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Education (Early Childhood Studies) MA

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Start Dates

21 September 2026, 11 January 2027, 17 May 2027

Duration

1 year full-time 2 years part-time (Sept. only)

Recent Awards For Excellence

Education - QS 2025
Find out more about these awards
About this course

Overview

Why choose Huddersfield for this course?

  • Learn from research-active specialists with expertise in early childhood education.
  • Flexible study options, including part-time Saturday sessions to fit your schedule.
  • Join a diverse, international cohort for global perspectives on early years practice.

Ready to explore or advance your expertise in early childhood education? This MA is ideal for graduates looking to specialise in education for ages 0–7 and professionals already working in roles such as early years specialist, policy advisor, family support worker, or manager in an early years setting who want to develop their practice and progress their career. 

You’ll examine national and international perspectives on early childhood education, exploring how diverse approaches shape practice globally. Topics include children’s rights, the sociology and psychology of childhood, and curriculum development. You’ll also gain transferable skills such as critical thinking and independent research, preparing you for leadership roles or further academic study. 

Flexible study options mean you can choose full-time or part-time routes. The part-time option is delivered on ca mpus one Saturday per month, making it ideal for those already working in the sector. You can also customise your learning by selecting optional modules from across the Education MA suite, broadening your expertise. Plus, you’ll learn alongside a diverse, international cohort, bringing global insights into early years practice. 

You’ll gain: 

  • Advanced knowledge of early years education systems worldwide. 
  • Transferable skills in research, critical reflection, and leadership. 
  • Flexible study options and access to a professional learning community. 
Who can apply?

Entry Requirements

You should have an honours degree in a relevant subject at 2:2 or above, or a professional equivalent.

The University will determine whether a degree can be recognised as UK equivalent.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

What will you learn?

Course Details

You will study the following modules:

The module will help you to reflect on a range of international perspectives on early childhood education. It will emphasise the relationship between theoretical perspectives and aspects of practice in early childhood education. You'll critically engage with debates about early childhood education and will focus on the education of children in a range of settings.

This module will develop and deepen your knowledge and understanding of research methods, in both academic and professional contexts. It considers some of the theories, methods and implication of research and the complex role of researchers and of practitioner-researchers. You'll explore a range of methods of enquiry in order to enable you to understand the significance and ethics of research.

This module will help you design and develop a piece of individual research into a current work-related or contemporary issue or problem that is related to early childhood education. You will select and explain an appropriate research design, which can include action research, and techniques and you will interpret and evaluate the findings and report them in such a way as to encourage dissemination.

You will also choose 2 optional modules this year. The current optional modules are: **Please note that the optional module offerings available to you may vary depending on your start month.**

This module will develop your understanding of the ideas of curriculum: what is taught, how it is taught and why it is taught. You'll explore elements of the hidden curriculum, including hierarchy, power, values, confidence, stereotypes and labelling. The module will also help you to understand how a teachers’ role is constructed. What are teacher identities and how do these shape the role of teachers? Is teaching a professional activity? What are the ideas around this aspect? What is a reflexive/reflective teacher and how does this enhance professional development? You'll also consider some learning theories and their practical application within your setting.

This module provides a structured opportunity for students taking a leadership stance either formally or informally, or who aspire to a leadership role, to systematically consider and critically reflect upon leadership as a concept, and “effective leadership” in particular. Students will actively engage with such concepts as the role of the leader, how that role links to and differs from management, and how leaders can be developed.

In this module, you'll study changing cultural and historical attitudes to disability including recent social changes that encompasses the disability rights, human rights and equality, and models of health and disability. You'll explore how our understanding of SEND has developed, and the impact of this on our understanding of inclusion, as well as investigate how the needs arising from specific SEND conditions are culturally and socially defined, and what this means for educational policy and practice.

This module will help you to develop an understanding of the links between learning and development, organisation goals and broader human resource policies and practice in a variety of organisational contexts. You'll explore how the learning and development agenda can be promoted by examining learning & development policies, roles, functions, as well as strategies, methods and techniques for establishing learning and development needs.

