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Masters degree in Education - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

This programme contributes to the personal development of those concerned with education both formally and informally in a wide range of settings, professional contexts and locations. Coursework encourages you to bring together your personal understanding of issues relating to specific aspects of education with the enduring and current body of professional and academic research publications relevant to your professional/personal agenda.

Advanced independent scholarship is fostered through study of particular disciplines within education and through student-determined, small-scale investigation or extended literature review and research proposal. These provide the opportunity for you to integrate the learning guided by the programme with your personal interests in education and, as appropriate, your practical professional knowledge.

The staged approach of the programme allows you to progressively broaden the knowledge and understanding of your chosen aspects of education. It also provides for the development and consolidation of advanced scholarship through practice and refinement of the independent learning inherent in the academic literacy and conventions of academic writing required for successful study at masters level.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this masters degree, you will have knowledge and understanding of:

  • key concepts and themes in education and their application to practice in a range of contexts
  • concepts, current debates and issues in the studied route and their relationship to wider political, economic and social developments
  • the different disciplines and discussions that contribute to writing and practice in the chosen route
  • approaches to the practice of applied research and ethical issues relating to research and enquiry.
  • the processes entailed in carrying out a small-scale research enquiry
  • links between theory and practice, such as would enable the student to undertake enquiry in an area that is of interest.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this masters degree, you will be able to:

  • define and appropriately utilise key terms, concepts and theories in applied research
  • identify and articulate a personal perspective on learning in response to understanding of new ideas and encounter with relevant studies
  • critically analyse and evaluate current themes and issues in education, using appropriate concepts and research evidence
  • interpret, assess and deploy research methodologies and their evidence to engage critically and creatively with debates relevant to the development of own professional thinking 

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this masters degree, you will be able to:

  • plan, analyse, develop and produce an extended proposal or plan, conduct, analyse and report a small-scale investigation within a professional setting to develop or enhance the understanding of practice
  • work independently and collaboratively in a range of modes to address cognitive problems and design solutions
  • reflect critically and constructively, in the light of ideas and frameworks presented in the course, on your own thinking, practice and organisational impact and how these might be developed
  • produce original texts to communicate ideas concisely and effectively in written work which shows clear expression and coherent structure
  • take personal responsibility to complete an extended and varied programme of learning which requires sustained and independent application
  • use information and communication technology appropriately for information retrieval and communication purposes.

Key skills

On completion of this masters degree, you will be able to:

  • independently source and read academic publications with confidence
  • appraise, review critically and reflexively formulate arguments relevant the area of study
  • critically reflect on the area of your own practice
  • produce and present written text employing a suitable writing style appropriate to specific academic genre that uses and cites source materials correctly and appropriately.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

Each module uses a range of online study techniques to help you engage with the academic literature and to reflect on your own practical and professional knowledge. If you have a learning difficulty or disability that could impact on studying online please do speak with us and your tutor so that where possible reasonable adjustments can be made to facilitate your participation.

There are a variety of tutor-led or tutor-supported activities to support students in developing skills, knowledge and understanding of discourses specific to their pathway alongside skills (especially in Stage 1) more generally applicable to masters level study, such as workload management and leadership in online collaboration. Academic practices – such as academic writing, critical reading and critical argumentation; relating theory and practice; identifying, evaluating and using evidence appropriately – are taught and developed across modules within each pathway covering specific and appropriate forms of those practices.

A variety of informal and formal assessment tasks are incorporated into the coursework. Within each module, coursework is designed to prepare you for independent study within a particular educational discipline. We do encourage a sharing of ideas and experiences with your peers through asynchronous forums and there may be some activities that recommend working with other students as this is an important way in which you can broaden your knowledge and understanding of children, young people and education across different contexts.  However, alternative ways of working can be facilitated.

In the final stage of your masters, you’ll expand your research and communication skills through the multi-disciplinary dissertation. This offers the opportunity to engage with research that will fit around your own context and professional circumstances.

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