The Masters Programme
The Masters programme at Cambridge enables you to undertake an extended piece of research into a particular area of education. The Masters can be followed either full time (the MPhil degree) or part time (the MEd Degree) and is suitable for educational practitioners and others with appropriate backgrounds, who wish to undertake educational research. Supervisions, Lectures and Seminars allow full and part time students to work alongside each other on their research at an advanced level.
All students work towards the submission of a thesis and are supported through supervision, lectures and seminars. Students select from one of the following Masters routes:
- Educational Research (ESRC 1+3)
- Arts Education
- Critical Approaches to Children's Literature
- Educational Leadership and School Improvement
- Mathematics Education
- Perspectives on Inclusive and Special Education
- Politics, Development and Democratic Education
- Primary Education
- Psychology and Education
- Research in Second Language Education
- Researching Practice 5-18 (Primary and Secondary Schools)
- Science Teacher Researchers and Practitioners
- The Theory and Application of Counselling
- Individual Research
- Partnership
Research Methods Strand
All specialist Masters routes, with the exception of Educational Research, Researching Practice, and Science Teacher Researchers and Practitioners, undertake together a research methods strand that comprises one-third of the total teaching time. Learning about design and methods is an integral part of a research-based Masters degree in education, whether or not your own project is an empirical one. The sessions cover a broad range of social science methods and are essential for Masters level critical engagement with the research literature in education. They also support students in conducting a small-scale research study for thesis presentation.
Perspectives on Education (Full time only)
In addition to the content of their chosen thematic route and the research methods strand, the majority of MPhil students will also undertake a Perspectives on education strand that introduces them to a range of key issues in education. The strand, which comprises both compulsory and elective elements, will locate students' thematic content within an international perspective and facilitate their awareness as to how, for example, culture, when viewed broadly, determines the nature of knowledge, curricula, assessment and, signficantly, the forms and functions of education itself. As with the research methods strand, it is expected that the Perspectives on education strand will influence students' decisions with respect to how they undertake their research.
Programme Aims
Currently, on all routes except the individual strand students are required to complete two assignments and a thesis.
Students who complete a Masters in the Faculty of Education will gain:
- An advanced knowledge and understanding of practices, processes, and outcomes of teaching and learning;
- The capacity to analyse educational issues and practices using systematic and research led approaches;
- A critical understanding of and some experience of, applying commonly used research methods and the capacity to judge their appropriateness for educational enquiry;
- The ability to read educational research critically;
- The practical, organizational and presentational skills necessary for the successful reporting of educational research;
- Access to outstanding research facilities;
- The opportunity to work closely with specialists in their field;
- A supportive, stimulating environment with excellent supervision;
- A strong community of like-minded students who will provide mutual support.