Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
-
We require a UK Honours degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent in Education, Teaching or English.
Applicants without an education, teaching or English-related degree should have at least six months of relevant professional experience.
When assessing your academic record we take into account the grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
- We're ranked in the top ten universities in the UK for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021).
- Benefit from outstanding teaching that draws on world-leading research.
- Focus on professional learning, underpinned by critical scholarship.
Open days
The University holds regular open days , where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses.
You will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £12,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for international students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit postgraduate fees
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and merit awards to outstanding applicants and international students, including:
- MIE Postgraduate (master’s) bursaries : 10 awards of £7,500 each (issued as a reduction in your tuition fees). All self-sponsored EU and international student with an offer to study on any MIE master’s programme are eligible.
- Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship : 20% scholarship in the form of a discount on the tuition fees of selected master’s programmes, available to applicants from a number of international countries.
- Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme : £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.
For further information on available scholarships and bursaries as well as their full eligibility criteria, please visit our funding page.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Environment, Education and Development
- Contact name
- School of Environment, Education and Development +44 (0) 161 275 2814
- Telephone
- +44(0) 0161 275 2814
- mie.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
- School/Faculty
-
See: The School .
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a UK Honours degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent in Education, Teaching or English.
Applicants without an education, teaching or English-related degree should have at least six months of relevant professional experience.
When assessing your academic record we take into account the grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
English language
For the latest information on demonstrating your English proficiency for those whose first language is not English, please see our language requirements .
This programme also accepts successful completion of the 6 and 10 Week Pre-sessional English Language course. We accept the following qualifications which must be valid on the start date of the Pre-sessional course.
Pre-sessional 6 Week Course Requirement:
IELTS - 6.0 Overall with 6.0 in writing, no more than one subskill at 5.5 and no subskill below 5.5
TOEFL iBT - 80 overall with 20 in writing, and 20 in speaking, with a minimum of 18 in all other subskills
Pearson PTE Academic or Academic UKVI - 65 overall with 65 in writing, no more than one subskill of 59 and no other subskill below 59.
Pre-sessional 10 Week Course Requirement:
IELTS - 5.5 overall with no element below 5.5
TOEFL iBT - 72 overall with 20 in speaking and no other element below 18
Pearson PTE Academic UKVI - 59 overall and no element below 59
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our country-specific information page for guidance on the academic qualifications which may be accepted from your country.
Professional entry qualification
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:
- copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other than English please provide official translations;
- your CV;
- copies of English Language Certification, e.g. IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report.
Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.
Staged admissions process
As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year.
Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.
Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.
• Stage 1: Application received by 08 December 2023 ; Application update by 22 February 2024
• Stage 2: Application received by 03 March 2024 ; Application update by 25 April 2024
• Stage 3: Application received by 05 May 2024 ; Application update by 08 June 2024
• Stage 4: Application received by 01 July 2024 ; Application update by 25 July 2024
While we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.
Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.
Please note, all places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.
How your application is considered
Once your application has been received, our admissions team will contact you. We may ask you to submit additional information, if necessary.
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries.
For these and general requirements including English language see accepted entry qualifications from your country
Deferrals
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again.
Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.
In your new application, you should demonstrate how your application has improved.
We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.
Course details
Course description
MA Education International (TESOL) will provide you with the opportunity to engage in structured study of, and reflection upon, the application of educational theories, ideas and concepts to a range of international educational and community-based contexts.
The course has been designed for teachers and other education professionals working in a range of national and international settings and is ideal if you're looking to develop your career by securing new posts or promotion within the area of TESOL.
You'll work with a truly international cohort of students.
The course offers a unique combination of policy and practice-based perspectives on education and TESOL, and is taught by outstanding, world-leading researchers who focus on the realities of professional practice using the social sciences.
Aims
- Develop participants' critical understanding of educational theories in order to enable an informed analysis of educational systems and practices in different countries.
- Develop participants' capacity to engage in and use research to inform and develop both their practice and their understandings of differences in practice in contrasting systems.
- Raise participants' awareness of the influence of key concepts across international contexts, as well as the particularity of local contexts.
- Develop participants' professional knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to their prior and emerging professional interests.
- Enable participants to gain evaluative and analytical skills that will help them to engage critically with education policies and practices across and within national systems.
Special features
- Education has been a discipline of study at Manchester since 1890.
- Our students come from all over the globe, and our qualifications are recognised across the globe.
