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Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia) MA

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia) MA (2024), click here

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

Fees to be confirmed

£6,750

Part-time students take 120 credits in Year 1 and 60 credits in Year 2, but tuition fees are split equally across both years (90/90). Therefore, students withdrawing in Year 1 must pay additional fees for the extra 30 credits.

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)

Fees to be confirmed

£16,500

Duration

Not applicable

2 calendar years

5 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2025

Applications accepted

Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025

Applications closed

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university in a relevant subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required. A minimum of two years’ experience in an educational role e.g., teacher/teaching assistant is also a requirement and ideally, appropriate experience of working with children with literacy difficulties. Students will need access to pupils under the age of 16 with literacy difficulties to teach and assess. Students will need DBS clearance for modules two and three and the research report.

The English language level for this programme 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 programme is not suitable for international students on a Student visa.

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 an understanding of how learners typically develop literacy skills and what happens when difficulties occur. Students will learn how literacy difficulties can be assessed and identified and how to develop a personalised support programme. As part of this programme students will learn to administer standardised psychometric tests (in their own educational setting), write full diagnostic reports and provide specialist teaching (in similar settings) for learners with literacy difficulties. Students will learn all the skills necessary to become an accredited specialist teacher and assessor.

Who this course is for

This programme is suitable for applicants with a minimum of two years' relevant experience by time of completing the first two modules e.g. according to the BDA this can be as a teacher/teaching assistant/speech and language therapist or in related fields. QTS is not required, though would be beneficial. Applicants should have an interest in working with learners with literacy difficulties, and/or wish to gain the ATS, APS or AMBDA qualifications that will enable them to become specialist teachers or practising assessors with an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC).

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

What this course will give you

This programme is taught by a range of leading researchers and professionals in the field of dyslexia. It uniquely offers a rigorous academic programme combined with professional practice qualifications, fully recognised by the British Dyslexia Association and taught at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, an internationally recognised university ranked as world number one for education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024). Students have access to leading researchers in the field and opportunities to create their own piece of research supervised and guided by the Department of Psychology and Human Development. We encourage continued contact with our alumni students, who continue to attend professional learning networks that occur regularly during the year.

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

The foundation of your career

This programme offers opportunities for students to broaden their career horizons within their educational settings and elsewhere. Our graduates are currently working within a wide range of areas: some as specialist teachers of children with SpLD (dyslexia), others as specialist assessors; many combine both. This can be within educational settings or as consultants.

Graduates can also be found working as headteachers, special educational needs teachers, literacy lead teachers, special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCos), local authority advisors, university lecturers, disability advisors, workplace skills advisors, university study skills tutors, specialist AMBDA tutors and in research roles. Students have also set up in partnerships together or independently, running their own consultancies and tuition/assessment services.

When I investigated the programme, I was impressed by the fact that I could challenge myself academically, whilst also gaining the professional qualifications I would need to practice as a specialist teacher and dyslexia assessor. It was then exciting to apply this academic understanding to my practice as a teacher.

Maureen Brittain

(Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) MA, 2023)

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/people/meet-our-students/graduate-taught/qa-maureen-br…

Employability

Successful completion of the first two modules enables students to achieve the Approved Specialist Teacher/ Practitioner Qualification (ATS/APS) to support learners with dyslexia (up to the age of 18 years). Completion of the first three modules enables students to achieve the AMBDA qualification and an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) qualifying them to undertake full diagnostic assessments (including reports for access arrangements and Disabled Students' Allowances) as well as to support learners as qualified specialist teachers.

We encourage students to complete the full Master'sprogramme and in their second year students will also develop their own research skills and are taught to utilise these in future practice.

Networking

There will be opportunities to network with home and international students on the Special and Inclusive Education MA programme. Students will also have the opportunity to network with alumni students and meet professionals who have pursued careers in this specialist field. Students will also have the opportunity to network with experienced researchers and specialist teachers and assessors.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and associated professional practice qualifications are awarded by the BDA. Please note that whilst this course is accredited by the BDA, the BDA is not responsible for the day to day running of the course. Any feedback or queries should therefore be addressed directly to the Programme Leader at IOE.

Teaching and learning

Programme delivery will be blended; through a combination of online and face-to-face learning.

