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A image to illustrate Equity, inclusion and social justice in educational practice module
In this module, you'll engage with contemporary issues in equity, inclusion and social justice in educational practice. You'll use theoretical tools to explore a range of issues and debates around inclusive practice in education, including disability, gender, poverty and race. In each case, you'll consider what may inhibit or facilitate inclusion and equity in classrooms, societies and communities. At the module's heart is a reflective discussion on what constitutes inclusive practice and social justice in education, which will enable you to acknowledge, analyse and challenge your own and others' experiences and assumptions related to inclusion, equity, social justice and learning.
The module consists of the following five sections.
Section 1: Inclusion, Equity, Equality and Social Justice
You'll be introduced to some of the key concepts in inclusive practice: equity, equality, social justice, and inclusion. You'll reflect on your own understandings of these concepts and those of your fellow students, and will begin to examine how they are interpreted differently in educational spaces, countries and contexts around the world.
Section 2: Key theories in Inclusion
This section introduces you to some of the key theories used to interrogate, examine and analyse questions of equity, equality, social justice and inclusion in education. Theories covered in this section include social constructionism, which you will apply to consider how ‘differences’ between people, such as race, disability or gender, are socially constructed and to explore the role education has to play in this.
Section 3: Problematising inclusion
You’ll apply some of the theories you learned about in Section 2 to begin to problematise or ‘unpick’ some of the more complex questions around inequalities in educational experiences and outcomes. You'll consider the construction of a range of ‘social problems’ and reflect on how these relate to the concepts of inclusion, equity, and social justice that you explored in Section 1.
Section 4: Transforming – making a difference
This section explores some of the ways in which inclusive practices can be transformative for learners, educators, and wider society. Here you'll explore a diverse range of topics, including the decolonisation of the curriculum and participation in educational spaces. You'll also focus in depth on two research case studies featuring inclusive practices for learners and educators in two very different contexts. Through these case studies, you'll apply some of the theories you explored in Section 2 to expand your understanding of these contexts.
Section 5: Looking back and looking forwards
This final section reflects on topics covered throughout the module and considers current and future debates in inclusive practice around the world. Working through this will prepare you for the EMA, the final assessment on the module.

At the end of sections 1, 2 and 3, there will be an activity week during which you will work collaboratively with other students on a specified activity to consolidate your learning.
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material, offer advice and guidance about your learning, and comment on and mark your work. You and your tutor will primarily communicate with each other through email, forums and tutorials. Tutorials are offered via online meeting rooms and support is also facilitated asynchronously in online tutor group forums.
Course work includes:
All study materials are provided on the module website which includes:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
EE844 is an option module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Equity, inclusion and social justice in educational practice starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2031.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
You should be prepared for study at postgraduate level and have a minimum of a bachelors degree (in any subject) from a UK university or an equivalent professional qualification. We warmly welcome applications from students who hold an undergraduate degree-level qualification from universities outside the UK, which is deemed equivalent to a UK higher education degree.
You do not need to be employed in an educational setting to study this module. However, it is important that you have some experience of and interest in engaging or working with learners, children or young people, as our pathway disciplines (Childhood and Youth Studies, Learning and Teaching, Inclusive Practice, Applied Linguistics, and Leadership and Management) are all explored through the lens of education. You will need to be able to apply your learning to an educational setting with which you are familiar, such as being a parent/carer, a volunteer, an employee, or a learner yourself.
You will need to be able to spend approximately 15-18 hours per week on studying for this module.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum overall score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see the IELTS website for details.
The module website will be available to registered students two weeks in advance of module start. On registration, you will also have access to the Masters in Education subject website which has a range of resources and introduces you to some postgraduate induction materials.
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader (and where applicable: musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way). Other alternative formats of the module materials may be available in the future.
StartEndRegister byEngland fee
03 Oct 202630 Jun 202717 Sep 2026£2,950
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
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