MSc Education (Learning, Technology and Society)

Program Overview

MSc Education (Learning, Technology and Society)

Overview

Our increasingly digital society creates a wide range of challenges and opportunities for educators and learners around the world. Digital technologies (such as digital games, mobile devices, digital learning platforms, artificial intelligence, robots, social media, big data, and virtual or tangible technologies) have become embedded in our societies, and are being used in both educational settings and our everyday lives and learning. The Learning, Technology and Society pathway is designed for those who wish to take a critical perspective on the use of technology in diverse educational settings. Throughout this pathway, we explore sociotechnical changes: how education and digital technologies are intertwined.

It is suitable for people with a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences, including teachers and lecturers; creative technologists; education policymakers and researchers; and those who support informal learning in settings such as museums and public spaces.

The pathway will provide you with a firm foundation for developing your career in teaching and facilitating learning in formal and informal settings, education leadership, and research or learning technology. You will develop an in-depth understanding of sociotechnical change and a critical perspective on if and how digital technologies can shape and support learning in a wide variety of settings. In addition, the pathway will prepare you to undertake further research in this rapidly developing field.

This pathway is taught in an international centre of excellence in teaching, research and educational technology. The tutors on the programme are world-class academics with excellent research records in the field of education, technology and society.

Key Information

• Programme duration: One year full-time; two or three years part-time.
• Start date: September 2025
• Application deadline: Overseas applicants: 25 July 2025; Home applicants: 8 August 2025
• Delivery method: On-Campus
• Location: Clifton
• Awards available: MSc

Programme Structure

Our education master's degrees give you the opportunity to select a programme of study tailored towards your interests and learning needs. The range of degrees we offer means you will be able to specialise and receive an award in a particular discipline area.

The pathway consists of core units that all students on the pathway must take, and a range of optional units that students can choose from, within availability or timetabling constraints.

Alternatively, you can design your own pathway by opting not to specialise and to take those units that fit with your availability. Units can be taken from across the different specialisms and from our bank of available optional units to build a tailored programme of study, resulting in an award of MSc Education.

World-Leading Research

• The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education).
• 94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry Requirements

• You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in any discipline.
• If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date.
• We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer.
• We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.

English Language Requirements

• If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level E.

Fees and Funding

• Home: full-time: £12,300 per year
• Home: part-time (three years): £4,100 per year
• Home: part-time (two years): £6,150 per year
• Overseas: full-time: £28,200 per year

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

Alumni Discount

• University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study.

Funding and Scholarships

• Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career Prospects

Our goal is to equip you with the tools to demonstrate impact, excellence and distinctiveness in your chosen field.

We will enable our graduates to display the following characteristics:

• be equipped to demonstrate impact, excellence and distinctiveness in your chosen field;
• be visionary, imaginative, innovative, reflective and creative;
• have high ideals and values, including a strong sense of social justice;
• be highly employable throughout the world;
• be adaptable, with the potential to be a leader in work and in the community.

Graduates with an MSc in Education often advance into roles in:

• Teaching and educational leadership – Many work as teachers (if they hold Qualified Teacher Status or equivalent – additional qualifications) or progress into leadership roles such as curriculum coordinators, headteachers, or educational consultants.
• Education policy and administration – Opportunities exist within government bodies, local authorities, and education charities, influencing policy and practice.
• Higher education and academic research – postgraduate students could choose to continue into PhD programmes or take on academic research roles within universities or independent education think tanks.
• EdTech and corporate training – Graduates may move into educational technology companies, instructional design, or corporate training and development.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MSc Education (Learning, Technology and Society) program at the University of Bristol is designed for individuals who wish to critically examine the use of technology in diverse educational settings. The program explores sociotechnical changes and how education and digital technologies are intertwined. It is suitable for individuals with various educational backgrounds, including teachers, lecturers, creative technologists, education policymakers, researchers, and those supporting informal learning in settings such as museums and public spaces. The program aims to provide a firm foundation for developing careers in teaching, facilitating learning in formal and informal settings, education leadership, research, or learning technology. Graduates will develop an in-depth understanding of sociotechnical change and a critical perspective on how digital technologies can shape and support learning in various settings.

Teaching:

The program is taught by world-class academics with excellent research records in the field of education, technology, and society. The program is delivered on-campus in Clifton, Bristol.

Careers:

The program prepares graduates for careers in teaching and facilitating learning in formal and informal settings, education leadership, research, or learning technology. Graduates will be equipped to demonstrate impact, excellence, and distinctiveness in their chosen field; be visionary, imaginative, innovative, reflective, and creative; have high ideals and values, including a strong sense of social justice; be highly employable throughout the world; and be adaptable, with the potential to be a leader in work and in the community.

Other:

The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education), with 94% of its research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent. The program is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law and the School of Education.

UK: full-time £11,900 per year UK: part-time (two years) £5,950 per year UK: part-time (three years) £3,967 per year Overseas: full-time £27,200 per year