Select your course options:
Where Are You Applying From?
How Would You Like To Study?
When Do You Want To Start Your Studies?
Which Campus Would You Like To Study At?
Which Options Would You Like With Your Course?
Why choose the School of Education
A flexible, part-time course that can work with your other commitments
Designed for those presently working as, or interested in, becoming mid-senior managers and leaders in an educational organisation
A choice of optional units allow you to follow a programme which meets your professional interests and individual needs
About the course
This course equips you with the knowledge and skills required to analyse practice, lead change and inspire excellence. Through your studies, you have the opportunity to think critically and creatively so you can effectively navigate the evolving demands of leadership within education. The course is made up of core and optional units, providing you with the flexibility to design a programme which meets your individual needs.
Your student experience
Your student experience
The course covers a wide range of theoretical and practical aspects of leadership and management, drawing on multidisciplinary research.
Through activities and assessments, you develop analytical and practical skills that support you to progress successfully along a leadership or managerial career path.
The course team have extensive experience, are all professionals who understand the sector and contribute to wider knowledge through cutting-edge research.
The 91快色鈥檚 Bedford campus is a small, thriving academic community where staff get to know you well and provide individualised support.
Course Leader - Dr Cathal Butler
Since 2013, I have been the course co-ordinator for our MA Education Pathways. These courses support the continuing development of practicing educators, as well as supporting the academic development of recent graduates, both British and International.
I teach across a range of our postgraduate courses and units, as well as supervising PhD students. I am also link co-ordinator for the MA Education (Leadership) course that is running at a partner institution in Guyana. I also co-ordinate our recently approved MA International Education Courses.
What will you study?
Educational Leadership In Context
Recognising the continually changing nature of contemporary educational leadership and theory, this unit explores key literature and research to support you to reflect upon key aspects of leadership and management within a range of educational contexts:
- Critically explore how national policies inform individual school policies and practice
- Evaluate leadership and management styles in an educational setting
- Analyse the mission, vision and strategic planning of educational organisations
Leading Change In Education
This unit will help you to acquire the knowledge and skills required to lead developments within a specific context, with a focus on improved outcomes. The unit will cover different aspects of change, including changing practice in education settings, and exploring how to manage and develop positive staff attitudes in order to secure positive outcomes in the short, medium, and long term.
The application of this focus might be in a range of educational contexts; as a teacher in your classroom, as a leader in a school or college, as a leader of Children’s Services or a Leader involved with direct provision of services to children and young people. Whatever role you apply this unit to, the learning outcomes will enable you to apply new skills and understanding within your organisation with a view to enhancing outcomes of others. The unit will enable you to:
- Critically analyse approaches and theories to leading learning and development within your organisational context.
- Critically analyse the suitability of a range of models and strategies for the promotion of change within your organisation,
- Create a culture conducive to individual and collaborative professional development
- Develop and support an ethos of continual review, innovation and change within your team/organisation
How will you be assessed?
Each unit in this course has its own assessment. Wherever possible the specific focus of assignments is negotiated individually in order to ensure that the assignment meets the personal and professional needs of the student.
The course provides you with a carefully planned and coherent sequence of learning opportunities that facilitate your development through formative and summative assessments. At this level the expectations in terms of the quality of work produced are high and you will need to take active control of your learning.
Careers
For existing professionals this Master鈥檚 qualification will enhance your chances for promotion to senior positions in the field of education and in particular senior management roles within schools. It acts as an important indicator of your ability and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a senior leader in educational settings. It is designed to help you critique key issues in education as well as to identify and justify recommendations for further action.
As a Master鈥檚 graduate therefore you will have the confidence knowledge and critical skills to prepare and present a strong application to senior posts in the field of education. It is also an ideal base from which to progress to study at Doctoral level.
