The first eight years shape everything. You can shape them.
Walbrook Institute London: 12th in the UK for career outcomes*
Total fees: £6,960 – pay in full or pay per module.
Apply to start in September 2026: get 33% off your first module.
Graduate in as little as 1 year.
Start any month from September 2026.
Beating Russell Group universities on outcomes*
Shaped by practice, grounded in research.
Study flexibly within a weekly structure.
Flex between full and part-time.
How young children actually develop – constructivist, socio-cultural, and ecological theories that go far beyond the milestone checklists.
Play-based and relational pedagogy – what it really looks like when you put play and relationships at the heart of early learning.
How to read early years policy critically – the school readiness debates, assessment pressures, and standardisation agendas shaping your sector.
How curriculum and assessment decisions shape who thrives – and how to design provision with every child's flourishing in mind.
Research methods you can use in your own setting – to turn a question you've been carrying into evidence that shapes what you do next.
Education, Ethics and Human Purpose
Global Education Systems and Policy Context
Learning, Knowledge, and Pedagogical Practice
Education Policy and Reform
Curriculum Theory and Design
Education, Power and Social Justice
Research Methods in Education
Contemporary Perspectives on Early Childhood Development
Play, Pedagogy and Learning in the Early Years
Research Development
Dissertation
Combined with your professional experience and any role-specific qualifications, an MA Early Childhood Education degree prepares you to step into senior, specialist, or advisory roles – with the strategic judgement, credentials, and sense of purpose to shape schools and systems for the students whose futures depend on them.
Possible career paths include:
Academic Programme Director: £105,620
Educational Director (Early Childhood Education): £94,661
Childhood Development Manager: £79,760
Pre School Head Teacher: £73,209
Curriculum Director: £64,205
*Salaries listed from glassdoor.co.uk and accurate as of April 2026.
There are plenty of master's degrees in education. Few ask the big questions: what education is for, who it serves, and how it could be reimagined to expand human potential.
Prof. Robert White, Academic Lead for MA Education
Prof. Robert White has a PhD in Education, with experience advising ministries and global organisations including UNESCO.
My favourite part of studying with Walbrook is definitely the flexibility that the online degree offers. I think without that there wouldn't have been away for me to achieve this level of qualification. I haven't felt a massive change in my routine and don't feel like I have to give up much either to fit the studying in.
