MEd in Learning and Teaching in the Arts

Explore, Create, Transform: A Deep Dive into Arts Education

Our MEd in Learning and Teaching in the Arts supports arts educators in a sustained journey of enquiry across three interconnected strands:

Teaching Practice Enquiry

Delve into the art of teaching within an arts context. You’ll explore learning theories, design impactful learning experiences that meet quality standards, and develop the skills to critically evaluate and enhance your own teaching practice.

Arts Practice Enquiry

Engage with the wider conversations shaping your discipline – social, political, economic, cultural, and sustainability debates – and design a personalised programme of learning that nurtures your growth as an artist.

Professional Enquiry

Lead a major-scale project in an area where you see potential for innovation and transformation. This is your opportunity to generate new knowledge, challenge assumptions, and shape future practice in arts education.

Across all three strands, you’ll build confidence in academic writing, research, and scholarship – equipping you to share your insights with wider professional and academic communities.

Flexible, Blended Learning That Fits Your Life

Delivered part-time over three years, the programme combines hybrid sessions (with options to join in person or online), online seminars, one-to-one tutorials, and independent study. Whether you’re based in the UK or internationally, the structure is designed to support your professional commitments and local context.

Define Your Practice, Build an Evidence-Base

In your first year, you will focus on exploring what matters most to you as an artist and arts educator, discovering and defining your values, beliefs and the priorities for your own development.

Teaching the Arts – 30 credits

This module will help you to explore what is important to you about your practice as an arts educator. You will start by exploring the philosophies, principles and values that underpin your current teaching practice. You will then design a learning experience for your learners, drawing on learning theories and policies to justify your decisions. In the last section you will evaluate the learning experience, gathering and using feedback from peers and learners to evaluate your design and delivery of the session.

Arts Context and Culture – 30 credits

This module will help you to explore what is important to you about your artform. In the first submission you will explore the philosophies, principles and values that define your relationship with your art discipline. In the second submission, you will explore a current social or cultural aspect of your art discipline. In the third submission you will design a plan for the development of your knowledge, skills and understanding as an artist.

Deepen Your Practice, Expand Your Impact

In your second year, the focus shifts to exploring and enhancing your practice in ways that are personally meaningful and professionally transformative.

You’ll take ownership of your learning journey through two modules:

The Teacher as Researcher – 30 credits

In this module, you’ll design and carry out a practice-based research project that responds to the needs of your learners and challenges you to innovate in your teaching. You’ll explore new approaches, gather and analyse research data, and critically reflect on the impact of your work – building a deeper understanding of your evolving identity as an arts educator.

Artist Development – 30 credits

In this module, you’ll address your own learning needs within your artform through a self-directed programme of artistic development. Whether you’re refining technical skills, exploring new creative directions, or reconnecting with your artistic voice, this module supports you to grow as both an artist and educator. You’ll learn to critically reflect on your experiences and use those insights to shape your future development.

These modules are delivered through our flexible, blended learning model – combining online and hybrid sessions, one-to-one tutorials, and independent study- so you can continue to grow your practice while staying rooted in your professional context.

Lead Change Through Creative Enquiry

Your final year is all about making a meaningful impact – on your practice, your learners, and the wider arts education sector. You’ll undertake a major professional enquiry that reflects your values, ambitions, and context.

The Final Project – 60 Credits

This is your opportunity to create a large-scale project that pushes boundaries in order to produce real change. You’ll begin by shaping the project: defining your aims, choosing your format, and setting your own assessment criteria. From there, you’ll carry out the work over the course of the year, supported by expert coaching and peer collaboration.

Your final submission could take many forms:

• A traditional dissertation
• A new educational resource
• A practice-based research project
• Or something entirely original – something that doesn’t yet exist, but would be transformative for your learners or your sector

Whatever path you choose, the project will be personally and professionally meaningful, helping you consolidate your learning and contribute to the evolution of arts education in your context.

The programme is delivered on a part-time basis over three years through a blended learning model, which includes a mix of hybrid sessions (with some students accessing in person and some online), online sessions, one-to-one tutorials, and independent study. In academic year 2026/27, the weekend sessions will be delivered on the following dates:

• 19th and 20th September 2026
• 7th November 2026
• 6th and 7th February 2027
• 24th April 2027

There are 16 online sessions that run on specific Thursdays throughout the academic year. These are delivered in the morning between 10am and 12pm (UK time) and are repeated between 6.30 and 8.30pm (UK time) in the evening. All other tutorial support can be negotiated with personal supervisors and peers.

International students, or those who would prefer not to travel to the RCS can attend all weekend sessions remotely for the duration of their studies. Whether you are joining as an online learner or in-person learner, all sessions are interactive, discussion-based and designed to build a community of practice.