MA Race, Education and Decolonial Thought
Leeds Beckett University
Course Overview
The MA Race, Education and Decolonial Thought is a specialist postgraduate programme that places intersectional analyses of race, racism, and decoloniality at the centre of educational study. The course is designed for educators, researchers, and professionals who want to critically engage with racialised inequalities in education and wider social contexts.
Students explore how race, identity, power, and colonial legacies shape education globally, including perspectives from the Global South. The programme combines theoretical depth with applied research, enabling students to interrogate policy, practice, and lived experience while developing the tools to contribute to social and educational transformation.
Academic Structure and Learning Experience
The course carries 180 Level 7 credits and is delivered entirely through distance learning, with options to study full-time over one year or part-time over two years.
Students complete a combination of core and optional modules. Core areas include:
- Decolonial Thought and Critical Race Theory
- Race, Identity and Culture in the Black Atlantic
- Critical Whiteness Studies
- Research Methods
- A substantial independent dissertation
Optional modules allow students to tailor their studies to specific interests, including childhood and early years, cultural worlds, social change, and critical ethnic studies.
Teaching and learning combine guided study with independent research and collaborative online engagement. Students participate in an academic community of practice through discussion boards, virtual classrooms, and supported distance-learning activities. Assessment is predominantly coursework-based, with some presentations, culminating in a 12,000–15,000 word dissertation, which may be practice-based for working professionals.
Recognition, Accreditation and Value
The programme is awarded by Leeds Beckett University and leads to the Master of Arts in Race, Education and Decolonial Thought, a Level 7 postgraduate qualification recognised in the UK and internationally.
Students may also exit with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in Race, Education and Decolonial Thought, offering recognised interim awards and flexibility.
The qualification provides strong academic and professional value for those working in education, policy, research, community organisations, and equality-focused roles, as well as for students seeking to influence anti-racist and decolonial practice within institutions.
Flexibility, Support and Progression
Designed to support a diverse and global student body, the programme offers a flexible distance-learning structure that enables students to balance study alongside professional and personal commitments.
Students benefit from:
- An allocated personal tutor for ongoing academic support
- Teaching by research-active staff with expertise in race, racism, and decolonial studies
- Dedicated dissertation supervision, supporting independent and practice-based research
Graduates are well prepared for progression into doctoral study, research roles, policy and advocacy work, senior educational positions, or professional roles focused on equity, inclusion, and social justice. The dissertation provides a strong foundation for further research and advanced professional practice.