Our Masters degree in Education provides an ideal foundation for anyone who wishes to work in education policy, research or practice, or progress to doctoral-level study. Apply for a general MSc Education or choose the specialist Child and Adolescent Psychology pathway. Our Masters in Education allows you to consider key educational challenges and possibilities from a variety of theoretical, policy and practice perspectives.Guided by our expert staff and supported by a lively student community, you will reflect on the nature, value, purpose and effects of education, as well as its relationship with socioeconomic contexts.Please note: the MSc Education is not considered a teaching qualification in the UK and the degree does not provide teacher education. If you are interested in a teaching qualification, see our PGDE page.PGDE primary and secondary Apply now Visit the University’s Degree Finder for detailed entry requirements, fees, international grade equivalency, language requirements and to apply. Key facts (MSc Education) Programme duration: 1 yearFull-time or part-time: Full-timeLocation: On campusEntry requirements: UK 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant disciplineEntry requirements and international qualifications Programme courses:General pathwayChild and Adolescent PsychologyProgramme costScholarships and funding Pathways Gain a broad foundation on our general MSc Education or specialise your degree by choosing the Child and Adolescent Psychology pathway.Students may only apply for one pathway.Course content and pathways may change each year. General pathway Gain a broad base in the field of education. This pathway provides an ideal foundation to work in education policy, research or practice, or to progress to doctoral study. You can focus on topics that interest you most through our range of option courses. Child and adolescent psychology Take a psychological perspective on development from infancy to adolescence while also gaining a broad understanding of educational theory and policy. Why study for a Masters in Education at the University of Edinburgh? I found the MSc programme stimulating, engaging and challenging. I found the lecturers and administrative staff incredibly helpful and encouraging and they managed to achieve a delicate balance between pushing me to achieve my potential without driving me over the edge! Sarah Grimson MSc Education graduate Learn from internationally recognised research leaders in areas that include:developmental psychology the philosophy of education quantitative and qualitative research in education physical education and wellbeing community education sociology and education policy anthropology and education Teaching is informed by the most up-to-date knowledge and thinking. Moray House is ranked 1st in the UK for Education (2026 Times Higher Education) and top 10 in the world for Education and Training (2026 QS World University Rankings).Explore our latest rankings How you will learn on the MSc Education programme TeachingOur teaching reflects the wide range of approaches to education we explore through this programme. You will learn through:lecturesdiscussion-based workshopsstudent-led seminars and presentationspractical skills trainingproject workWe record all lectures on compulsory courses and most lectures on optional courses, so you can listen to them again to further and deepen your understanding. The lecturers and tutors were amazing, friendly and helpful. The programme director helped me to shape my individual study programme. All teaching staff were open for discussions and always encouraged students to ask questions. Dina Kokina MSc Education graduate AssessmentThroughout the programme, you will complete tasks designed to assess your academic and professional knowledge and skills. These tasks may include:essays group presentationsdigital portfolios that show engagement with education research and practicepractical intervention designcourse-related blogs. More about teaching and assessment on the MSc EducationGraduation requirementsTo receive your Masters in Education, you must complete:compulsory and option courses (120 credits)a dissertation (60 credits) Support for your studies You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.We will assign you to a Student Advisor in your first few weeks at Edinburgh. This should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.Support for your studies What you can do with an Education Masters degree The Education Masters programme can open up a wide range of careers within and outside of schools. Our graduates have gone on to roles such as:teaching – primary and secondary schools, physical education or within additional support contexts* work in educational policy at local, regional, national and international levelswork in educational administration at all levelsadvisors to politicians on educational mattersinternational recruitment for higher education institutions in Scotland and around the worldresearch work for education-related charitiescommunity education practitionersdoctoral research (PhD).