You will develop a critical understanding of how curricula in your educational context are designed and operationalised, identifying the social, political and cultural factors that drive this process, considering the relationship between education policy and curriculum content, delivery and assessment, and how this impacts on classroom practice. You will consider the role and the autonomy of the teacher in implementing and interpreting curriculum. You will explore and critique existing curricula, and critically discuss the issues faced when putting them into practice.

This module will help you to explore the role of mentoring and coaching. You'll have the opportunity to examine issues linked to implementing and managing mentoring/coaching schemes, the role of mentors and/or coaches, the strategies that could be used within a mentoring and/or coaching relationship and the ethical issues governing them.

You will explore how autistic people experience the world and consider these experiences through the lens of disability studies. You will study evolving theories of autism, starting with Kanner and Asperger in the 1940s through to current theories such as double empathy theory and monotropism. You will examine key features of autism, as well as societal barriers experienced by autistic people. The module will cover a range of contemporary issues in autism, including autism and mental health, autism in girls and neurodiversity. You will analyse educational policy and practice that supports the inclusion of autistic pupils in a range of educational settings.

This module explores the meaning of childhood in different social, cultural and historical contexts, from a range of theoretical perspectives, and how social, economic and political factors impact on children’s lives and their later development. We consider the positioning of children within society and identify current debates about children’s well-being and holistic development and how these are reflected in policy and practice. We discuss children’s understanding of social and/or cultural issues for example, gender roles and expectations, mental health, prejudice, developing sexuality and sexual identity. We explore how the voice and autonomy of the child is taken into account in responding to social and/or cultural issues. This module will be of interest to those wanting to work with children and young people in a range of educational and support roles, encouraging you to take a critical perspective in discussing how our understanding of childhood shapes policy and provision and supports the rights of the individual.

For more information on when and how we update our modules please see the ‘Legal Information’ section below.

Teaching and Assessment

Discover what to expect from your tutor contact time, assessment methods, and feedback process.

Where could this lead you?

Your Career

Previous graduates from courses in this subject area have gone on to work in a variety of roles such as Community Education Officer, Learning Mentor, Education Consultant, Family Support Worker, Education Mental Health Practitioner and Teaching Assistant.*

*Source: Prospects

98% Percentage of our postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating.

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2022/23, UK domiciled.

£38.5k Average salary of our postgraduate students fifteen months after graduating.

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2022/23, mean salary, UK domiciled, full-time UK employment as main activity.

This course has deepened my understanding of the education sector and broadened my perspective beyond my own area. I now feel more confident engaging with colleagues across education and more effective in my role as Chair of Governors.

- Gillian Hoyle
Education MA, now works as a University Lecturer.

How much will it cost?

Fees and Finance

£8,225 per year

This information is for Home students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

For detailed information please visit our fees page.

£685 per 15 credits

This information is for Home students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Modules credits can range from 15 to 60, dependent on the content of the module. Read more about total credits required for a range of degrees, to allow you to calculate the potential total cost.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

For detailed information please visit our fees page.

£18,700 per year

This information is for international students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

For detailed information please visit our international fees and funding page.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Discover what additional help you may be eligible for to support your University studies.

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What’s included in your fee?

We want you to understand exactly what your fees will cover and what additional costs you may need to budget for when you decide to become a student with us.

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If you have any questions about Fees and Finance, please email the Student Finance Team.

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What does the University offer?

Gallery

Take a look at the Charles Sikes and Richard Steinitz Buildings, where your lectures and seminars will take place.

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Charles Sikes Building Exterior

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Diamond Jubilee Lecture Theatre

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Richard Steinitz Building Exterior

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The Street in the Charles Sikes Building

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Seminar room

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Breakout space in Charles Sikes

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Education MA Overview

Hear from our Education MA team and students about what makes this course unique. Explore flexible pathways, research-led teaching, and the support to help you succeed.

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Make Huddersfield your home. A Yorkshire town, surrounded by beautiful countryside, with easy access to neighbouring cities; Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. You’ll find plenty of places to eat, drink, shop and socialise, there’s ambitious plans for future development. Our campus is situated next to the town centre - making your commute a breeze.

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Since 2015, we’ve invested £198 million to create spaces where you can learn, collaborate and thrive. We’re continuously investing in our campus with your wellbeing in mind—adding features that make our buildings healthier, more supportive and better places for you to succeed.

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