University of Sheffield

Program Information

Degree Offered

MA Designing Learning Environments

Format: Campus, Online

Program Description:

This design-focused programme addresses the relationship between learning, children and young people´s culture and educational environments. It takes a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on international theory and practice as well as the expertise of Sheffield´s renowned team of educational design researchers and practitioners. There is an emphasis on school and kindergarten environments, but scope for exploration of a range of other educational settings. Students are supported to explore, challenge and inform contemporary approaches to spatial design for education, through discursive seminars, research and design work. There is opportunity to relate elements of coursework to students´ individual professional settings and for students from a variety of design, education and other professional contexts to share practice, co-create knowledge and build new understandings of the field.

The programme addresses the growing national and international need for professionals, in practice and academia, who are knowledgeable and skilled in the spatial design of learning environments, able to combine the skills of design with an understanding of the educational context.
Programme Structure
The programme offers a variety of different learning and teaching modes, including: seminars and workshops; `traditional´ lectures; studio-based design work with individual and group tutorials and peer review; plus independent research and study.

Both full-time and part-time routes are available. The part-time course runs for one day a week over 2 years and is particularly aimed at design/built environment practitioners and education professionals who are continuing their practice and who wish to enhance their skills in the design of learning environments. Several units of the programme are also offered as CPD modules.
Modules
Contemporary Policy and Practice - Learning Environments (

International Student Requirements:

IELTS 7.0 (minimum of 6.5 in each component) or TOEFL iBT 100

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No