*Although the MSc Education is not considered a teaching qualification in the UK, some countries do accept it and allow you to teach. Please check your local qualifications. More than 94% of graduates from our education Master's programmes report being in employment or further study 15 months after graduation. Graduate Outcomes Survey, which gathers information about graduates' activities 15 months post-graduation The programme has helped me clarify my next steps and given me the confidence to move towards roles in education policy, community support, research or broader social-impact work. Qi Chen MSc Education graduate (2025) Careers Service The University of Edinburgh's Careers Service supports all current students (and graduates for up to 2 years) to develop their potential and achieve satisfying and rewarding futures.Join in and make use of:individual appointmentsgroup sessionswider campus-based activityonline services and resourcesWe also deliver a diverse programme of face-to-face and online events throughout the academic year.Visit the Careers Service website Our students Students from all of the world join our MSc Education and go onto pursue a broad range of activities after they graduate. Vanessa video 'Moray House staff and students have created a wonderful community and a range of events that anybody is welcome to come along to.' Stephen video 'Embrace the culture, embrace the climate--go for a walk in the rain! Go to events, visit a pub, walk down the Royal Mile and see everything that Scotland has to offer.' Meiram Zhandildin video 'Studying here deepened my understanding of education and led to a research collaboration with the university in Kasakhstan.' Alison Hawkins 'The content of the course was relevant to my day-to-day work and enhanced much of my thinking... for me the most positive thing is the impact it has had on the children and adults with whom I work.' Heidi Benjaminson 'Every single class I took could be moulded to fit around my interests, so I got what I was seeking. The flexibility to converge my area of interest with the topic of the class was, by far, the best thing about my degree.' Marifatul Amalia 'The most useful thing I learned is to always challenge my own assumptions ... the lectures, workshops, and tutorial sessions here are designed so that students have to step back and think critically about the issues before formulating an argument.' Zhou Yangyi 'Stay hungry, stay foolish, and stay curious!' Fees and funding Tuition fees and costs Annual tuition fees are listed on the Postgraduate Study Programme Fees pages related to your desired pathway.MSc Education - 1 Year (Full-time)MSc Education (Child and Adolescent Psychology) - 1 Year (Full-time) Deposit Payment Applicants, both conditional or unconditional, will be asked to pay a deposit of £1,500 within 28 days of the offer to secure their place on the MSc Education.Please note: If the deposit has not been received by the deadline, the application will be withdrawn without further notice. It is therefore essential that applicants have funding for their deposit in place before applying. The deposit will be offset against the tuition fee payable at the time of matriculation.The payment details below should only be used to pay your fee deposit. The University’s Income Section will contact you near the time of the start of Semester 1 regarding the payment of the balance of your tuition fees.Deposit Policy GuidelinesePay Online Payment SystemUse ePay to make a payment by credit/debit card (all major cards accepted). Please contact us if you are unable to make a payment using card: PGAOdeposits@ed.ac.uk. Pay deposit Scholarships and funding Scholarship opportunities are subject to change each year. We are pleased to offer a number of School-specific scholarships, but students are encouraged to seek out opportunities from the University and external funding bodies.More information about available scholarships and funding can be found on our Scholarships and Studentships page.Scholarships and studentships Contact us Questions about the programme Dr Daniel Shephard Programme Director/General Pathway Coordinator Moray House School of Education and Sport Contact details Email: msc.education@ed.ac.uk Web: Staff profile Dr Patricio Troncoso Programme Director/General Pathway Coordinator Moray House School of Education and Sport Contact details Email: msc.education@ed.ac.uk Web: Staff profile The MSc Education team This programme benefits from the research and teaching expertise of a large team. As a flavour of the academic staff teaching on this programme, read the staff profiles of Programme Director and Pathway coordinators.Dr Daniel Shephard, Programme Director/General pathway coordinatorDr Patricio Troncoso, Programme Director/General pathway coordinatorDr Katie Cebula, Pathway Coordinator (Child and Adolescent Psychology) Questions about your application or how to apply For enquiries about your application or how to apply, contact the Postgraduate Admissions office. Postgraduate Admissions Office (Education) College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) Contact details Email: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk Web: Find us on the map Education programmes at Moray House Comparative Education and International DevelopmentDigital EducationEducation FuturesInclusive Education Language EducationOutdoor and Environmental EducationPGDETESOL Institute and researchInstitute for Education, Community and SocietyAdvanced Quantitative Research in Education hubChildren and Young People research hubTeacher Education, Curriculum and PedagogyREF 2021 education results and case studies This article was published on Friday 14 March 2025
