The MA Educational Leadership and Change at Durham University prepares you for a professional career that relies on combined expertise in education, leadership & management, and data analysis. Our course is designed to engage with theory and evidence in leadership and management across sectors to inform improvements in various mechanisms, processes, and practices in education at all levels.
This MA combines innovative teaching with exceptional support. You will have opportunities to engage with students from diverse backgrounds and countries, gaining a global perspective on education. To further enhance your experience, you will learn from world-class academics who are behind some of the leading research in the field, and experienced practitioners who are involved in educational policy-making.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will have the ability to connect your professional experience with theory in the field and compare it with real-life instances. You will be equipped with the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours essential to flourish as a well-rounded professional and an influential leader in education and other sectors.
Discover more about how our MA in Educational Leadership and Change can be the next step in your professional journey.
Our two specialised modules - 'Effective Educational Leadership' and 'Leading Change in Education Organisations' cover a range of critical issues around leadership development, professional learning, and leadership for equity, system leadership, excellence, and innovation in education. Two more core modules 'Design and Methods in Education Research' and 'Postgraduate Dissertation' hone your skills in the research and data analysis aspects.
Course structure
Year 1 modules
Core modules:
Effective Educational Leadership
engages with global leadership trends and their impact on educational quality and outcomes. This module is designed to engage with theory and evidence on effective leadership in education and across sectors. It covers critical topics on leadership models, leadership development, and professional learning and networking. The module will support you with designing your leadership development plan and strategies, drawing on a range of evidence.
Leading Change in Educational Organisations
develops your critical understanding of the processes and practices of leading, managing, and evaluating change initiatives, with a particular focus of educational contexts. This is an increasingly important part of the leadership role as the scale and number of educational reforms continues to grow.
Design and Methods in Education Research
introduces key issues, terms, and ideas in education research. It teaches a range of key research skills including the evaluation of research techniques across different research contexts and the ability to conduct a high-quality study. You will learn to recognise the different purposes of education research; understand key terms and vocabulary in education research and develop a critical standpoint in relation to research in education.
Dissertation
is a substantial piece of research based on an educational issue within your chosen field of study. You will use an approved research strategy to design and carry out your research and report the outcomes.
Optional modules:
In recent years, optional modules have included some of the following:
Secondary Data in Education Research
Ethnographies of Education
Measurement in Education Research
Interviews
Experiments in Education
Systematic Reviews (MA Education)
Narrative Enquiries
Synthesis of Research Evidence through Meta-Analysis
Student Engagement: An Agent of Change for Positive Youth Development and Learning Success
International Development and Education in a Global World
The Case for Higher Education: From Precarity to Empowerment
Enhancing Teaching and Learning for Purposeful Productive Thought
Digital Technologies and Education: Critical Perspectives
The MA Educational Leadership and Change comprises three compulsory core modules designed to provide you with a critical understanding of key theories, research and issues as well as choice of two option modules tailored to your interests.
The taught modules introduce content which is further developed through the use of online resources, key reading, independent study and research. They enable you to cultivate initiative, originality and critical thinking.
The MA dissertation is a significant piece of independent research that brings together the theory, method and practice developed through the core and option modules. You will be supported in this by an individual supervisor, a dissertation coordinator and through specialist dissertation workshops.
Assessment
The majority of the MA is assessed through coursework, and this takes a variety of forms depending on the modules studied. Assessment methods include written assignments, individual and group presentations and portfolio work. If you choose the Inclusive Pedagogies for Diverse Classrooms module, assessment will also include a lesson plan.
The 15,000-word MA dissertation, carried out under the guidance of a supervisor, makes up one-third of your credits.
Entry requirements
We typically require a 2:1 Bachelor (Honours) degree (or overseas equivalent), in any degree subject.
Significant relevant experience will also be considered.
A personal statement should include an outline of your interest and understanding of your chosen programme.
International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.
Home students who do not meet our direct entry requirements, may be eligible for our Foundation Programme which offers multidisciplinary programmes to prepare you for a range of specified degree programmes.
The fees for this academic year have not been confirmed yet.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only.
The consistently high ranking of the School gives us a worldwide reputation for the quality of not only our teaching but the skills and knowledge of our postgraduate community. The delivery of the subject by relevant academic experts brings together world class research, innovative teaching and exceptional support.
Your time as a member of our student community places you in the strong position to pursue a successful career in a range of different sectors. Career opportunities in education are numerous, rewarding, and far reaching.
Most of our PGCE graduates go directly into teaching whilst MA graduates progress into a wide range of roles including educational research, publishing, education administration, policy making and management plus jobs in commercial or public sectors.
Department information
Education
One of the leading education establishments in the UK, Durham’s School of Education provides the skills and experience necessary whether you aspire to become an outstanding teacher, contribute to educational development, or carry out vital research that informs the creation of education practice and policy.
The School of Education offers both teacher training and non-teacher training education programmes, set within a vibrant and engaged learning community of around sixty academic staff and 350 postgraduates. We are a leading educational research centre with strong international ties and numerous partner relationships with schools and colleges.
Our postgraduate courses are flexible and allow you to follow a particular interest. They include MAs in Education, Educational Leadership and Change and Intercultural Communication and Education. We also offer a range of PGCE qualifications at primary and secondary levels and in specific school subjects.
We provide opportunities for learning from academic staff who are leading research and teaching experts in their fields. They underpin our School’s commitment to conducting research that contributes to shaping educational practice and policy, develops educational research and methodologies, informs school improvements and supports the professional development of teachers around the world.
Our portfolio of research projects attracts interest and financial support from important bodies who have a key role in developing education in the UK. They include the Economic and Social Research Council, the Nuffield Foundation, the Sutton Trust, and the Education Endowment Foundation, as well as a range of other organisations and charities.
Facilities
The School is located at Lower Mountjoy on the main University campus and is not far from the centre of Durham with its UNESCO World Heritage status and the beautiful Cathedral.
Apply
Find out more:
Apply for a postgraduate course (including PGCE International) via our online portal.
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