Home

Education (Citizenship) MA

London, Bloomsbury

In the MA Education (Citizenship), students explore educational, political and philosophical debates that have influenced the curriculum and the learning and teaching of citizenship in schools, colleges and related settings. Students are encouraged to critically reflect on principles, practices and issues that shape and relate to policy and professional practice in citizenship education and to develop theorized and evidence-informed perspectives on policy and practice.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£12,700
£6,350
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£31,100
£15,550
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 05 Apr 2024

Applications closed

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard and a developed interest in citizenship education (usually evidenced by teaching experience or by experience related to education).

The English language level for this programme 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.

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

Nearly everyone is a citizen of somewhere. But what does it mean to be a citizen and how should/do education systems develop citizenship? On this small and friendly MA route, students explore the key concepts involved in understanding citizenship education. They develop an understanding of contemporary issues and key research findings in citizenship education and related areas, and are supported to apply this knowledge in practice in educational settings and related contexts.

Who this course is for

MA Education (Citizenship) is suited to teachers of citizenship, to policy-makers working in citizenship education, to museum educators, and to others interested in citizenship education working in NGOs and other organisations with educational remits. 

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

What this course will give you

This MA Education is located in the Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, a world-leading centre for subject-specialist education. By studying the citizenship education route, you will have the opportunity to reflect on theory and practice in citizenship education. Through assignments focused on contemporary research , you will have opportunities to develop theory, and, in some cases, practice, to enhance the quality of the teaching and learning of citizenship in educational settings and related contexts.

You will be encouraged to read widely in specialist literature and be introduced to world-leading theory and research in citizenship education and in education studies more broadly. You will be encouraged to innovate and test ideas and to contribute to ongoing discussions about improving citizenship education.

The MA Education (Citizenship) offers students the opportunity to study face-to-face, to combine online study with face-to-face sessions, or to pursue their studies entirely by online learning. Online learning and blended learning provide access to our courses for students studying at a distance.

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

The foundation of your career

The programme develops students' ability to think critically and analytically about theory and practice in educational settings and the ability to organise and evaluate empirical and theoretical claims and arguments about educational aims and practices. Students learn to organise, evaluate and present data and argument in robust and critically informed ways and to read, design, conduct and evaluate educational research, taking account of relevant practical, theoretical and ethical issues. In this way the programme will prepare students for further study or for work in the field of education.

Employability

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as teachers, senior leaders in schools in the UK and internationally, while others work in a range of other educational settings and for governments in curriculum design and related areas.

Networking

Your experiences on the course will involve mixing with the large number of students completing post graduate courses at UCL. In addition, you will work with a range of lecturers, guest lecturers and visiting academics. The Citizenship Education route also involves sessions with the latest cohort of student teachers who are training to be citizenship teachers in the UK.

Teaching and learning

A range of teaching and learning methods will be used across different modules. The Teaching Controversial Issues (compulsory module) involves a range of activities including group and whole class discussions, silent debates and formal debates which are intended to mirror the ways teachers would approach different topics in schools.

The dissertation/report module includes an online 'Integrated Research Methods' course in term 1 of the module. 

Students are allocated a dissertation/report supervisor. For most of the module, teaching and learning takes place through regular one-to-one research supervision meetings with your supervisor. These supervisions can be conducted face-to-face and/or via distance learning.

The other modules taken will have different forms of assessment, but many will involve the writing of essays.

A 30-credit MA module is equivalent to 300 hours of teaching, seminar, tutorials and independent study/research. How the time is allocated will vary from module to module and tutors will advise you in how to manage your workload.

Modules

All students on the programme take What is Education? and Understanding Research as common compulsory modules. The compulsory elements of each route, along with the optional elements, are as follows:

MA in Education (Citizenship)

  • What is Education? (compulsory)
  • Teaching Controversial Issues (compulsory)
  • Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods (IRM) (compulsory)
  • Understanding Research (compulsory)
  • Optional module

OR

  • What is Education? (compulsory)
  • Teaching Controversial Issues (compulsory)
  • Report with Integrated Research Methods (IRM) (compulsory)
  • Understanding Research (compulsory)
  • Optional module 1
  • Optional module 2

The MA Education (Citizenship) can be studied full-time (one academic year), part-time (over two years) or modular/flexible (up to 5 years). Your schedule for module completion will depend on the length of time that you have to complete the MA programme.

If you complete the programme full time you will usually take two modules in the Autumn term and two in the Spring term. In both Autumn and Spring terms, you must complete either What is Education? or Understanding Research. During the year, you must also complete two or three further modules (including any that are compulsory to your route) in addition to the report or dissertation. Students are free to select one of their optional modules from the wider range of MA level modules offered across IOE/UCL subject to availability.

Students on all pathways undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. 

The programme consists of three compulsory modules (90 credits), and either one optional module (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or two optional modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits). The dissertation or report must be taken with an ‘Integrated Research Methods’ element. 

On the part-time route, the learning is spread out over 2 consecutive academic years. In year one, you choose 3 modules (90 credits) and in year two you choose one optional module (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or two modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits).  The report or dissertation must be completed in the second year of study, when you will also take the Integrated Research Methods module, which supports your research and writing. 

As with the other pathways there are three compulsory modules and either one or two optional ones, depending on whether you choose the report or the dissertation. You can choose the order in which the modules are taken (provided they are available in the relevant term). Students are free to select one of their optional modules from the wider range of MA level modules offered across IOE/UCL subject to availability.

Students on all pathways undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. 

The programme consists of three compulsory modules (90 credits), and either one optional module (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or two optional modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits). The dissertation or report must be taken with an ‘Integrated Research Methods’ element 

On the flexible route pathway, you have up to five years to gain these 180 credits.  You can complete in less time, but you have up to five years if you wish.  You must complete your dissertation or report in your final year of study when you will also take the Integrated Research Methods module, which supports your research and writing. 

As with the other pathways there are three compulsory modules and either one or two optional ones, depending on whether you choose the report or the dissertation. You can choose the order in which the modules are taken (provided they are available in the relevant term). Students are free to select one of their optional modules from the wider range of MA level modules offered across IOE/UCL subject to availability.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules






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 Education (Citizenship).

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £12,700 £6,350
Tuition fees (2024/25) £31,100 £15,550

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme 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

Students should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their report or dissertation.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

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-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024
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: 3 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study citizenship education at graduate level
  • why you want to study citizenship education at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to your chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • 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 programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (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: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

qasir.shah.14@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.