Choose your course

These flexible courses allow you to choose the path that best suits your ambitions. You can:

achieve either an MSc, PGDip or PGCert qualification
study 'on campus' in St Andrews or online
start in September or January

MSc, PGDip or PGCert

You can enrol for one of three different types of qualifications:

Master of Science (MSc)

A one-year full-time taught course. The MSc requires you to take eight modules and complete a 15,000-word dissertation.

Course dates: September 2024 to September 2025

Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)

A nine-month full-time taught course. The PGDip requires you to take eight modules over two semesters. Those on the PGDip do not undertake a dissertation.

Course dates: September 2024 to June 2025

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)

A flexible course that can be taken full time over one semester or part time over one to two years (subject to visa requirements). The PGCert requires you to take four modules of your choosing. Those on the PGCert do not undertake a dissertation.

Course start date: September 2024

Students with Home fee status may study any of these qualifications part-time depending on their individual circumstances.

In person or online

These programmes are delivered both in person at St Andrews and online. If you are interested in studying entirely online, see:

September or January

There are two different start dates you can choose from. This page has information for September entry. If you are interested in starting in January, see:

Find out more about our International Education courses.

Video transcript

The PGT programmes we offer for international education are designed for students who are interested in international education.

They're perhaps aiming at something beyond being a classroom teacher as their career.

So perhaps it's somebody who's already a teacher and wants to move more into management or administration or policy, or somebody who's already working in those areas should feel that they need more theoretical academic background and more practice to enhance their career opportunities.

So all our courses are offered either online distance learning or in person here in St Andrews.

If you study in St Andrews, you have five contact hours per module, per week, plus office hours.

You're living usually in St Andrews or sometimes in towns around St Andrews.

You have access to the physical library, to student services, to the sports center.

You're a full-time student in St Andrews, mixing with other students and having a head of a full student experience.

I'd say, because I've been on campus for a long time, I talk with a lot of students, and our major is preaching to you, but I think it's a really good balance and combination between teaching students, the pedagogy, and then we learn a bit more about management.

So it's kind of two things together.

Our distance learning students are not, as the label suggests, they're not in St Andrews.

They are almost entirely working, usually full-time all around the world.

So we have students from the West Coast of Canada to Japan and from South Africa upwards.

So we run from 20 distance learners all over the world.

They have no face-to-face teaching.

Everything they get is a bespoke, pre-recorded video which is uploaded on the universities.

Yeah, so the course has been fantastic because I have really been able to do all of my work at home and not take a leave of absence or a sabbatical from work.

So I've been able to use the materials and work on my schedule, which has been perfect for me.

I do a lot of travel for my job, and it was absolutely essential when I was looking for a program that it combined all of the elements of a really rigorous course along with flexibility to work on my timeline, and it's been fantastic for that, and everybody has been super supportive of everything.

This is my second master's, so my first one was in educational leadership, and I was really looking for something that spent more time and energy and more of the curriculum on international education and on that piece.

And the entire program really centers around the idea of international education and themes that are relevant policies that are relevant to things that are happening right now.

So I think that increasingly in the world of international education, to succeed professionally, it's necessary to have a master's degree.

If you don't have a master's degree, a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate is also beneficial.

Having these postgraduate level qualifications enhances your career opportunities.

It broadens the range of jobs that you can apply for and the range of countries that you'll be able to work in.

It shows to a future employer that you are educated to that level.

Entry requirements

Typically, you should have one of the following:

A 2.1 Honours degree or 3.3/4.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) in any discipline. Applications are welcomed from all education systems. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
Significant professional or other relevant experience alongside evidence of prior alternative learning (such as professional qualifications or certifications).

For more information about our academic entrance requirements in relation to the education system you studied in, email iepostgrad@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Recognition of prior learning

Some students may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on their previous studies, such as DELTA. The International Education Institute considers applications for RPL on a case-by-case basis in line with the University's recognition of prior learning policy. To confirm the exact amount of credit you could be awarded, email your relevant transcript to rplearning@st-andrews.ac.uk.

English language requirements

You will need to be proficient in the English language. Information about English language entry requirements for these programmes is available on the postgraduate English language requirements page.

Applicants who have not met the English language entry requirements at the point of application may be made offers that are conditional on these requirements being met before enrolment. Offer-holders may then use the University’s Academic English pre-sessional courses to meet the English language requirements.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application deadline

Thursday 8 August 2024. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.

Application requirements

CV that includes your personal details with a history of your education and employment (paid or voluntary) to date
personal statement
one original signed reference (this may be professional or academic)
academic transcripts and degree certificates
evidence of English language proficiency (required if English is not your first language). If you have not yet taken an English language test, you can submit it at a later date. Any offer of a place would then be conditional on attaining evidence of your English language competence.

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

Course details

International Education programmes are run by the International Education Institute.

Highlights

In addition to the five compulsory modules, choose three optional modules and a dissertation topic to explore your interests.
Modules are taught by an interdisciplinary team from different parts of the University.
Study modules in the applied management and organisational behaviour aspects of leading an organisation, as well as modules related to teaching and learning.
Discuss theoretical concepts and frameworks and apply these through assessments, in small groups, and in writing in online forums.
Access a supplementary bank of resources to support your learning and the development of your professional identity.

