Psychology and Education (MA) (2022 Entry)
This is a research led course that sits at the crossroads of psychology and education. It offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective on important issues regarding child developmental and educational outcomes; notions of difference and disability; the role of early intervention in maximising children’s life chances; and what we mean by evidence based practice in the field of education.
The modules of this course are carefully chosen to help you to develop the intellectual and critical tools required to tackle some of these issues. If your outlook is wider than one academic discipline and you have the passion to explore and understand problems from a variety of perspectives, then you are ideally placed to benefit from our style of teaching and learning.
Our flexible modules offer you a wide range of teaching and learning experiences and the capacity to examine in depth topics about individual differences (e.g., emotions, personality and intelligence) and the role they play in children’s learning; how contextual factors such as poverty, social class and parenting, work together to shape children’s developmental outcomes; and how SEN and Disability policy translates into practice in schools.
Seminars and debates are at the heart of the way in which these issues are examined, so there will be a number of opportunities to work with your peers, collaborating, debating, and researching practical solutions. Your interdisciplinary skill set will be developed throughout this course, enabling you to pursue a diverse array of career pathways, including those directly relating to SEN and Disability and psychology in practice.
Skills from this degree
- Capacity for advancing evidence-based arguments and drawing conclusions that are supported by in depth data at a dissertation level
- Confidence in engaging in academic debates on the intersections between Psychology and Education
- Intellectual thoroughness required to review diverse bodies of research and analyse their findings
- Understand current theoretical and policy issues with regard to special educational needs and disability
- Undertake a research project that involves theoretical and methodological understandings. Create a well-defined topic with a view to advancing evidence-based arguments. Drawing implications for policy and practice.
- Reflect on your own potential as a learner
2:ii undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.
English Language requirements header
- Band B
- IELTS score to 7 overall, two at 6.0/6.5 & rest 7.0+
International requirements header
Additional requirements header
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Research Methods in Psychology and Education
This module will run through the Autumn and Spring terms. The aim of this module is to provide students with a foundation training in research methods in psychology and education. It is designed to meet the needs of home and international students who seek to enhance their learning experience with research methods. The module has two main ambitions. The first is concerned with enabling students to engage in understanding, designing and implementing research projects (i.e., dissertation). The second is concerned with equipping students with basic skills in a range of established research strategies and techniques. This is intended to enable students to frame and refine research questions, to design a research appropriate to their own research interests.
Special Educational Needs and Evidence-Based Practices
The module examines current policy and practice around special educational needs along with research around the academic and behavioural profiles of children with different types of need (e.g., autism, intellectual disability). In parallel, the module focuses on evidenced based approaches: i.e., approaches to intervention that have been shown effective for improving children’s outcomes. We review evidence-based interventions, but we also learn and practise behavioural skills (e.g., what is reinforcement and when to use it) as these are core components of effective methods for addressing the needs of students, including students with special educational needs.
Early Intervention
This module will provide an overview of early intervention as a means of improving the life chances of children, with particular reference to addressing the adverse effect of social disadvantage and special educational needs and disabilities, especially autism or intellectual disability.
Dissertation MA Psychology and Education
The dissertation is an opportunity to explore, in depth, an area of academic and/or professional interest related to your degree. Building on the knowledge and skills developed during the Research Methods module, and your other modules, you will conduct an independent research project, developing a deeper understanding of your chosen topic. From your research project, you will produce a dissertation, with guidance from a supervisor who will be allocated to you. Through the dissertation, you will demonstrate the ability to analyse and synthesise relevant literature, produce coherent arguments supported by relevant evidence and logical discussion, and acknowledge sources of ideas and information.
Optional modules
This programme has a number of optional modules to choose from. Our optional module lists are subject to change each year to keep the student learning experience current and up-to-date.
Find the most up-to-date optional module list on the Education Studies website.
Depending on which term modules run, you will attend one or two 3-hour seminars each week during the Autumn and Spring Terms of modules plus research methods training lectures and seminars throughout all three terms.
If you are a part-time student, the number of modules you take each term will depend on the length of your course. You will have one optional module to select in total. Depending on the module you select, sessions consist of presentations, group discussions, case studies and self-study. Seminar group numbers vary depending on the modules that are selected.
Assessment header
Assessment types vary depending on modules selected but may be a mixture of assignments and oral presentations. You will also complete a dissertation based on an individual research project, with support from a member of academic staff.
Additional course costs
You may wish to undertake some research with children or young people that may require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or a Certificate of Good Conduct for students from outside of the UK. A DBS check costs around £70 and a Certificate of Good Conduct can vary in price.
Find out more about our additional course costs.
Reading lists
Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.
Your timetable
Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.