Key Facts
About the course
This MA is designed for practising professionals, or those interested in research, in special educational needs and disability (SEND) – usually in schools, the lifelong learning sector and universities.
Its modular structure allows you to personalise your choice of units and progress at a pace that best suits you, with a final phase focused on educational research via a dissertation.
The MA Education engages you with key issues in education and aims to encourage your evidence-based practice, as you make direct and meaningful connections between the course and your own experiences and aspirations.
The course helps you to broaden your knowledge educational ideas and research findings, as you identify and justify recommendations for further action. This places you in a better position to develop your work as a classroom practitioner or school leader.
Intermediate qualifications available:
- Postgraduate certificate – 60 credits at Masters level
- Postgraduate diploma – 120 credits at Masters level
Why choose this course?
- Study on a modular course designed for professionals in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), that allows you to accumulate credit at a pace that suits you, with assessments based around needs specific to your role in your educational organisation
- Explore the process of teaching, learning support and/or educational leadership, focusing on personal, academic and vocational interests relevant to your educational context
- Develop your understanding of assessment formats with a negotiated focus in support of both individual and organisational needs
- Gain from undertaking primary research that informs your current practice, as well as acquiring the necessary research skills to engage in future research and progress to a PhD or EdD programme
- Benefit from a course that provides a clear progression route following completion of your Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course, develops both you and the organisation within which you work and could be used as the basis for further study at doctoral level (PhD and EdD).
Unit Information - What will I learn?
Units
- Dissertation In Education (Special Educational Needs) (EDC119-6) Compulsory
- Meeting Diverse Needs (EDC128-6) Compulsory
- Research Methods In The Workplace (EDC129-6) Compulsory
- Analysing Policy: Children'S Voice (EDC115-6) Optional
- Enhancing Practice In Educational Settings (EDC126-6) Optional
- Leading Change In Education (EDC127-6) Optional
How will I be assessed?
Each unit in this course has its own assessment. Wherever possible, the specific focus of assignments is negotiated individually between the unit tutor and the student, within the parameters of the unit, in order to ensure that the assignment meets the personal and professional needs of the student. The course provides you with a carefully planned and coherent sequence of learning opportunities that facilitate your development through formative and summative assessments. At this level the expectations, in terms of the quality of work produced, are high and you will need to take active control of your learning. At Master's level the expectation is that you are an autonomous and confident learner, particularly when you are undertaking distance learning units, that you will undertake assessments that are challenging and require mature argument developed from sustained research, and that you will demonstrate fluent and cogent presentation. You are encouraged in your assessments to draw upon an extensive range of sources to demonstrate a deep theoretical understanding and the ability to apply that to current issues and contexts. The assessments test the ability to construct a reasoned, sustained and coherent argument, and to articulate it fluently, in a range of contexts. You are required to demonstrate an appropriate level of research, of independent argument, and to reference in an appropriate and accurate manner. Through the assessments designed for individual units, you will practise and reinforce skills in researching, evaluating and synthesising materials with a critical eye; quantitative and qualitative data collection and handling, together with skills associated with conventional academic tasks. Unit assessment is based on specified learning outcomes and assessment criteria. The unit information forms state clearly the aims, objectives and learning outcomes of the unit, and delineate the criteria of assessment for each outcome. The unit assessment feedback offers detailed comment to the student on the assessment piece. The taught stage of the course (stage 1) requires you to pass 120 credits before progressing to stage 2, the 60 credit dissertation.
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent.
To apply for a place on a postgraduate course (MA/MSc/MBA) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good first degree and the required English language qualification
Find out more about specific entry requirements for your country
To apply for a postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA/LLM) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in an appropriate subject from a recognised university or HE institution.
We will also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications or appropriate work experience.
You also need to have the required English language qualification
Contact your country’s International Admissions Team for more information.
Entry Requirements
UK
Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent.
EU
To apply for a place on a postgraduate course (MA/MSc/MBA) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good first degree and the required English language qualification
Find out more about specific entry requirements for your country
International
To apply for a postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA/LLM) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in an appropriate subject from a recognised university or HE institution.
We will also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications or appropriate work experience.
