20 credits
This module offers a critical understanding of the process of globalisation and the ability to critically reflect on the impact of globalisation and social justice.
Research Methods
20 credits
This module encourages you to identify and critically evaluate appropriate research methods and methodologies for your own research.
Critique, Power and Transformation in Education
20 credits
This module aims to provide a critical perspective of different systems of education within the context of political, cultural, social and economic influences. It also examines the sources and use of power within educational settings and investigates pedagogies for empowerment and transformation.
The Critically Reflective Practitioner
20 credits
This module focuses on helping you to critically reflect on personal values, beliefs and assumptions in relation to developing practice and the implications of relevant theory and research on your own educational practice, in a range of contexts.
Dissertation
60 credits
This module aims to provide an opportunity for you to integrate the skills, knowledge, theory and practice that have been learned in the previous modules. You will design, plan and conduct a research project either as an empirical project or as a theoretical study.
Teaching
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The course consists of six core modules (20 credits each) and one dissertation module (60 credits) - all at Level 7.
You can study full-time or part-time. Modules are delivered during the afternoon and early evening in 4 hour, weekday sessions in Semester 1 or Semester 2.
Teaching methods
You will be taught via: workshops, seminars, lectures, online sessions, blended learning, face-to-face sessions and tutorials (include module specific and personal tutorials).
Applied learning
You will apply your learning within the workplace/to professional practice experience in a range of settings e.g. education, social care, health, community agencies, learning and organisational development.
Assessment
How learning is monitored on your programme
Assessment methods on this course include: an essay, report and critical reflection on professional practice.All assessments are closely linked to practice. There is a strong emphasis on the application of ideas developed in the context of your own setting.Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Dr Gillian Peiser
Programme Leader
Dr Gillian Peiser
Programme Leader
Dr Gillian Peiser gained a BA in European Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Manchester in 1994. She then went on to gain a PGCE from the University of Liverpool and an MA in Educational Management from LJMU. Gillian completed her PhD in Education at John Moores in 2012. She worked in secondary education for 11 years and has worked at LJMU since 2006 in a variety of roles. Her research specialisms include intercultural understanding in languages education, extracurricular learning and teacher development.
I am passionate about a programme that prompts students to critically examine how educational practices, discourse, systems, policies, culture and institutions, in formal, informal, local and global contexts, influence opportunities. The course encourages students to explore principles of social justice in education with a dynamic learning community.
Where you will study
What you can expect from your School
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Alternative qualifications considered
Candidates are required to have: An undergraduate degree (lower second class level or above) in a relevant subject, for example Education, Social Policy, Childhood, Community Development, Health or International Studies. Or, be able to demonstrate a comparable academic standard through past studies and/or relevant work experience. Candidates already holding a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or other M-Level qualifications deemed by the programme leader to be equivalent to respective parts of the MA programme may be permitted to enter with exemptions, subject to the University's regulations on Advanced Standing in Postgraduate Awards and with the approval of the Faculty Recognition Group. The RP(E)L system will be explained to all students. In addition, all potential candidates are required to demonstrate competence in English language to English GCSE standard or equivalent. Non-UK students will be required to possess certification of English at IELTS 6.5 level (minimum 6.0 in each component) or equivalent qualification. Applicants who have studied and successfully passed a UK-based degree within the previous 24 months are exempt from such requirements.
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.