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Course overview

The MA Education (Early Childhood Studies) course aims to produce graduates who possess a sophisticated knowledge and understanding of early childhood relevant to their future careers and further learning.

You develop your academic and professional skills and knowledge appropriate to an area of educational interest, so you can continue your professional, educational and/or personal development by consolidating, enhancing and extending your disciplinary expertise, experience and abilities.

You also develop a range of advanced research skills appropriate to postgraduate study and professional practice that will enable you to critically evaluate existing work and design research to further knowledge within education

The learning and teaching strategy of the course is designed to encourage an individualised and progressive acquisition of knowledge and skills required for postgraduate study. Learning is scaffolded by moving from study methods that have a greater degree of support and guidance gradually towards more independence and self-direction. From the start of the course you are supported to choose an area of education that is relevant to your own current or future professional practice which can form the focus of your learning.

You explore literature in your chosen topic, focus on education policies and practices and consider what education means to you. You reflect on your own position in current or potential future practice and consider how your own professional development can be enhanced, then develop a substantial research project to explore it further through your dissertation.

How you learn

You share experiences and perspectives on aspects of practice. You study with students from other programmes who are from a variety of educational settings and backgrounds – this sharing gives you the opportunity to develop a systematic and critical understanding of the breadth and depth of knowledge in educational research and practice. You can develop a sense of belonging to the programme while being able to discuss and explore your own area of interest.
Peer-led discussion on research and practice issues raised in sessions provides the opportunity for interprofessional discussion and debate, and the opportunity to consider relevant issues from the perspective of other professional educational groups which supports you to integrate and synthesise a diverse range of knowledge. You share taught sessions with the Education Doctorate, enhancing the range and type of discussions held within sessions as well as encouraging you to consider your progression after the programme.

How you are assessed

Staff have a wide range of educational backgrounds and specialist interests to support for your cross-disciplinary interests and multi-agency working. Another important element is how we support your transition to studying at level 7. You are offered academic support to help you understand the requirements of master’s level study; to develop your skills in academic writing and referencing, critical thinking and critical writing; and in the key IT skills such as literature searching. The assessment allows you to reflect on your own practice and context, and produce assessed work that benefits your working context. Student feedback on the programme has consistently highlighted the level of support from the staff as a major contributor to their success.