Education (Knowledge, Power and Politics) Master of Philosophy - MPhil

Knowledge, power and politics rest at the heart of education. Recognising that education takes a wide variety of forms and is subject to different, often competing agendas across the globe, this MPhil in Knowledge, Power and Politics explores fundamental questions relating to: the roles of education in societies; transnational debates about the nature of knowledge formation and its circulation; and the consequences for social justice.

Students joining this course will:


- benefit from teaching by internationally renowned Faculty staff who are actively involved in cutting-edge research and policy advice in the area of knowledge production in the contemporary global world of education, its political nature, diverse settings and issues of social justice;


- closely engage with the work of the Faculty’s Education, Knowledge, Power and Politics research cluster;


- join a select group of no more than 25 to 30 students per year;


- experience a teaching approach that promotes active, participatory, inclusive and research-oriented pedagogy;


- enjoy personalised support and mentoring through one-on-one supervision;


- connect with a friendly and vibrant community from across the world;


- benefit from access to research groups and networks across the University of Cambridge; and


- develop skills for employability across a range of organisations concerned with research, policy and practice.


The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Education as a full-time course and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:


- to examine the theoretical frameworks used in the study of education and its constituent disciplines;


- provide training in research methods appropriate to education;


- advance students’ capacity for professional reflection and judgment;


- cater for a range of specialists interested within the field of education or one of its constituent disciplines.


Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, students will have:


- a comprehensive understanding of research techniques, and a thorough knowledge of the literature applicable to their specific educational domain;


- demonstrated originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;


- shown abilities in the critical evaluation of current research and research techniques and methodologies;


- demonstrated self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and acted autonomously in the planning and implementation of research.