MA in Education

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With 30 crore children, 15 lakh schools and 70 lakh teachers, India needs trained professionals in education. Explore all our programmes in Education.

We believe that education can and should contribute to human development and well-being. India has one of the largest education systems in the world and the education sector requires capable and competent practitioners who can work towards the improvement of the quality of education. 

Today, there is a dire need for teacher educators, curriculum and textbook developers, school administrators, and researchers and policy implementers, who can help implement the reform initiatives of the National Education Policy (NEP2020.

The Master of Arts in Education (MA Ed) programme at Azim Premji University aims to develop reflective educational practitioners who can reform the education system.

More than 1,000 MA Ed students have graduated so far from the University and are contributing to different areas of Education action and intervention in the country, leading Curriculum Design, Programme Management, Teacher Education, Curricular Material Development and more.

The programme also encourages students to become social entrepreneurs who are capable of innovative thinking and implementing path-breaking solutions. In addition to elective courses on social entrepreneurship, the University has also established a Social Enterprise Cell to assist students with innovative enterprise ideas. More than 30 of our alumni have established their own social enterprises.

Is the Right to Education critical for an inclusive democracy? Is a skilled workforce for a global economy more urgent for us to consider? How do children think and feel in different contexts? What ideas have shaped the learning process over time? What is the complex history of public education in India?

Our flagship programme is designed to address a big gap in the education sector, and to train students to meet the large demands for professionals with skills for problem-solving and innovation. 

Educational practice and work

While there are several teacher education institutions in the country, there are few that provide a view into the full spectrum of the work involved in educational practice, apart from teaching. Our programme is one such.

Training professionals

We believe that there is a need for professionals who can take on a variety of responsibilities, ranging from classroom teaching to policy formulation, to theoretical or conceptual analysis in education. Our programme of study includes theory, research, practice, research, policy and planning in education. Our vision is to cultivate social concern and motivation that can be a basis for action.

Forging connections

Our programme helps you forge connections with the larger context of education in India. You will be exposed to a diversity of educational practices, policies, settings and contexts in India. You will interact with learners, learning communities and school systems.

Association with Azim Premji Foundation

You will benefit from working in close association with Azim Premji Foundation and its work in education with six state governments in India in shaping and implementing policies and programmes at the grassroots.

Find fees, financial aid, and scholarship details here.

For the application process and timelines, please find the details here.

Understand more about our selection process here.

Find more details about the eligibility criteria for Postgraduate programmes here.

FAQs MA Education

We help you understand educational theory 

Several disciplines contribute to the theoretical and conceptual basis of understanding educational issues. Some of these are teaching, curricular material development, curriculum planning, assessment, schools and the schooling system. 

Learn about education practices in the Indian context

You will learn and reflect on diverse learners, communities and systems in the in the Indian context.

We offer a theory and practice continuum

We help you evaluate theories in terms of ground realities and ensure that your practice is informed by an understanding of theory. 

Plan and implement independent educational interventions

You will be able to plan independent interventions in various roles – for example, as a curriculum developer, textbook and resource developer, teacher educator, or researcher. 

We nurture your professional development 

We help you develop the capabilities for self-motivated professional development.

There is a popular perception that the only way to contribute to the education system is by becoming a teacher. While the education system does need teachers, there are so many other aspects that need trained professionals. We encourage you to become social entrepreneurs to implement path-breaking solutions to social problems. 

Almost 100% placement record

There are innumerable work opportunities in the education sector. We have had a successful placement record with many institutions.

Teaching

India needs over five lakh teachers in public schools to fulfil the RTE norms. 

Government teacher education

There are over 50% vacancies in the government teacher education institutions.

NGOs

There are thousands of NGOs working towards primarily education and health in India.

CSRs

Corporate Social Responsibility works extensively through various initiatives in educational sectors. 

Roles

Curriculum designer / School Leader / Teacher Educator / Designer of learning materials / Researcher in education / Programme manager of educational interventions / Policy implementer / Associates working to address issues of access and equity in education.

