University of Surrey MA Education | OnlineUniversity of Surrey MA Education | OnlineUniversity of Surrey MA Education | Online

Broad-based and cross-disciplinary, the online MA Education focuses on nurturing critical thinking and enriching participants’ insights into educational theory, research, practice and policy through a diverse array of educational contexts. The foundations of the programme are scaffolded on Merrill’s Principles of Instruction, ensuring meaningful, engaging and transferable learning experiences guided by experienced lecturers who are active researchers in the field of education.

The curriculum is delivered through a combination of asynchronous teaching and learning activities and regular live sessions. It culminates in a research project that provides an opportunity to work towards solving challenges in educational policy and practice. The MA consists of 180 credits and is divided into 10 credit-bearing modules. All modules are worth 15 credits, except the final research project, which is worth 30 credits.

The MA Education covers the following modules:

• Design for Learning

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  Design for learning is a multi-layered, deliberate and social process where designers (e.g., educators, professionals with interdisciplinary expertise) transform ideas and knowledge into artefacts, activities or services to facilitate and enrich other people’s learning. Design plays a vital role in any learning and teaching context and can have a significant impact on learners’ engagement, learning and growth. This module will enable participants to develop a holistic and contemporary understanding of the theory and practice of learning design. It takes evidence-informed, systemic and creative approaches to design and aims to empower participants to become competent and confident in designing meaningful and pedagogically sound learning environments. 

  Participants will be enabled to reflect on their professional practice and recognise their learning design needs, values, sector challenges and future aspirations. Through activity-based, collaborative and inquiry-led learning opportunities, participants will explore a range of frameworks, case studies, tools and new directions in the field to expand their practice and support them in taking informed learning design decisions. There are many current debates about design for learning, making this an exciting time to explore crucial elements of design practice in various educational contexts. This module offers an opportunity to gain inspiration and shape participants’ future practices as a community of educators, professionals, policymakers and researchers.

• Assessment and Feedback

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  This module enables participants to develop a holistic and contemporary understanding of the theory and practice of assessment and feedback within different educational contexts. Assessment and feedback are some of the most hotly debated aspects of educational practice; research indicates that whilst teaching and learning have increasingly become more student-centred in nature, assessment and feedback practices have been much slower to adapt, resulting in neglected corners of practice. Through engaging in self-evaluative, inquiry-led approaches to investigating and reflecting critically on practice, participants are encouraged to identify and develop connections between theory and practice, identify barriers to these connections and integrate research and scholarship into the development of practice.

• Philosophical and Critical Perspectives in Education

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  This module provides an in-depth exploration of educational philosophies including perennialism, essentialism, behaviourism, pragmatism, constructivism, existentialism and critical theory. It focuses on their historical development and contemporary relevance. Participants will critically analyse these frameworks, examining their assumptions, implications and practical applications to address modern educational challenges. Emphasis is placed on how philosophical and critical perspectives inform pedagogical practices, with the ultimate aim of fostering reflective, informed and socially responsive educators. The module adopts a problem-centred approach, encouraging participants to apply theoretical insights to real-world educational contexts, particularly issues surrounding equity, diversity and innovation.

• International and Comparative Education

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  Educational systems vary across contexts and change over time. To drive change within educational systems, participants will need to understand why policies and practices are created and the extent they are able to achieve change in a system context. By studying these (inter)national educational systems, participants will develop understanding of the drivers for their construction and development from various perspectives, including political, historical, socio-cultural and economic contexts. Further, participants will engage in comparing diverse (inter)national policies and practices to build an understanding of how they impact educational outcomes and access for various social groups. They will engage with key theories and ideas such as global equity, global citizenship, global mobility and global education monitoring systems.

• Inclusion and Social Justice in Education

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  Educational contexts are becoming more diverse and educators need to develop a growing understanding of a range of needs, backgrounds and identities to consider how best to enhance learning experiences and ensure educational success. Teachers face growing challenges in equality, equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice activism, with changes to government policies and a mounting counter-argument against practices that build learners’ feelings of belonging and ability to learn within their educational spaces. 

