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Education (Psychology) MA

The Education (Psychology) MA will introduce students to key theoretical issues in the psychology of education, critical analysis of psychological theory and research, and its contribution to educational issues and practice. It will develop students' understanding of research processes and give them the opportunity to undertake research in the psychology of education.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years
Flexible: up to 5 years

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£8,940 (FT)
£4,605 (PT)
Overseas:
£20,110 (FT)
£10,240 (PT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website. Fees for flexible, modular study are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session.

Location: London, Bloomsbury

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university (or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard) in psychology or a related discipline (for example, education, social science, cognitive science, speech/communication science or neuroscience). The ability to critically evaluate theory and evidence in psychology is an important element of the programme.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

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

International students

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

Visa information

This programme is suitable for international students on a Tier 4 visa - study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting October.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.

Select your country:

About this degree

Students develop understanding of current issues in the psychology of education and have the opportunity to engage in research. On successful completion of the programme students should be able to produce and communicate reasoned and informed argument, both in writing and orally. Students should also be able to critically evaluate theory and evidence in psychology.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MA in Education (Psychology).

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 is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

  • Core Topics in the Psychology of Education
  • Methodology and Statistics

Optional modules

Students choose two optional modules either from the list below and/or from the wide range of Master's-level modules across the IOE offering, subject to availability.

  • Atypical Development
  • Cognitive Development and Learning
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Language Development
  • Literacy Development
  • Personality and Social Psychology in Education
  • Psychological Aspects of Counselling
  • Reading and Spelling Difficulties
  • Social Development

Visit the UCL Institute of Education website for more information, including module descriptions, which can be seen by clicking on the module title.

Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation

All students undertake an independent project which culminates in a dissertation of 6000 words (60 credits).

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures given by both IOE academic staff and guest speakers, student preparation of tasks and longer presentations, group work, discussion, and computer workshops giving hands-on practice. Assessment is through coursework. Coursework can involve critiques of set research articles and extended essays on set topics, and the dissertation/report.

We advise 300 hours of study per module including about 30 hours of contact time (lectures/seminars).

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. Term Two will also be taught mainly online as UK Government safety guidelines limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer. However, there may be the opportunity for some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, should the situation allow us to safely do so. We will keep you updated of these changes as they become available. Please be assured that the programme can also be fully completed remotely and we are committed to providing all students with a high quality experience throughout 2020/21.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

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

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Note:
Deadline Monday 25 May 2020 (5pm London time).
Value:
Tuition fees, stipend, flights (1 year)
Eligibility:
Overseas
Criteria:
Based on both academic merit and financial need

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Note:
Deadline: Monday 18 May 2020 (5pm London time).
Value:
Full tuition fees and accommodation (1 year)
Eligibility:
Overseas
Criteria:
Based on both academic merit and financial need

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

Careers

Graduates of this Master's degree are currently working as professionals in educational settings, teachers and PhD students.

Employability

This programme offers a good grounding for doctoral study and valuable preparation for a research career in the academic community, the public sector or in industry.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is one of the world's leading centres for education and related areas of social science - students will learn from cutting-edge researchers in the field. For the sixth year in succession the IOE has been ranked as the world's leading university for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019).

Our alumni include government ministers; heads of schools; other educational institutions and NGOs; and Olympians and prize-winning authors.

Department: Psychology & Human Development

Application and next steps

Applications

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 programme of £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

This programme is suitable for those who wish to pursue a research career either in academia or the public or private sectors, or progress to further professional training, teachers and professionals working in related fields and people interested in applications of psychology to education. The MA in Education (Psychology) does not confer eligibility for the Graduate Basis of Certified Status with the British Psychological Society.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

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

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020