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Join us for a virtual Open Event
Wednesday 13 November | 12:30 - 13:30 (GMT) and 18:30 - 19:30 (GMT)
Wednesday 13 November
Our next Postgraduate Open Event is in:
Overview
Improve your understanding of contemporary Education theories to support learning
Our MA Education degree act as an exciting and insightful stepping stone to specialist roles in teaching, leadership, research, and consultancy.
This course aims to improve your understanding of advanced subject knowledge and shows you how to best utilise evidence-based practice in order to unlock the potential of all learners.
Exploring topics on a local, national and global scale, you’ll learn about education from all perspectives and understand how you can make a significant difference to the lives of others.
You will be encouraged and supported to ensure that the practitioner research you undertake during your study reflects your chosen focus, making the course both specialised and personalised.
On this course you will:
- Investigate, understand and analyse the fast-changing landscape of education.
- Be taught over two years via a flexible, modular programme with an additional year for your final dissertation.
- Learn part-time, with evening and weekend sessions per academic year.
- Pursue your personal area of interest to build your MA course around you.
MA Education (Online)
We also have our distance-learning MA Education (Online) course.
The Course
Learn how to best utilise evidence-based practice in order to unlock the potential of all learners
Our MA Education programme endeavours to support the development of a high status, world-leading education sector.
We allow you to develop advanced subject knowledge, as well as an understanding of how to best utilise evidence-based practice in order to unlock the potential of all learners.
Our MA programme provides the opportunity to follow your own particular area of interest throughout every module, for example a specific focus on maths subject knowledge; SEND; or management.
Typically, you will study part-time, taking four modules over two years, plus your dissertation over a third year.
The degree is made up of four modules – including two mandatory and two optional modules – and a dissertation.
You will be encouraged and supported to ensure that the practitioner research you undertake during your study reflects your chosen focus, making the course both specialised and personalised.
Under some circumstances you are also able to select modules from other Masters programmes including:
- MA Advanced Professional Practice
- MA Sport Pedagogy & Physical Education
- MA Inclusive Special Education
Academic Year 2024-2025
Semester 1
- Critical Perspectives on Education – start date 17 September 2024
- Independent Study: Mental Health Awareness in Schools – start date 24 September 2024
- Outdoor Learning – start dates:
- Saturday 28 September (Goodwood)
- Saturday 19 October (Bognor/Beach)
- Saturday 16th November – MA Forum (Bognor Regis Campus)
- Saturday 30 November (Venue TBC)
Semester 2
- Exploring Research – start date 28 January 2025
Modules
Exploring Research: Informing and Changing Practice
This module supports you to become an agent of change within your workplace. You will consider theoretical frameworks that have a clear focus on the place of practitioner research as a tool for improving practice.
Critical Perspectives On Education
In this module you will critically explore diverse perspectives on the function, value and purpose of education and apply this new understanding to a critique of both your own practice and the wider educational context. Central to this discussion will be a consideration of what do twenty-first century learners need.
Effective Pedagogy
The module aims to present a useful and thoughtful overview of the ways in which thinking about pedagogy has changed in research and practice. This module will explore the impact of different pedagogies on early years, primary and secondary schools as well as on further education colleges, universities and the workplace. Topics include metacognition, self-regulated learning and learning sciences.
Emotional Aspects of Learning
In this module you will examine the links between emotions, learning and behaviour. You will explore how these links lead to success in school and in life and you will investigate how your classrooms and/or workplace can become even more effective places of positive learning. Topics include aspects of mental health and the impact of social media.
Leading Learning
You will examine the nature of leadership in the contemporary educational context and will debate the usefulness of theoretical models to successful delivery of a contextualised leadership role.
Critiquing the Effect of Workplace Learning
This module enables you to demonstrate and provide evidence of appropriate academic rigour that complements your informal learning experiences within the workplace. These learning experiences can be retrospective or current. Additionally, this module is designed to support and guide you to show originality in demonstrating how you deal with (and learn from) workplace situations.
Outdoor Learning
Semester 1 2023-2024 30 Credit Module
This module offers individuals, individual schools or groups of schools the opportunity to explore the research and evidence base surrounding outdoor learning in order to make best use of outdoor learning opportunities.
Topics include the identification of contemporary issues in outdoor learning and teaching, as well as the application of research to practices in schools and NGOs.
Throughout the module, you are able to pursue your own professional and personal interests as you explore research that underpins present practices and alternatives ways forward.
