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Education (Psychology) MA

London, Bloomsbury

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.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£11,800
£5,900
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£29,000
£14,500
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications open

Apply for this course

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.

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: Level 4

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. International Preparation Courses

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

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

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

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.

Who this course is for

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.

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

What this course will give you

IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society 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 ninhth year in succession IOE has been ranked as the world's leading university for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022).

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

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

The foundation of your career

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.

Employability

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

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.

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

Modules

The programme comprises four taught modules and a dissertation. It is delivered through a combination of lectures delivered both by IOE academic staff and guest speakers, group work, and computer workshops giving hands-on practice.

The taught modules on the programme are lecture-based theory modules, designed to provide you with a firm foundation in the different topics relevant to psychology of education. You will take compulsory modules in Contemporary Issues in Educational Psychology and Research and Analytical Methods in Psychology.  You will take two optional modules and you will also be required to complete a research component. The dissertation is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff from UCL.

The two optional modules can be selected from any of those on offer across the IOE (subject to availability). Examples of optional modules that are taught in the Department of Psychology and Human Development are in the list below.

If studied on a full-time basis, the programme will take place over a full calendar year. Alternatively, it can be studied part-time over two years or Modular Flexible over five years.

Over the two years students take two compulsory taught modules (60 credits), two optional modules (60 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits). In the first year of the programme, you study the term 1 modules Contemporary Issues in Educational Psychology and Research and Analytical Methods in Psychology and one optional module. In the second year, you will take another optional module and the dissertation, with a submission date for the dissertation in early September. 

The two optional modules can be selected from any of those on offer across the IOE (subject to availability). Examples of optional modules that are taught in the Department of Psychology and Human Development are in the list below.

Over the course of the MA you will take two compulsory taught modules (60 credits), two optional modules (60 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits). You can take up to five years to complete the programme. It is expected that you will begin your studies with the compulsory taught modules Contemporary Issues in Educational Psychology and Research and Analytical Methods in Psychology, and that you will undertake the Dissertation in your final year of study.  

The two optional modules can be selected from any of those on offer across the IOE (subject to availability). Examples of optional modules that are taught in the Department of Psychology and Human Development are in the list below.

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 is 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 (Psychology).

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 & Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £11,800 £5,900
Tuition fees (2023/24) £29,000 £14,500

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

There is no obligation to obtain a DBS, unless you would like to conduct research with children or vulnerable population. The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £12.75 (note, this was the fee for 2022 but may change). The offer holder is also required to arrange and pay for any overseas police check that may be necessary; costs vary by country. For more information about the DBS application process, please contact the Admissions team.

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

Next steps

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 £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 (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.

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: 2023-2024

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Psychology and Human Development Department
Psychology and Human Development Department

ioe-psychology-masters@ucl.ac.uk

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