Explore

Azim Premji Foundation / Educational Initiatives / Eklavya Education Foundation/ Going to School / Humana People to People India / Educate Girls Foundation / Kaivalya Education Foundation / Bodh Siksha Samiti / The Teacher Foundation / Magic Bus Foundation / Mantra 4 Change / Akanksha Foundation / Kotak Education Foundation / Indian School Leadership Institute / Pratham

FAQs

1) Where can I find employment after completing the MA Education programme?

We have a campus placement programme with over 75 organisations participating every year. They include NGOs, philanthropic foundations, CSR departments, research and advocacy organisations, social enterprises, schools, and Governmental institutions.

Most of our students (over 90%) get jobs in organisations working on education reform (NGOs and other organisations) that work on teacher education, curricular material development, and other areas in education. They also work in administrative positions in schools and are even teaching if they have a BEd degree.

Some of them have started their own educational organisations or initiatives. An MA Education degree will provide all these kinds of opportunities.

2) Can I get a job as a teacher in a subject if I do MA Education?

In India, to be a practising schoolteacher one needs a BEd degree. An MA Education degree is not a teacher preparatory programme. MA Education programme qualifies you for a wide variety of roles in the education sector, other than teaching in a school.

Some of our students are associated with schools as Programme Coordinators, Curriculum designers, developing appropriate teaching-learning materials, working as language mentors, etc.

3) Will I be able to develop curriculum, textbooks, support material, or do teacher training if I have a degree in MA Education?

Yes, you should be able to develop good curriculum, textbooks and other practices, if you study in the MA Education programme. 

Many of our Alumni have taken up such roles after their completion of the MA Ed degree. Some of our graduates have also taken the path of social entrepreneurship having established their own social enterprises.

1) Who is a good candidate for the MA Education programme?

A person committed to values of justice and equality in the society, with a keen interest in education is a good candidate for this programme. You could be 

  • someone who has worked in the education sector before, in any capacity, but feels the need to gain more knowledge, skills and capabilities to contribute to it in an informed manner,
  • someone who feels that our education system needs urgent reforms, or
  • anyone with a graduation degree seeking a meaningful and satisfying career 

2) I am a working professional but not working in the Education space. Can I apply for the MA Education programme? 

Professionals with work experience, decision-making ability and programme management skills are required to contribute in a meaningful way to the education sector. This programme will academically prepare you for the complex demands of working in the education sector. We encourage working professionals to apply to our programmes and facilitate a 50% waiver on the tuition fee for candidates with more than 3 years of work experience. (Additional need-based scholarships are also offered based on other financial criteria)

3) I have a BEd/​BElEd degree. Can I pursue an MA in Education?

If you already have a BEd Degree, you can do an MA in Education to expand your knowledge of the education domain. You can strengthen your perspectives on Education, especially from the context of the Indian Education system. You can study a school subject area in depth (please see the question below) and also have exposure to Education Research. 

4) What kind of subject knowledge would be useful to work in this area? 

There is a lot of additional knowledge related to a subject that is required for working in education, which is not covered in an undergraduate degree programme. In order to work in education (teaching, or curriculum development, teacher education, or textbook writing), you will have to learn how subject knowledge can be organised in the school curriculum, how to develop curricular material in that subject, and understand assessment theories related to that subject. 

Apart from this, you need to learn methods of teaching that are specific to particular subjects. The MA Education programme dedicates 4 courses (25% of the total courses) to one subject area of your choice. 

1) What will I study in Azim Premji University’s MA Education programme?

In the MA Education programme, you will study and develop fundamental knowledge, and skills required to perform a wide variety of activities required in the Indian education system, like curriculum development, textbook writing, developing teaching learning material, teacher education programmes, school administration, policy analysis and implementation, and so on.

Apart from this, the programme will also help students participate meaningfully and constructively in the public discourse on education.

2) Will the programme be mainly classroom-based, or do we have fieldwork also?

