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New: Teacher Education
options
within this MA programme
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Special pre-Master's
for HBO graduates

Better education and training for all are of the utmost importance when it comes to developing our society. Do you think so too? Learn to optimise learning environments so that they meet the needs of the learners themselves and of society as a whole in this Master's programme in Educational Sciences.

Improving learning, education and training

In this Master’s programme, you will learn to develop, evaluate and improve learning processes and learning environments from a variety of theoretical perspectives. You will do so by means of state-of-the-art methods and approaches in several different contexts; from a classroom setting to the non-profit and commercial sectors, and with a focus on people in all phases of life. This means that the person doing the learning may be a pupil, student or employee, but also a lecturer, educator or trainer, depending on the context. 

During the programme you will master an academic educational scientific and systematic approach. You will acquire and further develop theoretical knowledge of instruction design, including e-learning educational psychology, assessment and evaluation, change management in organisations, professional development and Human Resource Development (HRD) and research methods and skills.

What can you expect?

  1. Focus on learning and learning environments
  2. Training on how to conduct research
  3. Strong link between theory and practice
  4. Multidisciplinary, international orientation
  5. Ties to societal issues and involvement from professional practice
  6. Specialisation through electives

Variants and extra teacher education options

This Master’s programme is offered in a full-time variant (average of 40 hours of study per week) or a part-time variant (average of 20 hours of study per week).

Within both variants you can opt for the Teacher Track, if you are in possession of a teacher qualification (in primary, secondary or higher education in the Netherlands) and want to be trained to become an educational innovator.

New option: Are you interested in becoming a primary school teacher?

In collaboration with Hogeschool Utrecht, we offer the opportunity to combine the Master's Educational Sciences with a Bachelor's for a qualification to become a Dutch primary school teacher. This will be a two-year programme in which you will do both studies part-time.


How does this Master’s programme differentiate itself from similar programmes at other universities

  • Specialisation through electives
  • Unique focus on learning and learning environments
  • Training on how to conduct research
  • Strong link between theory and practice
  • Multidisciplinary and international orientation
  • Ties to social issues and involvement from the professional practice


I concluded that other programmes in the Netherlands were relatively focused on the pedagogical side of educational sciences, which is the opposite of my own interests: I was more interested in learning in organisations, and in designing learning situations.

World-class university in a lively student city

Choosing Utrecht University means choosing one of the best universities in the country with several renowned international rankings  and twelve Nobel Prize laureates

Located in the middle of the Netherlands, Utrecht is a medieval city with a centre small enough to explore on foot, yet large enough to host world-class festivals, fashionable shops, modern architecture and fascinating museums. Find more about what student life is like in Utrecht! 

Key facts

Degree: 
Onderwijswetenschappen (MSc)
Language of instruction: 
English
Mode of study: 
Full-time, Part-time
Study duration: 
1 year
Start: 
September
Deadline: 

Check the deadline that applies to you

Tuition fees: 
Dutch and other EU/EEA students (statutory fee, full-time) 2024-2025: € 2,530

Dutch and other EU/EEA students (statutory fee, part-time) 2024-2025: € 2,248

Non-EU/EEA students (institutional fee) 2024-2025: € 20,043

More information about fees
Croho code: 
60099
Accreditation: 
Accredited by the NVAO
Faculty: 
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Graduate school: 
Social and Behavioural Sciences