You can complete this course entirely online from anywhere in the world. This gives you the flexibility to study around your current role and apply what you learn to the challenges you face. We will give you hands-on research experience while boosting your knowledge of the social justice theories underpinning this vital area.

Our team of influential, research-active tutors deliver this course. You will benefit from their range of expertise covering areas such as gender, migration and development, globalisation, social class, disability, and digitally-mediated environments.

Alongside modules exploring theories of social justice, inequalities in education, and disruptive approaches to policy and practice, you will improve your research skills as you prepare to complete your dissertation.

You will study alongside others from all over the world with their own unique perspectives and specific interests. Previous students include teachers, social workers and policy-makers. However, you might work in other areas of education, charities or NGOs.

Our online MA in Education and Social Justice will be a good match for you if you want to think deeply about social justice and improve your research skills. Some of our graduates have used the qualification to change career direction, secure job promotions or conduct further research.

If you decide to continue to doctoral studies, our PhD in Education and Social Justice is the perfect next step and also runs entirely online.

An MA pass, on this programme, with a Merit or above will guarantee a place on the Education and Social Justice PhD programme. This offer is subject to course availability and you should check the application date for the PhD Programme with the MA Co-ordinator.

Although you will not be on campus, making you feel part of a community is important to us. You will spend time learning with our experts about social justice and education both in real time and asynchronously. We use our Virtual Learning Environment as a space to make teaching interactive, share knowledge and start lively debates. By doing this, you’ll be able to explore your interests, design research projects and prepare for your dissertation.

All teaching is online but will incorporate a range of different approaches developed by our expert team of module convenors. Across the programme, you can expect to learn through short pre-recorded lectures, guided reading activities, online discussion forums, individual or group activities, as well as online seminars, which run via video conference software. We expect that students will engage with the programme learning in a regular and meaningful way.
There are two one-hour seminars, so a part-time student can choose which to attend.

Social justice is at the heart of what we do. We recognise, value and build on the knowledge, experience and interests that students bring to their learning. To this end, we utilise the Virtual Learning Environment innovatively to engage in critical debates and develop independent learning skills. We do not assume that students are passive, empty vessels to be filled with knowledge from the teacher; rather we look for opportunities to reflect, apply and question the learning materials together with a view to transforming practices and generating more socially just education systems.

Our learning approach, however, goes beyond just the modules. Each student will be assigned a personal tutor who will support them through their own educational journey with us. Alongside this, students will be welcomed as part of the Educational Research Department community and will have opportunities to participate in research seminars, online reading groups, and events organised by the Centre for Social Justice and Wellbeing in Education.

Becoming confident in carrying out your own research is central to this course. We will introduce you to issues in social justice research, explore different methods and provide opportunities to work with an expert supervisor. By the time you develop your dissertation, you’ll have extensive experience of collecting data and evaluating findings.

Past students have researched topics including gender disparities in schooling, the use of trauma-informed practices for inclusion and the learning experiences for speakers of English as a second or other language.

Alongside our core modules, in your second year you will be able to pick options that match your interests. You might want to look closer at how schools are inspected, examine experiences of inequality in different groups or explore national and international policies related to social justice issues.

• ED.S835 Challenging Educational Inequalities
• ED.S836 Disrupting Education: Power, Equality, and Policy

Not all optional modules run every year.

Find out more about our modules.

The MA in Education and Social Justice is a course with a strong research ethos. It will be of interest to anyone who wishes to gain research expertise as well as develop knowledge of social justice issues. Such research experience will be particularly useful for students who wish to learn how to intervene in education systems to promote social justice, and for those who wish to develop research-led policy agendas in their own institutions.

The course will equip students with the requisite skills for further study at doctoral level. We offer a unique opportunity to engage with students living across a range of continents and countries, creating a rich and diverse learning environment.

An MA pass, on this programme, with a Merit or above will guarantee a place on the Education and Social Justice PhD programme. This offer is subject to course availability and you should check the application date for the PhD Programme with the MA Co-ordinator.

The module will introduce students to a range of processes used for investigating, and producing new knowledge about, ‘education’. The module focusses on developing an understanding of the deeply contextualised ways in which educational investigation is carried out and the contingency of the knowledge claims produced; locating educational investigation within the development of the research field and contemporary literature; formulating research questions that can illuminate research agendas; selecting and justifying appropriate methodological approaches; and designing particular projects based on the selected methodology that can satisfactorily address the research questions. The module will explore those issues with reference to a range of examples taken from published literature.

