
Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from mid-October 2025.
Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from mid-October 2025.
The Education MA is a flexible course that combines interdisciplinary perspectives with the development of analytical and core research skills to enable students to pursue their own subject specific interests in education. It emphasises the development of a critical understanding of education policies and practices to promote capacities for independent thought and action in the classroom. - Promotes analytical and research skills to enhance practical development. - Taught by staff with international reputations in the field. - Promotes transferable abilities such as practical and policy-oriented insights and high- quality research, communication and presentation skills. - Provides opportunities to build a network of teachers, academics and educational policy figures that span local, national and international settings. - Located in the heart of London. Education, Communication and Society is internationally recognised as a centre of research and teaching excellence in the field of education. Academics in the school are regarded as world- leading in the fields of sociology of education and critical pedagogy, many of whom continue to make a distinctive contribution to policy sociology and philosophy of education, as well as to educational practices, particularly to theories surrounding assessment. This course will enable students to critically reflect on educational practices (including, where relevant, their own educational roles), carry out independent research, and acquire the skills and contacts that will enable them to progress in autumn term and will consist of a combination of highly interactive lectures and blended learning to support subject-specific learning and development. The extensive range of optional modules available makes the course highly flexible, enabling students to specialise in a particular area of educational research and to engage in an extended examination of their own practice. The course has been designed to support students to develop critical perspectives and analytical research skills that promote a capacity for independent thought and practical innovation in the classroom, and an ability to analyse and evaluate contemporary developments in education policy.
“I am fortunate to have found a home at King’s College London. In short, I am placed at the epicentre of intellectual discourse at the King’s College London, studying with international students and thriving in a conducive environment that furthers my professional and voluntary experience.”
Education, Communication and Society is internationally recognised as a centre of research and teaching excellence in the field of education. Academics in the school are regarded as world- leading in the fields of sociology of education and critical pedagogy, many of whom continue to make a distinctive contribution to policy sociology and philosophy of education, as well as to educational practices, particularly to theories surrounding assessment. This course will enable students to critically reflect on educational practices (including, where relevant, their own educational roles), carry out independent research, and acquire the skills and contacts that will enable them to progress in autumn term and will consist of a combination of highly interactive lectures and blended learning to support subject-specific learning and development. The extensive range of optional modules available makes the course highly flexible, enabling students to specialise in a particular area of educational research and to engage in an extended examination of their own practice. The course has been designed to support students to develop critical perspectives and analytical research skills that promote a capacity for independent thought and practical innovation in the classroom, and an ability to analyse and evaluate contemporary developments in education policy.
Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
A 2:1 undergraduate degree (or international equivalent) in a subject area or discipline relevant to education (e.g. sociology, educational studies, psychology, pedagogy, history, philosophy etc). In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.
Practicing teachers are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with a PGCE or equivalent may be permitted to transfer credits, pending approval from the programme director.
Lower undergraduate grades may be considered in certain circumstances, for example if the applicant has a PGCE with master's level credits. It is strongly recommended that applicants have some relevant professional experience, either in teaching or in other educational practice or setting such as policy. However, applications from candidates who do not have any experience but who do have relevant academic qualifications will be considered.
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Applications must be made online using King’s Apply, the Admissions Portal. A non-refundable application fee of £130 applies.
Due to the large volume of applications, this programme operates a partial “gathered-field” approach to decision making for applicants who meet our advertised academic entry requirements. This means that for some of these applicants, a decision may not be reached until after February and where possible, will be made by May. You will be informed via King’s Apply if your application has been assessed and being held as part of this process.
