Everything you need to know...
-
What is the fee?
Home: £10,620 for the course
International/EU: £17,725 for the course -
How long will I study?
1 Year
-
Where will I study?
-
When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Focus your studies on your interests, including any age of education.
- Explore contemporary debates and comparative understandings of education.
- Examine innovative practice across a range of educational sectors.
- Develop a leading voice rooted in theory, research, policy and practice.
- Evaluate evidence, challenge assumptions and critically reflect on values and practices.
On this course, you’ll critically engage with contemporary theories and practices in education, tailored to your interests and specialisms. The course equips you with the skills and knowledge to lead and innovate within the education sector, while also enhancing your employability and aligning your learning to your career ambitions.
Graduate view
'My teachers helped me to pursue my interests, and my thinking was constantly challenged. I am now working as a graduate intern at Sheffield Hallam.'
Sehrish Tahir, MA Education, 2018 graduate
How you learn
At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.
On this course our teaching approach strives to create an inclusive learning experience that encourages independent thought and critical inquiry.
You learn through:
- in-class discussion and debate
- group tasks and peer discussion
- individual projects
- tasks utilising digital platforms
- case study analysis
Key themes
You’ll extend your critical understanding of education in its broadest sense. You’ll engage with real-world educational problems across a range of different contexts. The course will prepare you to be an independent, critically-minded scholar in the educational field.
You’ll engage in inter-sessional tasks and ongoing formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments are designed to support your learning across each module – giving you the skills and knowledge to succeed in your final research project.
Course support
You’ll be guided and supported throughout your studies. Our dedicated team of tutors and academics bring a wealth of expertise from various educational fields. We’ll help prepare you for highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- Access to three student support advisers to help with your personal, academic and career development
- Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
Course leaders and tutors
Lisa McGrath
Associate Professor in Educational LinguisticsAssociate Professor, Sheffield Hallam University
Applied learning
The skills you develop on this course are designed to be directly applicable to your personal growth and career advancement in a variety of educational roles – both in formal and non-formal settings. We take a problem-centred approach to educational issues that allows you to put your knowledge into practice in real-world scenarios.
Networking opportunities
You'll have the opportunity to connect and network with like-minded peers, industry professionals and experts in the field. By sharing experiences and insights, you'll build valuable relationships that enhance your personal growth and professional development.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- primary school teaching
- education administration
- further and higher education teaching
- education research
- leadership in education
- mentoring
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
You’ll have access to modern learning environments and a wide range of digital and online resources to support your learning.
In recent years, we’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Entry requirements
All students
You normally need a BA (Honours) degree or equivalent. We take account of your degree classification and may ask to see an example of academic writing.
If English is not your first language, you need an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other skills. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Accreditation of Prior Credit and Learning (APCL)
If you have existing masters level credit from previous postgraduate study, you may be eligible for exemption from some elements of the early stages of this course. In order to be considered for possible exemptions which, if approved, would also reduce your overall course fee, you would need to provide a full transcript of your postgraduate credits with your application form by the end of July.
If you do not have such academic qualifications we may consider your application individually, based on your personal, professional and work experience, and other formal qualifications. You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Final year
Compulsory modules
Comparing Educational Practices
Exploring Contemporary Issues
Research Methods In Education
Research Project
Elective modules
Innovating Curricula
Language Learning And Language Learners
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Education (PDF, 255.8KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