The module will provide students with the grounding needed to become autonomous researchers: enabling them to take advantage of their existing expertise as practitioners to provide a starting point for thinking about educational ‘problems’ that merit further investigation; enabling them to read existing research materials critically; and enabling them to formulate projects to develop their own knowledge and communicate that knowledge to others.

The module will enable students to develop a critical understanding of research as a form of academic practice, working together with a supervisor to conduct an exploratory project and write a research report focused on a topic of personal and/or professional relevance to the student. One key aim of this module is that the experience helps prepare the student for undertaking their later Research Dissertation. Formulating the small-scale research project will therefore involve the student in discussions with their allocated supervisor about their research interests and ongoing trajectory and how undertaking this project can support the student's development within the programme.

Examples of suitable independent study projects might involve small-scale data gathering, including the designing or testing of research instruments; or conducting a literature review for the purposes of identifying potential points of contribution that the student might make with regard to a chosen topic of their interest. Crucially, students agree a study plan early in the module period with their assigned supervisor, and then work with their supervisor to refine the scope of the study, formulate appropriate research questions, design and implement a methodological approach, and formulate the research report. Students will be encouraged to revisit the materials from the ED.S831 module and reflect on those throughout this process.

Students will develop knowledge of how to understand the different roles, types and purposes of educational research; how to define the scope of a research project and find existing literature based on that scope; how to evaluate and synthesise research evidence; and how to write a research report that takes into account particular audiences (such as researchers working within a specialist field, research generalists, or practitioners).

The module will comprise a short initial orientation period and an online discussion space. However, most of the period of the module will involve students working on their projects under bilateral supervision.

The module will provide students with the knowledge and skills to gather, synthesise and report upon a range of evidence to further their own understanding of topics of relevance to them and their professional practices, and communicate that understanding to others.

The module will provide an introduction to key issues and theories in social justice and education. We will start by considering what social justice means in different educational contexts and exploring some key theories about social justice. Key differences between different theories of social justice will be explored, and their implications for education examined. We will also explore how different theoretical lenses can provide new ways of viewing aspects of educational systems, and use these lenses to examine multiple perspectives. The ways in which social justice issues currently arise within different education settings will be explored, and we will consider how education can challenge and/or reinforce inequalities. We will also begin to think about issues associated with researching social justice and how theory can help focus analysis of substantive issues. We reflect on whether social justice is simply a topic of research or whether it requires particular approaches and commitments on the part of the researcher.

This module will provide students with opportunities to engage with and evaluate different theories and perspectives. They will also begin to consider issues involved in researching education and social justice.

The aims of the module are:

• to provide students with an opportunity to undertake an extended piece of self-directed research in a field of their choice;
• to provide experience in conducting research (a skill of relevance to further postgraduate activity as well as in varied professional settings);
• to provide experience of the management of project design, methodology, development and implementation;
• and to further develop students’ ability to communicate complex ideas and concepts.

This module will consider a range of social justice issues within education relating to (but not limited to) gender, class, 'race’ and ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability, language, geography, religion, and their intersections. This will involve developing an understanding of how advantage and disadvantage are structured through policy, practice and experiences; how students from different groups experience inclusion and exclusion; how educational institutions may generate, reinforce or reproduce social inequalities; and how educational inequalities may be challenged. Education will be considered as both an issue of social justice and as a practice for social justice.

This module will provide students with the opportunity to interrogate social justice issues within society and how these play out through the education system, developing and enhancing their knowledge and understanding of inequalities. It will engage students in analysis of complex processes of inclusion and exclusion and equip them with the tools to critically evaluate educational structures, policies and practices to both examine and challenge inequalities.

The module will take a unique and novel approach to exploring education that can be brought into relationship with both　social justice, culture and technology. It would consider how an educational ‘policy’ or ‘theory’ is applied and interpreted in the contexts where it is used. For example, in schools, this can be inspection (e.g. in the UK by Ofsted), assessment practices, specific strategies and policies (e.g. in the UK the Prevent policy), digital and online practices, etc. At university, these will be university policies. If you prefer to explore theories, then you can consider any critical theory of your choice, such as postcolonial, race, pedagogic or feminist theories, and many more. These two foci (educational policy and theory) will be explored by considering how they "translate"/manifest into educational practice. Considering the materiality and multimodality of educational practice will enable us to examine how policy or theory are enacted, mediated and reshaped at the intersection of people, things and environments; how people and environmental aspects contest or apply policy and theory but also how they comply with incentive structures to thereby reproduce particular aspects of educational systems. A specific strength of the module is in considering how to obtain public and policymakers' feedback through creative methods.

