Physical Education MA (Hons) Level: Undergraduate Subject: Education Year of entry: 2026 Key facts UCAS Code XC61 Award MA (Hons) Duration of study 4 years Delivery Full-time Study location Multiple campuses Start date September 2026 School Moray House School of Education and Sport College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Accreditation Available Placement Mandatory Open days and events Overview About the degree programme Our degree offers an excellent route into physical education careers both in the UK and abroad. After you graduate, you can register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Wherever you go on to work, our programme will leave you well-positioned to articulate, advocate and take action toward teaching for a better world.Mental health and wellbeing partnershipStudent teachers at the University of Edinburgh also engage with our mental health and wellbeing programme.This is provided through our unique partnership with children’s mental health charity Place2Be, which helps you to support mental wellbeing in your classrooms and yourself.Place2Be at Moray House Programme rankings Ranked in Europe's top 6 universities for sports-related subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Programme benefits Our Physical Education (MA) programme is unique within the UK in preparing you to teach physical education to pupils across the age range of 3 to 18 years old.We have over 400 passionate students currently studying Physical Education with us, the highest number of undergraduate PE student teachers in the UK.Our dedicated staff and student teams work to promote a strong sense of community and belonging in our Physical Education cohort.We embrace the University’s vision, fostering an environment where every student thrives.We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, cultivating a rich and varied teacher workforce. Entry requirements Find your entry requirementsUse the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.Select the qualification you are studying or studied. Where you are studying or where you studied United KingdomAfghanistanAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBhutanBoliviaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanYemenZambiaZimbabweMy country is not listed Qualification - Select a qualification -SQA Highers: standard requirementsSQA Highers: widening access requirementsA levels: standard requirementsA levels: widening access requirementsIB: standard requirementsIB: widening access requirementsOther UK qualificationsMature applicants (including adult returners)International qualifications by country United Kingdom, Fees and funding Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Physical Education View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Physical Education. Additional costs All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme, with the University of Edinburgh as the Registered Body. This currently costs between £18 and £59.You will also need to buy several pieces of branded University clothing if your application is successful. You will wear these for all practical sessions as well as on teaching placement visits during the four-year programme. The approximate cost is £366.Successful applicants will be required to order and pay for clothing during induction week. In each semester, we offer a programme of professional learning activities. Some of these lead to additional qualifications, for which the awarding body normally requires a fee.A small number of courses have learning tasks that require students to design and present an academic poster. There are internal facilities to support the specialised printing of these posters.The approximate cost is £30. Accommodation and living costs You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.This estimate covers the costs of:accommodationfoodutility billstravel within Edinburghhealth and wellbeing costsSee a breakdown of living costs Scholarships and funding Funding information You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section. Funding Programme details What you will study Year 1 In Year 1 your focus will be the primary school curriculum as the foundation for lifelong engagement in physical education. You will study:physical education - curriculum and pedagogyhealth and wellbeingeducational studiessport scienceYou will also complete placements in a primary school. Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 2 In Year 2 your focus will be the early secondary school curriculum, as the foundation for lifelong engagement in physical education.You will undertake an ongoing study of:physical education - curriculum and pedagogyhealth and wellbeingeducational studiesphilosophical and sociological perspectives of physical educationYou will complete placements in a secondary school. Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 3 This year begins with an extended placement in a secondary school. You will also engage in courses covering curriculum and pedagogy in educational studies and physical education. These create links between the nature of educational practice and issues related to national qualifications. Drawing on the core courses you took in Years 1 and 2, you will select an option course to further inform your professional practice. Our courses cover areas including:health and wellbeingdeveloping talentphilosophical and qualitative analysis of physical culture Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 4 In Year 4 you will take a physical education course on curriculum and pedagogy. This will enable you to focus on the future direction of physical education and your ability to engage in its development. You will also take an educational studies course that involves a major independent study on an area of professional interest. You will also take another option course from an area such as:health and wellbeingschool leadership and cultureskill learning in physical educationLastly, you will complete a final extended block placement in a secondary school. Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Placements You will have a series of professional experience and practice days throughout Years 1 and 2. These build towards block placements in schools at the end of each of those years. Your placement days and block placements will be in a:primary teaching setting in Year 1secondary school setting in Year 2In Years 3 and 4 there are extended placement courses where you will work towards the Standard for Provisional Registration. You will draw on your university-based courses to inform your practice.During your school-based placements, you will:plan and teach lessonsself-assess your progressget feedback and mentoring from qualified teachers, and support from your placement tutor Teaching and assessment Teaching Our teaching is connected with the real-world demands of contemporary physical education through partnerships with schools and external agencies in research hubs at Moray House.The four principles of our degree are:applied learningopportunityconnectioncommunityYou will build your knowledge, skills, and vision of education in various ways, including:placements in our partner schools (and others) that offer opportunities to apply theory to practicelearning underpinned by values of social justice, inclusion, sustainability, and professional inquiryopportunities to take courses from across the University to broaden and develop your learning and interestsconnections with students in other years and on other programmesour sense of community, including good links with schools, guest lectures, awards, and a peer support networkWe support you to become a confident, creative, reflective practitioner. We aim to produce graduates with a critical awareness of their own teacher identity, ready to work in 21st century education systems.You will be taught through:lecturesseminarstutorialspractical workshopsAll of our courses link policy, practice, and theory and make use of LEARN, the University's online learning platform.PortfolioThere is an assessed portfolio in the physical education curriculum and pedagogy courses in Years 1, 2 and 3. This provides further opportunities for you to reflect on and develop your learning. Assessment Our assessment practice is founded on research-informed principles and includes the Assessment for Learning theory. We provide ongoing feedback through formative assessment. We also use summative assessment methods, including:assignmentsportfoliosexamsoral and poster presentations (group, individual and digital)debatesOur learning and assessment practices aim to promote authentic, sustainable learning and support you to develop professional competence informed by critical, academic thinking. 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.Support for your studies Our academic staff You will join a dynamic, interdisciplinary team that leads cutting-edge research at our school.Staff are engaged in world-leading physical education research projects, exploring diverse topics that are shaping the future of teaching and learning. Where you will study Study location You will be based at Moray House School of Education and Sport within the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences.It is situated on our Holyrood campus, just a short walk from the University's Central Area campus.Holyrood Park is nearby and some of our practical sessions take place with Arthur's Seat providing a wonderful backdrop. Academic facilities Moray House School of Education and Sport has a library and full student facilities.We offer excellent academic and sports facilities, including:sport science labsgymssports hallsdance studioSports pitchesThe University's Peffermill complex occupies a 27-acre site, two and a half miles from the city centre. It boasts a 100-metre synthetic training track and provides high-quality pitches for a variety of sports, including:10 grass pitchesa 3G football/rugby pitchtwo water-based artificial pitches for hockeynine artificial grass, small-sided sports pitchesFacilities for sport-related teaching and research Virtual tour You can take a closer look at Moray House School of Education and Sport and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.Take a virtual tour of Moray House School of Education and Sport Career paths and further study Accreditation The MA (Hons) Physical Education programme is accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which allows UK students to register with the GTCS as provisionally qualified teachers. General Teaching Council for Scotland Career paths UK students can register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) as provisionally qualified teachers. UK graduates are also eligible for the Teacher Induction Scheme organised by the GTCS. This offers a guaranteed one-year training post after successful completion of the programme as graduates work towards the Standard for Full Registration (SFR) with the GTCS.Once teachers attain the SFR, they can seek employment in Scottish schools or apply for posts in other parts of the world.Graduates are employed as teachers of physical education across the globe, and many in promoted posts. 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 decisionsVisit the Careers Service website Further study After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:a masters degreea postgraduate diploma or certificatea PhDa second undergraduate degreeFind out about options for further study Applying How to apply You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.Guidance on applying through UCAS What you need to apply As part of your application, you will need:your academic qualificationsa personal statementevidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)a reference How we select If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.How we select applicants When to apply 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.Search degrees that are open on the UCAS websiteKey application dates and deadlines After you apply After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:How to submit your qualificationsAttend an offer holder eventReceiving our decisionAccepting your offerAfter you’ve accepted your offerIf you have a disability and need more support at university Join the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme for a background check If we give you an offer, you will need to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme before you start this degree programme.We will send you information on how to join the PVG scheme.PVG scheme information on the Scottish Government websiteIf you live outside the UKIf you live outside the UK, or have spent more than one year living outside the UK, then you will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.If you have a criminal convictionIf you state you have a criminal conviction, we will not ask for any more details until we consider your application and decide you are eligible for an offer. Applying as an international student As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS. Find out more about applying through UCAS Visas and immigration If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme. Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. Applying for a visa Agents An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact. Find contact details for an education agent Life at Edinburgh Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.University accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaIf 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.SocietiesSports 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 to daily life, including: sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association 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 servicea health centre (doctor's surgery)support if you're living in University accommodationdedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentHealth and wellbeing support services Contact and events