If you receive an offer, please make a note of your deadline to accept your offer. Due to the competitive of this course, we cannot guarantee that we can reinstate any offer which was not accepted by the deadline.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
Personal Statement | Yes |
Your personal statement should be around 700 words and answer the following questions: Why are you applying for this specific programme, and how does it fit in with your future plans? (max 250 words) How does your educational background or professional experience make you a suitable candidate for the programme? (250 words) Briefly highlight an educational issue or topic that you feel is important (200 words) Please upload your responses to these questions to the personal statement section of this application form. |
---|---|---|
Previous Academic Study | Yes | A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents. |
References | Yes | One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you. |
Other | Optional | Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application. |
Check out further information about our Education, Communication and Society courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic year might look like as you progress through your studies:
Lectures, seminars & feedback | Self-study | |
Per 30 credit module |
Typically, 20 hours of teaching. |
280 hours |
Dissertation module |
Contact time for the dissertation will typically include a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and 1:1 and /or group supervision |
Approximately 567 hours. |
Typically, 1 credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Location
This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the optional modules you select.
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include essays, reports, blog posts, presentations, forum posts, and case studies. All students complete a 60-credit dissertation, which is assessed by an extended piece of writing based on independent research on a topic of your choice, related to the course. This dissertation will be supported by a programme of research methods and study skills classes, as well as individual and/or group supervision.
You are permitted to take up to 30 of your optional credits from outside of the course, at the discretion of the Programme Director. The assessment methods for those modules may vary.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
You are required to take the following modules:
In addition, you are required to take 90 credits of optional modules, which may typically include:
Please note: students who are transferring in Master’s level credits (e.g. from a PGCE, if the PGCE was started within 10 years of your expected completion date of this MA course) will be exempt from the corresponding number of optional module credits, but must take the 60-credit dissertation module, as well as the compulsory taught module. If your credit transfer is approved, you will also be eligible for a proportional fee reduction, which will be processed following your enrolment into the programme. Part-time students will take the required taught module in Year 1 and the dissertation in Year 2. They must take 90 credits of optional modules across the two years, typically taking one optional 30-credit module in Year 1 and two optional 30-credits modules in Year 2. With the approval of the Programme Director students may take 30 of their optional credits from level 7 modules offered across the College. Please note that the contact hours and assessment methods for these modules may vary.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
This course will enable students to critically reflect on their own educational roles, carry out independent research at their own schools, and acquire the skills and contacts that will enable them to progress in their careers. The course will enable participants to develop an in-depth understanding of educational policies and practices, focusing predominantly on the UK but also drawing on international contexts and perspectives.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Full time: £13,500 per year (2025/26)
Part time: £6,750 per year (2025/26)
Full time: £30,000 per year (2025/26)
Part time: £15,000 per year (2025/26)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions. Please note: you may transfer across PGCE Master’s level credits if taken within 10 years of your completion date of this MA course. If you do, you will only need to take the number of credits required to bring your total for the course to 180, including transferred credits. Fees will be proportionally reduced by the number of credits accepted for transfer e.g a student transferring 60 credits into the 180 credit MA will pay 2/3 fees. If you work for a School accepting teacher training students from King’s College London you may be entitled to a fee reduction.
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.
The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.
If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
Education, Communication and Society is internationally recognised as a centre of research and teaching excellence in the field of education. Academics in the school are regarded as world- leading in the fields of sociology of education and critical pedagogy, many of whom continue to make a distinctive contribution to policy sociology and philosophy of education, as well as to educational practices, particularly to theories surrounding assessment. This course will enable students to critically reflect on educational practices (including, where relevant, their own educational roles), carry out independent research, and acquire the skills and contacts that will enable them to progress in autumn term and will consist of a combination of highly interactive lectures and blended learning to support subject-specific learning and development. The extensive range of optional modules available makes the course highly flexible, enabling students to specialise in a particular area of educational research and to engage in an extended examination of their own practice. The course has been designed to support students to develop critical perspectives and analytical research skills that promote a capacity for independent thought and practical innovation in the classroom, and an ability to analyse and evaluate contemporary developments in education policy.
Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
A 2:1 undergraduate degree (or international equivalent) in a subject area or discipline relevant to education (e.g. sociology, educational studies, psychology, pedagogy, history, philosophy etc). In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.
Practicing teachers are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with a PGCE or equivalent may be permitted to transfer credits, pending approval from the programme director.
