MSc in Education

The MSc Education (Comparative and International Education) is a full-time, one-year, master’s that helps students develop a critical understanding of theoretical approaches, methods, policies and practices in comparative and international education. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of the factors that shape educational systems in different parts of the world and the research skills to compare policy choices and critically evaluate major debates, policies, histories and practices of education globally. 

Many alumni of MSc Education (Comparative and International Education) have gone on to academic and research careers at universities in the UK and abroad. Others are employed across a wide range of other sectors such as policy for government departments, NGOs or think tanks, international organisations, administration at local and national levels, as well as state and non-state schools in different parts of the world. 

Aims of the course

The course aims to engage students in developing:

• the knowledge, skills and understanding of social, economic, political, cultural, and institutional factors that shape educational systems in different parts of the world. 
• the ability to analyse current issues and historical trends in comparative and international education. 
•  the ability to critically assess the historical development and theoretical and methodological underpinnings of comparative and international education. 
• the ability to define and formulate research problems and questions in the field of comparative and international education.
• the research skills to undertake contextualised, nuanced examination of policies, practices and systems of education globally.

By the end of the course students should have:

• an understanding of the historical development and theoretical and methodological underpinnings of comparative and international education. 
• the knowledge of major theoretical and methodological approaches used in comparative and international education and the ability to apply these to current issues. 
• developed familiarity with the education systems of various countries and the ability to describe and analyse those systems critically, with regards to social, economic, political, cultural, and institutional factors. 
• the ability to define and formulate research problems and questions in the field of comparative and international education, and the research skills to examine policies, practices and systems of education  
• developed detailed knowledge of major issues affecting education at all levels and be familiar with the work of the various non-governmental agencies concerned with educational planning, research and development. 

The course consists of six papers and a dissertation. Students undertake five compulsory modules.  For 2024/2025, these compulsory modules are:

• Comparative and International Education: An Overview of the Field
• Foundations of Educational Research I: Concepts and Design
• Researching with the South: Decolonizing Communication Practices in Education Research
• Foundations of Educational Research II: Strategies and Methods
• The Implementation of the Rights of Children

Students may also choose one option from a list of option papers. The following list provides an indication of papers usually available (please note, this is not a guarantee of availability for any particular elective in a given year):

• Core Principles in Child Assessment 
• Critical Digital Innovation 
• Education in Africa 
• Education, the Internet & Society 
• Global Higher Education 
• Intermediate Quantitative Research 
• Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research 

These papers are taken during Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. In Trinity Term, students work on a research-based dissertation, reporting on an empirical study, of 15,000-20,000 words. The dissertations should demonstrate the students’ research and critical analysis skills as well as the ability to write clear and concise reports to a high level of academic competence. 

Seminars during the course are a combination of tutor and student input, and are based on preparation, response to a presentation and/or analysis of documents and various group activities. There is a programme of visiting speakers from around the world.

Examples of recent dissertations

• Thomas Brotherhood Japanese Student Perspectives on Spatial Inequality During Transition to High School
• Naseemah Mohamed Education in a Time of War: The Experiences of Victims of Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe 
• Charleen Ning Chiong Unstable Boundaries: Analyzing Change in Citizenship Education Policy in England (1984-2014)
• Danijel Cuturic Academic Integrity at Universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Plagiarism Regulations
• Elodie Broady Opening a Black Box of Influence in the Transnational Governance of Education: a Case Study Inside the OECD
• Rone McFarlane Mediating the Effects of Gang Violence and Related Activities in South African Schools
• Kathleen Maffei Cultural Advocacy Strategies Amongst Parents of Intellectually Disabled Children in UK Schools
• Morten Hansen A Way forward for EEPS: Interrogating and Consolidating Theories on the European Education Policy Space

During their time in Oxford, course members will be part of a lively research community with interests in a wide range of topics in comparative and international education. The University provides an ideal environment for graduate study: its resources are first-class and its graduate population is among the best qualified in the world. The Department is a friendly institution within the University, and the international constitution of the student body makes everyone feel at home.

