Education with Montessori MA

Postgraduate degree

Specialise your teaching with our groundbreaking Montessori masters degree and nurture children's learning through Montessori education with the first degree of its kind in the UK. Study flexibly around your life commitments with supported distance learning.

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Key facts about your online degree

How you'll study

This course is studied 100% online

Application deadline

Our next deadline is 27th May 2026

Course length

Choose to study over 1 or 2 years

Fees: £9,000

Payment plans available

Start dates

Start in January or September

Course overview

If you're passionate about making a positive impact on young children's learning and want to explore alternatives to more formal teaching methods, our masters in Montessori education online provides an interactive Montessori process of learning. As the first Montessori masters degree in the UK, this course deepens your understanding of the key principles of Montessori education and the interconnectedness of the Montessori triangle: the child, the environment, and the teacher.

You'll explore cosmic education, social justice, and the child as an agent of change, while developing your own pedagogical view. Guided by qualified Montessori practitioners, you'll strengthen your research skills through modules focused on inquiry before undertaking a Montessori‑focused major project. Designed for professionals seeking expertise in Montessori, this online Montessori qualification supports career progression in roles such as management, mentoring, lecturing, consultancy, or specialist coordination, and can provide a pathway to further academic research.

Why choose this course?

Be one of the first Montessorians to hold a Montessori masters degree
Advance your career in Montessori education
Learn from expert Montessori educators and practitioners
Study flexibly over 1 or 2 years
Make a positive impact on young children's learning
Benefit from an interactive Montessori learning experience

What you’ll gain

Advanced understanding of Montessori principles and practice
Insight into cosmic education, social justice, and the child as an agent of change
Enhanced research and inquiry skills
Ability to develop and articulate your own pedagogical approach
Professional skills including communication, critical thinking, project management, and independent working
Preparation for roles in management, consultancy, lecturing, specialist coordination, or further academic study

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026

Apply now

Course modules and assessments

Due to the structure of this course, there will be instances where you will study two modules simultaneously during a trimester. You will be supported by your tutors to help manage your workload and assessment deadlines.

Please contact one of our advisers to discuss the pacing of this course and the options available to match your circumstances.

Please also be aware that your start date will determine which modules you study. If you start in January you will study our Specialist Studies in Learning and Teaching module and if you join us in September you will study our Professional Enquiry for Education module.

Core modules

Professional Enquiry for Education (September starts only)

This module offers you the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge and expertise in an area of personal and professional interest, relating to education. The notion of enquiry used in this module is broad and is intended to reflect the contributions which you bring to advanced study from both academic and professional contexts. You may pursue individual or small group enquiries, or a larger group of students may work with a specialist tutor to investigate an agreed subject area. The use of enquiry is based on approaches to learning that reflect a belief that our thoughts about the world and our ways of knowing are developed through our shared perceptions of it. Central to this is the use of critical thinking which underpins reflexive learning. Professional development is argued to be of particular value when it occurs through collaborative enquiry and dialogue. This module gives you the opportunity to engage in professional enquiry, which may be predominantly work based or exclusively literature based (in circumstances where you do not have access to a work setting or placement). The aim is to develop a deep understanding of factors which shape ways of thinking, working and learning in educational environments.

Specialist Studies in Learning and Teaching (January starts only)

This module is designed to enable you to explore a subject that is relevant to your role as a teacher in compulsory or post compulsory education. You'll be required to focus on one of the specialist areas provided by the course team and to work with other students to successfully achieve the learning outcomes. You will chose from a range of subject specialisms which will include but not necessarily be limited to: Developing Assessment for Learning in the classroom context Enhancing learning and teaching using learning technologies Supporting students with Special Educational Needs Outdoor Learning Critical Education and Social Justice Students will be expected to work collaboratively with their peers to meet the learning outcomes and will be expected to demonstrate a high level of theoretical and applied knowledge and skills. The module is informed by a sociocultural view of learning which emphasises the dynamic process of knowledge construction in which staff and students collaborate and share new knowledge. The module also requires you to maintain the important connections between theory and practice, in that practice is understood as dynamic and emergent. The module will provide you with the tools to develop a critical understanding of the perspective which can be applied to analyse and evaluate your own and others' practice in any kind of educational institution or situation, including the workplace. In addition the module will help you to take forward your understanding of learning, and help you begin to consider what that might mean for your approach to pedagogy. To help with this, the module introduces you to ideas and tools to use to interrogate your own and others' practice in order to further develop your view of learning and begin to relate it to practice and pedagogy. The learning experience will be through guided study where tutors will support the students to explore and analyse conflicting evidence, approaches and theoretical viewpoints in the chosen area. They will also explore and analyse the nature of conflicting evidence, and ways in which that evidence is communicated to the workforce and society.

Montessori Method: Child, Adult and Environment

The main aim of this module is to give you further insight in the Montessori method, a widely recognised pedagogical approach around the world. The approach is inspired by ‘integral humanism’, which considers children as unique individuals fully able to act with freedom, dignity, and intelligence. It considers Montessori from a historical perspective, her contributions to early childhood, and offers the opportunity to explore the methodologies and teachings of Montessori through contemporary perspectives. Mindful of the importance of the child as an agent of change, you’ll consider the role of the adult and the environment in supporting children in reaching their full potential. Montessori considers leadership at different social levels; by undertaking a Montessori Master’s degree, you will examine literature through the lens of leadership. This degree programme encourages you to develop a personal philosophy of professionalism, that blends individual strengths and interests with the needs of colleagues, parents and families, and the children in your care. Together, these strands will support you, as a Montessori practitioner, to develop a firm but broad foundation for reflective and reflexive practice in Montessori education.

Into ARU

Entering third level education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all students to make the most of the opportunities Higher Education provides, so they reach their potential, become lifelong learners, and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is, in itself, quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you will explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete various mini tasks. You will proceed at your own pace, though we expect all students to have completed their ‘Into ARU’ exploration by week 6. Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete by that date, will be signposted to existing services so that we can be confident that they are supported.

Developing Educational Research

You’ll be supported to develop a high quality research proposal to implement for your postgraduate major project. A workbook approach will guide you through the various elements that need to be considered during the process of planning and preparation for a small-scale educational research study. There will be opportunities to discuss your ideas with your tutor and peers and to present your developing research proposal for feedback. You’ll also learn by giving constructive feedback to your peers. By the end of the module, you’ll be prepared to submit an application for ethical review, to the appropriate research ethics panel, and to embark upon research for the postgraduate major project.

Postgraduate Major Project in Education

The Major Project enables you to demonstrate your ability to raise significant and meaningful questions in relation to your specialism which may involve working at the current limits of theoretical and/or research understanding. You will need to demonstrate the ability to develop solutions to ethical dilemmas that are likely to arise in your research or professional practice. You will gain an understanding of an appropriate methodology, appropriate methods, and an ability to draw meaningful and justifiable conclusions from information that may be complex or contradictory. By embarking on your major project, you will expand or redefine your existing knowledge in order to develop new approaches to changing workplace situations and/or to contribute to the development of best practice. You will then need to communicate these processes in a clear and elegant fashion and evaluate your work from the perspective of an autonomous reflective learner. Research topics will be negotiated with your appointed supervisor. The project may take the form of a written dissertation; a formal presentation and full research paper; an exhibition; a performance; an artefact or the development of software; or other written, aural or visual material. The project may be formed from a combination of these modes but will normally include a written component.

Optional modules

You must also successfully complete one of the following optional modules (subject to availability).

Exploring Educational Research

Designed to familiarise you with the various research approaches that you may read about, critique, and use during your Master’s course and beyond, this module aims to provide you with a forum for exploring, discussing, and evaluating different types of educational research. You’ll have the opportunity to look at a range of research methodologies; to find, read and review research studies; and to discuss the relevance of research for practice in education across different sectors (from birth to life-long learning). You’ll be encouraged to study research methodologies and educational methods through critical reflection on published work.