Teaching and learning
This year, for the first time, group sessions will take place on three Saturdays at contrasting locations, with much of the time outdoors. As well as some practical activities outdoors, there will be additional tutorial and seminar discussions sessions that focus on the analysis of case studies and informal presentations by participants.
Over the course of the module, each student will develop and publish entries on their personal blog on outdoor learning, which they might wish to keep private or to make public, and will engage with posts of other students.
Assessment
Students are assessed for this module on the blog entries rather than by a traditional essay.
Independent Study: Mental Health Awareness in Schools
This module is designed to support those who are working on programmes or professional learning activities geared to promoting awareness of mental health in schools. Topics include a review of relevant policy documents and guidance; indicators of mental ill-health disorders; consideration of how staff are supported with their mental wellbeing and evidence-based interventions.
Postgraduate Certificate: Professional Studies in Education, Growth Mindset
This module offers individuals, individual schools or groups of schools the opportunity to explore the research and evidence base surrounding mindsets in order to foster a growth mindset culture within the classroom, work environment or school.
Harnessing a growth mindset has been argued as a way forward for both teachers and students as they navigate the challenges within education.
Within this module topics covered will include: an interrogation of relevant theoretical and empirical research pertinent to growth mindsets; an understanding of indicators of growth and fixed mindsets and an evaluation of interventions designed to foster a growth mindset.
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice: Workplace Learning Development
This postgraduate certificate has been designed for students who wish to accredit development activities within the workplace.
This certificate may be undertaken by individuals or groups of education professionals working within their own environment or as part of a linked partnership.
It is designed to support schools or individuals within schools who wish to accredit their professional development activities or Local Authorities working on specific developments and projects.
Teaching and Assessment
Discover innovative teaching techniques and varied assessment methods
Teaching
Each module is formed of small group seminars and one Saturday workshop, held at our Bognor Regis campus.
You will predominately learn during your first two years (four semesters) of study, at the rate of one module per semester, plus a further year for the dissertation.
We appreciate that circumstances can change and part-time students are helped by having flexible study arrangements.
To that end, we permit you to intermit from the programme for a maximum of two years over the whole programme, provided that you return and complete the degree within six years.
Each module is a unit of up to 24 hours taught/face-to-face delivery, typically over one semester with its own discrete assessment.
These modules are taught through a collection of small group seminars and one Saturday Workshop, held at Bognor Regis campus. Sessions will normally be delivered between 5.30 – 8.00 pm, but times may vary.
Assessment
The MA (Education) programme draws on a range of assessment methods including video diaries; practitioner research projects; 6,000-word essays; and presentations.
To gain a MA (Education), you will need to complete four modules and the dissertation, however it is your right to exit the programme at any time.
After successful completion of two modules you would be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice and after four modules you would be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice.
There will also be a focus on your ability to function within a workplace setting, as well as a final independent project that will act a culmination of your three years of learning on the course.
Modules are assessed at every stage of the course, offering cumulative assessment of your progress. Your academic advisor and lecturers are available for advice throughout your degree.
Experience
Discover facilities that help support your learning
Classroom resources
Expert staff
Close community
Learning Resource Centre
Library
Subject specific librarians
Careers
Develop your career opportunities within the education sector
Our MA Education degree is a stepping stone to specialist roles within the education sector, including: teaching, leadership, research and consultancy.
Career paths include roles within:
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Prisons
- Charities
- Museums
- Galleries
- Church and faith organisations
- International development
Further study
Former MA Education students have also progressed to PhD programmes in Social Studies at the University of Chichester.
Their research areas include:
- Default Males: An exploration into the construction of identity for white, working-class men
- How schools understand the Government’s directive to facilitate cultural capital amongst their pupils
Course Costs
Course Fees
UK fees 2024/25
UK fees 2025/26
- Part time fees are calculated based on sum of module credits taken per annum.
- For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.
- For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.
Entry Requirements
- An honours degree at 2:2 or higher in a related discipline
- Relevant employment or experience
- If English is not your first language then English language proficiency required is IELTS 6.5 (with no element less than 5.5) – or equivalent qualification.
Recognition of Prior Learning:
- Applicants who have already completed up to 90 credits at Masters Level may use these credits to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) towards the total of 180 credits to gain the MA Ed. Please note that RPL may affect your eligibility for any Postgraduate loan. For details go to gov.uk/masters-loan/eligibility.
Contact us
For more information about this course, please contact the MA Education Administrator via:
Email: medu@chi.ac.uk
Telephone: 01243 812045