This MA programme has more fieldwork, than a typical MA programme. In the first three semesters, students are expected to spend a total of 17 weeks engaging in fieldwork. In the first semester, fieldwork will introduce you to various aspects of the Indian education system. In the second semester, students will get the opportunity to closely observe and learn from organisations that work in educational intervention (for example, teacher training, curriculum development).

A major part of the third semester will be spent in a direct, first-hand experience of teaching, supporting and contributing to teachers’ work and their professional development, and doing a research project in a subject area of your choice.

Apart from the above, MA Ed students will also have weekly practicum as part of which they will spend a day in school connecting their course learnings with the educational practice.

3) How will the extensive fieldwork prepare me to work in the education sector?

It is important to learn about things” and learn to do things”. In a classroom, we learn theories, and concepts that are important to understand our education system. But to be an educational practitioner, we also need to learn to do things” for which direct experience is essential. Fieldwork will address two things related to direct experience:

  • Learning to apply concepts and theories that we learn in the classroom. (For example, doing a research project, planning a lesson and teaching a class to understand how the theories can be applied in a classroom, planning, developing and contributing to teacher education workshops, etc.).
  • Some abilities can only be developed by doing things in a real scenario. (For example, how to respond to questions that children ask, how to implement innovative ideas in a school, develop daily routines, how to engage in a dialogue with a teacher who disagrees with you, how does one develop and use a questionnaire for a research project, observe and understand how a community-school interaction happens, etc.).

4) What is the difference between MA Education and MEd programme?

An MEd programme is primarily meant for teacher education. The MEd curriculum helps you become a trained teacher educator and teach BEd students. (To enrol for an MEd programme, you should have an undergraduate degree in BEd) whereas an MA Education Programme prepares you both to think about education constructively, and to participate in a wide range of roles in education, including teacher education apart from BEd, curriculum development, teaching-Learning Material (TLM) development, etc.

You can enrol for an MA Education irrespective of your undergraduate qualification. You can be a Science, Arts, Commerce, Management graduate or someone with a professional degree who is looking for a career in the education sector and be deeply concerned about issues in school education.

5) Which subject areas are offered in the MA Education programme?

Students can make a choice of one of the five subject areas offered:

  1. Mathematics
  2. Science
  3. Social Studies
  4. Language
  5. Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Students will go through four courses in the chosen subject area:

  1. Nature of the subject
  2. Organisation of curriculum
  3. Material development
  4. Teaching-learning and assessment

6) Can I decide which subject I want to study in the MA Education programme? (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Language or Early Childhood Education)

Yes, it is your choice to take the subject you want. You have to make this choice when you apply for the programme. The admission tests/​interviews will include one test on these 5 subject areas. You can write admission tests in more than one subject. Depending on the results, you can decide which subject to take up.

7) Do I have to be an expert in that subject?

You do not have to be an expert on the subject, but you should be interested in the subject and have good knowledge of the subject at least up to class 10. The admission assessment will evaluate the minimum knowledge required in the subject.

Know more about the Bengaluru campus here.

Know more about Azim Premji University at Bhopal here.

Listen to our students of MA Education programme here.

MA Education Field Practice

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Course structure

Our broad-based programme includes theory, practice, research, policy and planning in the field of education. We help you make connections with the larger context of education in India in a programme that is informed by the principles and practices of Education Studies today. 

Our course structure includes a strong foundation for research including a wide range of electives to choose from. You will have a strong field component in which you can practice what you study in the classroom, and the flexibility of choosing your focus areas in your second year. 

You will learn and understand educational theory to address a range of issues across teaching, curricular material development, curriculum planning, assessment, schools and the education system as a whole.

We ensure that you are able to evaluate and critically probe theories while using them for practice. We encourage you to develop capabilities to plan independent educational interventions in various roles.

The teacher, the content and the learner are central to the practice of education. With these three actors at the core of our thinking, we ask: What is education? Why is there a need for it? How do we determine if learning objectives and educational aims are being attained? 