  For learners and students to achieve their full potential, a holistic approach to inclusive education and social justice is required. But what does this look like and how do we achieve this? This module will encourage participants to explore the nature of social justice and the role of education in enhancing and achieving this. The module will introduce participants to key concepts and current thinking about social justice in educational contexts and consider implications for understanding and/or practice. This will include considerations of global perspectives and the place of indigenous knowledges. 

  Participants will be encouraged to think critically and engage in theoretical perspectives about the social inequalities and injustices experienced by a diverse range of identities and learners in differing educational contexts. Further, issues of power and positionality will be considered in learning experiences and curriculum design. These differing perspectives will come not only from the diverse curriculum examples offered in the module, but also from peers’ valuable knowledge and experiences. Through consideration of these educational contexts and experiences, participants can then think about how they can be more inclusive in their own educational contexts and practices. Collectively, this will support individuals to think about their own contribution and role in making education more socially just in the future.

• The Science of Learning

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  Learning is a complex process, with many factors influencing how effectively people learn new skills and concepts. In this module, participants will gain a grounding in the science of learning by exploring how insights from psychology, neuroscience and cognitive science can enhance educational practices. By studying evidence-based approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, participants will be equipped with the skills to critically evaluate and implement learning strategies that foster deep understanding, retention and transfer. Participants will also develop skills in bridging research and practice in educational settings.

• Advanced Language and Communication Skills

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  This module builds participants’ awareness and knowledge of the diversity in linguistic repertoires and registers that exist in the field of education and the expectations of the educational and professional contexts. The module develops participants’ written and spoken communication skills to operate within these diverse contexts. Schools and universities are international and multilingual, resulting in a diverse linguistic environment. At the same time, the academic and professional expectations for diversity of language outputs are growing. Education genres, both written and spoken, are in constant development. Students and teachers need to be able to navigate these genres and communicate effectively in a variety of professional and academic contexts.

  In this module, participants will focus on the language of education through a genre lens. Participant feedback will be ongoing and dialogic; participants will engage in regular interactive discussions online that will involve individual or group-level formative feedback, for example, on their understanding of a topic, research article or their ability to critically evaluate a theory. Participants will be analysing case studies as part of their guided learning and tutors will provide feedback on their interpretations. Detailed feedback information will be provided on both the formative and summative submissions.

• Digital Learning and Education Futures

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  In this module, participants will have the opportunity to explore key issues related to digital learning and develop a critical awareness of the potential roles and impacts of digital technologies and associated pedagogies in their professional practices. All sectors of education have evolved and there is a growing appetite for engaging with more critical and mature perspectives on digital education. 

  Participants will investigate contemporary literature, emerging trends and fresh perspectives, transcending traditional narratives that view digital technologies predominantly as supplements to learning and teaching, or as driven by technological innovation. This module aims to empower participants to cultivate a critical, comprehensive, and forward-looking understanding of theory and practice in digital education. Participants will be encouraged to explore the underlying purpose of digital education, engaging in thoughtful reflection and examination of their own professional practices and aspirations within the broader context of education and its future directions. 

  Through engaging in debates and interacting with research, participants will be prompted to position the ‘digital’ in relation to the context of education futures. This lens can offer valuable insights into contemporary themes and envisioning potential future practices. This module will engage participants in active, collaborative and inquiry-led learning opportunities to explore a range of perspectives, frameworks and case studies. A significant part of the module will be shaped by the participants themselves, as they will be guided to choose a personally identified ‘education futures’ scenario and analyse its potential implications for their own practice and for other key stakeholders’ practices. Participants and the teaching team will learn from each other and will engage in discussions to define desirable education futures.

