How long is the MA in Education?

The MA in Education runs for one year full-time on-campus or up to two years part-time through online and distance-learning routes, with the dissertation submitted in the final term.

Can I study the MA in Education fully online?

Yes. The MA in Education is delivered on-campus, fully online with weekly live research seminars, and by distance learning, all assessed against the same dissertation and viva standard.

Is the MA in Education recognised in the UK?

Yes. The MA in Education is a UK postgraduate degree aligned with the Chartered College of Teaching and Society for Education and Training, recognised by UK schools, MATs and local authorities.

What are the entry requirements for the MA in Education?

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent), IELTS 6.5, a personal statement, two references and a 500-800 word proposal. The MA in Education values direct teaching experience.

What does the MA in Education cost and are scholarships available?

Tuition for the MA in Education varies by route and domicile. Means-tested bursaries and merit scholarships are offered each intake — contact LSCT admissions for the current fee schedule and scholarship guidance.

MA in Education in London in London | LSCT (Harold) | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA in Education at the London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for serving teachers, middle leaders and education professionals ready to deepen their research literacy and policy reach. The syllabus is built around the working evidence base of UK education — EEF guidance reports, Ofsted's education inspection framework, Education Endowment Foundation trials, and the curriculum-design debates shaping schools from 2026 onwards.

You will design and run a small empirical inquiry inside your own setting, write a research-based curriculum proposal and produce an academic dissertation defended to a panel that includes a working senior leader. By the end you can read educational research critically, translate it into classroom practice and brief governors on a proposed change with the evidence behind it.

You will study in small, tutor-visible cohorts; meet visiting professionals fortnightly; and work to deadlines that mirror professional practice in the education & professional studies sector. UK education and professional development are operating under new NPQ, EYFS and apprenticeship frameworks, and the syllabus reflects the most current evidence base from the Education Endowment Foundation, Chartered College of Teaching and CIPD.

Key Features

Chartered College of Teaching-aligned syllabus with content mapped to Society for Education and Training (SET) standards.
Three study modes — on-campus in London, fully online with weekly live research seminars, or distance learning with structured deadlines.
Action-research project in your own setting — runs across the year with tutor supervision.
Curriculum-design module taught against current Ofsted framework expectations.
Dissertation — original empirical or theoretical research defended in viva.
Optional pathways in leadership, SEND, early years or assessment.
Reflective peer review — fortnightly observation-and-feedback rounds with cohort and a named tutor.

What You Will Learn

The MA combines research methods with the practical applied side of UK education leadership. You will graduate able to read an EEF report critically, design a fair trial of an intervention in your own setting and write a research paper appropriate for publication in a UK education journal.

Education research methods — quantitative, qualitative and mixed.
Curriculum theory and design.
Pedagogy and the science of learning.
Assessment and feedback.
Education policy and the UK system.
Leadership and school improvement.
SEND, inclusion and equity.
Dissertation and viva.
Evidence-informed practice using EEF guidance and Chartered College of Teaching resources.
Reflective journaling as a CPD spine — keep the record professionals actually keep.

Across every module you keep a structured working portfolio of lesson observations, reflective journals and evidence-based proposals — a single source of truth you can show at interview and continue to maintain after graduation. Programme assessment combines coursework, in-class exercises and a substantial practice-led piece of work assessed by a working senior leader.

Who This Course Is For

The MA suits experienced education professionals.

Serving teachers (QTS or international equivalent) wanting research depth.
Middle and senior school leaders preparing for headship and further postgraduate study.
International education leaders seeking a UK postgraduate qualification taught in English.
Career changers from policy, charity or industry into education leadership.
Returners to work re-entering UK education after a career break or family leave with refreshed practice training.

Career Pathways

LSCT MA in Education graduates move into senior leadership, education-policy and academic-research roles across UK and international schools, multi-academy trusts, local authorities and education charities. Typical destinations include:

Senior Leader (deputy head, head of department)
Curriculum Lead (MAT, local authority)
Education Adviser (local authority, charity)
School Improvement Officer
Education Researcher (think tank, university)
Doctoral candidate (EdD, PhD)
Learning and Development Officer at a UK in-house corporate L&D team

The MA in Education is a strong foundation for further doctoral study in education or for headship-track development through NPQ pathways.

LSCT careers service maintains a working contact book of UK schools, MATs, training providers and corporate L&D employers, hosts at least one industry-careers day per academic year and offers structured one-to-one application support during your final stage. Many graduates also build long-term professional networks through the Chartered College of Teaching, SET and CIPD events that LSCT students are encouraged to attend.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject — education, social sciences or a subject discipline taught in schools.
Applicants from non-cognate fields may apply with five years' senior professional experience in education or training — direct teaching experience is particularly valued for the MA in Education.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
A personal statement, two references and a research proposal of 500-800 words.
Applicants with current teaching responsibility, classroom volunteering or training-delivery experience are particularly encouraged to mention these on the application form for the programme.

Why Study at LSCT

The London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. We teach in small cohorts so every student is visible to their tutor, run a single intake schedule that students can rely on, and partner with UK professional bodies so qualifications carry weight with employers. London puts Whitehall, the City, Silicon Roundabout, the Royal Courts of Justice, the West End and the NHS estate within a short tube ride of every classroom. For MA in Education students the Department for Education's Sanctuary Buildings, Ofsted's London office, the Chartered College of Teaching and the major education think tanks are walkable for guest sessions and policy seminars.

Our education and professional studies students complete setting observations at London schools, training providers and corporate L&D teams as part of the assessed coursework. Students also benefit from our partnership with Harold International College of London, with shared library access, careers-service connections and the option to take a small number of elective modules across the wider Harold International programme catalogue subject to availability.

Whichever study mode you select, you will join a single, intake-aligned cohort with weekly tutor visibility, a named programme tutor for the duration of your studies, an institutional access plan offering peer support and structured careers advice, and the full library and online-resource subscription package of Harold International College of London. Many students travel to London for two short on-campus residentials per academic year — these are optional for online learners but supported by LSCT for students who can attend.

Apply for MA in Education

Specialise at postgraduate level with the MA in Education. Click Enrol Now to apply; admissions teams reply within one working day with scholarship and funding guidance, plus a personal call from a research tutor to refine your proposal.