Special Educational Needs and Disability

Entry requirements

The course is open to graduates or non-graduates with professional experience. The latter will be invited for interview. National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (SENCO) applicants will have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS, QTLS or EYTS) and normally be working in SEN, or aspiring to acquire specialist SEN knowledge and skills.

Months of entry

October

Course content

Course overview

Our MA in Special Educational Needs and Disability will provide you with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to become an advanced practitioner and leader of SEN in your setting.

The MA in Special Educational Needs and Disability is a postgraduate course designed in response to a changing agenda for special education. Modules within it are varied and allow you to build a SEN programme to better match your needs.

Why study Special Educational Needs and Disability with us?

You can receive credit on the Special Educational Needs and Disability course at three different levels.

You may wish to undertake a Postgraduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disability. The Postgraduate Certificate comprises three specialist special educational needs (SEN) modules from the course (60 credits). If you wish to undertake a Postgraduate Diploma, you can then add three more specialist modules from the SEN options, including Autism, Dyslexia or Dyscalculia (another 60 credits). Your final 60 credits would then be your Dissertation based around a topic within SEN. Successful completion of all of these would then give you a full MA in SEN.

How will I be taught?

Teaching approaches are designed to engage you as a self-directed learner, and include: lectures, group work, discussion, independent research, personal contextualised reflection, tutorials, and use of the University's Moodle virtual learning environment.

Contact hours are 5-7pm on Fridays and 9.30am-4pm on Saturdays, two weekends per module. You will also be expected to undertake 184 hours’ non-contact-guided study per module.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment tasks include essays, a small-scale practitioner enquiry, an analytical case study, a dissertation, and a professional portfolio with a critical commentary.

Fees and funding