Education with Psychology MA

Leeds Beckett University

Dive into a critical, contemporary exploration of child and adolescent mental health through the lens of educational psychology. In this module, you'll look beyond difficulties and diagnoses to engage with broader ideas of wellbeing, resilience, and flourishing across different stages of development. You'll examine how mental health is shaped through the interplay of biological, psychological, social, cultural, and digital factors, recognising both the challenges young people face and the strengths they draw upon. Using an intersectional perspective, you'll explore how gender, culture, socioeconomic status, disability, and identity shape young people's experiences, access to support, and opportunities for agency. As you critique dominant discourses of mental health, you'll consider how diagnostic categories, policy frameworks, and educational practices influence how difficulties are understood and responded to. Through research, case studies, and participatory approaches, you'll develop advanced knowledge to evaluate theories, question assumptions, and design evidence-informed practices that promote positive mental health and inclusive learning environments. Adopting a future-focused lens, you'll reflect on how early experiences connect with later life, while emphasising the vital role schools and allied professionals play in nurturing resilience, voice, and wellbeing.

Critically explore the role of psychological school-based interventions in promoting learning, wellbeing, and equity. This module examines how targeted initiatives compare with the everyday practices that shape educational life. You'll investigate the theoretical and empirical perspectives that explain why interventions are developed, how they differ from routine provision, and the extent to which they add value in diverse school contexts. You'll be encouraged to question assumptions about effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability, while examining the ethical, cultural, and contextual implications of intervention work. Through case studies and psychological research, you'll develop the skills to distinguish between change driven by specific programmes and improvements emerging from high-quality everyday practice. By the end of the module, you'll be able to appraise interventions rigorously, assess their impact relative to existing approaches, and propose evidence-informed strategies that strengthen inclusive and meaningful outcomes in schools.

This module introduces some of the key approaches, challenges, and theoretical debates in education. Through exploratory discussions and independent research, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship and interaction between learners, educators, the curriculum, and the learning environment. The knowledge and skills you'll develop will facilitate an in-depth exploration of issues relevant to your personal and professional interests. This will enable you to relate in-class learning to wider professional and social contexts.

Drawing on key sociological and educational theory from the 20th and 21st centuries, this module explores the development of sociological thought in relation to the study of education, inequality, and injustice. You'll gain valuable theoretical insights to support your dissertation, enhance your understanding of professional practice, and prepare you for future academic or career development.

This module provides you with the tools to undertake methodological critiques and to interrogate research findings, with a key focus on the ethics of empirical research. Working within a community of practice, you’ll develop your own lines of enquiry rooted in a critical understanding of current literature and you’ll design and evaluate a research project which will form the basis of your dissertation proposal.

Undertake an extended project in a subject area of interest that relates directly to your professional practice. This module will deepen your independent thinking, broaden your subject knowledge, and strengthen your ability to analyse, apply, and contribute to existing theory. You'll build on the research skills and learning strategies developed in the Research Methods module, supported throughout by expert supervision. The guidance you'll receive will boost your confidence and prepare you to present and defend an academic review of your chosen topic with clarity and conviction.