PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
MA Mathematics Education
Awarding Institution: University College London
Teaching Institution: UCL Institute of Education
Name of final award
MA Master of Arts (MA) in Mathematics Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Mathematics Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Advanced Mathematics
Programme title
Mathematics Education
UKPASS Code or UCAS Code:
P005954
Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the medium of
the English language. Competence in English language is required of all applicants.
Programme regulations may indicate the level of competence required of each
applicant and may make its achievement a condition of admission.
Participants
Teachers and other education professionals concerned with mathematics education
from all phases of schooling.
Criteria for admission
Applicants need to have a good honours degree (2.2 or above) or equivalent in
Mathematics, Education or a related discipline. Applicants will normally have some
professional experience.in the field of mathematics education European or
international applicants are expected to have qualifications at an equivalent level.
Those who do not meet these criteria will be considered on the basis of their
Personal Supporting Statement, part of the application process.
Applicants whose first language is a language other than English may be required to
provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
The Institute of Education is committed to admitting and supporting participants with
disabilities and welcomes applications from them. We provide support for students
with a range of conditions which have a long-term and adverse effect on studying
such as: • sensory (visual / hearing / speech) impairments • mental health issues •
mobility or dexterity impairments • Asperger's Syndrome or other autistic spectrum
disorders • chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, H.I.V.) • specific
learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia)
Disability and Wellbeing Support will also advise people who have a temporary
mobility / dexterity impairment / other difficulty as a result of an accident, injury,
illness or surgery. Every person is treated as an individual, and we invite you to
contact us as early as possible so that we can consider your needs and tailor our
support to meet them. This applies to all students – home, EU and international.
Educational Aims of the Programme
The aim of the degree is to provide academic study relating to mathematics
education, in order to become familiar with and to develop a critical awareness of
research and development in the field. The degree aims to contribute to the
professional development of teachers of all subjects and phases who currently use
mathematics in their teaching, and of others with a direct professional involvement
with mathematics education.
Learning Outcomes
 Knowledge and understanding of concepts and issues involved in mathematics
in education as field of disciplined enquiry
 Critical consideration of the goals of mathematics in education
 Theoretical and practical understanding of curriculum development processes
 Theoretical and practical knowledge of current issues associated with
mathematics in education
 Professional knowledge and understanding of the policy context influencing the
development of mathematics in education
Mode of study
One year full-time or two to four years part-time. Attendance varies between
modules and may involve weekly evening sessions, distance learning or whole-day
sessions during half-term holidays or on Saturdays or bank holidays. The core
module is taught face-to-face only.
Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
The programme is divided into study modules and each unit counts for 30 credits,
with the exception of the dissertation which is worth 60 credits.
For a Master of Arts degree to be awarded, successful completion of a minimum of
180 credits is required. (The Institute of Education uses the European Credit
Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), as a guide to support periods of study
undertaken abroad and to assist student mobility. Currently it is assumed that two
UK credits equate to one ECTS. Therefore a module of 30 credits would typically
equate to 15 ECTS credits).
To gain the award, participants have to complete two core modules, at least two
recommended modules, and a dissertation or report (see Table 1 below). 90 credits,
including the dissertation or report, must be in the field of mathematics education.
Students with imported credits in mathematics education must complete both core
modules.
The core modules are:
Understanding Mathematics Education (30 credits)
What is Education (30 credits)
Recommended modules are:
Digital Technologies for Mathematical Learning (30 credits)
Mathematics for Teachers (30 credits)
A-level Mathematics Pedagogy (30 credits; requires separate application to
Teaching Advanced Mathematics partnership course)
Understanding Learning and Thinking in Advanced Mathematics (30 credits;
requires separate application to Teaching Advanced Mathematics partnership
course)
Participants can choose up further optional modules from within the Institute’s
Masters degree offer:
Table 1: Programme Structure for students with zero imported credits
Core (60 credits)
Recommended (60
credits)
Understanding
Mathematics Education
Two modules chosen
from:
What is Education
Digital Technologies for
Mathematical Learning
Mathematics for
Teachers
A-level Pedagogy (only
if accepted onto TAM
partner course)
Understanding Learning
and Thinking in
Advanced Mathematics
(only if accepted onto
TAM partner course)
(60 credits)
Dissertation in Mathematics
Education (60 credits)
Report in Mathematics
Education (30 credits)
PLUS
One further option chosen
from:
the list of recommended
modules or the IOE wider MA
offering.
Table 2: Recommended Programme Structure for students importing 60
credits in mathematics education
Core (60 credits)
(60 credits)
Understanding
Mathematics Education
Dissertation in Mathematics Education (60 credits)
What is Education
Report in Mathematics Education (30 credits)
PLUS
One module chosen from:
Digital Technologies for Mathematical Learning
Mathematics for Teachers
A-level Pedagogy (only if accepted onto TAM partner
course)
Understanding Learning and Thinking in Advanced
Mathematics (only if accepted onto TAM partner course)
or the wider MA offering.
