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Postgraduate Taught

MA Special Educational Needs

Please note: The below is for 2026 entry. Click here for 2025 entry.
UCAS code 1234
Duration 1 year full time
Entry year September 2025
Campus St Luke's Campus
Discipline Education and Teacher Training
Contact

Programme Director Dr Simon Hayhoe
Web: Enquire online
Phone:
+44 (0)1392 723192

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

Normally a 2:2 Honours degree – other qualifications and experience may be accepted

Contextual offers

Overview

  • You’ll study a range of topics such as critical perspectives on inclusion and disability, creativity in education and education policy
  • We’ll encourage you to reflect critically on your own practice and investigate educational issues that interest you
  • Our Education Studies module will provide you with a thorough grounding in education research, theory and practice
Apply for Sept 2025 entry

Apply online

View 2025 Entry

Fast track (current Exeter students including PGCE students)

Open days and visiting us

Get a prospectus

Contact

Programme Director: Dr Simon Hayhoe

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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Top 150 in the world for Education

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Research icon: a mortarboard and a cog

100% of our Education research has internationally excellent impact

Based on research impact rated 4* + 3* in REF 2021

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Home to one of the largest Education libraries in the UK

Top 150 icon

Top 150 for Education in the Shanghai Rankings of Academic Subjects 2024

Trophy icon

Top 150 in the world for Education

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Research icon: a mortarboard and a cog

100% of our Education research has internationally excellent impact

Based on research impact rated 4* + 3* in REF 2021

Book icon

Home to one of the largest Education libraries in the UK

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a minimum 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above in a relevant subject area such as social sciences*, humanities or education.

While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant teaching experience, we would welcome your application

*Accepted social science subjects include:

  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Area and Development Studies
  • Criminology
  • Demography
  • Development Studies
  • Economics
  • Economic and Social History
  • Education
  • Environmental Planning
  • Human Geography
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management and Business Studies
  • Media and Communication Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Politics and International Studies
  • Psychology
  • Science and Technology Studies
  • Social Policy
  • Social Statistics, Methods, and Computing
  • Social Work
  • Socio Legal Studies
  • Sociology

We welcome applications from students who hold qualifications and degrees that are not in education. These may include degrees and qualifications undertaken in the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, arts or business studies. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and every application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We would encourage applicants to use their personal statement to indicate their interests in education and any relevant work experience.

Please note, that for the optional module Special Educational Needs: Teaching and Learning and, in some circumstances, research projects as part of a dissertation, students will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

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Entry requirements for international students

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

Our MA in Special Educational Needs (SEN) enables students to develop an excellent understanding of special educational needs and disability 'policy practice and provision' in the UK. At the same time, students are given opportunities to consider key concepts pertaining to special educational needs and inclusive education in international and country specific contexts. Students can often focus on an area of choice, such as deaf education, dyslexia, inclusion. The dissertation in particular enables students to focus in-depth and research, usually through gathering and analysis of empirical data, an area of their own interest.

There is the option to choose a module 'Reflecting on Educational Practices' as your optional module, thereby gaining skills which can be helpful in finding employment following the course. This module strongly supports you in connecting theory and practice. We also host a number of visiting speakers, including people who work with children with SEN in schools or other educational settings.

You must take 180 credits in total to qualify with an MA qualification. This will either consist of taught modules to the value of 120 credits and a dissertation worth 60 credits, or a combination of modules, dissertation and accredited prior learning or experience.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

150 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules

Compulsory modules

A - Students must take either EFPM308 Preparing for Educational Research and Dissertation OR EFPM331 Preparing for Education Inquiry Portfolio

CodeModule Credits
EFPM914 Education Studies 30
EFPM270 SEN: Teaching and Learning 30
EFPM919 Critical Perspectives on Inclusive Education 30
EFPM200 SoE Success for All 0
EFPM308 Preparing for Educational Research and Dissertation [See note A above]60
EFPM331 Preparing for Educational Inquiry Portfolio [See note A above]60

Optional modules

Students choose one of the following modules

CodeModule Credits
Education PGT Shared Options 24.25
EFPM907 Creativity in Education: Valuing, Facilitating and Assessing It 30
EFPM918 Reflecting on Educational Practices 30
EFPM839 Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures 30
EFPM294 Technology and Education Futures 30
EFPM913 Debating the Big Questions in Education 30
EFPM375 Education for diversity 30

Fees

2025/26 entry

UK fees per year:

£10,700 full-time

International fees per year:

£25,300 full-time

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.

