Education

The programme has the following aims:



Embed a culture of self-evaluation by providing opportunity for critical reflection.



Ensure that teachers receive targeted and supportive professional development, needed to strengthen leadership capacity and raise achievement in schools.



Facilitate school improvement by encouraging and promoting professional collaboration and sharing of best practice.



Inspire creativity, passion and optimism in the teaching profession.



Make educational excellence and success accessible to all.



Nurture the talent and ambition of teachers who are committed to their own professional development.



Promote personal excellence, teamwork and leadership among educational professionals.



Support career-long professional development



MEd Specialist Options

Specialist options apply to the Master of Education and Postgraduate Diploma courses only. For the purpose of continuity, students are advised to take a specialist option. The research module is compulsory for anyone wishing to undertake the MEd dissertation. To be awarded a named Masters degree, the dissertation must also be in the area of study of the specialist option. The remaining module(s), subject to availability and timetable restrictions, may be chosen from the full range of modules detailed in the prospectus.



Students should note that not every module will be available every year within a course of study.



Specialist Options



Curriculum Development and Primary Education

This option is ideally suited to practitioners in the Foundation Stage, Key Stages One and Two, as well as school leaders and managers. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on and engage in analysing key module themes in the light of current policy, legislation and research. The option design incorporates key aspects of primary education which are currently very topical.



Developing Physical Education, School Sport and Coaching Science

This option offers participants the opportunity to develop specialist, in-depth knowledge within the field of physical education, school sport and coaching science. The course is suitable for both Primary and Post-Primary teachers, for those who are subject specialists and those simply wishing to develop some expertise in this area. Theory is complemented by a strong emphasis on practical application. Teaching methods include lectures, workshops, tutorials and a large element of practical work. The module includes the following elements, physical education, sports coaching and teaching, match analysis, biomechanics, sports nutrition, exercise physiology and sport psychology.



Early Years Education

This option is relevant for those who teach or have an interest in educational matters relating to the nursery or Early Years setting. The option provides the opportunity to engage in the study and investigation of issues pertinent to the education of young children and examines the responsibilities and challenges that are inherent in the job. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own professional practice through engagement with current research while debate and discussion regarding theory and practice will be facilitated and encouraged. Issues to be considered include the study of the underlying principles of Early Years education, the significance of child development, the nature and consequences of childhood stress, therapeutic teaching approaches and the appropriateness of a variety of teaching methodologies. How children think and learn will be explored as will the implications of this for the teaching and learning process.



Effective Teaching (online option)

Teacher professional development often can be divorced from the reality of classroom and school life. In contrast, this work-based option focuses on the learning and progress made by children and young people as their teachers develop and reflect on pedagogic techniques. The approach will be personalised in that questions will arise from enquiries that are important and relevant to each individual’s own teaching or management role.



English and Literacy in the Curriculum

This option reaffirms of the importance attached to teaching all aspects of English in schools. It considers curricular reform and the variety of initiatives which have been taken to address concerns about how to raise standards in literacy. The module also considers the need to assess the value of these within the context of the whole English curriculum. The option seeks to provide a forum in which the best classroom practices in literacy and English can be shared.



An Ghaeilge agus Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge / Irish and Irish-Medium Education

Tá an roghachúrsa seo fóirsteanach dóibh siúd atá ag obair in earnáil na Gaelscolaíochta. Díreofar na modúil ar shaincheisteanna a bhaineann leis an oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge agus dearadh iad le dea-chleachtas an tumoideachais a léiriú ag gach céim den oideachas. Gheobhaidh múinteoirí agus cleachtóirí deis, leis na modúil seo, machnamh a dhéanamh ar theoiricí agus ar chleachtas sa tumoideachas, ag fiosrú na bpróiseas agus na dtorthaí a bhaineann le teagasc, foghlaim agus measúnú i suíomhanna lán-Ghaeilge.



This option is for individuals working in the Irish-medium sector. The modules focus on a range of current issues relevant to Irish medium education and have been designed to reflect best practice in immersion education models at all phases. These courses will allow practitioners to explore and reflect on theoretical principles and classroom practice in immersion education by examining the processes and outcomes involved in learning, teaching and assessing in Irish medium settings.



