I am wanting to do a Master's, but unsure whether to have it general or specific

I am wanting to do a Masters degree in Education. However I am really undecided if I should do MA Education or MA EDUCATION: Special Education Needs and Disabilities. Would it be better to be more specific or is it better to just do the MA education. I am unsure what I want to do afterwards, probably become a teacher. I dont know what is better any help?

Short answer - if you don't know which one to do, keep it general. If you're still interested in SEN when it comes to your dissertation you can focus on it then.


But… why do you want to do a Masters in Education if you're unsure about your career path? If you are going to teach I'd suggest getting that qualification first and think about a Masters later - maybe a couple of years down the line when you've got some experience to draw upon for your research.

There are then more options for area of study (Leadership, SEN, specific curriculum area) or for mode of study (one year full time, two or three year part-time while still teaching) and also the prospect of partial funding from your employer if you're lucky.

I have seen people do a Masters first, then start to study for a PGCE, decide that teaching is not for them, and regret spending a year on their MA(Ed)s.

If you do plan on doing the Masters, think carefully about what you would do with it if you decide not to teach.

Thank you, for the great reply! I was thinking that about keeping it general. Yeah I could pick the SEN option modules and do dissertation on it if I got that far. I did find my undergrad difficult but it was something I had no interest in.

I want to do a masters to prove to myself I can do it, undergrad didnt end great. I am training at the moment to become an Early Years Teacher, so after I finish in July if I pass I want to go onto Masters part time and work part time/full time. Its a new course and its complicated, I do want to be a teacher but I know there is so many other paths by becoming an Early Years Teacher, especially if I get a masters degree too.