The School of Educational Studies of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS-APSoE), since its inception in 2011, has been consistently working towards its goal of ensuring quality education in contextually responsive ways. The School has sought to achieve its objectives through academic programmes offered at the institute and also through initiatives and activities that enable direct engagement with the different levels of school and higher education and the diverse stakeholders in the field. The vision document of the School of Education, which it conceptualised as its first activity through consultations with eminent educationists and experts within the country, emphasises the core principle of striking a balance between aiming for academic excellence on the one hand and critically engaging on the other hand with the practice of teaching and training in schools as well as institutes of higher education.

The existing academic programmes offered by TISS-APSoE are spread across different educational levels. The School offers MPhil and Ph.D. in Education, Master of Arts in Education and a basket course in the last semester for students of B.A. in Social Sciences. The teaching programmes introduce students to educational thought and practice across the globe and in India. Internships and field experience components are an integral part of all taught courses. The programmes seek to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary educational discourses, socio-cultural influences, and alignment with diverse perspectives on education. The mutual engagement of students and faculty finds expression through systematic research that attempts to align conceptual thought with practical realities.

The MA Education programme is spread over four semesters, i.e. across two years. The breaks between the semesters are utilised for experiential learning through internships. Internships allow students to visit a site of educational practice and immersion in the settings to gain an understanding of what characterises an educational discourse in that particular setting. The presentations and reflections of these experiences by the students contribute to creating a larger awareness of educational discourses in the country. It also provides a basis for anchoring conceptual understanding in the taught courses. Students also get an additional opportunity to explore and study an area of interest in-depth through their research dissertations. The dissertations are examined by external reviewers, allowing for critical feedback and inputs.

The Integrated MPhil-Ph.D. programme offered by TISS-APSoE seeks to develop researchers who can help strengthen the domain of education. The M.Phil. students are expected to complete their coursework over two semesters and go on to the field for their research and submit the dissertation in the next two semesters. The courses offered as part of the M.Phil. programme seek to integrate learning from the field and building a conceptual understanding of educational content and discourse in regional settings.