Answering these questions involves looking at socio-political assumptions, philosophical assumptions, and psychological aspects of education. It includes a study of the concepts of justice and equality, and ideas of human nature and knowledge. It involves a close understanding a child’s mind and development in language and emotions. 

We contextualise these enquiries within history to ensure that you are able to develop a strong analytical and theoretical basis for educational judgement. These core courses will introduce you to key issues in educational thought, critique and practice. 

An elective in a focus area allows you to pursue an extended exploration in a subdomain of educational theory and practice, which will include a field internship in a related topic. 

You can select courses from a broad area of theoretical, practical or procedural knowledge in particular fields of education and supplement your understanding developed through the core courses. The electives form an interplay between school curricular knowledge, subject knowledge and pedagogy. 

You are required to choose four compulsory electives, from one among the school subject areas below

Social Science Education

You will explore the main features of history, geography, political science and economics. You will discuss and debate what to teach in school in the classroom in these subjects and how to teach them, and we focus on seeing social studies in an integrated manner. The key part of these courses is to establish connections between the nature of knowledge, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.

Science Education

Scientific endeavours are full of a sense of wonder, curiosity, explorations beyond the obvious. But school science has been fraught with struggles to teach children and engage them through meaningful pedagogic practices. These courses are for an understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge and practices, the issues and ideas concerning the learning and teaching of science, and the study of the conceptual and practical demands of good science teaching. This will help you conceptualise pedagogic practices and learn how to plan to teach at school by developing curricular materials.

Mathematics Education

Mathematics is an abstract discipline with its particular ways of knowledge construction, definitive procedures, rules and symbols. These courses will help you understand the history and nature of the subject, its content, and curriculum and pedagogy in relation to elementary grade mathematics.

Language Education

You will understand pedagogic approaches and perspectives to support language learning in Indian classrooms, by developing a sensitivity to the varied cultural and linguistic contexts in which children grow up.

Early Childhood Education

You will learn about the appropriate experiences and practices necessary for young children that foster overall development. You will understand how to work with the age group of 3 – 8 years, mainly the preschool and early primary years of schooling.

You can also choose to conduct an independent study in which you work with a faculty mentor to draw up a plan of study that is theoretical or field based. You will have to create a rigorous proposal and produce a scholarly article, a teaching learning material, a research report or project proposal.

This is an indicative elective list. 

We believe that spending time in the field will help you develop a deeper understanding of the theoretical and conceptual ideas that you encounter in the course of your study.

We ensure that you are able to engage with a variety of field settings in the Indian educational context. We think this will help you address and understand dimensions of educational realities and tasks. You will be able to understand educational contexts and organisations, including work culture and ethics, and subject area knowledge. 

Weekly practicums

You will have weekly practicums that relate to course work that will help you hone your communication and negotiation skills as well as conceptualise and plan some educational practice. You will visit public and private schools, preschools and anganwadis or NGOs that work with children. 

Field practice

You will also have longer, sustained field engagements of two to three weeks in the first and second semesters. You will visit schools and NGOs to understand different aspects of the government education system. You will interact with teachers and children in the classroom setting and in teacher professional development centres in field offices of the Azim Premji Foundation.

In the third semester, you will participate in a 12 week field internship at Azim Premji Foundation field institutes, experiencing and understanding different aspects of school education. During this time, you will engage in field research.

Why did Esperanto emerge as a language? What goes into the making of a documentary film? And have you ever wondered whether bamboo is a grass, food, or a tool for furniture? 

Learn the history and evolution of cinema as art forms, watch film noir, or appreciate the music of Indian films. Walk through the city to experience it with a new lens or understand the built world around us in a class on architecture for non-architects to. Talk about Indian classical dance in dialogue with a dancer. What wrought Carnatic music into the form it exists in today? Listen to music, read science fiction, star gaze, write poetry, or explore the city in which you live.

In our open courses, you can explore one or two courses outside of your main progamme. You will work with visiting faculty who are artists, writers and experts in the field spanning literature, the fine arts, cinema, science, and history. 

We offer creative courses for you to choose from every semester. Courses are updated each year. 

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