Meet Education MA graduate: Phil Marsh  

Phil Marsh graduated in 2022 from our Education MA. We recently caught up with him, to find out more about his experience at Brighton and how studying a Master’s has supported him in his career as a teacher.  

“Teaching is a profession which makes great demands on our time, but it is also something we don’t have time to spend time thinking about as deeply as we would like. I had reached a point in my career where I felt able to go back into studying alongside teaching.

“I had a positive experience at the University of Brighton for my PGCE. The blending of practical and theoretical expertise in the education department meant I started teaching with an interest in studying further later in my career. A group of colleagues at my school had expressed an interest in undertaking the MA programme as a cohort, enabling peer support in a shared context, so I felt it was the perfect opportunity to enter the programme. 

“Studying the Education MA gave me a really rich understanding of research methodology and practice, as well as an in-depth opportunity to learn about areas of theory, policy and practice in my specific areas of interest within teaching. I feel like it has made me a more reflective and evidence-based practitioner, much more able to critically assess what I do and am asked to do as a teacher. 

“The course team were experts in their field and could relate to us as ex-teachers as well as academics. There was a huge amount of support available when we needed it and a genuine focus on student well-being. The blending of online and in-person components of the course was matched to purpose and I enjoyed the variety.  

“It was a challenge to work full-time while studying part-time, but I would recommend it. The course team are very aware of and supportive of working around your duties as a teacher; I felt able to plan my study around my school commitments, so didn’t feel overwhelmed. 

“I have had the opportunity to change roles once while studying and once after graduation; the MA has been a big focus in interviews. Employers not only appreciate the increased knowledge of pedagogy and methodology that come from postgraduate study, but also the ability to time manage and prioritise that you evidence when gaining a qualification alongside your employment.”

Want to find out more? 
Check out the full details of studying on our new Education MA, which has been redesigned for the 2023/24 academic year.