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Education (Geography) MA

London, Bloomsbury

The Education (Geography) MA will support you in improving the geography curriculum experience for young people. You will explore key concepts involved in understanding geography education. You will develop knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues and key research findings in geography education and related areas, and you will be supported to apply this knowledge and understanding to your own practice in education and related contexts.

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 closed

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

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 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.

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

During the course you will:  

  • Think deeply and critically about how geography education addresses key contemporary issues like sustainability, climate change and social justice and global citizenship.
  • Engage with theoretical understandings of curriculum development.
  • Look at the practical application of high-quality Geography in schools.
  • Enhance your own unique practices of high-quality Geography in schools. 
  • Study research methods within Geography education and carry out your own research. 
  • Develop your attributes for successful Geography subject leadership.

Who this course is for

The Education (Geography) MA is designed to appeal to:

  • Prospective and practising teachers
  • School managers
  • Geography and Humanities Advisors
  • Teacher educators and education consultants  
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). 

The Education (Geography) MA prepares you for a rewarding career across education sectors. You will develop the knowledge and skills you need to develop as a primary or secondary school curriculum maker and leader. These skills are also highly valued by higher education employers in teacher education and consultancy.

All staff teaching on the MA are research active and use their wide experience and expertise in supporting your master's research. You will be taught by experts in the field of geography curriculum, GIS and geography subject knowledge. The team runs an active GER seminar course which you will be invited to attend and make contributions to. Your experiences on the course will involve mixing with the large number of students completing post graduate course at UCL. In addition, as an Education (Geography) MA student, you will be welcomed into the wider geography education research (GER) community. You will have a range of face-to-face and online opportunities to take part in in including seminars, conferences and workshops. It may be possible to reduce the overall cost of studying to two thirds if you already have PGCE Master's credits. These are valid up to 5 years from completion of your PGCE. For more information, please contact m.fargher@ucl.ac.uk.

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

The foundation of your career

Graduates of the MA Education (Geography) course 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.

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

This course will help you develop a wide range of skills, including:

  • Deep thinking about education theory and practice
  • Critical analysis of educational policy in primary and secondary geography education (nationally and internationally)
  • Critically analysing educational policies and hypothesising informed alternatives
  • Conducting research and applying it to your own professional context 
  • Building logical and balanced arguments 
  • Offering creative solutions to complex problems
  • Evaluating educational resource creation 
  • Reflecting on your own professional practice 
  • Working cross-culturally with fellow students and staff
  • Expressing ideas fluently in both writing and speaking 

Networking

As an Education (Geography) MA student, you will be welcomed into the wider geography education research (GER) community. You will have a range of face-to-face and online opportunities to take part in in including seminars, conferences and workshops.

The team runs an active GER seminar course which you will be invited to attend and make contributions to. 

Teaching and learning

Teaching on Education (Geography) MA takes place with options to study a) face-to-face or b) entirely online.

Our pedagogy is based around discussion and debate which takes place face-to-face or online in seminars and tutorials and individual tutorials to support student learning.

Students have a dissertation supervisor to support them throughout the development, completion and writing of their dissertation project. Supervisions take place either face-to-face or online. The module includes workshops, lectures, and seminars providing a foundation in research methods.

Students in the course will experience a variety of assessment methods. Module essays involve critical engagement with specific areas of geography education – on the geography elements of the course – and of education, on the general educational modules. Students are given significant freedom to choose what features of geography education or education to focus on in their assignments and this is especially the case with regards to the topic chosen for the dissertation module. Students often choose a dissertation topic relevant to their personal and professional interests, typically involving some fieldwork or empirical data collection.

Formative assessment is provided by tutor feedback in tutorials and elsewhere in feedback on draft assignments.

For full-time students, typical contacts hours vary between 8-10 hours per week during term time, depending on the choice of modules. These are normally comprised of a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, individual and group tutorials and supervision meetings. The type of contact will also depend on whether a student is studying in person or online.

Students will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the course.

Modules

The course consists of two compulsory modules (30 credits each), and two optional modules (30 credits each) and a dissertation (60 credits). Full-time students complete the course over one year and therefore choose: 

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Compulsory, Autumn term only)  
  • What is Education? (Compulsory, Autumn term) 
  • Dissertation on Education (Compulsory, Autumn, Spring and Summer Term)
  • Two optional modules (Terms dependent on choice)

Optional modules from a range are also available in wider IOE offering subject to availability. 

The course consists of two compulsory modules (30 credits each), and two optional modules (30 credits each) and a dissertation (60 credits). Part-time students study the course over two years and therefore choose:   

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Compulsory, Autumn term only)  
  • What is Education? (Compulsory, Autumn term) 
  • Dissertation on Education (Compulsory, Autumn, Spring and Summer Term)  
  • Two optional modules (Terms dependent on choice)

Optional modules from a range are also available in wider IOE offering subject to availability. 

The course consists of two compulsory modules (30 credits each), and two optional modules (30 credits each) and a dissertation (60 credits). Flexible students study the course over a period of up to 5 years and therefore choose: 

  • Transforming the Geography Curriculum (Compulsory, Autumn term only)  
  • What is Education? (Compulsory, Autumn term) 
  • Dissertation on Education (Compulsory, Autumn, Spring and Summer Term)  
  • Two optional modules (Terms dependent on choice)

Optional modules from a range are also available in wider IOE offering 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 (Geography).

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.

Where you'll study

Person looking at a paper

The Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment brings together world-leading research, teaching and learning, which reflects our expertise in and contributes to high quality education, teaching and teacher development. We specialise in geography, economics, business, mathematics, history, religious education, citizenship, science, assessment and curriculum studies in education.

Find out more about the Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment department

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Graduate Open Events: Education MA (also includes routes)

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Graduate Open Events: Global Learning MA

Are you interested in furthering your career in education and making a difference in the UK or worldwide? Meet our academics, hear about the courses you are interested in and have the chance to ask any questions you might have. Be inspired by our wide-ranging and flexible courses run by leading academics.

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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.

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.

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

Next steps

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 Education (Geography) at graduate level
  • why you want to study Education (Geography) 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

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

ioe.ma.geography@ucl.ac.uk

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