The Sociology of Education MA provides you with the opportunity to review current developments in scholarship and research concerning the social, cultural and political dynamics of educational continuity and change. It offers a grounding in a range of sociological theories and perspectives as they relate to education; and you will be invited to develop your own analytic, critical and empirical research skills.
The course is designed for those involved in, or intending to be involved in, education and related areas of professional work such as teachers, educational researchers, advisors, administrators and community workers. Some of our students when they start the degree are employed in education settings and education-related roles, from school teachers to community or adult educators and policy analysts; others come to the course directly from undergraduate study in the humanities and social sciences, including sociology, policy studies, cultural and education studies; and others take up the course directly from their teaching degree.
Our UK and international students come from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and have diverse educational, professional and life experiences. We emphasise sociological knowledge and interest in our course. Please note that the Sociology of Education MA is not a teacher training course.
This course is designed to equip graduates with the skills and attributes to become future researchers, leaders, activists and changemakers in the field of education and other relevant sectors. Graduates of the MA course are deeply knowledgeable and highly reflexive about the nature and dilemmas of social justice and education, with substantive critical competency in a broad range of sociological theory, research and practice in the international field of education.
The international mix of students on the course results in graduates who take a broad critical perspective on global issues and challenges and who are part of networks that can sustain them through their working and personal lives. They have transferable skills in teamwork, collaborative approaches to learning, analytical and critical thinking. They can summarise and apply diverse bodies of literature and theory, and present fluent written and spoken arguments and reflections.
The majority of students who graduate from the MA Sociology of Education go on to highly skilled employment, further study or research. Graduates of this course are currently working as researchers, lecturers, teachers and managers in primary, secondary, further and higher education. Some are working in local and national government departments and policy offices, some are NGO professionals, and others have gone on to undertake further postgraduate or PhD study (Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2018–2024 cohorts.)