Education (Geography) MA

Distance learning programme

This online MA will deepen your understanding of the key ideas and practices that underpin high quality geography education in schools.
 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£13,500
£6,750
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
All applicants: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications 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

Education (Geography) MA is the only dedicated Master's programme in Geography Education globally. It will support you in improving the Geography curriculum experience for young people.

During the programme 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  

What this course will give you

The 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.

The programme also offers the opportunity to be taught by staff working with the Climate Change and Sustainability Centre (CCCSE). CCCSE leads research into climate change and sustainability education which shapes the development of outstanding professional development for all teachers and school leaders.

The online format of the programme offers you the same educational quality as a campus-based programme but with added flexibility. You can study from anywhere, balance learning with work and benefit from collaborating with peers from diverse international and educational backgrounds.

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

The foundation of your career

Graduates of the MA Education (Geography) programme move on to 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

Employability

You will 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 Geography Education team at UCL is one of the largest in the world. 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 programme which you will be invited to attend and make contributions to. 

Teaching and learning

The MA Programme uses a variety of teaching and learning activities through the online platform, Moodle. This means you can undertake activities at a time that suits you. Each module includes tasks that need to be completed each week but there are no compulsory 'live' sessions.

Teaching consists of:

  • Online seminars
  • Written discussions of readings via a weekly forum
  • Student presentations
  • Group and individual tutorials

We know that students learn best when they are involved in teaching and learning processes. We therefore encourage you to participate through:

  • Presenting your ideas to your peers
  • Preparing work to share in a seminar
  • Posting comments and feedback on Moodle.

For your Dissertation, you will be allocated a personal tutor. They will supervise you and support you with conducting your own research at Master's level. 

Assessment for the MA is mostly based on written coursework. Written work may include: 

  • Essays that explore the relationship between theory and practice
  • Constructing and analysing a curriculum artefact
  • Researching and critically analysing different approaches to curriculum development and educational policy

You will also complete a dissertation and participate in online studies that help you develop a clear research design. Please note that assessment for optional modules from other programmes will vary. 

Please note that the dissertation module listed below will change its name to 'Dissertation in Education with Integrated Research Methods' starting in 2025/26. This module supports students in undertaking an original, independent scholarly investigation in the field of education. Students often choose a dissertation topic relevant to their personal and professional interests, typically involving some fieldwork or empirical data collection. 

Full time students study up to 40 hours per week. Students are therefore not advised to study fulltime if they are in employment. Part time students usually study up to 20 hours per week. Flexible/modular students study 1-30 hours per week. We strongly advise that students do not take more than 2 modules per term.

Modules

The programme 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 programme over one year and therefore choose:

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

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

The programme 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 programme over two years and therefore choose:  

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

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

The programme consists of two compulsory modules (30 credits each), and two optional modules (30 credits each) and a dissertation (60 credits). Modular/Flexible students study the programme 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 in Education with Integrated Research Methods (Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms) 
  • Two optional modules (Terms dependent on choice) 

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

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. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services 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.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £13,500 £6,750
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

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

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

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

Students are not expected to buy books for the programme, however, many students opt to buy core texts. 

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.

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 £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. 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.

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

There is an application processing fee for this programme 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 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: 2025-2026

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.