Alternative awards: Students who for academic or personal reasons are unable to
successfully complete the 180 credits required for the masters award may exit with
the completion of 60 or 120 credits respectively and be awarded a Postgraduate
Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in the subject area.
Students who choose to leave the MA having passed the two modules A-level
Mathematics and Pedagogy (MMATAM01) and Understanding Learning and
Thinking in A-level Mathematics (MMATAM02) and who have satisfied the conditions
of passing school observations and mathematics competence assessments required
for MEI’s completion certificate will be awarded the Postgraduate certificate in
Teaching Advanced Mathematics.
Students are required to ‘hand back’ any lower award if they then progress to the full
masters degree.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
The course makes use of of a range of teaching and learning strategies including
lectures and seminars, discussions, workshops and student presentations.
Throughout the programme, students are expected to draw and reflect on their own
professional experience when discussing the issues, ideas, and theories presented.
Students submit draft assignments for formative marking before submitting their work
for summative assessment.
Understanding Mathematics Education is taught in weekly evening sessions.
Students are provided with a core reading related to each session and are expected
to engage in discussion of issues arising from this reading. Three formative tasks
allow students to develop their understanding through group discussion, reflection
and presentation. The module is assessed by a 5000 word essay in which students
are expected to reflect critically on a theme from the module in greater depth, either
in relation to a professional concern or from a theoretical point of view. This
coursework is intended not only to assess ability to make connections between
theory and practice but also to provide a concrete context in which to apply and
make sense of the ideas met during the course.
What is Education
This module explores some of the main ideas, concepts and theories that underpin
education. It looks at the study of education in an international context, reflecting on
readings and theoretical ideas, as well as relating them to personal experience and
contexts. It will also explore what is meant by scholarship in the study of education
and the expectations of working at Masters Level (Level 7). The module is taught
during the summer (early July to early September with a two-week lecture
programme at the UCL Institute of Education 20 – 31 July 2015) or as a 10 week
module in both the Autumn and Spring terms. The module can be taken either fully
online or in mixed mode. A key component of the module is the keynote lectures
given by leading experts in their field of education. These are supported by group
seminars. For students choosing the fully online option, the module will include a
series of synchronous and asynchronous on-line activities, followed by a reading
period. There will also be sessions with a specific focus on support for academic
writing.
It is underpinned with six thought provoking questions:
 What is education for, what is its purpose, both here and now and looking to the
future?
 What should be its fundamental values and ethics?
 What do we mean by knowledge and learning?
 What is our concept of education?
 What is our image of the child, the teacher, the school?
 Who is responsible for education, and what does it mean to be responsible?
Students on the MA Mathematics Education will be assessed by a 5000 word written
assignment.
Digital Technologies for Mathematical Learning
This is an online module, with two optional face-to-face contact based sessions.
Throughout the course, you will be given opportunities to familiarise yourself with a
wide range of digital tools and resources (graph plotters, dynamic geometry
environments, statistical software, fully interactive online packages). You will be
supported to appraise research and reflect critically on the implications of using
digital technologies for learning and teaching of mathematics.
You will study in a flexible way that works for you, guided by a set weekly timetable
and with regular feedback from tutors.
Over the ten weeks, you will follow three cycles of reading relevant research, task
design and trials, followed by critical evaluation of the technology-enhanced learning
experiences in maths and/or science covering the three main themes of the module:
(A) Visualising with Digital Technologies, (B) Generalising and Expressing and (C)
Modelling.
Mathematics for Teachers
The distinctive feature of this module is that students develop their mathematics
subject knowledge through selected pedagogical experiences. These are informed
by theories of learning and teaching, innovative use of technology, professional
teacher craft knowledge, national and international mathematics curricula and
reasoned, critical engagement with Mathematics Education in a wide sense.
Teaching is face to face and focuses on problem solving and reflection on pedagogy.
The standard offer involves weekly sessions in the summer term, over six evenings
and three Saturdays in order to develop understanding and allow consolidation.
Other modes may be offered depending on demand.
The coursework is in three parts that are interrelated:
a substantial piece of mathematical work ; (b) personal reflections on doing the
mathematical work, its relation to teaching and learning, and questions to research
or investigate coming from these reflections (c) a synthesis of research, culture,
philosophy etc that are used to answer the questions arising from the mathematical
work.
