Program Overview

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MSc Education (Leadership and Policy)

Overview

The Leadership and Policy pathway will help you develop an appreciation of the complex ways in which education policy, leadership practice and research interact. You will develop the theoretical knowledge and skills to lead quality improvement and promote social justice within organisations. You will critically engage with ideas and practices around leading and managing organisational change within futures-orientated perspectives.

This programme is designed for professionals with, ideally, some experience in education as a teacher, administrator, university lecturer, or early-years practitioner.

This pathway attracts a diverse cohort of professionals, who bring their unique perspectives and experience to our highly interactive teaching and learning environment. Graduates have gone on to become education policymakers, advisers, school leaders, university-based researchers, and to lead training within business organisations.

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.

Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MSc in Education (Leadership and Policy). Please note that this 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

• 5th: The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education).
• 94%: 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. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply.

We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing details of your relevant qualifications:

• Evidence of significant (minimum of one year) relevant work experience in roles within an educational context such as kindergarten, schools, further education or higher education establishments.
• Relevant postgraduate qualification.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Admissions Statement

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

English Language Requirements

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

Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.

Fees and Funding

Home Students

• Full-time: £12,300 per year
• Part-time (three years): £4,100 per year
• Part-time (two years): £6,150 per year

Overseas Students

• 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. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.

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.