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Education (Geography) MA

Distance learning programme

The MA Education (Geography) increases student's understanding of the literature and concepts of geography education, while advancing their professional skills and developing their suitability for successful subject leadership.

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
All applicants: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024

Applications closed

Find similar courses still open

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required.

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

The course engages students in deep critical thought about geography education with a view to improving the quality of the geography curriculum experience for young people and to enhance geography in schools as a resource with unique educational potential. 

Who this course is for

The MA Education (Geography) is designed to appeal to prospective and practising teachers, school managers, governors, advisors and teacher educators with a passion for high quality geography education.

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

What this course will give you

MA Education (Geography) students develop as geography curriculum makers and leaders. Students are encouraged to develop excellent pieces of coursework and research for publication, present at conferences and develop their attributes for and successful geography subject leadership.

The MA Education (Geography) engages students with a theoretical understanding of curriculum development and the practical application of high-quality geography in schools and the study of research methods within geography education.

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

The foundation of your career

MA Education (Geography) students develop a wide range of skills including:

  • critical thinking and analysis
  • transferring principles from one context to another
  • building logical and balanced arguments based on critical consideration of evidence
  • offering creative solutions to complex problems
  • research skills (including the framing of research questions and the collection of evidence)
  • expressing ideas fluently in both writing and speaking

I have really enjoyed the 'Transforming the geography curriculum' module the most, as it deepens my understand of what curriculum is. It has also made me think how to create an effective curriculum. And, introduced me to new ideas including powerful knowledge within the geo-capabilities approach, which is key in geography education.

Aqeeb Akram

Education (Geography) MA

Aqeeb Akram, Education (Geography) MA

Employability

Graduates of the MA Education (Geography) programme work as teachers, heads of humanities, heads of geography and senior managers in primary and secondary schools. Others have jobs as policymakers and education consultants, university geography teacher educators and PhD students.

Networking

Students on the MA Education (Geography) are welcomed into the wider geography education research (GER) community. They are given a wide range of face-to-face and online opportunities to take part in and contribute to national and international seminars, conferences and workshops.

Teaching and learning

All our modules are taught using a variety of approaches. As the MA Education (Geography) is an online course it is taught through Moodle, our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Teaching consists of online seminars, written discussions of readings via a weekly forum, group and individual tutorials and student presentations.

​​​​​​We know that students learn best when they are involved in teaching and learning processes and we encourage them to participate through presenting their ideas to their year or group, preparing work to share in a seminar, or posting comments and feedback on Moodle.

Our programme is assessed by coursework assignments of up to 5,000 words and a 19-20,000 words dissertation or a 10,000 words report.

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

Full-time students study the programme over one year. "Transforming the Geography Curriculum", "What is Education", "Understanding Research" and EITHER "Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods" OR "Report with Integrated Research Methods" are compulsory. Optional modules from a range are also available in the wider IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society offering subject to availability. Full-time students therefore choose 
 
EITHER

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Dissertation) 
  • Optional module (Term dependent on choice) 

 OR 

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Report with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Report) 
  • Optional module 1 (Term dependent on choice) 
  • Optional module 2 (Term dependent on choice).

Part-time students study the programme over two years. "Transforming the Geography Curriculum", "What is Education", "Understanding Research" and EITHER "Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods" OR "Report with Integrated Research Methods" are compulsory. Optional modules from a range are also available in the wider IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society offering subject to availability. Over their two years of study, part-time students therefore choose
  
EITHER

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Dissertation) 
  • Optional module (Term dependent on choice) 

OR 

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Report with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Report) 
  • Optional module 1 (Term dependent on choice) 
  • Optional module 2 (Term dependent on choice).

Modular/Flexible students study the programme over a period of up to 5 years. "Transforming the Geography Curriculum", "What is Education", "Understanding Research" and EITHER "Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods" OR "Report with Integrated Research Methods" are compulsory. Optional modules from a range are also available in the wider IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society offering subject to availability. Over the period of up to 5 years of study, modular/flexible students therefore choose

EITHER

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Dissertation with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Dissertation) 
  • Optional module (Term dependent on choice) 

OR

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Autumn Term only) 
  • What is Education? (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Understanding Research (Autumn or Spring Term) 
  • Report with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn Term: Online Integrated Research Methods, Spring and Summer Terms: Report) 
  • Optional module 1 (Term dependent on choice)
  • Optional module 2 (Term dependent on choice).

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 (Geography).

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.

Where you'll study

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education, culture, psychology, and social science. We are one of the UK’s largest teacher training providers, offering a wide range of programmes across all phases of learning and more subjects than any other university. We also offer an extensive range of master’s programmes. Our research addresses society’s most important challenges and feeds into our teaching, enabling our graduates to go on to influence future generations for the better, from individual lives to societal change.

Find out more about IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society

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 Education (Geography) at graduate level
  • why you want to study Education (Geography) at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the 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.

Got questions? Get in touch

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

ioe.ma.geography@ucl.ac.uk

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