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Develop a greater understanding of working with children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities

3 years part-time
Bognor Regis Campus

6th

in the UK for
graduate prospects

Complete University Guide League Tables 2025

Top 20

in the UK
for Education

Guardian University Guide 2025

Gold

Highest award for
teaching excellence

Teaching Excellence Framework 2023

6th

in the UK for
graduate prospects

Complete University Guide League Tables 2025

Top 20

in the UK
for Education

Guardian University Guide 2025

Gold

Highest award for
teaching excellence

Teaching Excellence Framework 2023

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Overview

Learn how to use evidence informed practice to work with children and young people with special educational needs/disabilities

Our MA Inclusive Special Education (MAISE) gives you an opportunity to develop a greater understanding and critical appreciation of the concepts, approaches and issues related to the education of children and young adults who have a special educational need and/or a disability.

The programme has a strong emphasis on appraising SEND policies and practices, promoting the rights and advocacy of the person with SEND and challenging issues of equity and inclusion.

Undertaking research within your own workplace, will enable you to develop your skills in making links between theory and practice and enhance your knowledge in a specialist academic field.

The entry requirements for MAISE are an honours degree at 2:2 or higher in a related discipline, and you should also be working within an education sector.

The Course

Engage in educational, political and global debates relating to inclusive special education

The MA Inclusive Special Education will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of the conceptual and theoretical developments in the education of children and young adults with special educational need and/or disabilities.

You will have the opportunity to engage in critical debate and develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of relevant topics through taught seminars led by tutors who are specialists in their field, a range of guest speakers, including people with a lived experience of special educational needs and/or disability, peer learning and independent study.

The modules and the assessment will require you to critically engage in educational, political and global debates relating to inclusive special education and develop your skills in making links between theory and practice by undertaking your own work-based research.

Semester 1
  • Communication & Interaction
Semester 2
  • Disability Studies in Education

Modules

This list is indicative and subject to future change.

Disability Studies in Education

In this module, you will critically evaluate the historical and current discourses on disability and special education needs. Through relevant literature and group debate, you will explore the interrelationships between education policy, political frameworks and ideological perspectives on SEND and inclusive practice in our educational settings. You will be encouraged to think critically about disability rights and equality of opportunity in the context of marginalised and vulnerable pupils. You will complete a literature that critically debates how children and young adults with special educational needs and disability have been positioned by social and historical policies, political frameworks and educational practices that impact on their learning achievement.

Communication and Interaction

This module aims to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the range of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) experienced by children and young adults, including; dyslexia, autism; specific language difficulties, selective mutism; sensory impairments; multilingual learners with SEND and those using augmented and alternative communication systems. You will critically examine the latest research and legislation on the education of children and young adults who have a speech, language, communication needs and evaluate the range of educational and therapeutic interventions that are currently being used in schools and settings. You will gain knowledge and understanding of the links between research and educational practice by undertaking a case study in your workplace

Exploring Inclusive Pedagogy

The aim of this module is to critically examine the concepts of inclusion in education and how special educational needs and disability is positioned within different establishments and phases of education. You will debate the social and educational implications for different types of inclusive provision and critically examine policies and practices that promote partnership with families and multiagency collaboration. Other topics will include teachers and TA/LSAs working together; partnership with parents; evaluating educational and therapeutic interventions; personalising learning; equality and diversity; the role of the SENCO and inclusive leadership; transitions from Early Years through to FE; SEND legislation and the political agenda.

Engaging Learners With Complex Needs

In this module you will develop your knowledge of a range of complex medical, developmental and psychological difficulties and how they impact learning and development in children and young adults. You will critically examine educational and psychological theories; neuroscience and learning; complex medical needs; multisensory teaching for pupils with complex needs; mental health in children and young adults; foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; attachment needs in children and young adults; the legal and ethical frameworks for safeguarding children; the role of specialist and alternative provision, and multi-agency collaboration. For the assessment in this module you will critically evaluate teaching and learning strategies and alternative provision that supports pupils’ access to the curriculum through an observational study and an evaluation study.

Autism Education: Advances in Teaching and Learning

This module explores current understanding about teaching pupils and adults on the autism spectrum across the age range (0 – 25 years) and evaluates approaches to teaching and learning that promote inclusive practice. The module will encourage you to develop your knowledge and skills by related your professional experience and the assignments to your workplace practice and gain insights into the diversity of individual’s experiences in different educational settings.

Autism Education: Theory and Practice

This module has been designed for you who wish to gain accreditation and specialist knowledge in the education of children and adults on the autism spectrum. Through critical debate, theory and research the module aims to explore current understanding about the nature of autism and the spectrum of associated disorders and critically evaluate how this has been applied to educational provision and practices. The module will encourage you to gain insights into the diversity of autistic people’s experiences and will be led by experts with personal, practitioner and academic experience of autism.

Teaching and Assessment

Innovative teaching techniques and varied assessment methods

Teaching

The course is based at the Bognor Regis Campus. Taught sessions will take place on alternate Tuesday evenings during school term time and one Saturday in each semester.

The MA Inclusive Special Education can normally be completed in three years on a part-time basis as follows: two years (four semesters) with one module per semester, plus a further year (two semesters) for the Dissertation, which would start in Semester 1.

Assessment

Assessments equate to 6,000 words for each 30-credit module.

Each module has a distinct criterion for each assessment based on the modules core content.

You will be encouraged to complete assignments that are linked to your workplace practice and personal interest.

Assessed work typically includes oral presentations, case studies, observational studies, literature reviews and action research.

Experience

Discover facilities that help support your learning

Careers

Develop your career opportunities within the education sector

Undertaking an MA Inclusive Special Education degree affords graduates the opportunity to progress their career within the education sector, including leadership and management roles, opportunities to work within a different specialist role in the field of education and special educational needs and disability.

Further study

Graduates of the MA Inclusive Special Education degree also have the opportunity to continue their academic studies, by undertaking a PhD, for example, one of our former MA Inclusive Special Education students is currently undertaking a PhD in Education at the University of Chichester.

Course Costs

Course Fees

UK fees 2024/25
£1,110
per 30 credit module.
UK fees 2025/26
£1,146

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 and experience – The MA will enable experienced professionals to develop as reflective practitioners through debates relating to the education of children and young people with SEND in the workplace. Our applicants will usually work in an education or related sector.
  • 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.

Contact us

For more information about this course, please contact the MAISE Administrator via:

Email: MAISE@chi.ac.uk
Telephone: 01243 812045

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