Education MA

What Makes This Course So Special?

The MA Education programme has been running since 1995 and is regularly updated in order to reflect the changing needs of participants and potential participants. The course offers professionals the opportunity to engage critically with the theories and practices of education with a view to applying your learning to your own practice. Most entrants are graduates drawn from a range of professional backgrounds, including teachers, lecturers and managers in the further education sector, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, midwives and members of the armed forces and police service. It is also possible to enrol on the course if you are a non-graduate with relevant experience.

The MA Education award offers students the maximum flexibility in terms of module choice. During your studies, you may decide that you want to focus on one of the areas you have studied at module level. In this case it may be possible to transfer you to one of the specialist awards.

Course Intro

The MA Education Programme consists of a number of specialist pathways and is for you if you are from any of a range of professional backgrounds including teachers, lecturers and managers in the further education sector, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, midwives and members of the armed forces and police service. If you are a non-graduate then you may qualify for the pathways with relevant experience.

On your chosen pathway within the programme you will have the opportunity to engage critically with the theories and practices of education with a view to applying your learning to your own practice.

The MA Education programme is well established, it’s been running since 1995, and is regularly updated in order to reflect the changing needs of participants and potential participants.

What you study

On all pathways within the MA Education programme, you must take the core module Research Methodology. This module will equip you to carry out a small scale education enquiry ethically and effectively.

You are then free to choose three other modules from 55 modules that are built into the different pathways within the MA Education programme.

Pathways available:
• MA Education
• MA Autism
• MA Child & Adolescent Mental Health
• MA Childhood Studies
• MA Early Years
• MA Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC)
• MA ICT and Education
• MA Leadership and Management (Education)
• MA Leadership and Management (Health Promotion & Education)
• MA Leadership and Management (PcET)
• MA Leadership and Management (Further Education / PcET)
• MA Religious Education
• MA SEN
• Postgraduate Diploma (SEN Specific Learning Difficulties)
• Postgraduate Certificate (Dyspraxia / Developmental Co-ordination Disorder)
• Postgraduate Certificate Developing Professional Practise in Higher Education
• Postgraduate Diploma (SEN Hearing Impairment)
• Postgraduate Diploma (SEN Visual Impairment)
• MA Teaching English as an Additional Language (TEAL)
• MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• MA Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)

Awards are available at Postgraduate Certificate level (after completion of two taught modules) and Postgraduate Diploma level (after completion of four taught modules). Full MA awards require you to complete a 17,000 word research dissertation and a 3,000 word dissemination plan after the taught programmes.

A programme specification is available for this course.

Where Next?

A Masters degree is required for professional advancement in numerous occupations, and is widely seen as evidence of a successful commitment to high level professional development. The broad award of MA Education indicates you have acquired skills and knowledge across a range of different areas.

If you are interested in the possibility of a higher degree by research, your tutors will be pleased to discuss the opportunities for doing so here at Newport.

The full list of modules available is on the next page and descriptions of these can be found on individual pathway pages.

Interview Required

Yes. After you have made your application an informal interview will be required.

Assessment

In most cases modules are assessed through a 5,000 word written piece of coursework. Progress on to the dissertation is dependent upon successful completion of the taught modules.

Student Soundbite

“The wide choice of modules meant that I could tailor the course to my professional needs and focus on areas of interest and relevance to my own practice.”

Experiences Gained

Teaching Team

Course Costs

Adele Hood –Adele Hood completed an MA Education (one of the many MA courses offered as part of the MA Education Programme at Newport)

“I have just secured a 6 month secondment (2 days a week) as a project manager to lead the development of an All Wales Curriculum for Maternity Support Workers. This is a joint initiative with NLIAH/ RCM and Skills for Health. I am certain that my MA Education qualification and dissertation recommendations have raised my profile and enabled me to secure such a high profile opportunity. Tutor support was pivotal, in aiding me to achieve this qualification.”
Adele Hood

Colin Green – pathway leader
Dr Adrian Davies- retired Headteacher
Dr Ian Garrero- retired Headteacher
Mr Steve Marshall- retired Headteacher
Mr Gareth Coombes- Senior School Improvement Officer
Mrs Kath Bainbridge- Headteacher Pillgwenlly Primary School
Mrs Lynsay Watkins-Headteacher Millbrook Primary School

Mandatory Items

Costs

Other

Full-time and part-time students choosing modules which have a placement component as part of the assessment process will need to provide evidence of a current CRB check (or its equivalent if an EU or international student)
• Full-time students wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Internship Scheme will need to provide evidence of a current CRB check (or its equivalent if an EU or international student)
Where there is a requirement for students to undergo a CRB check, this will cost £ £36.00.
Relevant up-to-date instructions will be sent out as part of the admissions process.

Year of Entry

September 2012

Course Code

N/A

Duration

Most students following the part-time programme spend 2 years on the taught modules (typically one evening per week) and undertake their dissertation in their third year. Participants are, however, allowed to take a maximum of 5 years to complete the whole programme. Full-time students are able to complete the whole programme within 12 months, although some take a little longer to finish writing up their dissertation.

Entry Requirements

• You should be a graduate, or if you are a non-graduate, you will need relevant experience
• Full-time and part-time students choosing modules which have a placement component as part of the assessment process will need to provide evidence of a current CRB check (or its equivalent if an EU or international student)
• Full-time students wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Internship Scheme will also need to provide evidence of a current CRB check (or its equivalent if an EU or international student)