Course summary

The MA in STEM Education welcomes students seeking the knowledge and skills to drive educational change in response to our increasingly technological and science-rich world. The MA in STEM will provide a national, international and practically-oriented understanding of the ways in which core debates across formal and informal STEM education can shape responses to pressing social and environmental questions. National and international interest in encouraging STEM subject uptake and career pathways has increased over the last decade, driven by concerns about the shortfalls in filling technical and professional roles across a range of engineering, science and technology related sectors. These concerns are further amplified when we consider the skills likely to be needed by future generations in an increasingly technological society and to address the challenges of environmental sustainability. Whilst urgent, the response required is complex, necessitating an understanding of international education systems, the separate STEM subjects, including their shared elements and processes as well as their distinctive features, policy directives, new pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning, computational thinking and the variety of STEM-related contexts. Key benefits

• Engage in contemporary empirical and practical debates concerning STEM-related education leading to the development of skills to critically analyse and develop educational practice.

• Gain academic skills and practical knowledge of research methodologies, and learn to apply historical, social, political and philosophical perspectives to social questions.

• Work with academics who are world-leading in their fields and committed to high quality research-led education. As well as having an extensive history of STEM related education research, the experience of the course team extends beyond academia to include work with professional societies, subject associations and a variety of informal learning institutions.

• Gain unique insights into STEM-education organisations through optional internships. Our links with organisations and institutions across London will provide you with an array of opportunities for learning and forging new relationships.

• Study in a friendly, vibrant and supportive School, located by the Thames in the heart of central London.