Top

Ulster University - Magee

Education with Specialisms

Summary

Study Education with Specialisms at Ulster University in the United Kingdom.

The Master of Education degree is a professional development course for teachers and other adult educators, who wish to update their knowledge and qualifications. The award has been developed in conjunction with the teaching community and is designed to ensure you will have the opportunity to explore contemporary issues in education which impact upon your own professional practice. The full masters programme will normally take you up to 3 years to complete, but you can exit with the Postgraduate Certificate (normally after 1 year) or Postgraduate Diploma (normally after 2 years).

Entry requirements

Entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the Universitys General Entrance Requirements. For general entrance requirements go to:
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/entrance-requirements

Entry Requirements

Applicants must normally:

(a) have gained

(i) a degree from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which is recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or

(ii) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma or an approved alternative qualification, e.g. a professional qualification; and

(b) be currently working in a teaching or training environment

(please note: the PGDip/MEd with Specialisms does not qualify you as a teacher).

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Exemptions and transferability

The PGDip/MEd with Specialisms comprises six 30-credit point modules (180 credits in total).

You may be able to enter the course at a higher stage or claim exemptions from particular modules. We call this process the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). You can gain APL credits based on awards that you hold (certificated learning) or life experiences that you have accrued (experiential learning). In the case of certificated learning, awards must have been achieved within the last five years.

There is a limit to the number of APL credits that you can claim against our course. See the table below:

Award: Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Specialisms

Comprising: 120 credits

Maximum APL claim: 60 credits

MEd with Specialisms

Comprising: 180 credits

Maximum APL claim: 120 credits

Duration

Attendance

It is possible to complete the course fully online so that your physical attendance is not required

Modules in the Educational Leadership Specialism are delivered face-to-face or are a mix of face-to-face and online delivery (i.e. blended delivery).

Although the course is administered through Jordanstown, no teaching takes place there. Face-to-face modules are delivered at Magee, and at Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon and Monaghan Education Centres.

Attendance requirements will depend on the modules that you select.

Careers or further progression

Career options

In addition to improving your career portfolio, this course will allow you to develop higher level skills of argument and critical thinking as well as developing academic writing skills and research capability. Having a Masters level qualification should enhance potential career advancement, and is a useful preparation for Doctoral level study.

Past students who have taken the specialisms Learning and Teaching, Inclusive and Special Education and ICT have used the qualifications for career advancement, while several of those studying or having completed the Leadership and Management modules have been successful in gaining Vice-Principal and Principal posts both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Other pathways have also led to enhanced professional practice and career advancement.

Further enquiries

Course Director: Dr Stephen Roulston
T: +44 (0)28 7012 4241
E: s.roulston@ulster.ac.uk 

Subjects taught

About

If you are currently working in a teaching or training environment and you wish to build on the qualifications and experience you already have, then this course is for you. You will enter at the Postgraduate Diploma level and undertake modules worth 120 credits for your Postgraduate Diploma award and a further 60 credits for your MEd award.

If, after completing 60 credits, you wish to exit the course, you can do so with a Postgraduate Certificate award.

This is summarised below:

Year 1
Award: Postgraduate Certificate (exit award only)
Modules: 2 modules of 30 credits
Accumulated credits: 60

Year 2
Award: Postgraduate Diploma
Modules: 2 modules of 30 credits
Accumulated credits: 120

Year 3
Award: MEd
Modules: 1 modules of 60 credits (Dissertation)
or
2 modules of 30 credits to include the Research Project module
Accumulated credits: 180

Please note that this award does not qualify you as a teacher.

Assessment method

Teaching and learning assessment

The variety of teaching, learning and assessment methods and approaches used throughout the course enable students to develop flexible, appropriate and creative and/or entrepreneurial approaches to the resolution of problems within their professional work roles and also in terms of their own personal professional development. The intentional building of communities of learning via synchronous and non-synchronous discussion boards, combined with an interactive approach to the face to face seminars, along with the use of guest lecture sessions facilitate this.

Each module will have its own form of assessment tailored to the content being covered but, typically, these comprise two 2500 word assignments.

Enrolment and start dates

Start date: September 2017

Application Weblink

Course web page

Browse courses

Remember to mention gradireland when contacting institutions!