Program Overview

Special and Inclusive Education MA

Overview

The Special and Inclusive Education MA course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the educational needs of children with special needs, including those with learning difficulties, intellectual impairment, physical and sensory disabilities, autism, and SEBD/ADHD. The course aims to develop effective approaches and structures for supporting pupils with special needs, and to enable students to work collaboratively with teachers, parents/carers, and different agencies.

Course Details

• Duration: 12 months (full-time), not available part-time
• Start Date: September 2026
• UK Fees: To be confirmed
• International Fees: To be confirmed
• Entry Requirements: 2:1 honours degree (or international equivalent) in education, psychology, teacher training, or a caring-related discipline

Course Content

The course consists of four 30-credit modules, plus a 60-credit dissertation.

Core Modules

• Debating Special and Inclusive Education: This module explores key issues concerning the field of special and inclusive education, including definitions of special needs and inclusion, global perspectives on diversity and access to equality of educational opportunities, and understanding theoretical approaches to special needs/inclusion and models of disability.
• Understanding and Planning Educational Research: This module develops critical engagement with educational research, focusing on the complexities of the research process, and introduces different approaches to conducting and evaluating research in a range of educational contexts.
• Educating Students on the Autism Spectrum: This module explores key issues related to the education of students on the autism spectrum, including insider perspectives, identification and core difficulties of autism, whole school approaches to planning for students on the autism spectrum, and educational interventions for children on the autism spectrum.
• Responding Mindfully to Challenging Behaviour: This module considers experiential learning and its relationship to reflective practice and reflexivity, world views and models of human behaviour, theoretical perspectives on behaviour, and social and emotional aspects of behaviour.

Dissertation

The dissertation involves researching and writing a substantive piece of scholarship within the field of the course. Students choose a topic in consultation with their course leader and an appropriate supervisor.

Learning and Assessment

• How You Will Learn: Seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, and interactive and collaborative teaching methods promoting shared enquiry.
• How You Will Be Assessed: Coursework, dissertation, essay, presentation, and debates. Each 30-credit module is assessed by one of the following: a comprehensive written portfolio or equivalent, research design, literature-based debate, or presentation accompanied by a 1,000-word commentary or an individual education plan.

Entry Requirements

• Home/UK Students: 2:1 honours degree (or international equivalent) in education, psychology, teacher training, or a caring-related discipline.
• EU/International Students: 2:1 honours degree (or international equivalent) in education, psychology, teacher training, or a caring-related discipline.
• Work Experience: Applicants with a 2:2 degree and three or more years full-time relevant professional experience in education-related positions or a voluntary or caring/support role can be considered.
• Voluntary Work: Evidence of either long-term volunteering in educational, child-care, or therapeutic settings or shorter-term but more intensive volunteer roles.
• Personal Statement: A personal statement is required that demonstrates both a clear understanding of the course and relevant motivation for pursuing studies in special and inclusive education.

Fees

• Qualification: MA
• Home/UK: To be confirmed
• International: To be confirmed

Funding

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans. The University of Nottingham also offers a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars.

Careers

The course provides a solid grounding for a career, and graduates work in a diverse range of jobs, including classroom/learning support, special education, coordinating provision for children with special needs, leadership within special education, and policy/administration. The course increases academic and research skills to support future doctorate-level study.