The number of taught modules you will take depends on whether you are studying for the MSc, PGDip or PGCert:

students on the MSc and PGDip will take five compulsory modules plus three optional modules
students on the PGCert will take four modules of their choice

You will study each module for five weeks.

In most modules, you interact online in a weekly written discussion forum or similar activity, with other postgraduate students in St Andrews and around the world, providing the opportunity to learn from peers living and working in a wide variety of contexts.

Modules

The following modules are compulsory for those on the MSc and PGDip programmes. If you are studying for the PGCert, you can choose any four modules from this list or from the optional module list.

Action Research and Reflection for Education Practitioners: provides a learning experience in which you can reflect on concepts and theories you are studying in other modules and connect them with classroom practice. The module explores action research for classroom practitioners, providing a means for educational practitioners to understand their contexts and to plan systematic investigation in these contexts.

Education and Researching: teachers are increasingly expected to be evidence-informed or even evidence-led; consuming, creating, and sharing research. This module addresses how we evaluate the quality of research to decide what is rigorous and informative for our practice, how we can build on existing research when planning our own interventions, and how to design, pilot and reflect on the effectiveness of different data collection instruments. We consider a range of research contexts and values to help you actively engage with pedagogical research.

Leadership and Management in International Education: asks students to think critically about the purpose, importance and understanding of key concepts and theories of educational leadership in higher education. To this end, the module will begin by exploring what is educational leadership and the qualities of an effective leader in educational settings in the 21st century. It will then introduce and consider relevant theories and principles underlying practice in educational leadership. In order to demonstrate an awareness of the contextual nature of leadership, the module will examine the contributions from international leadership perspectives in a number of different global contexts. Students will be encouraged to analyse and discuss questions and issues arising from the study in-line with their own practice and experience in both written and verbal communications.

Organisational Development in International Education: you will learn about key theories of organisational development as well as their practical application to an educational setting. In addition, students will explore organisation diagnosis, leading change, and organisation culture. Students will be given the opportunity to reflect and critically apply the organisation development interventions to international settings.

Trends and Policies in International Education: aims to raise awareness and enable reflection of the key trends and policies in international education. It provides students with the opportunity to examine the impact that these trends and policies have on standing pedagogical structures and the dialogues they create within the field of intercultural pedagogy. Against this backdrop, the module will encourage students to assess the impact that the decisions they make as leaders, or may go on to make as potential leaders within the field of international education have on the stakeholders within their context of work.

The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for September 2024 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.

Those on the MSc and PGDip programmes will choose three modules from the following list. If you are studying for the PGCert, you can choose any four modules from this list or from the compulsory module list.

Assessment and Evaluation in Education: considers the theory and practice of assessment in pedagogy. You will learn key concepts in both, how to design and improve tests for different purposes, and how to make productive use of assessment within teaching. We also consider some of the broader social impacts of assessment and testing and how teachers navigate tensions when promoting student learning within a measurement culture. The module provides opportunities to reflect on how different approaches such as mastery learning or active learning are reflected in assessment design, as well as critiquing aspects of assessment such as the use of time limits, group tasks, multiple-choice questions, and gamification.

English Medium Instruction: in recent years there has been a rapid increase in the teaching of academic subjects through English in countries where the majority of the population do not use English as a first language. This module explores this global trend from the standpoint of content and language teachers, as well as students. It considers the wide variety of English medium instruction contexts, evaluating theory in the fields of teaching and learning, language acquisition and intercultural communication in an attempt to address some of the practical challenges involved.

Language Teaching Methodology: explores the theories that inform teaching practice and analyses the implications these have in terms of ways of learning, material used, the teacher role and the learning spaces. This is essential for all those seeking to understand teaching environments more clearly and for those who have a chance to influence teaching environments.

Online Programme Design: you will learn about key theories of learning and teaching as well as the principles that underpin online programme design. In addition to this you will learn about digital content creation, how to build a sense of community in online teaching and learning contexts, and about assessment and evaluation in the online world. You will be given the opportunity to identify and conceptualise these aspects of online teaching and learning within your
own professional contexts.

Technology for Teaching: introduces you to the principle theories, concepts and practices of technology in language education. You will be able to critically consider the role and purpose of various modes of technology in education in a wide range of settings to identify and conceptualise problems within your own professional contexts.

Optional modules are subject to change each year and require a minimum number of participants to be offered. Some modules may only allow a limited number of students.

The modules listed here are indicative and there is no guarantee they will run for September 2024 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.

Only those on the MSc programme are required to submit a dissertation.

For the dissertation, you will choose a topic of interest to you and to your future career. You will read related literature and conduct independent research on your topic.

Student dissertations will be supervised by IE staff members. Supervisors will provide guidance throughout the research process, helping you to formulate a suitable research hypothesis. They will offer advice on relevant literature and how to plan your time effectively.