Intervention for Special Educational Needs and Disability

This module explores main areas of special educational need and disability, and personalised intervention that is inclusive of stakeholders, underpinned by the principle of equality of opportunity. You’ll consider the tension between identification of need and the philosophy of inclusion, and implications of Quality First Teaching within new frameworks and for sustaining children/young adults in the 0-25 years age range in their communities. Areas of need explored will include communication and interaction, cognition and learning, emotional, social and mental health, and sensory and physical needs. Implications will be considered for children/young adults with some specific conditions, for example autism, dyslexia, and ADHD, with critical consideration of implications for the child and family, and approaches to intervention.

Leading Education

This module is designed to deepen your understanding of educational leadership both nationally and internationally. Students will engage in theory and wider research with relation to leadership and management, including change management, performance evaluation and improvement planning. You’ll be expected to use key indicators and knowledge and understanding of benchmarking performance in order to identify an area of practice that would benefit from improvement. However, this practice does not necessarily need to be within your own organisation and can be linked to education in a broader sense. By the end of the module, you’ll have a rooted understanding of key principles within educational leadership, leadership for social justice and the importance of context within leadership.

Early Childhood: Principles, Practice and Professionalism

This module encourages you to view your experiences of early childhood education and care through different lenses in order to extend the insights they may bring to the workplace. It considers childhood from a range of historical and contemporary perspectives, including ideas and principles from pioneer early educators and from more recent theories and approaches. Different curricula and pedagogies are explored to support better understandings of the foundations and development of present-day practices, mindful of the importance of the role of educators and of indoor and outdoor play experiences. The dynamics of leadership are studied, in light of these ideas, encouraging you to develop a personal philosophy of professionalism that blends individual strengths and interests with the needs of co leagues, parents/families, and the children in their care. Together, these three strands will support the practitioner, or intending practitioner, to develop a firm but broad foundation for reflective and reflexive practice in early childhood education.

Key Issues and Themes in Education

This module examines current key issues and themes in education. It explores principles of teaching and learning, the derivation and design of the curriculum and the role of schools and other education settings within the wider community. You’ll engage with national strategies, frameworks and international dimensions and explore the processes and complexities of teaching and learning. The module will cover the following broad themes and will prepare you for the negotiated study module and the postgraduate major project. Learning and teaching, leadership, mentoring and coaching, learning and knowledge technology, social justice and equality in education.

Education Technology: Design, Policy and Practice

The use of digital technology has become fundamental to education provision and practice. In this module you’ll be introduced to important topics within the field and addresses some key and often little considered issues about the ever-expanding use of digital technologies in education. You'll explore the use of digital technologies in diverse educational settings and consider crucial inquiries regarding education and technology. The module questions whether digital technology can transform the process and purpose of education. You’ll investigate whether there is adequate evidence to support the purported benefits of digital technology in education, with the latest technological developments, such as AI, analysed from an educational context. With digital technology being more ubiquitous than ever, you’ll also explore its sociological, historical, and even pedagogical influences in education theory and practice. You'll also look at whether there is a need for new theories to help explain the effects of it all.

Modules are subject to change and availability.

How you’ll be assessed

You’ll be assessed via coursework only. This will take the form of patchwork text, presentations, a reflective journal, research workbook, and written reports.

How you'll study

100% Online study

Dedicated support

Study online and graduate on campus

Our masters in Montessori education is studied 100% online.

You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, PC, or tablet both at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.

You can choose to study our MA Education with Montessori over 1 or 2 years. Please note that if you choose the 1-year option this is the equivalent of full-time study and may be a challenge if you’re employed full-time or have other life commitments. Our advisers will be happy to talk through your options in more detail.

On successful completion of your studies, you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.

