Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs

Entry requirements

· Work in a Welsh maintained school (or in the case of ALN Pathway this could include a Welsh FE institution).

· Educated to degree level or equivalent.

· Registered with the EWC (which must be maintained throughout the course of the programme).

· Employed on a minimum of 0.4 FTE contract, this can include supply teachers who are on long term contracts either with a Local Authority, school or an agency.

· Candidates should have, where possible, the support of their Head teacher (or equivalent such as Principal, MD, CEO or Head of Service).

To be eligible for funding you must:

1. Be an early career stage practitioner i.e., an individual in years 3-6 of practice as a teacher at the start of the programme, or

• ITE partner school staff.

• Teaching Assistants who meet the academic entry requirements for the programme.

• School Improvement Partners/regional consortia staff/Estyn staff/LAstaff/Middle tier.

• ALNCO (including FE).

• Applicants on the fringe of years 3-6 criteria but at the discretion of the university and in exceptional circumstances.

Please note that the requirement to be in years 3-6 of practice does not apply to either the ALN or Leadership Pathway.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The National MA Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders with an interest in Additional Learning Needs.

The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it.

The National MA Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs programme - which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their professional knowledge, engage with research, and to improve their professional practice in the area of Additional Learning Needs.

Prospective students are encouraged to contact Siôn Owen.

Please view our Admissions FAQs for details on how to apply for the MA Education (Wales).

Why Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs at Swansea?

Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, you will study a programme designed to promote individual and collaborative research activity of international standard. Postgraduate training is available to enhance academic and professional development, as well as seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.

Your Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs Experience

The course is 3 years part-time. There is no full-time option.

The programme consists of 200 hours of study per 20 credit module, of which 22 will be contact hours. Learning will be a blend of online and face-to-face. Activities will be a combination of lectures, seminars, group activities and individual activities.

Students on this course will join students on the same course at 6 other HEIs. There will be peer-to-peer support hosted on the EWC PLP, alongside all the regular Swansea University support services and mechanisms, and a series of National Conference days across the academic year, where all students across Wales can come together to learn and share their experiences.