Education - MA

This module focuses on your transition to level 7 work. This focus on transition is important because although at first glance a typical taught Masters programme can look very similar to its undergraduate equivalent there are a number of important differences, such as the greater emphasis on your ability to undertake independent, self-directed study. This is not just true of the dissertation project that concludes a typical Masters programme; it is also the case for all taught units, which will expect you to prepare for assignments by independently researching your particular areas of interest and experience for summative assignments.

Doing a Master’s degree involves many skills, which will be familiar from an undergraduate programme of study; however, there are some crucial differences. This core module is designed to introduce you to the principles of educational research at Masters level encouraging you to build on your experiences of conducting independent research.

The module covers everything you need to know in order to conduct research at Masters Level effectively. This includes ensuring that you can plan research that complies with HELS ethical considerations create a literature review, complete with a comprehensive and accurately cited reference list and demonstrate a critical understanding of methodologies.

The Dissertation module is the culmination of your Masters programme. It provides you with the opportunity to develop a systematic understanding of research in relation to your chosen area, and to develop your professional practice through the processes of educational research. You will be encouraged to use self-direction and originality in pursuing your development focus through this independent piece of independent research.

The module provides you with opportunities to act autonomously in designing and planning a Masters level enquiry; to investigate the relationships between theoretical, practical and research knowledge; and to consider the actual and potential impact on educational practice.

Your chosen development focus for the module will be based on your personal, professional and/or organisational needs and priorities. It may build on work carried out in earlier modules, or address an entirely different or new aspect of professional practice.

This module aims to support you to become an ethical and critically reflexive practitioner, able to operate effectively as a coach or mentor in a range of different educational settings.

In this module you will be encouraged to think critically and increase your awareness of issues in adult learning and development that impact directly on coaching and mentoring practices. You will be encouraged to integrate your prior work and life experiences with the theoretical concepts underpinning coaching and mentoring discussed on the module. You will use relevant theories effectively to relate your understanding to the skills and approaches necessary to develop professionally as a coach or mentor in a variety of working contexts.

For this module you will examine the societal issues of class, gender, race, sexuality, age and disability, with an emphasis on the equality, diversity and Inclusion agenda in educational policy and practice. You will engage in a critical and challenging exploration of the principles informing equality, diversity and inclusion across the education sector in the UK and internationally.

The module will cover topics such as historical perspectives on inclusion and diversity, equality rights movements, social/historical origins of inequality and innovative inclusive practices in education. You will consider how social constructions and policy trajectories around equality, diversity and inclusion can lead to potential educational barriers for many groups in society. The module will also focus on legal rights and obligations with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion in professional educational practice, as well as organising effective inclusive learning environments and how to personalise learning for different groups of learners with diverse needs and backgrounds.

This module provides an opportunity to explore and understand the contributions of key thinkers in critical pedagogy. It will also provide an opportunity to explore and debate critical pedagogical issues such as critical literacies, -, issues of identity, agency and power, critical discourse analysis and dialogical teaching.

You will examine the relationship between these theories and teaching and learning practices across a variety of educational settings and contexts.

It is very important that educational professionals are able to critique their practice in terms of the historical traditions of their subject and the curricula that support it. This module is designed to equip students with a critical perspective, informed by knowledge, understanding and skills to analyse critically the ways in which curricula is led and managed across educational settings. To this end it explores how curriculum design influences the processes of learning and teaching, as well as educational outcomes for learners.

Partnership and collaborative working with business, industry and employers, other stakeholders, is increasingly a part of the modern educational landscape across all sectors for a variety of reasons, operating in a variety of ways. For example, consider multi-agency working in schools, information sharing and partnership with external agencies to support learners with special needs or the ways in which further and higher education institutions work with industry around employability.

This module offers a critical and interdisciplinary, integrated practice approach to childhood and youth studies. During the module you will cover childhood and youth issues relating to your own practice, which could include family; law; children’s rights; childhood as a social construct; children’s participation in society and the issue of children’s voice and multi-cultural childhoods, within a national and worldwide context.

In this module you will learn about the fundamentals of business and social enterprise, business ethics, marketing and financial considerations, businesses and social enterprises functions and contemporary issues in social enterprise. This will allow you to develop your critical skills and personal strengths further your knowledge of good business management.

The aim is to support you in developing proposals for small business and social enterprises development towards a career and explores each of these two strands progressively, whilst maintaining a holistic view of business within various contexts.

