MA EDUCATION
TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR CAREER Do you find yourself asking questions about education, about its policy and delivery? Are you interested in the professional identity of education, or issues of hierarchy and agency? Would you like to further explore the relationship between practice and theory? If this sounds like you, then I invite you to join us on our MA Education which will allow you to pursue your interests, broaden your knowledge base and deepen your understanding. My own Master’s in Education was pivotal in terms of career progression and published work, but perhaps more importantly, in terms of helping me see beyond my immediate school and classroom context to engage with wider perspectives and debates. Our MA Education at Leeds Trinity is an induction into an expanding network of curious and mutually encouraging scholars, and I guarantee that it will be so much more than just a qualification: it will also open up new conversations and ways of thinking about your role, direction and potential in education. I hope to meet you soon and welcome you in person into our stimulating, friendly and supportive MA community. Charlotte Wright Programme Co-ordinator for MA Education
About Leeds Trinity University A small university with a big reputation, Leeds Trinity University is renowned for teaching excellence and producing highly employable graduates. We’re proud to be known as the University where you’re a name, not a number, thanks to our commitment to ensuring everyone in our community, whatever their faith, feels supported and valued. Leeds Trinity has always been characterised by this sense of community spirit, offering a truly personalised university experience that enables students to flourish. Our reputation for teaching quality and excellence has been developed thanks to a commitment to delivering outstanding teaching, led by research, scholarship and practice. Our teaching staff have extensive professional experience in their fields and many are active researchers, contributing to our increasing reputation for research excellence.
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COURSE OVERVIEW The MA Education is a stimulating part-time programme designed to develop and strengthen your identity, critical confidence and academic expertise as a serving educational professional – whether you’re in the early stages of your education career or you have extensive experience. This MA puts emphasis on broadening your critical perspective on education, with a carefully weighted balance between sector-wide and context-specific content and tasks. Dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced staff will guide you through varied philosophical and disciplinary positions, with a focus on supporting you in articulating and strengthening your own expert critical voice. We’ve designed the course to lead you through established and emerging debates about policy and practice. Through a developmental sequence of modules, you will strengthen your skills of critically reflective practice and practical enquiry. You’ll receive specialist training in thinking further and deeper about the complexity and challenges of education, as well as its possibilities. Throughout the MA, we’ll encourage you to reflect on your own priorities and interests, enabling you to shape and influence good practice in your workplace.
The course brings together educational professionals from a wide variety of contexts: early years, primary education, secondary education, special education, further and higher education. Students range from early career teachers to senior leaders and managers to those who support learning. This diverse mix ensures sessions encompass multiple perspectives, broadening perception out from the practice of each singular workplace. Our programme is specifically designed to meet the needs of busy professionals, with evening and weekend sessions sensibly spaced over each year. Learning is supported through access to the online library and journal resources, a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and a specialist team of staff in our Learning Hub to support academic learning and development. Each module comes with a comprehensive handbook, reading list and detailed support for assessment, both with process and product.
“Completing an MA Education has helped me progress in so many ways. I was encouraged to be creative in lessons and take risks in teaching. I have shared educational topics and strategies with staff and contributed to school improvement.” Sabrina Pinnock Primary School teacher MA Education
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COURSE STRUCTURE The modules and delivery structure given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study. This is a part-time course that consists of three phases. For applicants with existing credits, for example, such as PGCE graduates who qualified within the last five years, entry directly into Phase 2 may be possible through the Recognition of Prior Learning procedure. Phase
Term
Module
Time commitment
Year 1 Phase One Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits)
Term One September - December
Introduction to Postgraduate Study of Childhood, Education and Family Support
10 x 3-hour sessions, plus assignment research and writing
Term Two January - April
Triangulating Theory and Practice
8 x 3-hour evening sessions, plus assignment research and writing
Phase Two Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
Terms One and Two May - July
Contemporary Issues in Education
8 x 3-hour evening sessions, plus assignment research and writing
Year 2
Term One September - December
Research Methods for Childhood, Education and Family Support
8 x 3-hour evening sessions, plus assignment research and writing
Phase Three MA Education (180 credits)
Terms Two and Three January - July
Dissertation/Major Study
1 x 6-hour Saturday session plus 6 x 3-hour evening sessions
Modules Introduction to Postgraduate Study of Childhood, Education and Family Support Alongside those on other MA programmes, you will develop the foundations of Level 7 academic knowledge and skills, critically reflecting across both academic and professional contexts. You will learn about theoretical underpinnings, competing frameworks and approaches, and the implications for ethical and effective practice. Triangulating Theory and Practice This module will help you build confidence in examining theories that drive calls for action and prescriptions of best practice in education. You will be introduced to a small range of important thinkers who exert influence on educational thought and practice and discuss their relevance to your own working context. Contemporary Issues in Education This is a sequence of lectures, guest lectures and seminars on different, highly topical issues in education. You’ll cover topics such as neuroscience and the learning brain, gender and transgender in education, social justice and disadvantage, teacher resilience and the evolving role of research in educational settings. Research Methods for Childhood, Education and Family Support In this research module you’ll focus on methods appropriate to the broad and complex field of education. You will consolidate your understanding of what ‘methodology’ means in academic work, and explore your options as a researcher. This will culminate in the construction of your own fully justified research proposal in preparation for your dissertation year. Dissertation or Major Study In this module you will finalise your research proposal and then carry out your research on an aspect of your own professional practice or a current issue in education. Bespoke support will be offered by a dedicated supervisor with regular top-up training throughout the dissertation year to support your independent study – for example in ethics, coding and data analysis.