Additional course information
Optional units available include:
- International development and education;
- Intercultural Communication and Education;
- Key Issues in English Language and Education;
- Early Years Education;
- Education leadership;
- Examining Educational Policy;
- Digital, Media and Information Literacy;
- Language Learning and Technology;
- Multimedia Design and Development;
- Equality, diversity and inclusion in international education;
- Educating for Sustainability;
- Higher education in international contexts;
- Curriculum Internationalisation;
- Employability in Education;
- School Improvement;
- Approaches and Methods in TESOL;
- Approaches to Teaching and Learning;
- Professional Development for Teachers;
- Intercultural Engagement and Work and in Communities;
- Schools working with children, families and communities;
- Social Justice, Poverty and Place from the Global to the Local.
We have several units that offer practical approaches to teaching and several that include visits or placements in local community organisations or schools.
Some restrictions may apply to optional unit choices to allow as many students as possible.
Teaching and learning
The course is taught by world-leading researchers who focus on the realities of professional practice using the social sciences, including:
- Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (an expert on issues around international student experience);
- Dr Kirstin Kerr (an expert on education and poverty);
- Dr Miguel Lim (an expert on higher education policy and international education, quality and rankings);
- Dr Susie Miles (an expert on inclusive education in international contexts);
- Professor Carlo Raffo (an expert on education and poverty, and educational equity in urban contexts);
- Professor Julian Williams (an expert on mathematics teaching and critical pedagogy);
- Dr Sylvie Lomer (an expert on international student mobility);
- Dr Josef Ploner (an expert on international student migration and cultural industries);
- Dr Zeynep Onat-Stelma (an expert in TESOL);
- Prof Helen Gunter (known internationally for her work on policy and leadership);
- Prof Mel Ainscow (an international expert in inclusive education);
- Dr Steven Courtney (an expert on school restructuring, change and leadership);
- Dr Miriam Firth (an expert on employability);
- Dr Michael O'Donoghue (an expert in teaching and learning in higher education, and use of video);
- Dr Heather Cockayne (an expert in distance learning and international student experience);
- Dr Zhuo Min Huang (an expert in intercultural education and creative education);
- Dr Nahielly Palacios-Gonzalez (an expert in English Language teacher identities);
- Dr Alexander Baratta (an expert in English Language, and English teaching);
- Dr Juup Stelma (an expert in teaching English as a second language);
- Dr Drew Whitworth (an expert in digital media literacies);
- Susan Brown (an expert in distance technology education and multimedia);
- Dr Gary Motteram (an expert in language learning and technology).
This is in addition to a wider team of contributors to the course with varied expertise in multiple aspects of international education.
Course units are delivered through lectures, tutorials, group-work, case-based approaches, and enquiry-based learning. We expect a high level of student participation in discussion and group work.
Comprehensive training is provided in the use of electronic resources.
We encourage both individual and co-operative learning and research and hope to foster an ethos of lifelong learning.
We aim to build on the expertise of our students, many of whom are experienced teachers, and who bring with them a wealth of knowledge and practical experience from a wide range of different countries.
Coursework and assessment
You will study four course units in each semester, four of which are core to all students, one is core to this pathway, and three of which are optional.
The form of assessment varies by course unit; however, most involve a 3,000-word written assessment, which may be in the form of an essay, a critical review of literature, or a research report. Formative and summative feedback is provided.
The dissertation is the report of an empirical or conceptual research project investigation of an aspect of international education, and is 15,000 words in length.
Course content for year 1
- Concepts and Practices in International Education;
- Theories of Teaching and Learning;
- Engaging with Education Research;
- Approaches and Methods in TESOL;
- Research Methods and Design.
In addition to a wide range of optional units, and a research-based dissertation.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Methods II | EDUC60452 | 15 | Mandatory |
Scholarships and bursaries
We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and merit awards to outstanding applicants and international students, such as the Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship .
The Manchester Institute of Education also offers a Master's bursary available to those studying in the department.
The Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.
For more information, visit the Funding opportunities page or explore the University's postgraduate funding database .
Facilities
The course is taught by the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) which has its own Student Hub. Here you'll find all your teaching staff and support staff as well as a place to relax with fellow students.
MIE is based in the University's Ellen Wilkinson building, which is centrally located on the University's Oxford Road campus, close to the Main Library, Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and the Students' Union.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) graduates go on to shape education policy and practice through positions in NGOs and in the public and private sector.
Potential careers include:
- teaching;
- lecturing;
- research;
- teacher education;
- educational administration;
- leadership;
- consultancy;
- publishing;
- testing;
- assessment.
View our careers and employability page for more information.
Careers support
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .
Careers support for international students
The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.
- Working in the UK after study
- Working during study
- Professional and alumni networks for international students
Global networks
The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK.
International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country and provide an opportunity to build professional and social networks.