abstract image of a blackboard with chalk smudges

Master of Education MEd, PGDip, PGCert, by flexible learning

2-3 years, part-time

This is for you if... you are a qualified teacher or educational professional looking to develop your teaching practice and the skills to support career progression.

Master of Education MEd, PGDip, PGCert, by flexible learning, 2-3 years, part-time

This is for you if... you are a qualified teacher or educational professional looking to develop your teaching practice and the skills to support career progression.

Course information

Course description

Course description

The MEd is designed for qualified teachers and other educational professionals working in a range of contexts and age phases. This degree will enable you to:

  • Enhance your opportunities for career progression and make a difference with a deeper understanding of effective pedagogy
  • Critically examine your pedagogic practice and expertise in teaching
  • Choose an option module of interest or to advance a specialism
  • Develop your ability to design and carry out small-scale research projects.

The modules on offer will enable practitioners working in educational contexts to engage in pedagogically-focused study and research on a range of key cross-curricular topics that reflect and explore the issues and challenges that they face in their work across the 5-19 age range. These topics are: inclusive practices; mentoring, coaching and development of effective leadership skills; mental health and wellbeing. The course has been developed following consultation with University of Leicester Partnership schools and PGCE alumni.

Alongside these modules, this course will provide an introduction to reflective practice (for those experienced teachers without Masters credits) and a solid grounding in practitioner research methods for all those who enrol. The Practitioner Research Methods module will prepare you for researching and writing a dissertation on a topic of your choice which is relevant to the educational context in which you work.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

An honours degree (minimum 2:2 classification). Applicants do not need a teaching qualification; however, you must be working or engaged in an educational context.

All graduate teachers with a minimum of a 2:2 will be eligible.

All students will be required to meet the standard language requirement with an A-C GCSE grade/level 4 in English.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in October 2024

Tuition fees for 2024/25 are yet to be confirmed. As an indication of what you might pay, the fees for students who started in 2023/24 were:

  • £9,300 for students taking the full three-year course
  • £6,200 for PGCE graduates taking the two-year course
  • £4,960* for University of Leicester PGCE graduates (2018/19 onward) taking the 18-month course

University of Leicester alumni are entitled to a 20% discount
*alumni discount already applied to fee quoted

Please note: Only the three-year course (180 taught credits) falls under the government’s Student Finance scheme. If you study on the two-year or 18-month course you will not be eligible for a Masters loan from Student Finance.

International Students

This course is not available to students from outside the UK.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

The MEd should provide qualified teachers and other education professionals with further opportunities for career enhancement either in their existing workplace or beyond.

Many of our former Masters students in the School of Education have also progressed to doctoral work on completion of their degree. Opportunities for PhD research will be discussed with you during the final year of your course.

Our Career Development Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, job applications and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.

Course structure

18-month course

18-month course

The 18-month course is only for students who already have 90 credits of relevant learning from a University of Leicester PGCE awarded in 2019 or later.

Core modules

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Two-year course

Two-year course

The two-year course is for students who already have 60 credits of relevant learning from a PGCE or equivalent (taken within the past five years).

Core modules

Option modules

Choose one option module from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Three-year course

Three-year course

Core modules

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

If you already have 30 credits of relevant learning, you will not need to study the 'Reflective Practice' module.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning will be through face-to-face seminars, small study groups and tutorials with materials and additional structured support provided via Blackboard and email. All students will be expected to participate fully in course sessions and to develop their skills as critical friends during specific module activities.

The taught modules will be assessed by 5,000-word assignments, some of which will be in two parts (for example: a research journal and a research paper; a reflective practice report and a supporting portfolio of evidence; an oral presentation and a research dissertation). Your dissertation will consist of a research diary and a small-scale professional enquiry.

Key dates

September 2025 start

  • Application deadline: 8 September 2025 (Please note if you require a visa to study you will be required to submit your course application by 25 July 2025)
  • Deposit payment deadline: 8 August 2025
  • CAS request deadline: 5 September 2025
  • 70% tuition payment deadline: 5 September 2025

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration Start Dates Availability
Course Master of Education Qualification MEd Duration 18 months-3 years part-time Start Dates October each year Availability Apply Now
Course Master of Education Qualification PGDip Duration 1-2 years part-time Start Dates October each year Availability Apply Now
Course Master of Education Qualification PGCert Duration 1 year part-time Start Dates October each year Availability Apply Now
Back to top
MENU