Preparing for your studies

These pages describe what to do in preparation for commencing your studies.

Particulars for Social Justice and Community Action students

Listen to ‘Welcome to the programme’ information session

Welcome to the MSc Social Justice and Community Action. The Programme Director (Callum McGregor), Academic Cohort Lead (Claire Bynner) and Student Adviser (Daniel Davis Wood) introduce themselves, explaining their roles and how they can support you. They also give an overview of the programme and what you can expect.

An introduction to the programme and the people who will support you.

Complete induction tasks

Plan your studies

As a student on a part-time programme, we recommend that you take between one or two courses per semester. For September 2026 starters, we recommend that you begin with Theories and Politics of Social Justice in Semester 1.

You may be able to take an option course alongside your core course, but experience suggests that it is often sensible to begin with one course, especially if you are returning to study or balancing study with work or caring responsibilities.

Please get in touch with your Student Adviser as soon as possible and they will support you in this process:

Contact Student Advisers

Please note that students on intermittent routes (including the PGCert, PGDip and MSc) need to study a minimum of 60 credits over each two years of enrolled study. You’ll have an opportunity to choose from a wider variety of courses after Easter, when Student Advisers will be gathering your course preferences for the 2026-27 academic year.

Choose your Semester 1 option courses by midday on 25 August 2026

If you wish to take an option course in your first semester, please submit your preferences before teaching begins. We strongly recommend that students take SJCA option courses during the first year of study where possible.

The option course that we are offering in September this year is ‘Policy Analysis for Social Justice’. Although students can enrol on outside electives from other online Masters programmes at the University of Edinburgh, we strongly recommend enrolling in our options courses during the first year of your studies.

You can find information about available option courses in the Degree Programme Table and on our Programme website. Also, please visit the Programme Hub on Learn, where you will find short introduction videos explaining our courses.

Degree Programme Table

Programme Website

MSc Social Justice and Community Action runs internal options courses that rotate every two years. This year, we are offering the following courses:

Semester 1: Policy Analysis for Social Justice
Semester 2: Working with Children and Young People for Social Justice

Two other option courses will be available in the 2027-28 academic year:

Semester 1: Organisational Management for Social Justice
Semester 2: Learning for Democracy

You will have an opportunity to take several of these courses at some stage during your time on theprogramme. If you have questions about your credit load requirements and the timing of option courses, please reach out to your Student Adviser at SESO@ed.ac.uk.

Additionally, feel free to contact relevant Course Organisers, or the Programme Director, for further information on courses.

You are also free to request enrolment on other courses across the University. We also have strong links with other Masters programmes at the University of Edinburgh. These include:

MSc Digital Education
MSc Global Challenges
MSc International Development

We cannot guarantee that you will be allocated a space on your selected course. Course choices are subject to approval by Course Organisers and Programme Directors and are dependent on course capacity. Course choices may be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We will do our best to allocate all students their preferences.

To indicate your preferences, please fill in the form below by midday 25 August 2026. Students will be enrolled on their courses after this deadline.

The option course preferences form is available here:

Option course preference form

If you have questions regarding the option course selection process, contact SESO@ed.ac.uk

If you would like to speak to the Programme Director about optional courses, contact: callum.mcgregor@ed.ac.uk

Before starting at the University of Edinburgh, there are some essential tasks that you will need to complete.

Essential Top Tasks

The New Student website contains a wide range of information on starting at the University of Edinburgh, including health and wellbeing guidance, keeping safe, and setting up IT.

Information for New Students

Additional assistance and resources

The University's Disability and Learning Support Service provides advice and support for students with additional support needs joining the University. Make an appointment to meet them to discuss your needs, and they can help to work out an appropriate package of support that matches your personal needs. This might include a note-taker, material captioning or transcription, a BSL interpreter, or additional time for assessments or completing assignments.

We have a number of support mechanisms within Moray House for students with additional support needs, as well as research expertise by way of the Scottish Sensory Centre.

Visit the Disability and Learning Support Service website

The University offers free, non-credit-bearing courses for Postgraduate Taught and Research students from all disciplines. You may register yourself for this course prior to joining the University if you feel you could benefit from additional academic English support during your studies. There are typically two courses offered in the autumn term – one starting in September and one in October. Academic staff on your programme may also refer you for ALLIS but places are limited so early self-registration is recommended.

Students have access to the library, which is conveniently located in Dalhousie Land.

The Moray House Library is the centre of the School's knowledge base. It holds the University's education, sport and recreation collections, containing literature covering:

Education
Psychology
English language teaching
Physical education
Sports sciences
Leisure studies
Recreational management

Designed to enhance and support the learning opportunities available to staff and students the School Library provides a point of ready access to textbooks, key academic journals, past dissertations and to many specialist subscription databases.

The School Library is a popular place for study and research.

Access to the majority of these services is available to students and staff from wherever they are in the world, from their place of work and at home.

Resources

The University libraries provide access to a vast range of e-books, e-journals, and databases. The main route to the University library's collection is via DiscoverEd. The majority of online resources are also available off-campus via this route. You can access library resources and services from the library website or via the MyEd 'Studies' tab.

DiscoverEd (Library discovery service)

Accessing e-resources on and off campus

University of Edinburgh Library website

Access and opening hours

Staff and students of the University of Edinburgh have full access and borrowing rights.

Joining the Library

Opening hours

Moray House Library accessibility information

There are great spaces to study at the University. There are formal and informal areas, areas for quiet individual study or for group work, and all the facilities you need to study effectively. Some of the Main Library areas are open 24/7. Please note there may be restrictions to support social distancing.

Finding Study Space

Location

Dalhousie Land, 15 St John Street, Edinburgh EH8 8JR

Email: IS.Helpdesk@ed.ac.uk

Campus maps and travel information

British Sign Language support

A video relay service is available, enabling British Sign Language users to contact public bodies and vice-versa. This service operates from 8 am to 12 midnight, 7 days a week.

ContactScotland BSL