MA in Education (Leadership and Management)

Program Overview

The MA in Education (Leadership and Management) at Oxford Brookes University equips aspiring school leaders with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead effectively. Through a flexible approach, students can tailor their learning to explore key areas of educational leadership, including managing change, motivating individuals, and leading teams. The program emphasizes research and analysis, enabling students to reflect on their own leadership experiences and prepare for their future roles as school leaders.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This MA in Education (Leadership and Management) at Oxford Brookes University is designed for aspiring school leaders who are ready to take on their first leadership role or progress their careers in education. The program focuses on shaping your identity and approach as a leader by examining the latest research and techniques in educational leadership within the context of your own career.

Objectives:

The program aims to provide students with the:

• Self-awareness essential for strong leadership
• Skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead
• Ability to analyze the latest research and techniques in educational leadership
• Understanding of key areas like managing change, leadership styles, motivating individuals, handling conflict, and leading a team
• Ability to reflect on personal leadership experiences
• Opportunity to build a lasting professional network with fellow future school leaders

Description:

The program emphasizes a flexible approach, allowing students to tailor their learning to their specific interests and needs. It encourages a supportive environment with a vibrant cohort of future school leaders.

Outline:

Structure:

• Compulsory Modules (5): Research Methods, Leading and Managing People in Education, Leading Change in Education, Mentoring in Education, and the Dissertation
• Optional Modules (2): Students can choose two from a list that includes:
• Developing MA Literacies
• Diversity and Achievement
• The Inclusive Curriculum
• Mind and Brain
• Investigating Professional Practice
• Independent Study: Investigating Practice
• Policy and Purposes of Higher Education

Course Schedule:

• Full-time: 12 months at Harcourt Hill Campus
• Part-time: 2-3 years (depending on chosen trajectory), on-campus or distance learning
• Distance Learning: Most students study part-time over 3 years while working full-time.

Individual Modules:

• Research Methods (20 credits): This module develops knowledge of research approaches, methods, and techniques for studying children and childhood, education, and language.
It emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of these fields and prepares students for the methodological aspects of their dissertation.
• Leading and Managing People in Education (20 credits): This module examines leadership and management of staff in various educational contexts.
It covers theoretical perspectives and practical concerns about staff leadership, management, and development, including topics such as leadership and management in education, leading teams, inspiring motivation, improving morale, staff development, performance management, social justice, managing diversity, and managing conflict.
• Leading Change in Education (20 credits): This module focuses on the leadership of change in various educational contexts, examining theoretical perspectives and practical concerns about organizational transformation in education.
It explores topics such as leading and managing change, effectiveness, improvement, and accountability, organizational culture and structures in education, the influence of policy developments in transforming education, dealing with resistance, managing people in times of change, and strategic planning and management of change.
• Mentoring in Education (20 credits): This module explores mentoring roles in education, including initial teacher education and professional development in schools, FE and HE settings.
It examines models of mentoring in a professional context and draws on work in related areas such as nursing. It explores the experiences of both the mentee and mentor and how the relationship affects both parties.
• Developing MA Literacies (20 credits): This module helps students develop the skills needed for success in their MA program in two key areas:
• Skills for operating confidently within the academic community as a researcher-practitioner
• Academic writing and critical reading skills for MA-level study
• Diversity and Achievement (20 credits): This module analyzes the factors that affect children's and young people's achievements, such as class, gender, disability, and ethnicity.
It explores the implications for school policy and practice by examining data from case study material, including students' own working contexts or their peers.
• The Inclusive Curriculum (20 credits): This module explores key aspects of curriculum design and delivery in relation to access, equality of learning opportunity, and inclusion.
It considers how cultural values influence curriculum content and organization and explores theories of decolonizing the curriculum.
• Mind and Brain (20 credits): This module explores developments in educational neuroscience, beginning with developmental changes throughout the lifespan.
It discusses pre- and post-natal development, followed by the changes that occur in childhood, adolescence, and beyond. It explores current insights from cognitive neuroscience that have implications for education in areas such as creativity, gaming, and ICT in learning.
• Investigating Professional Practice (40 credits): This module involves an action research project where students undertake a research project of their choice to improve their own practice.
Students learn about a range of action research approaches and methods and are supported throughout the process, from establishing a viable focus to planning, designing, carrying out, and writing up their action research.
• Independent Study: Investigating Practice (20 credits): This module allows students to carry out an independent study or practice investigation on a topic of their choosing.
• Policy and Purposes of Higher Education (20 credits): This module examines contemporary policy frameworks and their influences on higher education (HE).
It is intended for people working in senior administration and learning, teaching, and research or support roles in HE.
• The Dissertation (60 credits): Students undertake a sustained piece of educational research in this module, analyzing and reporting their findings at a high critical level.

Assessment:

• Individual Essays: Evaluates students' ability to research, analyze, and present arguments clearly and persuasively.
• Seminar Presentations: Assesses student's ability to communicate their ideas effectively and engage in discussion with peers.
• Reports: Demonstrates student's ability to research, synthesize information, and present findings in a clear and concise format.
• Portfolios: Provides a comprehensive overview of student's work, showcasing their progress and development throughout the course.
• Investigative Research: Assesses student's ability to conduct original research, analyze data, and draw valid conclusions.
• Group Work: Evaluates student's ability to collaborate effectively with others, contribute to a shared project, and communicate their ideas effectively in a group setting.

Teaching:

• On-Campus:
• Harcourt Hill Campus
• Combination of collaborative and independent learning methods, including workshops, presentations, peer evaluations, project work, lectures, and directed reading
• Classes are mainly held in the evenings
• Full-time students have key study days on Thursdays
• Online materials and discussions available for students who miss class
• Distance Learning:
• Interactive, high-quality online resources
• Pre-recorded lectures, online readings and forums
• Online workshops at key points in the module
• Self-paced learning

Careers:

• Completion of the MA in Education (Leadership and Management) demonstrates a commitment to professional development and should lead to improved career progression prospects.

Other:

• The School of Education, Humanities and Languages is a thriving center for educational research and teacher professional development.
• The school hosts two major research conferences annually: the School of Education Research Conference and the EdD Colloquium.
• All students are invited to attend the annual Research Seminar Series, which attracts both internal and external speakers.
• The School organizes various conferences, lectures, seminars, and debates, some of which have an international reach.
• The School's six research groups encourage engagement in research, publication, conference presentations, seminars, and workshops:
• Inclusion and Wellbeing
• Policy, Partnership and Leadership
• STEAM pedagogy and learning
• Humanistic Perspectives on Education
• Early Years
• Applied Linguistics

2023 / 24 Home (UK) full time £8,400 Home (UK) part time £935 per single module Home (UK) distance learning £935 per single module International full time £15,800 International distance learning £1,760 per single module 2024 / 25 Home (UK) full time £8,800 Home (UK) part time £980 per single module Home (UK) distance learning £980 per single module International full time £16,100 International distance learning £1,850 per single module