Student Testimonials

• “The strengths of the CIE programme lie in its emphasis on exploring diverse perspectives, methodologies and frameworks from across the globe. The programme goes beyond the predominant Global North focus, incorporating insights from other parts of the world, including the Global South, which provides a more comprehensive understanding of global education” (2022-2023).
• “Amazing community (thanks to the course convenors and people who taught in the programme), a culture of authentic mutual respect and emphasis on the value of relationships, real accent on post-development paradigms and fighting colonial and euro-centric approaches to research, globalization, education and all things connected” (2022-2023).
• “It has been a riveting and challenging experience, we organised spaces to address difficult conversations, and that was encouraging and up-lifting. The module instructor was accommodative to take weekly feedback and incorporate it instantly in the upcoming weeks. The proactiveness is highly appreciated.” (2022-2023).
• “The interactive and engaging ways of how this class was structured allowed me to discuss different academic topics and real-life issues with colleagues in dynamic ways which greatly enhanced my understanding of lesson materials beyond the scope of past, “conventional” ways of learning in the classroom” (2023-2024).

The MSc Education (Child Development and Education) aims to promote a critical understanding of theories and research on child development and their relevance to the design and evaluation of educational programmes and policies in diverse contexts. It also aims to promote a critical understanding of the current challenges for a global and inclusive science of child development.

Our students come from varied professional backgrounds: experienced Early Years professionals and primary school teachers; professionals working with children and aiming to prepare themselves for a leadership role (e.g. head teachers, professionals engaged in programme evaluation research, including in governmental and non-governmental agencies). We welcome graduates with psychology degrees who wish to develop their knowledge of psychology in the field of child development and education; those seeking to pursue a doctoral degree will find that this course offers them a solid disciplinary and research foundation.

This is a full-time, one-year master’s course. 

Aims of the course

• To promote a critical understanding of theories and research on child development and their relevance to the design of educational programmes and policies
• To provide students with a critical knowledge of programmes and interventions aimed at preand primary school children and the development of the cognitive-linguistic and social-emotional domains 
• To develop students’ knowledge and skills required for the analysis of current issues in the education of children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds in different early childhood settings and in schools 
• To promote students’ reflective knowledge of different ways of approaching the assessment of children 
• To provide students with experience with a range of research methods used in the evaluation of educational programmes (including those for families and institutional settings) and to develop their ability to analyse critically evaluation reports 
• To encourage discussion on how theories of child development inform practice and how challenges faced in educational and care settings call for further theoretical and research enquiry 
• To promote a critical understanding of the current challenges for a global and inclusive science of child development 
• To provide a strong basis for further studies in child development and encourage future applications to doctoral studies in this domain 

Programme features

For 2024-2025, the course is structured with two compulsory modules that focus on the disciplinary underpinnings to child development and education (Foundation Learning and Wellbeing and Cognitive Development and Educational Attainments), one in each term.  Two further papers in the first term aim to develop students’ research skills (Foundations of Educational Research 1 and Introduction to Quantitative Research). In the second term, students chose two options from a list of electives. The following list provides an indication of papers usually available (please note, this is not a guarantee of availability for any particular elective in a given year): 

• Core Principles in Child Assessment 
• Critical Digital Innovation 
• Education in Africa 
• Education, the Internet & Society 
• Foundations of Educational Research 2: Strategies and Methods 
• Global Higher Education 
• Intermediate Quantitative Research 
• Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research 
• The Implementation of the Rights of Children 

You will also complete either field work or conduct secondary data analysis for your master’s dissertation. The course will provide opportunities for you to deepen your understanding of child development theories and their relevance to decisions about children’s education and wellbeing. 

Throughout the course, you will participate in lectures, seminars, and workshops.  Teaching involves a combination of tutor and student input, including group activities and students’ presentations. You will benefit from the expertise available through the Quantitative Methods Hub and the Qualitative Methods Hub at the Department. You will also benefit from access to seminars across the wider University. 

You are encouraged to explore the Department’s website and find out about the research carried out by the course team and the Children Development and Learning research group. 

