Inclusive and Special Education (Taught)

Help fight for an inclusive society where all students can realise their full potential.

All individuals, regardless of their background or abilities, deserve fair and equal access to education, and the demand for inclusive educators is growing. These professionals help students get the most out of their schooling by removing barriers to learning and fostering an empathetic and respectful community.

Whether you’re a teacher, educator or education leader, our Inclusive and Special Education MA is designed for those wishing to drive positive change in diverse education settings.

You can study this flexible course online without pausing your career or relocating. You’ll benefit from an interdisciplinary programme, with real-world assessments and a strong foundation in evidence-based practice.

During your course, you’ll be empowered to design inclusive learning environments, influence policy, and advance equity across global contexts.

You’ll also learn from experts in neurodiversity, disability and social justice to critically engage with research evidence, theory, and real-life challenges. All of this will directly benefit your professional journey.

This programme prepares you for your next career move within inclusive education leadership, policy development, consultancy, and doctoral research. And you’ll be ready and prepared to ensure your students can be all they can be.

Why study at Leeds

• Fully online with flexible delivery: Delivered online, this programme is designed to be flexible. Its blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning can suit your schedule, wherever you’re working in the world.

• Develop future-focused skills: Develop a robust skillset across sustainability, digital innovation, enterprise, and academic inquiry. This will prepare you to lead inclusive education through strategic thinking, ethical decision-making, collaborative practice, and evidence-based analysis.

• Global and local perspectives: Explore inclusive education through international case studies, intersectionality, and lived experiences, letting you work capably across cultures and diverse settings.

• Engage in a collaborative community: Join a diverse, global cohort of educators, advocates, and change-makers committed to equity and inclusion.

• Inclusive by design: Our programme is built from the ground up to be inclusive – not just in content, but in delivery, accessibility, and student support.

• Career versatility: You’ll be prepared for impactful careers in teaching, curriculum design, education consultancy, policy development, and leadership across schools, higher education, NGOs, and government agencies. You’ll also have the option to pursue doctoral studies.

• Explore inclusion through a diverse lens: Draw from a range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, linguistics, medicine, politics, social policy, disability studies, and childhood studies, as you critically explore inclusion and exclusion in education.

Rankings and awards

• Top 100 in the world for Education and Training, QS World Rankings by Subject 2026

• 1st in the UK for Childhood and Youth Studies, The Complete University Guide 2026

Where this degree could take you
You can find employment in settings that include:

• schools

• colleges

• higher education institutions

• local authorities

• NGOs

• charities

• government agencies focused on education and social inclusion

Careers support
Top 10 most targeted for 10+ years by the UK's leading employers, The Graduate Market 2026, High Fliers Research

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one.

Our Careers Service has the global expertise and sector-spanning industry partnerships that, combined, go way beyond simply helping you get a job. They provide you with the resources you need to upskill and achieve the future you aspire towards – even in the face of lightning-paced change.

The MA Inclusive and Special Education is a two-year, part-time, fully online programme designed for professionals seeking to deepen their expertise while continuing their careers. The course is structured to provide a progressive learning experience: Year 1 focuses on foundational knowledge and research skills through core modules on inclusive approaches and research methods. This is complemented by optional modules such as Neurodivergence and Universal Design for Learning. Year 2 builds advanced understanding and leadership capacity. It offers modules on inclusive leadership and wellbeing, alongside a substantial capstone project or dissertation that lets you apply theory to practice in your own context. Throughout the programme, you’ll engage in interactive online seminars, collaborative projects, and independent study, supported by a learning community and expert academic staff. Design and deploy research methods to investigate issues in inclusive education and interpret findings to inform practice, understanding, and decision-making. Critically appraise current research and propose innovative, evidence-informed solutions to educational challenges. And gain knowledge of theories, research, perspectives and practices related to inclusive and special education within global and local contexts. You’ll also evaluate the complex social, cultural, political, and economic factors that shape inclusion and exclusion in education. Additionally, analyse educational contexts to support the design of contextually responsive approaches that promote equity and participation for diverse learners.

Assessments provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve developed in the module. You’ll be able to focus on areas and topics that are important to you and your professional context. You’ll be expected to show a critical understanding of current trends and debates in the field and apply these to a specific context of relevance. You’ll be required to read widely and use evidence from theoretical and empirical research literature, alongside your own experience and contextual knowledge, to develop arguments. Our assessment methods include written essays, case studies, reports, presentations, posters, and group projects. We’ll provide clear guidelines and structured support for all assessments, including coursework. Your tutors will also offer formative feedback to help you with your assignments. You’ll have the opportunity to showcase all your learning over the course of your studies through the successful completion of a capstone project. A capstone project may include a substantially research-based project, or a project that uses evidence to inform the development of a solution to a real-world problem, a particular practice or policy, or an artefact for use in the workplace.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS