Summary
- Faculty of Education, Law & Social Sciences
- School
- The School of Secondary and Post-Compulsory Education and Training
- Campus
- City North , Perry Barr
- Duration
- Part Time (Flexible): 2 - 7 years
- Fees
- Please contact the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences for further information.
Overview
The MA programme offers four named routes designed to meet the needs of teachers, lecturers and trainers. These are:
- PgCert/PgDip/MA in Education
- PgCert/PgDip/MA in Education Management and Leadership
- PgCert/PgDip/MA in Higher Education
- PgCert/PgDip/MA in Research in Education Practice.
You will be able to discuss which route is most suitable for your professional needs at the interview stage. It will take you a period of two to seven years to gain your Master’s qualification, depending upon the time available to you to attend sessions and to study.
Course structure:
The MA Education course provides a flexible and relevant range of study in areas within education and training.
It is designed to appeal to teachers, lecturers and trainers who are keen to extend and enhance their professional qualifications and expertise.
Professionals within the education and training sector are increasingly being called upon to operate at the analytical and intellectual level required of Master’s level work and the structure of the course reflects those stringent academic needs.
The MA Education programme enables students to work towards the award of MA through the accumulation of credits over a period of up to seven years. There are two stages to complete and students are required to attain 60 credits or more from a combination of 15, 30 and 60 credit modules at each stage.
At the completion of stage 1, once 60 credits are achieved, the student will be awarded The Postgraduate Certificate. The Postgraduate Diploma is awarded at the end of stage 2, when a further 60 credits are attained.
The Master of Arts is awarded once the first two stages have been completed and after successful completion of a 60-credit dissertation. This provides a recognised professional development qualification and a degree if you do not have one.
Key Facts
This flexible part-time programme is intended for those working in all education sectors, including early years, primary, secondary, further education and higher education.
It is also relevant to those in work-based training environments or those with a general interest in education and is open to those without a Bachelor’s degree, if they have the relevant professional experience.
The MA Education at Birmingham City University offers a recognised CPD qualification, as well as accreditation as you study, including a Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma.
It is possible to use evidence from any previous study relevant to the subject to claim for Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL). The APEL process involves mapping evidence against the learning outcomes for specific modules. Contact the Course Director in the first instance for advice.
It is possible to take up to seven years to complete the course, but it can be done in two.
With two intakes per year, students have a structured route that is relevant to their professional needs and enables them to develop transferable skills in their relevant field of education.
Course Outline
Course Structure
The MA Education course provides a flexible and relevant range of study in areas within education and training.
It is designed to appeal to teachers, lecturers and trainers who are keen to extend and enhance their professional qualifications and expertise.
Professionals within the education and training sector are increasingly being called upon to operate at the analytical and intellectual level required of Master’s level work and the structure of the course reflects those stringent academic needs.
The MA Education programme enables students to work towards the award of MA through the accumulation of credits over a period of up to seven years. There are two stages to complete and students are required to attain 60 credits or more from a combination of 15, 30 and 60 credit modules at each stage.
At the completion of stage 1, once 60 credits are achieved, the student will be awarded The Postgraduate Certificate. The Postgraduate Diploma is awarded at the end of stage 2, when a further 60 credits are attained.
The Master of Arts is awarded once the first two stages have been completed and after successful completion of a 60-credit dissertation. This provides a recognised professional development qualification and a degree if you do not have one.
Modules
Modes of Study
There will be one programme of modules running between October and January each year and a further programme running between February and June.
Bespoke programmes can be provided for groups. These may be offered on or off-campus, subject to an appropriate number of participants.
Modules will be delivered in a variety of ways: students can enrol either on afternoon sessions, evening sessions, individual programmes of study or intensive study courses, some of which may be organised through your institution or local authority. Modules will include online learning support through Moodle.
The MA Education programme aims to provide learners with enhanced knowledge, skills and understanding for their area of work.
The faculty staff are committed to creating a learning environment in which students will be both challenged and supported in the task of analysing, evaluating, modifying and reordering academic knowledge and understanding and/or professional practice.
Students will be engaged in both theoretical and practical issues and be encouraged to incorporate as much original research into their work. Students are also encouraged to identify and reflect on their own needs to achieve their academic goal.
Assessments
Assessment is by coursework only and students are required to demonstrate an ability to carry out in-depth critical analysis, effective research skills, critically evaluate research methodologies, have an enhanced knowledge and understanding of education and training and be able to critically evaluate their findings in relation to the wider academic context.
After your studies
Further Studies
The faculty has a thriving research programme leading to MPhil and PhD. We welcome enquiries from anyone interested in research in education policy and practice from the early years to further and higher education and lifelong learning.
Employment Opportunities
This course allows those in the field of education to fulfil their continuous professional development needs by providing relevant courses for career enhancement.
How to apply
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have a degree or equivalent qualification, or professional experience that equates to degree level is required.
All suitably-qualified candidates will normally be interviewed and selection will be based on ability to benefit from and contribute to the course of study. Exemption from some modules may be granted for appropriate prior learning.
Candidates with Level 7 credits from their PGCE course will be advanced standing up to the value of 120 credits.
We welcome applications from mature students and from members of communities traditionally under-represented in higher education.
Application Details
Direct to the Faculty
For general information about applying to study at Birmingham City University, please refer to the Making your Application section.
International enquirers may contact the International Office for further help and advice.
Fees Notes
Please contact the School for further information.
Further Information
The University holds regular Open day events when timed presentations about the course are given.
Further visit days are offered when places on the course have been offered, enabling students to ask more specific questions about the course.
The Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences
Birmingham City University
Faculty Office
4th Floor
Dawson Building
City North Campus
Perry Barr
Birmingham
B42 2SU
Tel: +44 (0)121 331 7300
Fax: +44 (0)121 331 6622
Email: education@bcu.ac.uk
Web: Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences