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Get a Degree in the Field of Education With an Advanced Combination of Theory and Practice!
Get a degree in the field of education with an advanced combination of theory and practice! The Master's Degree Programme in Education and Learning trains you for various national and international tasks in the field of education.
The Education and Learning programme aims to train experts in the areas of research on learning and sociology of education. It does so by addressing education both from micro and macro-level perspectives throughout the basic studies, the electives and the topic of their master thesis, but also by taking 21st-century skills (as defined in international policy documents) in the areas of learning skills (e.g. critical thinking problem solving, metacognition life-long learning), life skills (e.g. communication, collaboration cultural awareness, and networking) and literacy skills (information, ICT and mathematical & scientific literacy), as a reference in organizing the contents of the curriculum. This degree does not constitute a formal teaching qualification.
Throughout the studies, a strong emphasis is placed on students’ research skills. The applicants also have the possibility to apply for a double degree option called the Finnish-German Master Programme in Education, where a part of the degree studies is completed at the University of Regensburg, Germany.
Academic Excellence & Experience
The Master’s degree in Education and Learning is a two-year programme that trains experts and researchers for various national and international tasks in the field of education.
The EdLearn programme aims to train experts in the areas of research on learning and sociology of education. It does so by addressing education both from micro and macro-level perspectives throughout the basic studies, the electives and the topic of their master thesis, but also by taking 21st-century skills (as defined in international policy documents) in the areas of learning skills (e.g. critical thinking problem solving, metacognition life-long learning), life skills (e.g. communication, collaboration cultural awareness, and networking) and literacy skills (information, ICT and mathematical & scientific literacy), as a reference in organising the contents of the curriculum.
These skills are addressed throughout the curriculum through content, study arrangements and in the master thesis project. At the same time, the master thesis is also considered an important area of specialisation during the studies in the programme.
Preferred research areas for a Master’s thesis in the programme are divided into two main research areas that align with the departments in the Faculty of Education:
research related to learning and instruction, and
research related to educational policy and sociology of education.
In the first area, theses can be done for instance within the frame of research themes like Teaching and teacher education, Scientific and mathematical thinking in the digitalised world, Multiculturalism, equity, and societal change; Well-being, participation, and avoidance of marginalisation, Expertise and higher education, and Early childhood education.
In the second area, these can be done for instance within the frame of research themes like comparative research on education systems and education policies; young people’s educational transitions and trajectories; educational inclusion, equity and justice, and research on higher education, lifelong learning and working life.
In either area, quantitative, qualitative and mixed and/or multi-method approaches of data collection and critical analysis are employed, often within comparative designs.
Master's Thesis & Topics
Students complete a Master’s thesis as part of the advanced studies in the field of educational science. A Master’s thesis should demonstrate the students':
Ability for scientific thinking.
Mastery of the required research methods.
Familiarity with the topic of the thesis.
Ability to communicate in a scientific context.
There are two key research areas for the Master’s theses in the Programme: 1) research on learning and instruction, and 2) research on educational policy and sociology of education.
Examples of thesis topics:
Attendance Policy Moderates the Influence of Achievement Goals and Transfer of Training.
Analysis of educational transfer and policy changes after PISA in Japan and Finland.
Achievement goals, learning strategies and exam performance in English learning: a study among undergraduate EFL learners in China.
Children with hearing problems in elementary school environments in Pakistan and in Finland.
Developmental trajectories towards the concept of rational numbers: a latent transition analysis of third to sixth-grade students.
Extracurricular language activities in higher education: perspectives of teachers and students.
Double Degree Possibility
The applicants can choose an option that leads to two Master’s degrees. This double degree option is called the Finnish-German Master Programme in Education and it leads to the following degrees: Master of Arts in Education from the University of Turku, and Master of Arts Erziehungswissenschaft (Educational Science) from the University of Regensburg, Germany. The studies take two years to complete (120 ECTS credits).
A student who has been admitted to the double degree option studies the 2nd semester at the University of Regensburg, Institute of Education.
The number of students admitted to the Education and Learning programme is 20 at the most: a maximum of 20 students to the single degree option and, among the 20 best scoring applicants, a maximum of 5 students will be admitted to the double degree option.
