Education MSc Level: Postgraduate taught Subject: Education Year of entry: 2026 Study options Mode of study On campus Full-time MSc | 1 year | Start date: multiple dates Key facts School Moray House School of Education and Sport College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Study location Holyrood campus Apply now 17 to 19 November 2026: Postgraduate Virtual Open Days Join us live to explore postgraduate taught and research study at Edinburgh and gain key insights before you apply. Sign up to be notified when registration opens. Join our mailing list Overview About the degree programme The MSc Education is the flagship taught postgraduate degree of Moray House School of Education and Sport and one of its most popular programmes. It provides an ideal foundation for students who wish to work in education policy, research or practice, or who want to go on to doctoral-level study. Study options Gain a broad foundation on our general MSc Education, or specialise your degree with our Child and Adolescent Psychology pathway.MSc Education (Child and Adolescent Psychology)Through strategically designed compulsory courses and a wide range of options, paired with guidance from our staff and in a lively and supportive student community, you will take part in social, psychological and philosophical reflections on the nature, value, purpose and effects of education, including its relationship with the socioeconomic context. Programme rankings Moray House is one of the top 10 Schools in the world for Education and Training (2026 QS World University Rankings).We rank 1st in the UK for Education (2026 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide).See our latest rankings 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 Fees, costs and funding Tuition fees Tuition fees for full-time options are listed for one academic year.Full-timeMSc Education (1 year) tuition fees Graduate discount If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.Find out how to receive your graduate discount Deposit If you receive an offer of admission, either unconditional or conditional, you will be asked to pay some of your tuition fees in advance as a deposit. This deposit is required to secure your offer. If you fail to pay your deposit by the stated deadline, your offer may be withdrawn.The deposit for this programme is £1,500.How and when to pay the deposit Costs Additional programme costs You may incur additional costs for fieldwork if taking optional courses outside of the courses managed directly by the MSc Education programme or if conducting fieldwork for the dissertation. Accommodation and living costs You will need to pay for your accommodation and living costs (such as rent, food and utility bills) for the duration of your programme.For 2026-2027, we estimate that it will cost an average of £18,504 each year (£1,542 each month) to live in Edinburgh as a postgraduate.The exact amount you spend will depend on different factors, especially the accommodation you choose.Living costs: estimates explained Funding opportunities Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:borrowing moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipscholarshipsExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study India Merit scholarship The University is offering a new international scholarship for the most academically gifted Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Masters students applying from India. These awards cover £5,000 towards tuition fees for PGT Masters students studying on campus during the 2026/27 academic year. The Scholarships will be tenable for the first year of study only and will be automatically deducted from your student tuition fee balance. Value: £5,000 towards tuition fees View details: India Merit Scholarship GREAT scholarship The University offers GREAT scholarships worth £10,000 towards postgraduate taught (Masters) degree tuition. Further details on eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on the GREAT scholarship website. Value: £10,000 View details: GREAT scholarship Search for other funding opportunities You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.Postgraduate funding opportunities Entry requirements These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2028-29 academic year will be published on 1 July 2027. Qualifications A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline.We may also consider your application if you have relevant employment or experience. International equivalent qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region - Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Finland France Gabon The Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guatemala Guinea Haiti Honduras Hong Kong-SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea, Republic of Kosovo Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macau-SAR China Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Mauritius Mexico Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands, The New Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria North Macedonia Norway Oman Pacific Islands Pakistan Palestinian Territories Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam West Indies and Caribbean Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe My country or region is not listed English language requirements You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:an English language testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain professional qualifications English language tests we accept We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher: IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) before 21 January 2026: total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) from 21 January 2026: total 5.0 with at least 4.5 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in each component. We do not accept Oxford ELLT Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component. Trinity ISE (2026 entry only. We are reviewing our acceptance of Trinity ISE for 2027 entry. Requirements for this qualification will be available on 6 October.): ISE III with passes in all four components. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in each component. How old your English language tests can be Tests no more than two years oldThe following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:IELTS AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality. Degrees taught and assessed in English We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.UKVI list of majority English speaking countriesWe also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).Approved universities in non-MESCHow old your degree can beIf you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country. Find out more about our English language requirements Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.English language requirements Programme details What you will study You will learn through a combination of:lecturesdiscussion-based workshopsstudent-led seminars/presentationspractical skills trainingproject workYou will complete compulsory courses and choose from a range of option courses totalling 120 credits. If you join the specialist pathway, compulsory and option courses will reflect your specialism.The Masters degree culminates in an independently researched dissertation for another 60 credits.Courses, course content and pathways are subject to change each year. Disclaimer In 2026/2027 we offered a wider range of fixed specialist pathways. There will be fewer fixed pathways available for 2027/8, but you can still explore a wide variety of topics if you select the general pathway. Teaching and assessment Teaching Compulsory courses consist mainly of lectures and related workshops. Many of our option courses are seminar style.In the workshops, you will work with a tutor in small groups to make sense of the ideas and practices introduced in the lectures. Our seminar-style courses are longer sessions that blend direct instruction and discussion.We 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. Assessment Courses contain one to three graded assessments depending on the number of course credits and the size of the assessment tasks. We distribute assessment points to spread student workload and allow enough time for learning within courses before assessment.We have a range of tasks designed to assess our students' academic and professional knowledge and skills. Tasks may include:traditional essays group presentationsdigital portfolios that show engagement with education research and practicecollaborative video presentations using various forms of digital mediapractical intervention designcourse-related blogsAcross the programme, we provide you with appropriate but supported degrees of freedom to choose the topics you wish to explore in your assessed tasks. We want our tasks to be as meaningful as possible for students. 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 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 adviser, and 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. How we support you Careers and further study Career opportunities Graduates from this broad programme are well positioned to pursue a diverse range of careers or embark on further study. More than 94% of graduates from our education Masters programmes report being in employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Source: Graduate Outcomes Survey. Percentage reflects MHSES postgraduates studying education and responding to the most recent survey).Past students have undertaken further study and doctoral research, while others have applied their knowledge and skills to a wide range of education-related fields. Our graduates have progressed to roles including:educational policy and administration at local, regional, national and international levelsadvisory roles supporting politicians on educational mattersteaching in primary and secondary schools, physical education and additional support contextsinternational recruitment for higher education institutions in Scotland and for institutions and agencies around the worldresearch roles with charitable and community organisations related to educationcommunity education practicedoctoral research (PhD)You will graduate with a highly regarded degree and transferable skills in areas such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles across a wide range of fields. Further study After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.Applying for research degreesMoving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service) Graduate profiles Hear what our graduates have to say Careers Service Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. With the Careers Service, you can: access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Applying How to apply You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.You should only apply for one programme. For example, you can apply on to the general route or one of the pathways but you should not apply to both of these, nor should you apply for more than one pathway. When to apply Programme start date Application deadline 14 September 2026 30 July 2026 13 September 2027 2 August 2027 We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete. Application fee There is no fee to apply to this programme. What you need to apply As part of your online application, you will need to provide: a personal statementdetails of relevant knowledge/training skillsYou will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marksevidence you meet the English language requirementscertified translations if your original documents are not in EnglishWhen you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.ReferencesYou do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference. Apply Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for. Select programme - Select a programme - MSc Education (1 year) After you apply Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.Checking the status of your applicationWe will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.Receiving our decisionWhat to do if you receive an offer:Receiving an offerAccepting an offerSubmitting supporting documents Life at Edinburgh What our students say 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. Stephen Wilcox MSc Education graduate Our community Moray House staff and students have created a wonderful community and a range of events that anybody is welcome to come along to. Vanessa MSc Education graduate Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programmeaccept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 Julystudy at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in SeptemberUniversity accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaWe also offer accommodation options for couples and families.Accommodation for couples and familiesIf you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place Societies and clubs Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.SocietiesSport Clubs The city of Edinburgh Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. Find out more about living in Edinburgh Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities that you might find useful day-to-day, including:sport and active wellbeing facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) Health and wellbeing support You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.The support services we offer include: a student counselling service a health centre (doctor's surgery) support if you're living in University accommodation dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentsHealth and wellbeing support services Disability and Learning Support Contact General enquiries Contact our enquiry team about your eligibility or how to apply. College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office Academic contact Dr Daniel Shephard Programme Director School of Education and Sport (Moray House) Contact details Email: MSc.Education.Director@ed.ac.uk Web: Staff profile Dr Patricio Troncoso Programme Director School of Education and Sport (Moray House) Contact details Email: MSc.Education.Director@ed.ac.uk Web: Staff profile
