Educational Leadership (Specialist Qualification for Headship)

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second class Honours degree (2.1 preferred) or equivalent in a relevant subject.

Applicants for the MSc Educational Leadership (with Specialist Qualification for Headship) should be registered or eligible to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Prospective applicants for the Postgraduate Certificate “Into Headship” must have demonstrated experience of significant leadership practice as appropriate in their sector and be sponsored by their local authority to apply through Education Scotland. You must normally be within two to three years of taking up a post as a head teacher and be sponsored by your local authority to apply through Education Scotland.

Months of entry

August

Course content

Our Masters in Educational Leadership is a practice-based course for aspiring and early-career school leaders. The Specialist Qualification for Headship is a nationally approved course developed in partnership with Education Scotland and other stakeholders across the education community.

The course cultivates the knowledge and understanding you’ll need to put informed strategic vision, values and aims into practice – helping you to lead change for improvement wherever you work. Through your studies, you’ll further develop your leadership and management practices in supportive, creative and challenging learning environments.

A flexible study route and a combination of face-to-face and online teaching makes it easier for you to fit your coursework around existing commitments, while the practice-based learning is set within your Professional Standards framework.

Please note: Prospective candidates for the Postgraduate Certificates “Into Headship” and “In Headship” must be sponsored by their local authority to apply for this Masters through Education Scotland.

Information for international students

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Indicator 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill
• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 176 overall with a minimum of 169 in each sub-skill
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 169 in each sub-skill
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall with 60 in each sub-skill
• IBT TOEFL 80 overall with 18 in reading, 23 in writing, 19 in listening and 21 in speaking
• IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 80 overall with 18 in reading, 23 in writing, 19 in listening and 21 in speaking
• Trinity ISE II Pass overall and Merit in all sub-skills, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
• Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
• Duolingo 105 overall with a minimum of 95 in each sub-skill
• LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - Pass with minimum 33 in each sub-skill

If you are from India, Bangladesh, Ghana or Nigeria please also check your country/region specific page for any additional, or changes to, English language requirements.

For more information on ways that you can meet our English language requirements, including options to waive the requirement, please read our information on English language requirements.