Welcome to MA Education
The MA Education offers practicing and aspiring educators opportunities to learn, apply and produce critical knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of Education, and to use this to inform and transform future educational practice, theory, policy and institutions.
The programme provides a coherent and flexible postgraduate degree that furthers existing critical understanding of practice and allows aspiring educators to deepen their knowledge of education. On completion, students will have gained both a broader and deeper understanding of the academic study of education and its relevance to their own experience. Furthermore, they will have gained the knowledge, skills and confidence to undertake further critical, reflexive, and sensitive research in the field of education and more broadly in the social sciences.
The programme is designed around three core modules and two optional modules. The core modules aim to support students in identifying their specific research questions through a critical review of the literature; develop the requisite knowledge, understanding and practical skills in appropriate re-search methods; and produce a compelling piece of advanced research. Optional modules allow students to deepen their existing subject knowledge and/or broaden their understanding of the study of education.
Research Areas, Projects and Topics
Studying in the School of Education offers many opportunities to learn from experienced researchers and be part of exciting new research projects that aim to challenge and improve current educational thinking and practice. The School’s research areas include:
- Educational leadership and management
- Professional learning and professional development
- Education policy
- Higher education pedagogy and practice
- Teacher recruitment and retention
- STEM education
- Education and social justice
- Applied linguistics and education
The School of Education founded and leads the Lincolnshire Learning Lab, a research group set up to bring academic rigour and evidence-based research into the classroom by engaging the three key stakeholders – teachers, academics, and those who are involved or interested in the education system such as parents or educatonal consultants.
More about the areas of research being undertaken by academic staff within the School of Education can be found here.
Fees and Funding
For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.
Career and Personal Development
The MA Education is a flexible postgraduate degree programme that aims to further existing educators' critical understanding of their practice and allows aspiring educators the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of education in preparation for a career in education or further doctoral research.
How You Study
All students are expected to attend the scheduled teaching on the programme. This takes place on a weekly basis for each module and is attended in person/face-to-face. Upon request, these seminars are also available as webinars using the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and learning management system (Blackboard). Blackboard provides students with access to a range of structured resources, including many digitised texts and key readings. It is also used more interactively, as a means of extending the dialogues that are seen as crucial to students' learning.
An Introduction to Your Modules
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
How you are assessed
Assessment is through written assignments, portfolios, and presentations. Students also receive feedback on their work from teaching staff and their tutor, as well as receiving grades to mark their progress through the curricula. In addition, students should expect to participate in formative peer review of each other's ideas and work through-out the programme via active group discussion and a variety of presentation methods (e.g. annual student presentations/conference and poster sessions).
Assessment Feedback
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days of the submission date.
Entry Requirements 2023-24
First or second class honours degree or equivalent qualification.
Prior credits earned through a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) may count towards this degree. Contact the School of Education to speak to an advisor about Accreditation of Prior Learning.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/ . These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

Dr Nikolaos Fotou - Programme Leader
Dr Nikolaos Fotou has studied Physics at University of Crete in Greece and obtained his MA and PhD degrees in Science Education at the University of Leeds. He has taught from primary, secondary and tertiary education in Greece to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Ireland and the UK. His subject specialisms include: Nature of students' knowledge, analogical reasoning, students' misconceptions, the use of ICT in education and the effectiveness of practical work in secondary and tertiary science education.
Academic Staff List Make an EnquiryPostgraduate Events
Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.
Find out MoreRelated Courses

Educational Research and Development
The programme is designed to develop the critical-thinking and research skills required for study at doctoral level

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Primary)
Teaching professionals can play a pivotal role in the development of children and young people, inspiring them to develop their knowledge and skills..

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Secondary)
Trainees are encouraged to be reflective and build their own philosophy of education in order to cultivate their identity as a teacher.