Athabasca University

What you'll study

The focus explores how education functions within society and how social, cultural and philosophical forces shape learning. Study areas include the history of education, organization of educational systems and interdisciplinary perspectives on teaching and learning. The program emphasises examining relationships among teachers, learners, institutions and society, and considering education's role in equity, critical thinking and social change. The degree concludes with a final integrated project or capstone paper that can be completed as a paced capstone course or as an individual study project addressing a question, relating research to work/life contexts, or tackling a community problem.

Entry requirements

Admission requires a baccalaureate degree and completion of an academic writing assessment. Applicants are admitted to the MA–Interdisciplinary Studies program and must submit a study plan to declare Educational Studies as their focus. There are three intakes per year; application deadlines include Jan. 15 for spring, May 15 for fall and Sep. 15 for winter.

Career prospects

Graduates gain interdisciplinary analytic skills, policy thinking and critical perspectives on education useful in roles that demand strong analysis, cultural awareness and reflective thinking about educational policy and practice. The program prepares students for work involving education policy, program development, research, institutional analysis and other roles where understanding the social dimensions of learning is important.

Scholarships & funding angle

Tuition and fees are published by the university and include course tuition elements and graduate student association fees; students should consult the institution's financial services and graduate funding pages for scholarships, Indigenous tuition adjustments, fee schedules and other funding options. Prospective students can also explore transfer credit and continuation fee policies as part of planning costs.