For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Teaching and research

Teaching and learning

Learning methods vary across our wide range of modules and may include:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Personal tutorials
  • Research supervision

Our Education Studies module provides a grounding in education research, theory and practice. Every other week students participate in activity sessions such as:

  • A discussion and practical activity with a range of psychology practitioners
  • Designing your own materials which might help to address racial inequalities in school
  • Working with an expert in young people's relationships education
  • Short series of pedagogy-focused sessions for students who want to work with young people in educational settings in the future

Facilities and support

You'll be assigned a personal tutor and have access to module tutors via face-to-face and/or email or online tutorials. You'll also have access to a range of support including lecture notes, presentations, film clips and reading materials through our online learning environment.

Campus-based modules are taught at the School of Education at the St Luke's Campus in Exeter, which offers an excellent range of specialist facilities and one of the UK's largest Education libraries.

Research-led teaching

You will join a vibrant postgraduate community at the School of Education, studying with some of the leading scholars in their disciplines.

You will benefit from our active research culture, which promotes the sharing of ideas and knowledge to encourage innovation. Our research centres provide a focus for research and discussion for academic staff, researchers and practitioners, and organise seminar series, visiting speakers, conferences and other events.

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Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures

You are invited to consider taking Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures as an optional module in your course. It's available in two formats: 15 credits (EFPM838) or 30 credits (EFPM839).

Our Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures module will give you the competitive career advantage of understanding how to bring your disciplinary knowledge into active dialogue with students and staff from other disciplines in order to tackle global sustainability challenges. 

This module is taught by staff from across the University of Exeter and is grounded in the University's School of Education research, which shows that the best way to tackle complex real-world challenges is to creatively collaborate across disciplines and with stakeholders.

The challenges will come from external University strategic partners, ensuring issues are current, cutting edge and relevant, whilst supporting employability. The module aims to teach you how to collaboratively, and critically, produce original ideas, and think innovatively about the future through research-based activities, fieldwork and creative workshops that blend the arts, sciences, social sciences, humanities and business. 

Using appropriately innovative assessment techniques, the module will equip you to respond to the global complexity and uncertainty that you will inevitably encounter when you graduate. You will be taught using pedagogical innovations, working in transdisciplinary teams with facilitation through cutting edge Creative Pedagogies and Design Thinking. 

This module is particularly appropriate for international students seeking insight into UK business, creative industries and cultural contexts and employment possibilities. 

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Careers

The flexibility of this programme means it is ideal for students from a range of subject, professional and career backgrounds including teachers, lecturers, administrators, education advisors, or other related professions. This degree also offers excellent progression – visit our EdD pages for more information about undertaking a Professional Doctorate.

Students considering an academic career and progression to PhD are advised to undertake the MSc Educational Research.

Graduate destinations

The University has an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and our students compete very successfully in the employment market. Our graduates have gone on to a range of careers in the UK and overseas with examples given below.

Please note that, due to data protection, the job titles and organisations listed below are independent and do not correspond.

Job Titles

  • Teacher
  • Subject Specialist Teacher (including music, arts, drama)
  • Special Needs Teacher
  • Head of Department
  • Arts Manager
  • Educational Therapist
  • Education Officer
  • Dyslexia Assessor
  • Headteacher/Principal
  • Education Consultant
  • Dean, Faculty of Arts
  • Lecturer

Employers

  • Ofsted
  • Devon Education Authority
  • Jersey States Education Department
  • Plymouth City Council
  • FEA Training and Development Centre
  • Camden LEA
  • Exeter College
  • Hong Kong SAR Government
  • Danish National School of Contemporary Dance
  • Ministry of Education, Cyprus
  • Saltash Community School
  • University of Reading

Career support

Careers support including skills training, internships, jobs vacancies, employment fairs and other events is available through the Career Zone.

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Top 150 icon

Top 150 for Education in the Shanghai Rankings of Academic Subjects 2024