You also need to have the required English language qualification
Contact your country’s International Admissions Team for more information.
How will this course enhance my career prospects?
This Master’s qualification will enhance your chances for promotion and for employment in other contexts. Master’s study supports promotion to senior positions in the field of education.
The course is designed to help you engage, study and critique key issues in education as well as to be able to identify and justify recommendations for further action.
As a Master’s graduate, therefore, you will have the confidence, knowledge and critical skills to prepare and present a strong application to senior posts in the field of education.
Previous graduates have gone on to take up enhanced roles within their organisation; some have undertaken PhD study.
This MA Education (Special Educational Needs) offers a substantial opportunity to engage in structured and supported distance learning through two optional units focusing on behavioural and literacy difficulties.
Quote from a lecturer
Fees and funding
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £8,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £8,250 per year.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is available at www.beds.ac.uk/intfees
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Scholarship Available
The Scholarship scheme for international students enrolling in the academic year 21/22 at one of our UK campuses is as follows:
- An automatic £1,000 Vice Chancellor's Scholarship for new international applicants (undergraduate and postgraduate).
- A £500 Prompt Payment Discount for applicants who pay their first year fees in full, before or at registration (undergraduate and postgraduate).
- A further £500 for applicants who are also University of Bedfordshire alumni
Fees and funding
UK
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £8,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
EU
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £8,250 per year.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2021/22 is available at www.beds.ac.uk/intfees
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Scholarship Available
The Scholarship scheme for international students enrolling in the academic year 21/22 at one of our UK campuses is as follows:
- An automatic £1,000 Vice Chancellor's Scholarship for new international applicants (undergraduate and postgraduate).
- A £500 Prompt Payment Discount for applicants who pay their first year fees in full, before or at registration (undergraduate and postgraduate).
- A further £500 for applicants who are also University of Bedfordshire alumni
Extra Costs
Campus Library
The Bedford Campus Library set over four storeys offers students access to our extensive range of physical and digital resources with 300,000+ books & 80,000+ ebooks.
PCs are provided on each level for students to use offering access to a wide range of applications as well as access to group-work areas and presentation-practice rooms and a dedicated silent study floor.
BedsSU - The Hub
The Hub is home to BedsSU providing a great space for socialising with friends, catching up on some coursework or taking a well-deserved break.
The Hub is the place to go to take a break from your studies, play table tennis, socialise and watch live sport on the big screen.By night the venue becomes the place to be, with a variety of student events such as pub quizzes, live music and various themed club nights. Evening food includes delicious freshly made pizzas as well as a range of other beverages and snacks.
Bedford Gym
The Aspire Gyms offer a range of affordable membership options giving students exclusive use of a convenient campus-based fitness facility.
The Bedford gym facilitates state of the art cardiovascular equipment with smartphone compatibility as well as an extensive range of fixed resistance machines and a small free weights area. Changing rooms with showers and lockers are available for members to use.
Dance Studios
At the centre of our campus is four fully sprung dance studios equipped with ballet barres, mirrored walls, audio playback and projection for our dance and performing arts students.
Our two campus theatres also provide the ideal performance space for students with regular events held that are open audiences of students, staff and the wider community.
Campus Theatres
Set within the Campus Centre is a 260 seat professional theatre on the ground floor with industry-standard lighting, media desk, roll-down screen, full backstage comms system and large dressing rooms with en suite showers. On the first floor there's also a well-equipped 80 seat studio theatre.
Our theatres welcome new and existing audiences to see a range of student work including contemporary dance, theatre and performing arts; holding regular events that are open to students, staff and the wider community.
Sports Science Labs
Our specialist sports science labs give students a fantastic environment to develop their research skills and expertise, where a student can explore the biology of an elite athlete who could be performing simultaneously within the sports hall.
The state-of-the-art laboratories are purpose built for research and teaching in the fields of exercise and nutrition science. This includes specialised equipment and facilities for assessing human health risk and delivering exercise and diet interventions for health promotion.
How to Apply
UK students applying for most postgraduate degrees at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
How to Apply
UK
UK students applying for most postgraduate degrees at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form
EU
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
International
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
