University College London (UCL)
Early Years Education MA
London, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
5 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
The program focuses on deepening understanding of early childhood development, education, and care from birth to age eight. It covers a wide range of topics, including the latest research, policies, and practices that shape early years education. Students explore how young children learn and develop, as well as how to create effective, inclusive learning environments. The course encourages critical thinking about current challenges and debates in the field, helping students develop their own professional perspectives.
Throughout the program, students are supported to build their practical skills, such as observation, assessment, and planning for young children’s needs. They also examine issues like diversity, inclusion, and the impact of socio-economic factors on early childhood experiences. The course aims to prepare students for roles in education, policy-making, or research by combining academic theories with real-world applications. This approach ensures graduates are equipped to contribute positively to early years settings and future developments in the sector.
UCL Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including our UCL Masters Bursary for UK students and our UCL Global Masters Scholarship for international students. You can click the link below to search via the scholarships finder for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department will also be able to provide you with more information about funding.
External Scholarships
Online aggregators like Postgraduate Studentships, Scholarship Search, Postgraduate Funding and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or ethnic or religious background it is worth searching for scholarships/bursaries/grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific.
Funding for disabled students
Master's students who have a disability may be able to get extra funding for additional costs they incur to study.
Teaching and learning
Our pedagogy is based around discussion, which takes place face-to-face or online via seminars, tutorials and forums. We use a mixture of group seminars and group tutorials and individual tutorials to support student learning.
Students will have the opportunity to attend a range of taught sessions, workshops, and group tutorials in which they will develop the skills and knowledge required to successfully complete the independent desk-based research project and each component of the dissertation portfolio.
This programme is delivered through face-to-face for both daytime and evening sessions.
Assessments provide a variety of opportunities to students to work independently and via group work while developing different skills valuable to diverse career settings.
Dissertation on Early Years Education. This 60-credit module allows students to engage in independent research on a topic related to early years education. Students will develop a research question, conduct a literature review, collect and analyse data, and present their findings in a structured dissertation.
Report on Early Years Education. This 30 credit module is designed to support students to develop an independent, desk-based research project in an area of relevance to the programme. A list of examples of reports is provided, but it is not exhaustive: Policy Analysis of Early Childhood Education in Different Countries; Exploring the Integration of STEM in Early Years Curricula; The Role of Play in Early Years Education.
Dissertation Portfolio on Early Years Education. This 60-credit module is designed to support students to develop a multi-component portfolio to demonstrate a range of skills and knowledge development accrued throughout their programme of study. This includes: an independent, desk-based research project in an area of Early Years Education, a learning journal to reflect on the process and development of their project and an additional component (either a poster or presentation) in which they will communicate their project proposal and engage in peer-to-peer feedback and dialogue.
In the first two terms, full-time students can expect around six to eight contact hours per week, consisting of lectures, seminars, online feedback, and tutorials. During term three and the summer period, students focus on their dissertation research and optional modules, staying in regular contact with their dissertation supervisors and their module leaders.
For part-time students and flexi-mode students, contact hours depend on the chosen module. Typically, part-time students work on one module per term, with three to four hours of contact time per week. The exact time commitment may vary by module, and tutors will guide students in managing their workload.
Modules
Full-time
The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:
- Early Childhood Education
- Researching Early Years and Primary Education
- Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
- Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this programme offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.
You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.
Students will receive full support from the programme team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:
- Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
- Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education.
- Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education.
The programme can be studied full-time within one academic year.
Part-time
The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:
- Early Childhood Education
- Researching Early Years and Primary Education
- Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
- Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this programme offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.
You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.
Students will receive full support from the programme team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:
- Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
- Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education.
- Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education.
The programme can be studied part-time (2 years)
Flexible
The Early Years Education MA has four compulsory modules:
- Early Childhood Education
- Researching Early Years and Primary Education
- Contemporary Issues in the Early Years
- Dissertation/ Report/ Dissertation Portfolio: this programme offers various options for students to demonstrate their expertise, including completion of a dissertation, report, or dissertation portfolio, each designed to reflect and enhance their academic and professional development.
You will also select one optional module. Each module should be completed in one term and have assignments in different formats. If you choose to do a report, you'll need to select two optional modules instead of one.
Students will receive full support from the programme team to help them choose the option that best fits their interests. They can select from the following:
- Dissertation: this involves carrying out original research on a specific topic related to early years education.
- Report: this option focuses on providing a detailed analysis or evaluation of a particular issue in early years education.
- Dissertation Portfolio: this showcases a collection of work that highlights their skills and knowledge in early years education.
Students on a flexible basis can complete the MA over a period of time, between 2 and 5 years and the selection of the module is a combination of the teaching offer and student's choice.
Students must remain enrolled throughout the maximum of five years but you are free to decide whether or not being selecting module(s) at a particular term of the year.
Compulsory modules
- Early Childhood Education
- Researching Early Years and Primary Education
- Contemporary Issues in Early Years
- Dissertation on Early Years Education
- Dissertation Portfolio on Early Years Education
- Report on Early Years Education
Optional modules
- Assessment for Learning
- Educational Testing
- Guiding Effective Learning and Teaching
- International Perspectives on Education Reform: Curriculum and Assessment
- Leadership in Early Childhood Education
- Perspectives on Literacy Learning
- Literacy Development
- Children's Rights in Global Perspectives
- Psychological and Sociological Perspectives on Inclusion and Special Educational Need
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Early Years Education.
What this course will give you
Students in this programme have the opportunity to develop their understanding and knowledge of early years education by working with experienced early years educators and researchers. The Early Years Education staff team at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society have been at the forefront of international research for two decades including the renowned Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) project. The programme also has strong links to the innovative Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (0-11).
The programme provides the opportunity to broaden and deepen understanding of early childhood education, combining theory and practice, policy and current debates internationally to critically address key issues in early years education across a range of contexts. Students will be exposed to rich content in thought-provoking lectures, supported by seminar activities enabling discussion and critical reflections within an international community.
This programme supports understanding and insights into early years nationally and internationally and contributes to personal and professional development in the field of study. Students have the opportunity to develop as future agents and leaders for change in early years education.
The foundation of your career
By taking this programme, students develop an international, critical and deep understanding of early years leadership, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
Employability
Graduates of this programme work in a broad range of careers, both nationally and internationally. A number have taken up work as advisers to local and national government and as researchers on early childhood programmes. Graduates can also be found working in nurseries, early years settings, primary schools as leaders and managers and as researchers, lecturers and teacher educators in higher education and in educational services outside schools such as museums, publishing or children's support services.
Networking
The students have the opportunity to be taught by leading academics at the discipline of Early Childhood Education and beyond and participate in important research projects.