Postgraduate

Masters degree in Education

On this page

• Description
• Planning your studies
• Career relevance
• Suggested routes to the degree
• Modules
• Learning outcomes
• Credit for previous study elsewhere
• On completion
• Regulations
• How to register

Description

This taught masters degree course is a flexible modular qualification with a rich diversity of modules enabling you to choose those most appropriate to your own context and interests. The modules support your professional development through investigation of currently significant issues in the context of your own experience and appropriate literature. For this professional qualification you will need some experience of working with learners, either in teaching, the education advisory service, educational administration or an allied field – this may include informal learning settings. You will join a learning community of over 2500 students from varying educational contexts worldwide.

Planning your studies

To register for this masters degree course you must hold a bachelors degree from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body, or a qualification at equivalent level.

There are additional entry requirements for modules EE880 and EE881. Please see the module descriptions by clicking on the links below for further details.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you seek assessment under the International English Language Teaching System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

You will usually need to be able to work with learners, but not necessarily in a formal teaching situation. You will be encouraged to relate the content of the modules to your own experiences and to develop skills of independent study and enquiry. If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please ask our Student Registration & Enquiry Service for advice.

In your degree you may opt to study two modules that focus on a particular aspect of education, for example equality and diversity, educational leadership and management, or you may prefer two unrelated modules to give your qualification breadth. If you have studied two modules in applied linguistics, educational leadership and management, or equality and diversity, you have the option to ‘badge’ your qualification with the appropriate heading, e.g. Master of Arts in Education (Leadership and Management).

We recommend you study one module a year, and you must normally complete this qualification within a maximum of six years from the date of first registration for this qualification. We also strongly recommend that you begin your studies with the compulsory module Educational enquiry (E891), which will introduce you to study at masters level.

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Modules that are currently available for study worldwide are E805, E807, E846, E852, E854, E855, E856, E891 and ET821. These modules are available anywhere in the world (unless you are a resident of South Africa and may be restricted to studying through your Open University affiliate in your country).

National professional development scholarship

Please visit our website for further details of this national scholarship scheme to support professional development for teachers.

Career relevance and employability

Across the globe there is an increasing demand for creative, innovative education professionals who have highly developed skills and a deep understanding of learning; in many countries a masters degree is becoming essential for career advancement in teaching and related careers. This qualification offers teachers and other education professionals working with learners of all ages the opportunity to develop professionally and academically. It is suitable for graduates working in formal education settings (nurseries, schools, colleges and universities), those supporting non-formal learning as well as education leaders and policy makers. Modules in this qualification are designed to enable you to update your knowledge and skills and give you the opportunity to reflect on your professional practice whilst developing your understanding of theoretical models and current debates.

Case studies and examples are from a worldwide context and this qualification will be relevant to educators across the globe.

Please note: This qualification does not qualify you for teacher registration with teaching authorities.

There is more information about how OU study can improve your employability in the OU’s Employability Statement from our Careers Advisory Service. You can also read or download our publication OU study and your career and look at our subject pages to find out about career opportunities.

Suggested routes to the degree

There are a number of possible pathways through the Masters in Education, which draw on the research strengths of the Faculty of Education and Language Studies. The first two routes illustrated here show routes that many students are using, or have already successfully followed.

You might also opt to study this qualification with a specialism in a particular area of education. The further diagrams show routes with specialisms in applied linguistics, equality and diversity, and leadership and management. 

Please bear in mind that other routes are available – see the full module list for all options.

• Sample route 1
• Sample route 2
• With an applied linguistics specialism
• With an equality and diversity specialism
• With a leadership and management specialism

Modules

For this 180-credit masters degree you require:

60 credits from the following compulsory module:

And 120 credits from the following optional modules (or 60 credits from these modules and 60 credits from transferred credit):

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules, B823, BZX823, E804, E831, E836, E841, E844, E845, E848, E849, E857, E859, ED840, EZX836, H807

Master of Arts in Education (Applied Linguistics) or Master of Education (Applied Linguistics)

If you include the following two modules in your degree, along with the compulsory module Educational enquiry (E891), you can be awarded a Master of Arts in Education (Applied Linguistics) or Master of Education (Applied Linguistics):

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules E841, E844

Master of Arts in Education (Equality and Diversity) or Master of Education (Equality and Diversity)

If you include the following two modules in your degree, along with the compulsory module Educational enquiry (E891), you can be awarded a Master of Arts in Education (Equality and Diversity) or Master of Education (Equality and Diversity):

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules E804, E831, E848

Master of Arts in Education (Leadership and Management) or Master of Education (Leadership and Management)

If you include the following two modules in your degree, along with the compulsory module Educational enquiry (E891), you can be awarded a Master of Arts in Education (Leadership and Management) or Master of Education (Leadership and Management):

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules E849, E859

Credit for previous study elsewhere

If you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution we may be able to give you credit that you can count towards this Open University qualification. Please see our Credit Transfer site for details. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules, so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.

We particularly welcome credit from those who hold a Cambridge Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Delta) (course entry from September 2008) or the Trinity College London Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (LTCL Diploma in TESOL) (course entry from March 2011). Credit from these diplomas may be counted towards our MA in Education (Applied Linguistics)/MEd (Applied Linguistics).

Credit transfer details for this qualification:

• Essential Information Sheets - Masters degree in Education

On completion

On successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded a Master of Arts in Education or Master of Education entitling you to use the letters MA Ed (Open) or MEd (Open) after your name. If you have successfully studied specific combinations of modules you can be awarded a Master of Arts in Education (Applied Linguistics) or Master of Education (Applied Linguistics), Master of Arts in Education (Leadership and Management) or Master of Education (Leadership and Management), Master of Arts in Education (Equality and Diversity) or Master of Education (Equality and Diversity). You will have the opportunity of being presented at a degree ceremony.

On successful completion of one module from the programme you will be able to claim a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education (C27). Once you have achieved 120 credits from the programme, you can claim a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education (D52). Please see the descriptions for these qualifications for the choice of modules available.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Qualification Regulations and the Student Regulations.

Qualification Regulations

• Introduction to the Qualification Regulations
• General Qualification Regulations
• Masters degree in Education

Student Regulations

The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.

How to register

To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.

See a full list of modules available for this qualification

About this page

A postgraduate qualification in Education.

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