Progress your career as a PE teacher or sports educator into a leadership position with a postgraduate degree in Physical Education.

• Advance your professional skills and expertise as a practitioner researcher.
• Apply your learning to practical situations within your own schools, using your knowledge to drive effective change in Physical Education.
• Study this degree in person at St Mary's University or through the blended or online options.
• Access to excellent tutorial and supervisory support.

Why study Education: Physical Education?

This programme is ideal for you regardless of whether you're a specialist or non-specialist PE teacher, a current or aspiring leader and no matter the phase of education you work in. We've built this Physical Education degree to meet the professional development needs of PE teachers and sports educators at all career stages.

Throughout the programme you're encouraged to reflect critically on your teaching experiences. You'll develop knowledge that will allow you to link academic theory to your teaching practice.

A small-scale practitioner research enquiry will give you the opportunity to explore a specific area related to your role. This research should lead you developing to evidence-informed innovation in Physical Education.

Why St Mary's?

Education: Physical Education builds on our long tradition of sporting excellence and our foundations in teacher education. The degree's success is owed to the flexible learning methods and quality of teaching offered.

You'll learn from - and work with - a team of lecturers with experience in teaching, management and leadership, research and consultancy.

We provide a flexible approach to studying this professional Master’s degree. We teach programme on-site at the University and as a distance learning programme. This means you can attend the monthly Saturday Schools either at St Mary’s or via video conferencing.

You'll take what you learn from the degree and apply it to your own to context. This will allow you to drive effective change, whilst engaging in critical debates into contemporary educational issues.

As well as access to excellent online learning resources, you'll also have use of a dedicated library for Education students. The Naylor Library has a range of study spaces, open access IT facilities and a café.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods include a combination of lectures, group seminars, workshops and individual tutorials.

Modules are taught either at St Mary’s through intensive Saturday Schools (approximately monthly) or study days in school holidays or fortnightly twilight sessions.

Assessment methods

Learning is assessed through a variety of methods:

• Reflective journals
• Research proposals
• Essays
• Case studies
• Portfolios
• Seminar and conference presentations.

Career opportunities

This Master's programme supports your long-term career development. This is evident from the high proportion of MA Education graduates who achieve internal or external promotion to middle and senior leadership positions within Physical Education or an educational establishment within one year of completing the programme

Graduates of this programme are well placed to pursue doctoral studies on either a Professional Doctorate (Doctor of Education) or a PhD.