Entry requirements

What you’ll need to start this course

You’re expected to have a first degree, with honours, at a minimum final classification of Lower Second (2:2) or equivalent.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

As a distance learner, you’ll also need a suitable computer with internet connection, together with sufficient IT competence to make effective use of our online learning management system (LMS) with high-speed internet and email.

Please note: Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements. Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course, please contact us for further information.

Fees and Funding

Fees

The full tuition fee for this Montessori masters degree is £9,000.

The tuition fees you pay each year will be between £4,500 and £9,000 depending on how long you take to complete the course. You can choose to study our Education with Montessori in either 1 or 2 years.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted. Please note that APL may affect your eligibility for a postgraduate loan.

Funding

Your course can be fully funded by the Postgraduate Student Loans now available (subject to eligibility).

We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.

For military students: You can use your ELCs towards this course. Anglia Ruskin University is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.

What our students say

of our Alumni would recommend studying with ARU Distance Learning

found studying via distance learning either ‘very accessible’ or ‘quite accessible’

felt ‘much more confident’ or 'more confident’ at work

2026 Alumni survey with 268 respondents

My course has helped me to learn and successfully apply new knowledge and skills to my current workplace.

Shipa, Education Alumni

Read Shipa's story

The course has opened my mind to new teaching ideas and has really helped me add some new dimensions into how I teach.

Mark, Education Alumni

Read Mark's story

ARU was a great choice that allowed me to achieve my personal and professional ambitions. I felt supported, empowered, and accomplished.

Dio, Education Alumni

Read Dio's story

The support from ARU has been amazing. Since day one, I have felt so supported and reassured. Being a distance learner, you do not feel like you are on your own.

Sophie, Psychology Alumni

Read Sophie's story

Awards and recognition

Be part of the University of the Year

We're proud to be the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023. The prestigious THE awards honour ’exceptional performance during the 2021-22 academic year, and reflect ARU’s success in delivering high-impact projects during this period, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The award recognises the difference we make in the region and our communities – while also acknowledging the broader impact of our world-leading research, and the contributions our students and graduates make to society.

Supported distance learning

We understand that distance learning is different to traditional campus study and if you’re new to online study you may have concerns or apprehensions about studying your Masters in Montessori education online, and that’s natural.

To help put your mind at ease we have a dedicated Distance Learning Support Team to help and support you throughout your time at ARU, starting with your first online induction and staying with you right through to graduation. In addition, you’ll also be supported by specialist tutors, well experienced in supporting distance learning students.

Once you start your Montessori masters degree, we encourage the creation of online communities and many of our learners find these connections with others invaluable, helping them to stay motivated, share concerns or make new friendships.

Visit our support page to learn more about our support services.

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Careers

Everything you need to know about building your career in education

What could a Montessori masters degree do for my career?

If you're a graduate currently working in a Montessori setting, the Education with Montessori MA will support your professional development further. It could help propel your career towards areas of management, mentoring, lecturing and consultancy. For early career teachers who take this course, they could become specialist co-ordinators.

International students who are practising teachers, lecturers or headteachers will develop their skills, extend their knowledge, and advance their careers through studying this course in the UK.

What job roles can I consider with a masters in Montessori education?

An Education with Montessori MA could lead to a wide range of career advancement opportunities within the education sector including Montessori teachers and nursery managers. These are just some of the job roles that an Education with Montessori MA graduate may consider, possibly with further training or experience depending on the role:

Montessori Teacher
Specialist Co-ordinator
Nursery Manager
Head of Curriculum
Assistant Headteacher / Headteacher
A teacher of Montessori education / lecturer
Education Consultant

If you are looking for more information about these job profiles and potential salary earnings see Prospects.ac.uk. It’s important to note that salaries can vary widely depending on the job role, employer, industry sector and location.

What skills will I get from a masters in Montessori education to help my career?

What can I study after a Montessori masters degree?

Careers Advice Service

Once you become an ARU student you will be able to access our Employability service to help you whatever stage of your career, whether that’s landing your dream job or the next progression step.