• Evaluating Educational Practice

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  In today’s complex and diverse educational landscapes, professionals often face challenges in critically evaluating their practices and identifying strategies for meaningful improvement. Whether working in classrooms, nonprofit organisations or policy settings, educators and stakeholders grapple with questions that demonstrate the interconnections between modules on this programme (e.g., Design for Learning and Assessment and Feedback) such as: “How can I ensure my teaching or initiatives effectively meet the needs of learners?” “How can I meaningfully interpret and act on feedback?” “How can I integrate diverse perspectives and research into my practice?” 

  This module is designed to address these challenges by equipping participants with practical tools and critical theoretical frameworks to evaluate educational practices with depth and insight. Using a conceptual framework (e.g., Brookfield’s ‘Four Lenses of Critical Reflection’) that synthesises a range of perspectives (e.g., personal, student, peer and theoretical), participants will examine their assumptions, analyse feedback and draw on research to develop strategies for enhancing their professional approaches. Through guided activities, teaching observations and structured reflection, participants will build their capacity to view educational practice from multiple perspectives and propose actionable improvements. By the end of the module, they will be empowered to navigate the complexities of their professional contexts and drive meaningful change in learning and teaching.

• Educational Leadership and Policy

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  This module explores the key concepts and theories that underpin effective leadership in educational settings. Participants will examine foundational principles of leadership, explore various leadership theories and analyse the characteristics of successful educational leaders. Participants will explore the impact of organisational cultures on leadership practices, with a focus on change management and transformational leadership. Participants will also explore crisis leadership, ethical decision-making and the challenges leaders face in navigating complex policy environments. Through discussions on policy analysis and its intersection with leadership, participants will develop the knowledge and skills to critically assess leadership practices and to apply their learning to policy and practice contexts.

• Education Research Project

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  In this module, participants will be able to work on an independent research project to explore an educational topic in depth. They will engage in developing and executing a research proposal for an educational topic through using approaches such as secondary qualitative/quantitative analysis, policy analysis and/or systematic reviews. They will be expected to use Open Research practices and develop their skills in presenting the outcomes of their research.

This programme is subject to approval. This means that it has received initial agreement from the University and is currently undergoing a detailed final approval exercise, through the University’s quality assurance processes. These processes are a requirement for all Higher Education Institutions within the UK, to ensure that programmes are of the highest standard. Occasionally there may be instances where the University may delay or not approve the introduction of the programme.

Stand out in your role with education expertise

Establish a research-focused foundation in educational policy, practice and leadership and open up a variety of career paths. 

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Whether you are passionate about pursuing an education-related role or advancing in your current career in education, the online MA Education will equip you with versatile skills and research-informed expertise, opening diverse career opportunities beyond traditional teaching. 

It is important to note that the MA Education does not prepare participants to enter roles as accredited teachers. However, many of our graduates use insights gained from the programme to secure an education-related role in their field of choice. Those currently working in such roles can advance into roles in educational leadership, policy-making and consultancy, shaping education systems. Others might use their MA Education to pursue doctoral study or research roles at universities, think tanks and assessment organisations.   

Completing the programme may support progress into roles focused on social impact and educational reform, influencing strategy and decision-making, or applying educational theory in workplace settings. You could apply your expertise in instructional design, learning theory and EdTech in corporate learning and development, Human Resources or e-learning. You could also go on to work with NGOs, charities and global organisations to drive education reform and social change.  

Whatever path you choose, this flexible and interdisciplinary programme prepares you for leadership, research and innovation across education, business and global sectors. 

The online MA Education will prepare you to pursue a diverse range of career pathways, from educational research to policy-making. In addition to facilitating your exposure to a broad variety of novel ideas and concepts through engagement with an interdisciplinary cohort, the programme offers modules that develop your digital literacy, communication, leadership, analytical and research skills. The development of these transferable skills will help mould you into a highly qualified professional with the capacity to excel in a range of educational settings.

Develop transferable skills and gain upward mobility in an education-related profession.