Below are samples of dissertation titles from previous years: 

• The effect of story grammar contained in wordless picture books: A study of children’s narrative
• Dialogue & empathy in middle school aged children – A configurative narrative review
• Cognitive predictors of early reading and arithmetic skills
• Effects of feedback on learner characteristics in a computerized learning environment
• Children’s use of personal knowledge and adult testimony in fantasy/reality distinctions
• The relationship between ability grouping, academic self-concept and having English as an additional language: A secondary data analysis
• A study investigating the relationship between the home literacy environment and children’s readiness for school in Costa Rica
• Chinese children’s morphological awareness in English and Chinese
• Family income and child developmental outcomes – A relationship mediated by the quality of the home environment?
• Let’s talk about diversity: A reading intervention targeting language and socio-emotional development in young children
• Primary school students’ self-regulation and motivation during well- and ill-structured tasks
• Quality in early childhood settings: A comparison of the views of parents and professionals within Minnesota’s Twin Cities Metro Area, USA
• The effects of imaginative play props on the oral narratives of 4-5 year old children
• The relationship between maternal vocalisations with 10-month old infants and child language scores at 36 months
• Investigating the effects of the Singapore Model Method in solving mathematical word problems

WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION PATHWAY?

The MSc Education (Digital and Social Change) is an exciting and innovative course, in which you will develop a theoretical understanding of new technologies, education and society. At the core of the programme is a strong commitment to digital inclusion and social justice that addresses contemporary issues regarding the impact of digital and social change in education. Consequently, you will conceptualise and design learning technologies through participatory approaches, examining how they impact the marginalised in the UK and globally.

At a time when many people are discussing significant moral questions regarding technology and its use in education, including the ethics of Artificial Intelligence, there is a pressing need for a new generation of researchers and practitioners that can affect social change through stronger theoretically-informed practice, design and policy. 

Building on the past success of our MSc Education (Learning and Technology), we welcome students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds such as education, computer science, sociology, communications and international development. You will have a commitment to social justice in education, a questioning stance on technology and an interest in developing interdisciplinary knowledge. 

Aims of the course

• Critically assess and understand the role of technology in education across the life course
• Develop the expertise to address the challenges posed by digital inequality
• Understand how to embed innovative learning technologies in practice
• Cultivate design prototyping skills
• Understand the relationship between social justice, technology and learning

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course you will develop:

• the ability to integrate educational theory and practice. 
• an in-depth and comparative understanding of learning theories and their appropriate use to develop informative research questions. 
• the necessary research skills for progression to the next stage of your career, including DPhil study.
• specialist technical and social knowledge, enabling the evaluation of technologies for digital and social change.
• an understanding of the ethics of technology when working with marginalised communities.
• informed insight about state-of-the-art technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the ability to critically evaluate their application to, and limitations for, digital and social change in education.
• the ability to develop and manage a research project and work collaboratively and reflectively on contemporary research issues.

Pathway modules

MSc Education (Digital and Social Change) consists of six modules.

Core modules:

• Key Concepts in Digital Education (taught by DSC team)
• Social Justice and Technology (taught by DSC team)

Core research methods modules, which are common to all pathways:

• Foundations of Education Research I
• Foundations of Education Research II OR Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research OR Intermediate Quantitative Research

You will also choose at least one of the following options:

• Critical Digital Innovation (taught by DSC team)
• Education, the Internet and Society (taught by DSC team)

You can also choose from the optional papers from the other MSc Education pathways. The following list provides an indication of papers available (please note, this is not a guarantee of availability for any particular elective in a given year):

• Core Principles in Child Assessment
• Education in Africa
• Global Higher Education
• Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research
• The Implementation of the Rights of Children

You are encouraged to explore the Department’s website and find out about the research carried out by the course team, including the Critical Digital Education Research Group.

Alumni from the pathways have gone on to academic and research careers at universities in the UK and abroad, including MIT, LSE, Stanford, The Turing Institute and UCLA. Others have worked for international NGOs, various international organisations and also founded their own technology and consultancy start-ups.

The MSc Education (Higher Education) at Oxford University attracts students from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds and offers them a critical introduction into research, theory, and practice in the complex field of higher education at a global level.

During this course, students will have the opportunity to consider a wide range of issues that higher education systems around the world are facing today, including internationalisation, the relationship between higher education and labour markets, access and social justice, student fees, and rankings. Teaching sessions will combine tutor input, class discussion, and working in small groups in order to examine these key issues and the discourses that shape them. In addition to seminars on core concepts, students are taught by leading researchers, giving them the opportunity to engage directly with current thinking and evolving themes in the field.

This mix, which builds on the firm foundations of the Oxford Department of Education’s research strengths, is relevant to people at different stages in their professional lives – from recent graduates, those hoping to forge an academic career in higher education studies, to those who have established careers in, or are working closely with, higher education institutions.