Lower undergraduate grades may be considered in certain circumstances, for example if the applicant has a PGCE with master's level credits. It is strongly recommended that applicants have some relevant professional experience, either in teaching or in other educational practice or setting such as policy. However, applications from candidates who do not have any experience but who do have relevant academic qualifications will be considered.
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Applications must be made online using King’s Apply, the Admissions Portal. A non-refundable application fee of £130 applies.
Due to the large volume of applications, this programme operates a partial “gathered-field” approach to decision making for applicants who meet our advertised academic entry requirements. This means that for some of these applicants, a decision may not be reached until after February and where possible, will be made by May. You will be informed via King’s Apply if your application has been assessed and being held as part of this process.
If you receive an offer, please make a note of your deadline to accept your offer. Due to the competitive of this course, we cannot guarantee that we can reinstate any offer which was not accepted by the deadline.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
Personal Statement | Yes |
Your personal statement should be around 700 words and answer the following questions: Why are you applying for this specific programme, and how does it fit in with your future plans? (max 250 words) How does your educational background or professional experience make you a suitable candidate for the programme? (250 words) Briefly highlight an educational issue or topic that you feel is important (200 words) Please upload your responses to these questions to the personal statement section of this application form. |
---|---|---|
Previous Academic Study | Yes | A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents. |
References | Yes | One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you. |
Other | Optional | Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application. |
Check out further information about our Education, Communication and Society courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic year might look like as you progress through your studies:
Lectures, seminars & feedback | Self-study | |
Per 30 credit module |
Typically, 20 hours of teaching. |
280 hours |
Dissertation module |
Contact time for the dissertation will typically include a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and 1:1 and /or group supervision |
Approximately 567 hours. |
Typically, 1 credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Location
This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the optional modules you select.
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include essays, reports, blog posts, presentations, forum posts, and case studies. All students complete a 60-credit dissertation, which is assessed by an extended piece of writing based on independent research on a topic of your choice, related to the course. This dissertation will be supported by a programme of research methods and study skills classes, as well as individual and/or group supervision.
You are permitted to take up to 30 of your optional credits from outside of the course, at the discretion of the Programme Director. The assessment methods for those modules may vary.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
You are required to take the following modules:
In addition, you are required to take 90 credits of optional modules, which may typically include:
Please note: students who are transferring in Master’s level credits (e.g. from a PGCE, if the PGCE was started within 10 years of your expected completion date of this MA course) will be exempt from the corresponding number of optional module credits, but must take the 60-credit dissertation module, as well as the compulsory taught module. If your credit transfer is approved, you will also be eligible for a proportional fee reduction, which will be processed following your enrolment into the programme. Part-time students will take the required taught module in Year 1 and the dissertation in Year 2. They must take 90 credits of optional modules across the two years, typically taking one optional 30-credit module in Year 1 and two optional 30-credits modules in Year 2. With the approval of the Programme Director students may take 30 of their optional credits from level 7 modules offered across the College. Please note that the contact hours and assessment methods for these modules may vary.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
This course will enable students to critically reflect on their own educational roles, carry out independent research at their own schools, and acquire the skills and contacts that will enable them to progress in their careers. The course will enable participants to develop an in-depth understanding of educational policies and practices, focusing predominantly on the UK but also drawing on international contexts and perspectives.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Full time: £13,500 per year (2025/26)
Part time: £6,750 per year (2025/26)
Full time: £30,000 per year (2025/26)
Part time: £15,000 per year (2025/26)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions. Please note: you may transfer across PGCE Master’s level credits if taken within 10 years of your completion date of this MA course. If you do, you will only need to take the number of credits required to bring your total for the course to 180, including transferred credits. Fees will be proportionally reduced by the number of credits accepted for transfer e.g a student transferring 60 credits into the 180 credit MA will pay 2/3 fees. If you work for a School accepting teacher training students from King’s College London you may be entitled to a fee reduction.
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.
The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.
If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.
The final application deadlines for this programme are:
· Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
· Home fee status: 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)
If the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications. Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.
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