The MA Education (Early Childhood Studies) course aims to produce graduates who possess a sophisticated knowledge and understanding of early childhood relevant to their future careers and further learning. You develop your academic and professional skills and knowledge appropriate to an area of educational interest, so you can continue your professional, educational and/or personal development by consolidating, enhancing and extending your disciplinary expertise, experience and abilities. You also develop a range of advanced research skills appropriate to postgraduate study and professional practice that will enable you to critically evaluate existing work and design research to further knowledge within education The learning and teaching strategy of the course is designed to encourage an individualised and progressive acquisition of knowledge and skills required for postgraduate study. Learning is scaffolded by moving from study methods that have a greater degree of support and guidance gradually towards more independence and self-direction. From the start of the course you are supported to choose an area of education that is relevant to your own current or future professional practice which can form the focus of your learning. You explore literature in your chosen topic, focus on education policies and practices and consider what education means to you. You reflect on your own position in current or potential future practice and consider how your own professional development can be enhanced, then develop a substantial research project to explore it further through your dissertation.