Recent graduates of the programme have continued onto doctoral research and academic careers, or have taken positions in higher education management, administration, and policy-formation.

The programme is studied full-time for a year, with the final term devoted to work on a dissertation. 

Aims of the course

The course is aimed at future academic, professional and policy leaders in the field of higher education and provides a strong foundation for:

• conducting doctoral, post-doctoral and professional research. 
• using research to analyse and evaluate current structures and past and future reforms of higher education in different international contexts. 
• developing higher education provision to meet a range of local and international needs. 
• understanding the economic impacts of higher education and their implications for policy making. 
• analysing transitions of higher education graduates into the labour market and further studies. 

The Department offers a challenging but supportive atmosphere for conducting graduate studies. The course draws on the expertise of colleagues elsewhere within the University and more widely. 

Studying for the MSc Education (Higher Education)

Course sessions consist of a combination of seminars, lectures and collaborative course work. These sessions take place three half-days a week during the first two terms. Throughout the course:

• you will have the opportunity to work together with your course colleagues on selected higher education topics and problems. 
• you will reflect on your own higher education experience, and on the University of Oxford as your new educational context. 
• you will be able to select the focus for your MSc dissertation from a range of relevant international higher education contexts. 
• you will have one-to-one meetings with your dissertation supervisor to discuss your progress and the design of your own research study. 
• you will spend extended time in your chosen research setting during the third term in order to carry out fieldwork for your dissertation.
• you will be assessed through a combination of course-work, examination and dissertation. 

Examples of recent dissertations

• Kira Brayman A love-hate relationship”: Canadian laypeople’s construction of academic theories as diffusing innovations
• Rachel Kolb All-Around Inclusion: Mainstreamed Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students’ Perceptions on Accommodations and Access in American Universities
• Tara Nicola Measuring Success? The Predictive Validity of the Undergraduate Admissions Interview at the University of Oxford
• Naveen Amblee The Development of managerial competencies in MBA programmes: An empirical Study of MBA core curricula
• Yushi Inaba Higher Education in a depopulating society: survival strategies of Japanese Universities
• Elizabeth Miller Degree apprenticeships in England: how do they work and who and what are they for?
• Yu Yang Who got the information – an investigation into the equity and equality of China’s Gaokao reform

Who should apply?

The full-time Master’s is aimed at students and professionals with an interest in higher education at all levels and areas: 

• Researchers and those interested in research in higher education 
• Higher education tutors and lecturers 
• Administrators and managers 
• Policy and decision makers 

The course will help you to develop your knowledge, expertise and skills in the following aspects:

• Higher education theory, research and policy 
• International higher education systems and comparative questions 
• Higher education institutional and administrative structures 
• Access, completion and transition to the labour market 
• Philosophical and historical underpinnings of higher education research and policy 
• Research strategies, design and methods 

We accept students from a wide range of disciplines and educational backgrounds – a previous degree in education is beneficial but not necessary for successfully participating in and completing the MSc in Higher Education. However, a keen interest in the key debates in higher education nationally and internationally and an openness to engage with new and challenging ideas is necessary.

Structure of the course

The course consists of six modules and a dissertation.  For 2024/2025, the required modules are: 

• Higher Education: Systems, Structures and Institutions 
• Higher Education in the Economy and Society 
• Global Higher Education 
• Foundations of Educational Research 1: Concepts and Design 
• Foundations of Educational Research 2: Strategies and Methods 

Students also choose one option from a list of option papers. The following list provides an indication of papers usually available (please note, this is not a guarantee of availability for any particular elective in a given year): 

• Core Principles of Child Assessment 
• Critical Digital Innovation 
• Education in Africa 
• Education, the Internet and Society 
• Intermediate Quantitative Research 
• Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research 
• The Implementation of the Rights of Children 

These papers are taken during the first two terms. In their third term, students undertake work towards the production of a dissertation of between 15,000 and 20,000 words. 

Learning approaches and strategies

Learning is organised around tutor presentations, small group work, student led presentations, seminars and workshops, project work, input from external experts and tutorials. 

All students participate in course projects and co-operate with other class members to produce presentations on a given topic. Supervisions support students in identifying research questions, selecting areas for literature review, carrying out field work, and reviewing drafts of the dissertation. Library staff will provide supported ICT sessions and literature searching skills (including electronic searches)  

Additionally, students are expected to attend departmental research seminars and seminars hosted by the Centre for Global Higher Education which will help students broaden the scope of their learning and further develop their own critical skills. Oxford University provides the opportunity to participate in a wealth of further academic-related activities and students are encouraged to attend lectures and research seminars in other departments within the University. 

