Why choose the School of Education and English
A flexible, part-time course that can work with your other commitments.
Designed for those presently working as, or interested in, becoming mid-senior managers and leaders in an educational organisation.
A choice of optional units allow you to follow a programme which meets your professional interests and individual needs.
About the course
This course equips you with the knowledge and skills required to analyse practice, lead change and inspire excellence. Through your studies, you have the opportunity to think critically and creatively so you can effectively navigate the evolving demands of leadership within education. The course is made up of core and optional units, providing you with the flexibility to design a programme which meets your individual needs.
Your student experience
The course covers a wide range of theoretical and practical aspects of leadership and management, drawing on multidisciplinary research.
Through activities and assessments, you develop analytical and practical skills that support you to progress successfully along a leadership or managerial career path.
The course team have extensive experience, are all professionals who understand the sector and contribute to wider knowledge through cutting-edge research.
The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s Bedford campus is a small, thriving academic community where staff get to know you well and provide individualised support.
Course Leader - Dr Cathal Butler
Since 2013, I have been the course co-ordinator for our MA Education Pathways. These courses support the continuing development of practicing educators, as well as supporting the academic development of recent graduates, both British and International.
I teach across a range of our postgraduate courses and units, as well as supervising PhD students. I am also link co-ordinator for the MA Education (Leadership) course that is running at a partner institution in Guyana. I also co-ordinate our recently approved MA International Education Courses.
Course Leader - Dr Cathal Butler
Since 2013, I have been the course co-ordinator for our MA Education Pathways. These courses support the continuing development of practicing educators, as well as supporting the academic development of recent graduates, both British and International.
I teach across a range of our postgraduate courses and units, as well as supervising PhD students. I am also link co-ordinator for the MA Education (Leadership) course that is running at a partner institution in Guyana. I also co-ordinate our recently approved MA International Education Courses.
This course features four core modules:
Educational leadership in context – Analyse leadership and management theory and apply it to your practice in an educational setting.
Theories of learning for educators – Explore a wide range of theories of learning and how they have influenced policy and practice in education.
Research methods in the workplace – Build advanced research skills, working through the process of conducting research in an educational workplace setting.
Dissertation – Conduct a substantial, independent piece of research, showing a deep understanding of issues in an area of professional interest.
You can also choose from eight optional modules:
Introduction to special education needs coordination in schools – Preparing SENCOs to promote involvement and raise achievement for pupils with SEN and/or disabilities.
Further development of special education needs coordination in schools – Build on your existing SENCO skills and knowledge.
Exploring coaching and mentoring – Different models of coaching and mentoring and the skills that make them effective.
Analysing policy: children’s voice – Consider children’s lived experience of family, school and community in contemporary Britain.
Enhancing practice in educational settings – Reflect on your professional skills and ability and identify ways you can develop them in practice.
Leading change in education – Gain the knowledge and skills to lead improvements and achieve better outcomes in your workplace setting.
Meeting diverse needs – Understand the range of needs that students can present with and how educational settings can respond to these needs.
Applied research methods and project – An opportunity for sustained, supported, in-depth research in an area of relevant professional interest.
For an at-a-glance list of modules for this course, download the course specification.
Each unit in this course has its own assessment. Wherever possible the specific focus of assignments is negotiated individually in order to ensure that the assignment meets the personal and professional needs of the student.
The course provides you with a carefully planned and coherent sequence of learning opportunities that facilitate your development through formative and summative assessments. At this level the expectations in terms of the quality of work produced are high and you will need to take active control of your learning.
At Master's level the expectation is that you are an autonomous and confident learner that you will undertake assessments that are challenging and require mature argument developed from sustained research and that you will demonstrate fluent and cogent presentation. You are encouraged in your assessments to draw upon an extensive range of sources to demonstrate a deep theoretical understanding and the ability to apply that to current issues and contexts.
The assessments test the ability to construct a reasoned sustained and coherent argument and to articulate it fluently in a range of contexts. You are required to demonstrate an appropriate level of research of independent argument and to reference in an appropriate and accurate manner. Through the assessments designed for individual units you will practise and reinforce skills in researching evaluating and synthesising materials with a critical eye; quantitative and qualitative data collection and handling together with skills associated with conventional academic tasks. Unit assessment is based on specified learning outcomes and threshold standards.
The unit information forms state clearly the aims objectives and learning outcomes of the unit and delineate the criteria of assessment for each outcome. The unit assessment feedback offers detailed comment to the student on the assessment piece. The taught stage of the course (stage 1) requires you to pass 120 credits before progressing to stage 2 the 60 credit dissertation. An alternative to this is if you already have a PG Certificate (60 credits) e.g. PGCE you would be able to complete your qualification with a further 2 x 30 credit units and our Applied Research Methods and Project for stage 2 of your study.
Careers
For existing professionals, this Master’s qualification will enhance your chances for promotion to senior positions in the field of education and, in particular, senior management roles within schools. It acts as an important indicator of your ability and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a senior leader in educational settings. It is designed to help you critique key issues in education as well as 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. It is also an ideal base from which to progress to study at Doctoral level.
Entry Requirements
2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area
Entry Requirements
2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area
2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email [email protected]
International
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £16,900
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email [email protected]
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email [email protected]
International
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £16,900
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email [email protected]