In this module approaches to institutional effectiveness and improvement in education and how they are reflected in national educational policy agendas will be discussed. Cross-national education models for institutional effectiveness and change management used in schools, further and higher Education institutions will be critiqued and evaluated.

This module will enhance your awareness of education systems, traditions and issues in a number of countries, helping you to understand the relationships between education and other social phenomena by introducing the concepts and skills needed for systematic comparison. This programme will help you to gain a rigorous multidisciplinary grounding in the comparative analysis of education and society, deepening their understanding of contemporary issues in education in many parts of the world.

Urban and community education represent some of the most exciting and dynamic fields in education today. In this module we bring multiple perspectives to the study of urban schooling and community education. The module focuses on the ways broad structural factors - such as poverty, race relations, and globalisation - influence the conditions of education in urban and community settings and in how students, families, educators, and community members experience policies and practices educational in urban schools, further education colleges and higher education institutions, as well as community educational organisations such as non-profits, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and advocacy organisations. You will be encouraged to explore the social context of urban education, especially the social, economic, political, and historical factors that shape city classrooms, schools, and communities.

This module, Professional Enquiry, forms an introduction to active examination of professional practice in the workplace and a reflective approach to personal development. It provides a foundation for future study modules and enables you to develop practice-based enquiry skills. Increasing importance is placed on evidence-based enquiry to inform professional development in education, most recently in The Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training (ITT). 

This module explores the politics and historical trajectories of education and education policy. It draws on concepts from the social sciences such as the state, globalisation, neo-liberalism, discourse, policy cycle, convergence, policy learning and policy borrowing and considers the ways in which they impact on education practices (including assessment, teaching and learning etc.) across the different sectors.

The place and role of assessment in education today is highly significant. Assessment is not only concerned with grading and marking learners, it also serves an evaluative function for ways in which schools, colleges, universities, and other learning sites can be evaluated. This module is designed to equip students with a critical perspective, informed by knowledge, understanding and skills to analyse critically the ways in which uses and purposes of assessment function across a range of educational settings.

This module considers how, in order to be a successful pedagogue an understanding of self is as crucial as an understanding of the learner. This module will move you into a deeper level of professional self-reflection and provide a framework to help you to challenge your daily work practices to support transforming special needs pupils/students towards their full potential for learning.

There will be a strong theory-practice link serving to guide you towards a critical understanding of your daily classroom practice and skills as a transformative teacher.

This module will consider leadership and management definitions, values, theories, strategies and styles and their impact on the performance of others and on teaching and learning; the relationships and differences between leadership and management.

It will examine the role of legislation, policy, guidance and local/national frameworks in relation to educational leadership across a range of setting.

This module looks at the identification, assessment and provision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

You will be introduced to a range of issues related to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties as we examine national and local policies in relation to definitions, legislation and guidance documents. You will develop your understanding of the concept SEND.

This module is concerned with adapting and applying professional skills and underpinning understandings to new working contexts which is a cardinal feature of the development of professionalism. It aims to provide you with a broad and analytical experience of the role of the supervisor within special educational settings. The skills developed through the module will be applicable to working with any special needs learner and will reflect the responsive and dynamic approach to the learning process generally. This module will enhance your skills in working with teaching assistants and other colleagues within a team.

Historically Conductive Education has been delivered mainly to children with cerebral palsy and although the adult based work is increasing many conductors do not feel fully trained to work in this field. This module is, therefore designed to enable qualified conductors holding a BA Hons in Conductive Education (CE) or equivalent qualification to specialise in working with adults with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.

This module forms an introduction to the processes and importance of active reflection around educators’ and educational managers’ professional practices in the workplace. It promotes the importance of reflexivity for educational professionals by asking you to reflect upon how key critical incidents in your working life can be illustrative of wider educational practices and principles.

In-line with the TMF framework philosophy this module is a level 7 optional module, situated within a flexible framework that aims to meet the specific academic needs of individual practitioners. A blended learning approach is taken in accord with the University’s learning and teaching strategy and the programme’s philosophy and aims.

In-line with the TMF framework philosophy this module is a level 7 optional module, situated within a flexible framework that aims to meet the specific academic needs of individual practitioners. A blended learning approach is taken in accord with the University’s learning and teaching strategy and the programme’s philosophy and aims.