Why I chose to study a master's in Education at Leeds Beckett

Whether you want to continue your education, gain new skills, or develop your professional practice, there are so many reasons to study for a master's degree. For me, I knew that a master’s degree was something I wanted to pursue after completing my undergraduate degree in BA (Hons) Education Studies. As I wanted to continue building my knowledge in my field of interest and improve my professional skills. In this blog I will be writing about why exactly I chose to study a master’s in Education at Leeds Beckett and how doing so has directly boosted my employability. 

PURSUING MY PASSION

I’m really passionate about studying education, and decided to pursue postgraduate study so I could strengthen and develop my knowledge of current research, policy and practice in education. During my undergraduate degree I learnt about the barriers faced in accessing meaningful education and how these barriers are only growing. While my undergraduate degree gave me excellent foundations in the study of Education, I felt a strong desire to find out even more about the barriers some people experience and learn exactly how I could implement beneficial practices into my future professional life. What I love about my MA course is that through the optional modules and independent study, it gives me the opportunity to learn about educational barriers in relation to Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND). Which is something I’m particularly interested in because of my own personal experiences, as I have struggled with my own educational journey due to my learning difficulties. 

Why Leeds Beckett

When deciding which university to study at, I was specifically looking at what the individual modules would teach me, how I would be assessed, and how the teaching would prepare me for my professional career and boost my employability. I was also looking for a course that allowed me to study part-time.

Since beginning the course, I have found the modules have helped prepare me well for these settings, in particular my Inclusive Pedagogy module gave me excellent practical knowledge which I have started to incorporate into my own practice. On top of this, I’m really enjoying learning about SEND and the connected barriers involved here, and my awareness of this area has grown significantly since beginning my master’s. 

Finding out more at an Open Day

Having completed my research into different courses and universities, I decided to attend a Leeds Beckett Open Day, so I could speak to the lecturers in person and discuss the course with them before I made my decision on whether to apply. I was able to ask so many questions, including checking how exactly the course was assessed and how the teaching was structured. From these conversations, I got a feel of the strong, supportive environment the academic staff have built. It was also very useful to get a better understanding of how part-time study is structured, so I could be confident that this method of study was right for me. 

What I think is great about postgraduate Open Days is that they don't just cover information about your course, they also include talks that explain postgraduate finances and funding options, as well as this there are stands on various topics which are manned by helpful staff and students. On the day, I was able to attend several talks, including one which taught me how Student Finance can support your course fees and living costs with a loan. I also visited the Student Support stand as I wanted to establish what support is available for postgraduate students with disabilities.

Excellent Support

I came away from the Open Day confident that I wanted to apply for the MA Education course, and I’m so glad that I did. I’ve just started my second year of the course and so far the support I’ve received has been amazing. While I was very excited to start my master’s, knowing that I was moving on to a higher level of study made me a little nervous. However, I had no reason to worry because the lecturers have all been so supportive and have helped me every step of the way, motivating me to keep going and always inspiring me. Studying this master’s is a fantastic opportunity, I’m really enjoying being able to explore an area of education that I am incredibly passionate about, and I’m also happy that when I graduate I’ll have boosted my employability.