Dissertation: An ordered and critical exposition (not exceeding 20,000 words) of
existing knowledge in any field of part of a field of study. There should be evidence
that the field has been surveyed thoroughly. (60 IOE credits)
Report: an account (not exceeding 10,000 words) of the study of a specified topic
based on experiments, observations or review of literature. A relevant bibliography
would normally be expected. (30 IOE credits)
Teaching Advanced Mathematics modules: A-level Mathematics Pedagogy and
Understanding Learning and Thinking in A-level Mathematics
These two modules are available only to students who are accepted onto the DfE
funded course Teaching Advanced Mathematics taught in partnership with
Mathematics in Education and Industry. This course is open to teachers in statefunded schools in England who are teaching A-level mathematics in the year of
study and whose schools agree their attendance. Contact ma.maths@ioe.ac.uk for
details; applications open in February each year.
Teaching involves 8 days of face-to-face contact at the IOE including one or two
Saturdays. The two modules are integrated with approximately one half of the time
directly related to each module. There is face-to-face support in students’ workplace
by an IOE tutor visit and by an MEI visit. We use a range of teaching and learning
strategies including seminars, sample mathematics lessons, self-study resources,
discussions and student presentations. Throughout the programme, students are
expected to draw and reflect on their own professional experience when discussing
the issues, ideas, and theories presented.
The summative assessment for this module will comprise two elements

Essay 1: Outline the ways in which ICT is used in the sixth-form mathematics
teaching in your school and drawing upon the relevant literature, discuss the
benefits or drawbacks ICT use might have at this level (1500 words; learning
outcomes 1,2,4,5,6)

Essay 2: Make a video or audio recording of yourself teaching or tutoring
advanced mathematics that contains the opportunity for you to ask a variety of
questions of your students. Using the video as a resource, explore the different
ways in which different kinds of questioning can be used to enable you to
identify, for example: students’ misconceptions; their use of different strategies;
and other 'big ideas' as appropriate. (3500 words, learning outcomes 1,2,3,5,6)
The final grade will combine assessment of each element with an indicative weighting
of 25:75 (reflecting the greater emphasis on critical reflection in essay 2). Both
elements must be present; however shortcomings in one can be compensated by
strengths in another.
The summative assessment for the module Understanding Thinking and Learning in
Advanced mathematics is as follows:

Write a report (5000 words) on an aspect of advanced mathematics that you
have studied during the course, reflecting on how your own thinking has
developed through university activities and personal study, and the implications
for your teaching. You will choose the mathematical focus (with consultation) to
ensure that it cuts across at least two of the 'big ideas' in mathematical
pedagogic content knowledge studied in this module. The report must include
a critical review of relevant research, and you will analyse how this has informed
and developed your learning and thinking about the practices of advanced
mathematics and of learning at A-level.
lnformation about assessment regulations
Participants must successfully complete all elements of the programme, to
achieve the minimum credits required for the award. All coursework is assessed
according to the grade-related criteria for the programme level, found in the
programme handbook.
All assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to
discuss and reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments
are graded from A to D, with D being a failing grade. Participants who fail an
assignment may be re-assessed in that element of their programme of study on
one further occasion only, within the deadline specified by the Programme
Leader.
An external examiner is appointed by Senate and plays an important role in
monitoring the quality of the programme and evaluating the effectiveness of the
teaching and support provided for the programme participants and the reliability
of the judgements made in assessing them.
Further details about assessment regulations can be found on the UCL website.
Support for learning
Support strategies for participants on the course include:
 An induction day at the commencement of the programme informs participants of
the programme content, methods and expectations, and introduces them to
Student Support Services and the Academic Writing Centre.
 Programme and module handbooks offer full guidance and advice on studying,
writing and submitting both assignments and dissertations or reports.
 The programme leader is available to advise all participants on academic
matters, and to refer them to the range of support services available at IOE
 Formative feedback is provided on draft assignments to take forward to the final
submission
 Peer support and networking is facilitated in the group by the use of virtual
learning environment (VLE) and collaborative projects.
 Participants are all inducted on the use of the library and information services,
and of the VLE operating system.
Methods for evaluating and improving the course
Mechanisms for review and evaluation of teaching, learning, assessment, the curriculum
and outcome standards include:
 Module evaluation by participants
 Termly meetings of the Programme Committee including student representation
 Annual programme review prepared by programme team and considered by
learning and teaching committee
 Periodic programme review and revalidation involving external panel member
 Staff review and development
 Peer observation of teaching
 External examiner reports
Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality and standards
 Programme Committee
 Board of Examiners
 Teaching and Quality Committee
 Validation and Partnership Panels
Mechanisms for gaining participant feedback on the quality of teaching and their learning
experience
 Participant module evaluation (sessional and programme);
 Student representation on programme committees
Indicators of quality and standards
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Progression to higher level award programmes
Promotion to management or higher level roles in their place of work
Programme participants teaching other practitioners in their own institutions or on
a regional or national basis
Participation in continuing professional development programmes
Publication of outstanding work in peer reviewed journals
External examiner’s appraisal of how standards compare with other universities
Date of completion/amendment of specification
July 2015