A range of assessment methods are used, including: coursework assignments, presentations, an annotated bibliography, a portfolio of evidence, recordings of administering assessments and teaching pupils, writing of diagnostic professional reports, plus a written research report.

Study hours vary according to number of modules studied over the year and some times may be busier than others due to additional professional practice elements associated with the programme. Each 30-credit module is expected to require approximately 300 study hours and 30 contact hours. For the two 45-credit modules, linked to professional practice, this would equate to 450 study hours and 45 contact hours.

Modules

We encourage students to study over two to three years via the Flexible/Modular mode. The part-time option is only recommended for students taking the government loan, as there is no flexibility to extend the time over two years. For loan students there are no exit points for a Post Graduate Diploma or Post Graduate Certificate and early exit may result in financial penalties.

The Evidence Informed Practice module and the Assessment of SpLD (dyslexia) module are both 45-credit modules as they include professional practice. The professional practice elements associated with these modules continue over more than one term.

The following three compulsory modules must be taken in this order: Understanding SpLD (dyslexia), Evidence Informed Practice (dyslexia), Assessment of SpLD (dyslexia).

We recommend a Flexible modular journey for this programme. Students have a maximum of five years to complete all five modules.

Please note that the following three compulsory modules should be taken in this order: Understanding SpLD (dyslexia), Evidence Informed Practice (dyslexia), Assessment of SpLD (dyslexia).

Compulsory modules

Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

Evidence Informed Practice (dyslexia) - Practical Components

Assessment of Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia)- Practical components

Evidence Informed Practice: Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

Assessment of Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

Research Design and Methodology

Report on Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

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 5 modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia).

Fieldwork

Students are required to work with children and young people up to the age of 16 to demonstrate core competencies of the programme. Additional learners under 18 may be allowed with permission of the Module leader.

Placement

Students must find and have access to pupils: we do not find placements for students. Approximately thirty hours of teaching intervention is required (1:1 or small group) and students will also need to find three pupils they can assess. Learners must be aged 18 or under, including at least one learner aged 16 or under at end of school year.

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.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Master's Programmes in Special and Inclusive Education and Specific Learning Difficulties

Do you want to enhance your skills and further your career in special and inclusive education? Our programmes enable you to engage with the latest theory and research on special educational needs and disabilities. We welcome you to book your place at our Virtual Open Event. You will meet our Programme Leaders, hear about the programmes you are interested in and have the chance to ask any questions you might have. These sessions are free and open to all.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26)	Fees to be confirmed	£6,750
Tuition fees (2025/26)	Fees to be confirmed	£16,500

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 can access loans of psychometric assessments from the department during the programme; students may want to purchase some of these for personal use whilst studying and after the programme ends. Prices will be provided during the programme. Please note purchase of tests is not a requirement.

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their report or any school visits and should account for these costs when planning their finances.

This programme requires a completed DBS check for some compulsory modules. You will receive more information from UCL on how to complete the check once you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer for the programme. A charge for Post Office ID verification (£15.00) needed for an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is payable by the student. The cost of the DBS check itself is paid for by UCL.

If you have lived, worked, studied or travelled in any single country outside of the UK for six continuous months or more, in the last five years, you will be required to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct/Police Check from the relevant country/countries. The cost of this check varies by country and is payable by the student. More information on how to obtain these can be found on gov.uk.

For more information about the DBS application process, please contact the UCL Graduate Admissions team.

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

Part-time students may apply for the UK Government Postgraduate Loan. Visit the DfE website for information. Payments for the full master's are spread equally over the two years (students pay for 90 credits per year). Please note if a student leaves the course at the end of the first year, they will be required to pay the outstanding fees, as they will have attended the first 3 modules in year one (120 credits).

See the UCL website for current funding opportunities https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/masters-funding-awards

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

: IOE - Aziz Foundation Scholarships

Value: Full tuition fees (1 year)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: UK

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

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding should take note of the funding application deadlines.

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 Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) at graduate level and what you want to do with the AMBDA level 7 qualification?
why you want to study Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) 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?
whether you have the relevant prerequisites to apply?

If you have got the relevant experience to pursue this course, please give recent details of employment, (voluntary and paid), which shows your experience in education settings or working with children and young people.

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 ensure you clearly outline your prior experience in the personal statement and demonstrate this meets the entry criteria.

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.

This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.