Leaders in Catholic Schools

Leaders in Catholic Schools play a key role in fostering and sharing a holistic vision of education with the staff of the school. This module aims to explore, with both a local and an international focus, some pertinent themes which school leaders face today as they seek to develop and promote a Catholic ethos.



They would include the distinctive calling of the Catholic educator to ministry and service in an increasingly secularised and materialistic society. The work of Catholic schools in fostering an inclusive, ecumenical vision that works to promote reconciliation in our traditionally divided society. The value of engaging with a theological vision which encourages and resources the Catholic school to be a place of welcome and inclusion in our increasingly multi-cultural and multi-religious society. Finally, addressing the work of social justice, tapping into the richness of Catholic Social Teaching and its vision of the human person and the importance of community and solidarity.



Leadership for Learning

Recognition of the importance of leadership at all levels in the promotion of school effectiveness and improvement is well established internationally. This pathway provides an opportunity to explore this relationship through a study of the principles and practice of educational leadership. The modules focus upon a range of management and leadership functions, as well as the roles and competence requirements of different professionals working in education. They draw upon both theoretical models and examples of good practice within local and international contexts and prepare students for conducting their own research into educational leadership.



Pastoral Issues

The experience of the pastoral care practitioner is both complex and challenging. This innovative option aims to develop teachers’ competence in maintaining their own well-being and safeguarding the holistic well-being of children and young people.



Special Education

Within the field of education, attention remains firmly focused on the issues attending to special education. The modules within this option provide opportunities for teachers in mainstream and special schools to analyse, evaluate, and reflect on the policies, procedures and practices relating to special education in Northern Ireland.



MEd/Pg Diploma in Educational Studies

Students who satisfy general regulations for Master of Education or Postgraduate Diploma but do not meet specific option requirements will be awarded a Master of Education degree or Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies.

Candidates for admission to the Masters programme in Education should normally hold either:



Qualified teacher status and an honours degree or equivalent qualification or

An honours degree or equivalent qualification with at least two years’ professional experience in an educational, training or professionally related context.

3 years part-time.

Tuition Fees


All full-time and part-time students will be charged tuition fees. This includes PGCE students. For students who are Northern Ireland domiciled, these are currently £4,160 per year and are normally subject to an annual inflationary uplift. A student will be liable for the full tuition fee at the point of enrolment and registration. This includes a non-refundable element of 25% of the calculated tuition fee.


Tuition Fee Loan

Students may defer their fees by applying for a Tuition Fee Loan, currently up to a maximum of £4,160, by paying the full fee directly to the College or by a combination of taking out a fee loan for part of the fees and paying the rest directly to the College.


A single application form PN1 is used in applying for a fee loan, for loans for living costs and maintenance grants and for the St Mary's College Bursary. Students can apply online or download an application form via the Student Finance Northern Ireland website www.studentfinanceni.co.uk.


Once applications have been assessed, the local branch of Student Finance NI will send the student a Student Notification which will include details of the amount of the fee loan the student has requested.


Payment Options

Students who do not avail of the fee loan can pay their fees in one of two ways:


• Direct Debit – Students can complete a direct debit authorisation which spreads the fee over six months from December to May.


• Cash or Cheques – Students who do not complete a direct debit authorisation will receive one invoice in November for the full amount, which will be payable within thirty days.


EU Students

Non-UK EU Students, including students from the Republic of Ireland, can defer their fees by applying for a fee loan, currently up to a maximum of £4,160.


The application is essentially the same as the system for applying for fee loans and other support. EU students may also be eligible for a College Bursary. This will be dependent on the level of their household income. EU students should contact the Student Loan Company EU team by telephoning 0141 243 3570 in Darlington for advice. For maintenance support EU students should contact their local county council.

Careers

Graduates from this degree have found the skills and knowledge learned to be beneficial in their workplace by improving their professional practice. In the case of teachers this has meant the development of research-informed practice and the ability to lead professional development within their schools. A higher degree can enhance employment prospects and help secure future promotion.