Sara and Cat share their travel experiences while studying

Many undergraduate education students at the University of Dundee choose to pursue a Master of Education (MEd) degree to further their professional development and understanding of educational theory and practice.

This advanced degree helps them enhance their skills and career prospects in the field of education. 

Sara and Cat are two friends who met while studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) module during their MA Education degree. Sara and Cat said, ‘It was through this module that we ended up in Northern Italy completing a placement within IB schools which enlightened us to the IB curriculum which then became the catalyst for both our dissertations. 

‘This experience allowed us to engage with different pedagogies which we have then carried into our Scottish placements. This also sparked our love for travel and international teaching!’

Sara and Cat completed their placement abroad then decided to continue travelling. They said, ‘We wanted to explore different countries and cultures as we had seen the benefits of having a global perspective when teaching in the diverse classrooms of the IB sector. 

‘This led to us travelling to Thailand during a summer break from university and the following year travelling to Central America, giving us both life experiences and the opportunity to explore the numerous opportunities for an international teacher.

‘This then became a game for us to play; if we travelled to a place we liked, we looked for IB schools in the surrounding areas for employment opportunities in the future. Our favourite would have to be an IB school in Koh Samui where the playground was the beach and swimming lessons took place in the sea!’

Following graduation from their MA Education degree, both Sara and Cat decided to continue their professional development by undertaking the MEd Leading Learning and Teaching degree at the University of Dundee. Speaking about their reasons for pursuing an MEd, Sara and Cat said, ‘We decided to continue our studies to enhance our practice, expand our knowledge and aid our journey into IB employment. 

‘We will be graduating from the MEd this summer and looking forward, we both hope to complete our probationary year in Scotland then continue our love for travel and teaching by moving abroad and finding work further afield.’

Sara and Cat have an end goal in sight, which combines their love for travelling and teaching. They said, ‘End goal? Australia, New Zealand or a trip down memory lane and head back to Northern Italy. Who wouldn’t want to do the job they love, whilst soaking up the sun?!’

Our Master of Education courses develop student’s knowledge, skills, attributes, and values that are necessary to enhance their professional practice. Our courses are taught full time on campus, or part time online. Our online courses allow you to study flexibly in your own time.