"Being able to have the freedom to pursue my own interests as well as benefit from taught elements, has built my confidence and greatly enhanced my understanding of how social justice fits into my role as a teacher. The course content is engaging and challenging and each assignment has pushed me to explore a wide range of ideas.

I have found the tutors to be very encouraging and supportive, particularly in helping me to develop a stronger sense of direction and conviction in my own research interests. I have been challenged to reflect on my role as an educator, as well as build skills as a researcher. The distance learning aspect of the course is something I have really appreciated as the ability to fit the course into my job is invaluable to my professional development. But moreover, has enabled me to pursue postgraduate study, which I would otherwise not have been able to do."

"This course has helped me to develop my ideas and interests in the social justice aspect of education. It has allowed me the freedom to pursue the ideas and themes I am interested in whilst also giving a comprehensive and good grounded base on theories and a variety of topics and subject areas. The Moodle forums for the modules have enabled me to discuss and develop my ideas further with my fellow peers and also allowed me the opportunity expand my support network. The course content is engaging whilst also challenging, as expected of a Master's programme. The support available from the tutors and staff is brilliant and you can always find someone to assist you in whatever you may need help with whether by phone, email or Skype. The tutors provide a lot of encouragement whilst also pushing you to further develop your academic skills and knowledge within the field. This course has enabled me to find a good balance between work, a young family and studying and I would thoroughly recommend it."

"I live in [mainland Europe] and the 100% online element of this course was one of the main attractions. The course is very engaging. Though I have been an ardent activist for social justice for years, I was still surprised to find how my own established thinking was challenged within the first module of the course. That the course is new is an advantage in that the developers are open to feedback. I suggested a research book that may be of use to the curriculum and it was added to the library resources within days."

"The college offered the subject specialism that I was interested in and allowed me the opportunity to complete the study all online which fits in with my work and home life allowing me the freedom to choose the time when I can focus on my studies. The modules are fulfilling the purpose of my interest and I found the first module on social justice themes fascinating. There are optimal and timely opportunities to conduct research and measure your own work against current theories and this has ensured I am challenged as a student and as an educator. I would recommend the course for anyone who feels they cannot spare the time to attend college, who has the ability to focus and collaborate online and most of all someone who is passionate about Education and Social Justice."

"This course has allowed me the flexibility to explore themes and ideas that I am interested in, with the help and support from passionate lecturers. For me, I was initially a bit hesitant about not having the support network that you would find when attending a face-to-face course, but having tutors that will communicate via Skype or email when required is great. This means I can continue to work and support my family whilst studying something that, I hope, means one day I can make a difference."

"A key factor in my identifying the right Education Master's programme was that there would be a connection between education policy and practice and their impact on society. Another pre-requisite was that there would be a strong research focus. I was delighted to see that this programme combines the two. There is a growing, and welcome trend in favour of evidence-based approaches to educational policy, practice and publishing and one I am keen to be part of. I was also impressed by the quality and range of the research of the programme staff. I've found the step-by-step structure of the programme to be supportive in building confidence in theoretical knowledge and practice research know-how before embarking on a full-scale piece of research. I'm also enjoying the freedom to self-direct the focus of my research."

"Studying for my Master's over the last two years has given me the opportunity to reflect on my practice in a way I never imagined. I have developed my knowledge by exploring new areas of research and writing in teaching, learning and curriculum design. It has given me the confidence to make improvements to my own practice that promotes social justice.

The course was structured in a module format that provided the core pattern of learning. This was supported with exceptional online provision enabling me to engage with the course no matter what working patterns I needed to adopt as I balanced home and full-time work commitments.

The combination of a strong structure alongside flexible study allowed for regular engagement with tutors and others studying the course as and when I needed to. The course tutors fostered a culture of openness in a collegiate way to create a safe space for a diverse range of professionals to connect and share, explore and challenge together.

The course gave me the opportunity to reflect critically on how I can contribute to research and knowledge, particularly in my field of Further Education. Having developed my knowledge and skills in research and writing it has given me the confidence to present my reflections on practice and I will continue to explore opportunities to engage in research and continue to contribute to knowledge, potentially through PhD study."