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Special and Inclusive Education (Autism) MA

London, Bloomsbury

The Special and Inclusive Education (Autism) MA develops students' knowledge of special and inclusive education, focusing on autism. Led by the Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), students will be introduced to cutting-edge theory and research, and consider how it links to policy and practice. This MA will appeal to students looking to develop their professional practice, work in a variety of roles requiring expertise in autism, and/or progress to doctoral study.

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 close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

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

A minimum of a lower second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants will also normally have some related professional experience.

The English language level for this course is: Level 3

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.

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

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 will gain a comprehensive and critical understanding of theory and research relevant to special and inclusive education, as well as topics within autism research such as employment, mental health, and autism across the life span. They will also learn about the applicability of theory and research to policy and practice; all with a specific focus on autism as led by the CRAE team. Through a variety of taught sessions, independent activities and group/individual assessments, students on the course will graduate with a broad range of knowledge, interpersonal contacts, and skills related to the field of inclusive education.

The course is designed for national and international students with rich and varied professional and/or personal experiences, offering a valuable opportunity for networking and collaborative learning. At the end of the course, students are encouraged to join professional learning networks to continue their personal and professional development, and to provide further opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. The course, along with the diverse range of events and initiatives provided by CRAE, PHD and UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and UCL, offers a transformative experience for students interested in special and inclusive education (with particular reference to autism).

Who this course is for

This course would appeal to individuals working within education (e.g., teachers, teaching assistants), or those who would like to get into the education field, who have an interest in supporting children, young people or adults with special educational needs and disabilities, especially those who are autistic. It would also appeal to applicants who may be interested in continuing their education through a research degree, such as a PhD or doctorate in educational psychology. We particularly welcome applicants with lived experience connected to the content of the MA (e.g., whether through being autistic themselves, or as the parent/carer/sibling of someone who is autistic).

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

What this course will give you

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).

This course provides students with the opportunity to engage with the latest theory and research on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), whilst concurrently specialising in autism. Led by academics from the world-leading Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), together with a team of internationally-recognised tutors (researchers, academics, and professionals) from the Department of Psychology and Human Development (PHD), students will benefit from a cutting-edge course of taught sessions, independent activities and group/individual assessments--all of which will deepen their knowledge, challenge their thinking and enhance their employability. London offers a rich and diverse population so students can focus on neurodiversity within a wide range of individuals and communities.

Students on this MA benefit from a rigorous academic course. Critical engagement with current research and evidence-informed practice on special and inclusive education (focused on autism) provides a thorough grounding for those new to the field. It also challenges the thinking and deepens the knowledge of those with prior (academic, personal or professional) experience in special and inclusive education and/or autism. Input from a broad range of experts (including autistic people, their parents and their educators) ensures strong relevance to practice and the crucial inclusion of insider expertise.

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

The foundation of your career

Graduates could seek future employment in a broad range of areas, for example: senior leaders in mainstream schools, special schools, or other educational settings; and/or directly supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who are autistic. Graduates may also go on to work in roles supporting autistic adults, such as within the fields of employment and adult services for those with disabilities. Graduates may follow pathways within specialist services for children and young people with SEND or SEND charities, including those specialising in autism. Graduates may choose to pursue a research pathway and/or work in Higher Education, or in government and/or policymaking positions, or as consultants.

Having the opportunity to work with autistic students and staff on a project to improve their university experience has without doubt been the most interesting thing I’ve been involved with. I met and worked with some really interesting and inspiring people, which wouldn’t have been possible without the ChangeMakers funding we received for the project.

Sam Dexter, Special and Inclusive Education (Autism) MA student

Sam Dexter

Special and Inclusive Education (Autism) MA

Seven Questions with... Sam Dexter

Employability

Students on this course can broaden their career horizons within the educational settings in which they work (if applicable) and/or develop skills that can be used in a wide range of careers (within or outside the field of special education). Students will also develop skills in the areas of: personal and time management; oral (public speaking) and written communication; collaborative working; computing and IT; critical and adaptive thinking; problem solving; research and inquiry.

Networking

The course team provide enrichment opportunities that relate to the taught content (e.g., optional seminars that focus on academic writing, new research directions in the field, and students sharing their own practice; career talks from alumni; and local school visits to observe inclusive practices). Students also have access to talks and events in the wider department, which often involve external speakers. Through these enrichment opportunities, students are able to network with their peers on the course, tutors, alumni (both home and international), experienced researchers and practitioners.

Teaching and learning

The MA is taught through a combination of face-to-face lectures/seminars, plus online materials and lectures, group discussions, small group and/or one-to-one tutorials.

Compulsory and optional modules are assessed through a range of different assessment types, including written and oral assignments. For some modules, students may choose from a selection of assignment titles or may be able to negotiate their own title. In addition, they will be required to write either a report or a dissertation focusing on autism in their final year of the course.

Contact hours are module dependent, but each 30 credit module will equate to 300 hours of study time. Each module will include contact with faculty via a range of forums (e.g., individual tuition, whole/small group lectures/seminars, online materials on the learning platform Moodle). Per week for each module, students can expect to have 2.5 to 3 hours of contact with faculty through face-to-face lectures, 2 to 3 hours of online learning on Moodle, and up to 5 hours of individual tuition (by appointment) with lecturers.

Modules

Over the course of a year, full-time students undertake either three compulsory modules (Concepts and Contexts of Inclusive Education, Research Design and Methodology, and Autism Research and Practice), one optional module in the areas of autism (or, with permission, special and inclusive education more broadly) and a dissertation or three compulsory modules, two optional modules and a report.

Part-time students undertake two compulsory modules (Concepts and Contexts of Inclusive Education, Autism Research and Practice) and one optional module in the area of autism in the first year and in the second year a second compulsory module (Research Design and Methodology) and a dissertation or a second compulsory module, an optional module and a report. 

Flexible modular students must complete the course between 2 to 5 years. Students must take the compulsory module Concepts and Contexts of Inclusive Education in their first year of study, followed by the Autism Research and Practice module. Optional modules in the area of autism (or, with permission, special and inclusive education more broadly) can be taken at any point during the remainder of the course. The Research Design and Methodology module, and either a Dissertation or Report, must be taken in the final year of study. 

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.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Special and Inclusive Education (Autism).

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.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Master's Courses in Special and Inclusive Education (MASIE) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)

Do you want to enhance your skills and further your career in special and inclusive education? Our courses enable you to engage with the latest theory and research on special educational needs and disabilities. You will meet our academics, hear about the courses you are interested in and have the chance to ask any questions you might have.

Watch on demand event

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 should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their dissertation. If students undertake fieldwork, it must be self-funded.

Students are also expected to self-fund their travel if they wish to attend school visits that are offered as part of the course.

DBS may be required depending on the type of research undertaken for the dissertation module.  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 £15 (note, this was the fee for 2025 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.

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 Special and Inclusive Education at graduate level
  • why you want to study Special and Inclusive Education 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.

We would additionally like to learn:

  • Why you are interested in following the specialist Autism route and what attracted you to this course

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

Psychology and Human Development
Psychology and Human Development

a.romualdez@ucl.ac.uk

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