Teaching

You will take a variety of taught modules over the first two semesters of the programme, which are delivered through a mixture of:

live lectures
face-to-face seminars
office hours
out-of-class activities

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details about each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue. Some elements may be subject to change for September 2024 entry.

In each five-week module, you will integrate theory and practice by discussing and critiquing theoretical concepts and frameworks, and then apply them through a range of practical assessments.

Assessments will include:

a variety of different types of written assignments
presentations
development of teaching plans
material development

Read more about curriculum development at the University.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements.

To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.

Fees

MSc

Home: £11,680
Overseas: £25,880

PGDip

Home: £7,785
Overseas: 17,250

PGCert

Home: £3,895
Overseas: £8,630

These are programme fees rather than annual fees and generally they can also be paid in instalments.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to students each year.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Your future

International Education graduates are equipped with a range of skills and experiences which allow them to take on a variety of roles. The majority of International Education students work:

as educators
in managerial and administrative roles in international education organisations like schools, universities, and education-facing NGOs
in educational agencies
as educational policymakers
as International Officers
in education-related marketing roles

Lecturers within the International Education Institute have a wealth of teaching, administrative and leadership experience in education, in a range of locations globally. They are active in using their international networks and experience to support and advise students on future career development.

Current teaching staff have taught, or held educational leadership roles, in Australia, Bulgaria, China, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Martinique, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA and Vietnam.

The University Careers Centre also offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and provides a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Meet us

Postgraduate virtual visiting days

We hold postgraduate virtual visiting days throughout the year to offer prospective postgraduate students a chance to experience the University's unique atmosphere and the quality of the teaching on offer.

International Education virtual information sessions

If you are unable to visit St Andrews before you apply, the International Education Institute offers virtual information sessions to discuss the programmes.

Awards

Members of the International Education Institute and previous students have received the following awards and prizes:

British Council ELT Masters Dissertation Award

Peter Bannister (MSc TESOL with a specialism in Assessment and Evaluation 2019-2022) won the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes Masters Dissertation Awards 2023 for his dissertation entitled 'Exploring the Critical Listening Assessment Conundrum on Pre-Sessional EAP Programmes in Higher Education'.
Mairi Canning (MSc TESOL 2020-2021) was commended at the British Council ELT Masters Dissertation Awards 2021-2022 for her dissertation entitled 'The Value of Co-teaching in Teacher Agency: A Focus on ESL Teachers in South Korea'.
Allison Crum (MSc TESOL 2019-2020) was commended at the British Council ELT Masters Dissertation Awards 2020-2021 for her dissertation entitled 'Introducing standards for evaluating enrichment materials (SEEM): Testing the modern framework with football-themed materials'.
Yin Lijun (MSc TESOL 2017-2018) was commended at the British Council ELT Masters Dissertation Awards 2018-2019 for her dissertation entitled 'An investigation of experienced EAP teachers' marking processes'.

McCall MacBain Foundation Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence Awards 2020

In 2020, the International Educational Institute was the recipient of two McCall MacBain Foundation Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence Awards:

Mark Carver was awarded for his work on assessment and feedback scholarship.
Janie Brooks and Kerith George-Briant were awarded for a presentation entitled 'Developing Effective Online Engagement in the Context of Internationalisation' delivered at the British Council International Education Conference in 2019

University of St Andrews Golden Dandelion Awards

Kerry Tavakoli and Mark Carver were awarded a University of St Andrews Golden Dandelion Award for ET5524 and ET5624 English Medium Instruction in recognition of the considerable contribution to education for sustainable development that it makes.

University of St Andrews Teaching Excellence Awards

Kirsty Duff was awarded one of five annual Teaching Excellence Awards in 2023 for her excellent teaching and curriculum development at the International Education Institute.
Lori Davis was awarded one of six annual Teaching Excellent Awards in 2022. Lori was recognised for the energy and enthusiasm she brings to her classes, her commitment to embedding sustainability within her teaching, as well as her work mentoring colleagues and contributing to University widening access programmes.
Paula Villegas Verdu was nominated for a Students' Association Excellence Award for outstanding commitment to inclusivity, for her work on the Online Programme Design module.
Kerry Tavakoli was awarded one of four annual Teaching Excellence Awards in 2018. Kerry was recognised for the positive impact her work has had on students through her teaching.

University of St Andrews Students' Association Teaching Excellence Awards

Lesley Thirkell was shortlisted in the category of outstanding academic mentorship, which acknowledges the way a member of teaching staff influences students' personal and academic development.

University of St Andrews Start-Up Challenge

Cameron Wren (MSc TESOL with a specialism in Technology for Teaching 2022-2023) won the Start-Up Challenge at the University's Entrepreneurship Centre with his business proposal for an online curriculum subscription service for online and offline English language teachers.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Contact us

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2255
Email: iepostgrad@st-andrews.ac.uk
Address: International Education Institute

University of St Andrews
Kinnessburn
Kennedy Gardens
St Andrews
KY16 9DJ

International Education Institute website

International Education (MSc, PGDip, PGCert) September 2024 entry