We offer:

careers advice, including one-to-one online and telephone appointments with our experienced advisers
help with your CV, job searches, applications, and interview preparation
an online portal packed with useful careers resources
our Employability Programme, which helps you hone the skills employers say they want in graduates.

FAQs

A selection of popular questions

What is the Montessori Method?

Developed in the early 20th century by physician Maria Montessori, the Montessori method emphasises the independence of children, viewing them as capable of leading their own learning. Montessori based her method of education on scientific observations of children, in which she found that when they were allowed to interact with the environment freely, they would follow a naturally ingrained developmental path.

Montessori practice views children as agents of change that only need support from the adults in their environment rather than leading, believing them more than capable of making intelligent choices for themselves that are developmentally driven.

How does the Montessori Method differ from traditional education?

There are differences between the Montessori Method and the traditional learning environment, although Maria Montessori was very much a pioneer of early years and primary education as we know it today.

The Montessori Method is led by the children themselves with the teachers acting as guides to education rather than educators in the sense we have become familiar with. The children are given independence within boundaries to make choices for themselves and develop skills that will become a foundation for all their future learning.

In Montessori schools, classes are also comprised of mixed age groups – children learn at different paces, meaning that sometimes younger children can be more developmentally advanced than older children. School days in traditional education are structured into blocks of time, whereas in Montessori schools, children learn in uninterrupted work cycles of 3 hours.

Alongside supporting the academic development of the child, the Montessori method places equal emphasis on social and emotional growth alongside intellectual development. Montessori schools also promote self-discipline in their students, rather than the approach of traditional schools in which the teacher disciplines the students should they misbehave.

Traditional education follows a set curriculum where every student learns the same thing, while in Montessori education, children learn based on their own individual interests and at a pace that they are comfortable with. Montessori education takes a more natural, humanistic, and cosmic approach to learning.

How to become a Montessori teacher?

Becoming a Montessori teacher requires specialist training, different from traditional teacher training due to the thoroughly different educational approaches. The two main routes to becoming a Montessori teacher are through a university course, or through working in the setting itself.

Both of these routes have their merits, however, by studying a Montessori degree, you’ll have more insight into the history and research that has gone into making the Montessori method such an increasingly sought-after approach to education.

What will I learn on this Master’s degree?

Our Montessori Master’s degree introduces you to the ground-breaking method of education that is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. You will be introduced to a range of different educational methodologies in order to demonstrate just how different the Montessori Method is in the way that it encourages child led education.

If you join us you will learn about the development and design of electronic and technology-based learning, and how these devices and systems can benefit and support the learning of children who are engaged in the Montessori Method.

In the Montessori Method: Child, Adult, and Environment module, you will gain a deep insight into the history and function of the Montessori Method. You will be introduced to Maria Montessori’s historic contributions to child development, and encourage you to consider her work from a contemporary perspective as this will help you when applying her method’s to your teaching.

You will undertake a postgraduate major project which, in consultation with your tutors, you will choose a specialist area that you are interested in and wish to research further. The completion of this project will greatly benefit your future career as a Montessori teacher, giving you the skills you need to take your research further to doctoral level.

Why should I study my Education with Montessori MA at ARU?

Our Education with Montessori MA is the first of its kind in the UK. We have tailored this expert programme, delivered by professionals with experience in the delivery and research of the Montessori Method, in order to give you a thorough understanding of what Montessori education entails.

When you study your Montessori distance learning course with us, you will be able to complete your degree fully online. This means that you can fit your study schedule around your other commitments. Undertaking an online degree also allows you to continue working while you further your education, allowing you to progress your career while gaining real world and on the job experience.

At ARU you’ll be supported by our experienced tutors who will guide you through the completion of your projects. You will use our online learning management system, Canvas, to submit your assignments and collaborate with your tutors and peers. Your future employment is important to us, so we have crafted a detailed careers advice programme to ensure that you’re ready to reach your career goals.

Take the next step, apply today

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026

Your future, on your terms. Apply now before the application deadline.

Apply now