Primary Education Policy and Practice

The Primary Education (Policy and Practice) MA meets the rapidly changing needs of professionals educating young children, in examining critically the bases for current practices in primary schools, providing insight into international developments in primary education and in offering opportunities to work with leading researchers and practitioners in the field.

The Primary Education (Policy and Practice) MA offers opportunities to engage with the latest research and international debate concerning  curriculum, pedagogy and assessment and its mplications for professional practice in primary education. Students will develop knowledge and skills to evaluate and conduct educational research related to their professional interests and develop their own perspectives as leaders in primary education.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of three core modules (90 credits), and either a dissertation (60 credits) and one optional module (30 credits), or a report (30 credits) and two optional modules (60 credits). Some modules are available to study remotely.

Core modules

• Futures for Policy and Practice in Primary Education
• Researching Early Years and Primary Education
• What is Education?

Optional modules

A range of optional modules is available to students each year. Students can select optional modules to reflect their personal and professional interests. Recommended modules taken by students in recent years include:

• Contemporary Issues and Debates in Primary Education
• Literacy Development
• Children's Rights in Practice
• Assessment for Learning
• Bilingualism and Multilingualism

Other modules are also possible - please contact the programme leader, Esmé Glauert, for advice.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project in primary education (policy and practice). The project culminates in a dissertation of 20,000 words or a report of 10,000 words on a topic agreed with their tutor.

Teaching and learning

A range of learning and teaching approaches is employed across the programme, including lectures, student presentations, group discussion, directed reading/writing tasks and contributions to the Virtual Learning Environment, designed to promote active engagement and capitalise on participants' diverse backgrounds. Student performance is assessed through coursework assignments and the dissertation/report.

Normally a minimum of a lower second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Students should also ideally have direct professional involvement with pre-school or primary education either in or outside the UK.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course