Education
Apply onlineThe MA Education at Winchester is grounded in research-informed teaching, with opportunities to reflect on and analyse aspects of practice within your own education context. The programme is suitable for practitioners working in primary, secondary, early years and post-compulsory settings.
Course overview
You build up credits by undertaking a range of optional modules, allowing you to focus on issues relevant to your own practice. Many of the pathways through the MA enable you to explore an element of your subject knowledge or pedagogy, such as your classroom practice, school leadership role or an aspect of your school improvement, as part of your MA research. The modules are flexible, allowing you identify and develop an aspect of your professional work with a tutor’s support.
The programme offers opportunities for students to raise questions and reflect critically on current issues, theoretical perspectives and research evidence relevant to their professional interests and priorities. It provides a context within which supported critical engagement with theory and research enables development of each student’s identity and agency as a facilitator of learning. Within the programme, critical examination of the nature of learning and teaching is facilitated through engagement with different lenses drawn from theoretical and research-informed perspectives. Opportunities for discussion and debate within scaffolded communities of practice provide opportunities for translation of practical understanding into rigorous intellectual study, drawing on values, global issues and innovation. A focus on transforming professional practice throughout the programme enables students to become facilitators of change within their own professional settings, informing improved outcomes for all learners.
Flexible learning tailored to your own interests and priorities are possible within the Independent Work-based Route (IWBR), enabling you to focus on an aspect of teaching, learning or educational leadership which is specifically relevant to their work in their own setting. In addition there is a Post Graduate Certificate pathway available: National Award for SEN Co-ordination.
The teaching team is drawn from tutors with a range of research interests within the Faculty of Education and the Arts. Group seminars with a tutor and other students take place in evenings and/or Saturdays, these sessions will be accessed through a blended learning approach with a combination of online seminars, with some campus-based learning opportunities.
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
Blended learning, with taught elements on campus in Winchester
Course length
- 3 years part-time
Apply
Apply online
Typical offer
A first or second-class honours degree or a professional qualification such as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
Fees
From £3,184 pa
Course features
- Develop your skills and knowledge for professional growth
- Link your learning to your professional practice
- Learn through a combination of taught input, independent study and group discussion
Course details
Learning and teaching
Start dates: September
Teaching takes place: Evenings and weekends
The teaching team encompasses University staff within Education, Health and Social Care, and experienced specialists such as local authority inspection and advisory teams.
While this programme involves a high degree of independent working, group twilight seminars (or weekend for research methods modules) with a tutor and other course members will ensure that you are provided with guidance and support to design, implement and write up your projects and assignments.
Location
Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.
Assessment
Assessments take the form of reviews of literature, reflective accounts of practice in relation to research, portfolios, case studies or workplace-based assignments.
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations or written exams.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes.
Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found by attending an MA Education pre-enrolment evening. Please contact cpd@winchester.ac.uk for more information.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Further information
For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures section.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Modules
In this module you will be introduced to the selection and use of qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis in social research contexts. This will be done in both empirical and theoretical research contexts and will explore the merits of employing a mixed methods approach. You will consider the theoretical and practical contexts in which researchers choose particular methods. You will reflect in depth on the experience of data collection, in order to refine your skills and to extend your repertoire. You will develop your understanding of different approaches to handling data for analysis using qualitative methods (such as thematic analysis) and quantitative methods (including using data analysis software).
This extended independent study is the culmination of work on the MA Education. Students will be expected to present a proposal for approval and ethical approval prior to carrying out the study. With the support of an individual supervisor, students will conceptualise, plan, implement and reflect upon an empirical or reflective/theoretical study that addresses a key issue or a development in practice that is of personal immediacy. Students will select appropriate methods to examine the research questions that they have raised, and will apply relevant theory to their consideration of it. Data will be presented and analysed in ways appropriate to the research questions, and will contribute to transformed thinking and practice in the student’s professional context. Students will write an extended report of their research.
- Individual Practitioner Enquiry
- Examining Professional Practice
- Developing Evidence-based Practice
- Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education
Optional
In this module you will be introduced to the selection and use of qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis in social research contexts. This will be done in both empirical and theoretical research contexts and will explore the merits of employing a mixed methods approach. You will consider the theoretical and practical contexts in which researchers choose particular methods. You will reflect in depth on the experience of data collection, in order to refine your skills and to extend your repertoire. You will develop your understanding of different approaches to handling data for analysis using qualitative methods (such as thematic analysis) and quantitative methods (including using data analysis software).
This extended independent study is the culmination of work on the MA Education. Students will be expected to present a proposal for approval and ethical approval prior to carrying out the study. With the support of an individual supervisor, students will conceptualise, plan, implement and reflect upon an empirical or reflective/theoretical study that addresses a key issue or a development in practice that is of personal immediacy. Students will select appropriate methods to examine the research questions that they have raised, and will apply relevant theory to their consideration of it. Data will be presented and analysed in ways appropriate to the research questions, and will contribute to transformed thinking and practice in the student’s professional context. Students will write an extended report of their research.
- Individual Practitioner Enquiry
- Examining Professional Practice
- Developing Evidence-based Practice
- Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education
Entry requirements
Our MA Education is a part-time only course and is suitable for professionals currently working in an educational setting. We would normally expect our students to hold a first or second-class Honours degree or a professional qualification such as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Applicants who do not satisfy the normal entry requirements may be admitted to the programme, provided that they can submit evidence of previous serious study and demonstrate the capacity and attainments to pursue successfully the proposed programme.
If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in writing or equivalent
Course enquiries and applications
Send us a message
Our MA Education is a part-time only course and is suitable for professionals currently working in an educational setting. We would normally expect our students to hold a first or second-class Honours degree or a professional qualification such as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Applicants who do not satisfy the normal entry requirements may be admitted to the programme, provided that they can submit evidence of previous serious study and demonstrate the capacity and attainments to pursue successfully the proposed programme.
If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in writing or equivalent
Course enquiries and applications
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by emailing our International Recruitment Team at International@winchester.ac.uk.
Applications need to be submitted before the 15 May 2023. Late applications can be accepted throughout the remainder of the application year, for more information see our How to Apply section.
Additional costs
2024/ 2025 COURSE TUITION FEES
UK/Channel Islands
Part-time entry | £3,184 p/a
Total Cost | £9,550
International Students
Part-time entry | £5,816 p/a
Total Cost | £17,450
If you are a UK student starting your degree in January / September 2024, the first year will cost you £3,184 **.
If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:
Mandatory
Disclosure and Barring Service
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. The indicative cost is £40.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards page.
CAREER PROSPECTS
A Masters degree is increasingly seen as an essential qualification for senior educational positions. The programme develops skills and knowledge for significant professional development.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE
“The MSc programmes at Winchester provide you with an excellent foundation from which to pursue your career.”
