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Early Years Education MA

London, Bloomsbury

Early Years Education MA supports students in developing knowledge and skills to address challenges at the local, national, and international levels. Through engagement with contemporary issues and debates, students gain a deeper understanding of policy development while enhancing their leadership capabilities and their ability to assess and improve the quality of early years practice. This course is one of the flagship courses of the Department of Learning and Leadership, led by world-leading experts at the UCL Institute of Education (IOE).

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£14,200
£7,100
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required. Appropriate experience of working with young children is desirable.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This course is suitable for international students on a Student visa – study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting September.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This course provides the opportunity for students to access professional development that is informed by best practice in early years education. It will also prepare students for leadership roles and develop their understanding of general methodology and research methods.

This MA qualification is a research-based degree and so is not listed by the English Department for Education as a teaching Early Years Qualification (DfE 2022, last updated 2July 2025).

Who this course is for

The course is suited to students of early childhood and educators in the UK and internationally, including early years teachers, educators and professionals, Further Education and Higher Education lecturers, nursery nurses, voluntary and independent providers, and advisers and leaders in areas relevant to early childhood.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is one of the world's leading centres for education and related areas of social science. For the twelfth year in succession IOE has been ranked as the world's leading university for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)

Students in this course have the opportunity to develop their understanding and knowledge of early years education by working with experienced early years educators and researchers. The Early Years Education staff team at IOE have been at the forefront of international research for two decades including the renowned Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) project. The course also has strong links to the innovative Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (0-11).

The course provides the opportunity to broaden and deepen understanding of early childhood education, combining theory and practice, policy and current debates internationally to critically address key issues in early years education across a range of contexts. Students will be exposed to rich content in thought-provoking lectures, supported by seminar activities enabling discussion and critical reflections within an international community. 

This course supports understanding and insights into early years nationally and internationally and contributes to personal and professional development in the field of study. Students have the opportunity to develop as future agents and leaders for change in early years education.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

By taking this course students develop an international, critical and deep understanding of early years leadership, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.

The learning and research that I undertook on this course has been of immense benefit in my professional career. Children at my school enjoy a learning culture that has been widely influenced by the research undertaken as part of my studies at IOE.

Mark Balaam, Early Years Education MA

Mark Balaam

Early Years Education MA

Q&A with Mark Balaam

Employability

Graduates of this course may work in a broad range of careers, both nationally and internationally:

  • advisers to local and national government,
  • researchers on early childhood courses,
  • leaders and managers in nurseries, early years settings, primary schools,
  • researchers, lecturers and teacher educators in higher education and in educational services outside schools such as museums, publishing or children's support services. 

81.2% of UCL graduates are in highly-skilled work or postgraduate study. Graduates of the IOE typically work in teaching or other education professions, higher education, academic research, NGOs, and charities (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-22).

Networking

The students have the opportunity to be taught by leading academics at the discipline of Early Childhood Education and beyond and participate in important research projects.

Teaching and learning

Our pedagogy is based around discussion, which takes place face-to-face or online via seminars, tutorials and forums. We use a mixture of group seminars and group tutorials and individual tutorials to support student learning.

Students will have the opportunity to attend a range of taught sessions, workshops, and group tutorials in which they will develop the skills and knowledge required to successfully complete the independent desk-based research project and each component of the dissertation portfolio. 

This course is delivered through face-to-face for both daytime and evening sessions.

Assessments provide a variety of opportunities to students to work independently and via group work while developing different skills valuable to diverse career settings.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around six to eight hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In terms one and two full-time students can typically expect between six and eight contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, online formative feedback and tutorials. Students may have modules in term three. Also in term three and the summer period, students will be completing their own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors.

Contact hours for part-time students will depend on the modules selected. Typically a part-time student will only work on one module in any one term. For each module, typical contact hours vary between three and four per week and students will additionally engage in approximately 10 hours of self-study per module.

The time allocated to self-directed study will vary depending on which module the student chooses and tutors will advise you in how to manage your workload.

Modules

The course can be studied full-time within one academic year.

The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Researching Early Years and Primary Education
  • Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
  • Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this course offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.

You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.

Students will receive full support from the course team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:

  • Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
  • Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education
  • Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education.

The course can be studied part-time (2 years). Part-time students typically complete the course as below:

Year One
Early Childhood Education 30 credits 
Contemporary Issues 30 credits
Leadership/optional 30 credits

Year Two
Research Methods 30 credits
Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio

The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Researching Early Years and Primary Education
  • Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
  • Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this course offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.

You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.

Students will receive full support from the course team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:

  • Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
  • Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education.
  • Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education.

Students on a flexible basis can complete the MA over a period of time, between 2 and 5 years and the selection of the module is a combination of the teaching offer and student's choice.

The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Researching Early Years and Primary Education
  • Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
  • Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this course offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.

You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.

Students will receive full support from the course team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:

  • Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
  • Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education.
  • Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education. 

Students must remain enrolled throughout the maximum of five years but you are free to decide whether or not being selecting module(s) at a particular term of the year.

Compulsory modules








Optional modules








Children's Rights in Global Perspectives



Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Early Years Education.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £14,200 £7,100
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

If you intend to conduct any of your dissertation research in UK schools or educational settings, you will be required to apply for and fund a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £15 (note, this was the fee for 2025 but may change). 

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their dissertation, and should account for these costs when planning their finances.

This course may offer optional field trips to students. These are not compulsory and do not affect final grades. The exact cost of each field trip will depend on the location, prevailing exchange rates, and the price of travel and accommodation. It is estimated that students would need to contribute between £200 and £800 per field trip depending on the destination.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

IOE - Aziz Foundation Scholarships

Value: Full tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 5 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 5 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation at International Students House (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Early Years Education at graduate level
  • why you want to study Early Years Education at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen course
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging course
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this course match what the course will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Learning and Leadership
Learning and Leadership

ioe.maearlyyears@ucl.ac.uk

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