Education (special Educational Needs)

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent. Course participants will need to: be practising teachers or other educators working in the area of special educational needs provision in schools or other educational institutions; study EDC004-6 in advance of EDC047-6; have regular (i.e. several times a week) access to a computer.

Months of entry

October

Course content

About the course

The MA is designed for practising professionals, or those interested in research, in special educational needs and disability (SEND) – usually in schools, the lifelong learning sector and universities.

Its modular structure allows you to personalise your choice of units and progress at a pace that best suits you, with a final phase focused on educational research via a dissertation.

The MA Education engages you with key issues in education and aims to encourage your evidence-based practice, as you make direct and meaningful connections between the course and your own experiences and aspirations.

The course helps you to broaden your knowledge educational ideas and research findings, as you identify and justify recommendations for further action. This places you in a better position to develop your work as a classroom practitioner or school leader.

Intermediate qualifications available:

• Postgraduate certificate – 60 credits at Masters level
• Postgraduate diploma – 120 credits at Masters level

Key features

• Study on a modular course designed for professionals in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), that allows you to accumulate credit at a pace that suits you, with assessments based around needs specific to your role in your educational organisation.
• Explore the process of teaching, learning support and/or educational leadership, focusing on personal, academic and vocational interests relevant to your educational context.
• Develop your understanding of assessment formats with a negotiated focus in support of both individual and organisational needs.
• Gain from undertaking primary research that informs your current practice, as well as acquiring the necessary research skills to engage in future research and progress to a PhD or EdD programme.
• Benefit from a course that provides a clear progression route following completion of your Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course, develops both you and the organisation within which you work and could be used as the basis for further study at doctoral level (PhD and EdD).

Areas of study

Units on offer include:

• Meeting Diverse Needs
• Understanding Pupil Behaviour in Schools or Understanding difficulties in literacy development and dyslexia (these are distance learning units)
• Leading change in Education
• Enhancing Practice in Educational Contexts
• Research Methods in the Workplace
• Dissertation (Special Educational Needs)
• Educational Leadership in Context
• Analysing Policy: Children’s Voice
• Exploring Coaching and Mentoring
• Early Years Education and Care

You will receive guidance on the units that are most appropriate for your career aspirations and interests.

Career prospects

This Master’s qualification will enhance your chances for promotion and for employment in other contexts. Master’s study supports promotion to senior positions in the field of education.

The course is designed to help you engage, study and critique key issues in education as well as to be able to identify and justify recommendations for further action.

As a Master’s 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.

Previous graduates have gone on to take up enhanced roles within their organisation; some have undertaken PhD study

Qualification and course duration

MA