The course covers a range of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and data analysis, and introduces students to the challenges of carrying out social research in the field of education. All students have the option to take part in a research internship where they work in a research group within the Department on ongoing research projects. Students will be able to experience some of the variety of activities that are an everyday part of doing educational research. 

The course is offered on both a full–time (one–year) and part–time (two–year) basis. The degree and expectations for both modes of study are equally rigorous: part–time students attend classes with full–time students, but these are spread over two years to balance work and personal circumstances. Part–time students attend classes and receive supervision one day per week during term time and are encouraged to spend at least one further day a week working in Oxford libraries and participate in relevant research seminars and research events or take non-assessed courses. 

The teaching methods include tutor presentations, small group work, student led presentations, seminars and workshops, project work, and tutorials. All students undertake classes on quantitative and qualitative data analysis and there is substantial ‘hands-on’ experience in methods of data collection and analysis. Dissertation supervision supports students in identifying research questions, selecting areas for literature review, carrying out field work, and reviewing drafts of the dissertation. Supported ICT sessions are provided and sessions on literature access skills (including electronic searches) are organised by Bodleian Education Library staff. 

This course is recognised as providing a high quality comprehensive grounding in educational and social research methods, and can be the first year of an ESRC ‘1 + 3’ studentship. Please note progression from MSc Education (RDM) to DPhil is not automatic – students will be required to apply for admission to DPhil by the January application deadline in the year preceding the start date of their DPhil. 

Aims of the course

• To provide students with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to design and carry out rigorous research in the field of education 
• To develop students’ ability to define and formulate research problems and questions, and to select appropriate methods to address their chosen research problems 
• To develop students’ critical analysis, problem solving and research skills necessary for them to critically assess their own research as well as the research of others 
• To enable students to understand the relationships between, and the rationales for using, a wide range of research methods and approaches 
• To enable students to understand the philosophical underpinnings of a variety of approaches to educational research, and to articulate their own philosophical positioning 
• To develop students’ understanding of the role and use of theory in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches to research design, data analysis and interpretation 
• To develop students’ understanding of the role of educational research in the development, implementation and critique of educational policy and practice 

Programme outcomes

By the end of the programme, you will have developed a good understanding of:

• a variety of philosophical and theoretical underpinnings and assumptions of educational research. 
• major research paradigms and fundamental concepts of research design. 
• a range of approaches to collecting and analysing different types of data. 
• ethical issues associated with research in education. 
• strengths and limitations of different methods in and approaches to educational research. 
• the role of the researcher in collecting and interacting with participants and various types of data. 
• various modes of presenting and disseminating research findings. 
• major debates and controversies in the field of educational research, and their methodological implication. 

Structure of the course

The course consists of six modules and a dissertation.  For 2024/2025, the required modules are: 

• Introduction to Quantitative Research
• Foundations of Educational Research 1: Concepts and Design
• Philosophy of Educational Research
• Foundations of Educational Research 2: Strategies and Methods
• Either Intermediate Quantitative Research or Perspectives and Debates on Qualitative Research

You can also choose one module from the optional papers from the other MSc Education pathways. The following list provides an indication of papers usually available (please note, this is not a guarantee of availability for any particular elective in a given year):

• Core Principles of Child Assessment 
• Critical Digital Innovation 
• Education in Africa 
• Education, the Internet and Society 
• The Implementation of the Rights of Children 

Students

We encourage applications from students who wish to benefit from this course and the opportunities available at Oxford. We welcome students with backgrounds in social sciences and a range of other disciplines. The course is suitable for those with a good honours degree/MSc or MA in a relevant field who have a strong interest in education and developing their research skills. While many of our students have teaching experience in schools or higher education, this is not a requirement. It is an excellent basis for those planning further academic study (DPhil/PhD) and those who wish to pursue an academic or research related career. 

WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY PATHWAY?

This course can be studied as a part of the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme. The Oxford 1+1 MBA programme is a unique, two-year graduate experience that combines the depth of a specialised, one-year master’s degree with the breadth of a top-ranking, one-year MBA.