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LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT You will develop your critical thinking and analysis skills throughout the individual modules. Module leaders understand you’ll be studying part-time (usually evenings and weekends around your employment), so they’ll monitor and discuss access to teaching and resources with every group: where you may not be able to attend sessions because of your professional work commitments, discussion notes and recordings of sessions will be made available. Support and guidance material for the programme is available on Moodle, our VLE, and the course team work closely with library staff to provide access to up-to-date and relevant materials for you.
Assessment You’ll be assessed by a range of written forms, presentations and practical activities, in order to reflect the academic and employability skills you’ll develop within the programme. Employability-relevant forms of presentation and critique – including posters, information leaflets and evidence-based briefs – are also used. You’ll have the opportunity to specialise in your topic of choice for the written summative assessment undertaken. There are no exams.
Entry requirements Leeds Trinity University is committed to recruiting students with talent and potential and who we feel will benefit greatly from their academic and non-academic experiences here. We treat every application on its own merits; we value highly the experience you illustrate in your personal statement. The normal entry requirement is an honours degree and a teaching qualification from the UK. You will need to be in a paid or voluntary teaching/training/supporting/managing learning role in an educational context to allow you to complete the assignments. For further information on our entry requirements and Recognition of Prior Learning procedure, visit our website.
How to apply MA Education application forms can be downloaded from our website. Please visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/postgraduate for the latest course information, including tuition fees, and to access the application form. For more information about applying, contact our Admissions team at admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk or on 0113 283 7123.
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WHY STUDY WITH US? Be part of a community of educators With our extensive network of education contacts and partners in all areas of education, we will help you gain new perspective beyond your institution – at local, national and international levels. You will meet and share experiences with practitioners from different phases, sectors and locations and learn from expert speakers, who will share their research and narratives about their own career pathways. You will also become a member of the Leeds Trinity Education Network, and receive regular sector updates via blogs, podcasts, case studies and CPD opportunities.
Research-informed approach to learning and teaching The course is designed and delivered by active researchers with extensive experience in education. Our module leaders will share a breadth of expertise gathered from careers in schools, work-based learning, educational publishing, academic research and assessment. They’ll work with you to develop your own research practice and academic writing, as well as sharing a wide range of challenging and stimulating texts written by the leading experts in education.
Our MA is grounded in contemporary educational debate Education is constantly changing, so we make sure our course reflects this by responding to emerging issues and challenges. Our seminars are characterised by lively topical discussion, provocative questioning, and a focus on finding solutions to ‘real world’ educational challenges. Your individual experience is a valued part of this debate, and you will be able to both give and receive context-specific narratives about the ways in which policy is interpreted and enacted in diverse educational settings.
Be ready for the next step in your Education career Many of our alumni report that their MA experiences have been a crucial step in their career progression or career diversification, offering a ‘wide-angle lens’ on education that has helped them stand out from their peers when seeking promotion or new employment.
Recieve an alumni discount If you studied your undergraduate degree at Leeds Trinity University, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 50% on the cost of your MA tuition fees. Visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/student-finance to find out more.
“I would advise anyone working in education to consider studying the MA because it makes you think more deeply about the direction of your teaching career, it makes you a more reflective practitioner and improves your classroom practice, ultimately improving the educational experiences of the pupils you teach.” Kim Welbourne Assistant Headteacher MA Education
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FACILITIES AND SUPPORT We’re proud to be known as the University where you’re a name, not a number thanks to our approach to student support. We’re committed to giving our students a personal university experience. This means that our students can access a wide range of support and facilities, tailored to them, at every stage of their journey. Whether you need academic skills support, help with your health and wellbeing, or you just need someone to talk to, you’ll find that help is available from lots of different places.
One-to-one academic support As soon as you start the MA, you’ll be assigned a personal tutor. They’ll take the time to get to know you and your learning needs throughout your degree, giving you personalised academic support to keep you on track with your studies.
Library and learning resources The library is equipped with everything you need to succeed in your MA. It also has a variety of group, quiet and silent study environments, networked PCs and laptops for loan, and facilities for printing, copying, binding and laminating.
Learning Hub We understand that no two students learn in the same way. That’s why you can access personalised academic and study skills support through our Learning Hub. The team of specialist advisers can offer support with essay writing, time management, effective note-taking, critical thinking and research and much more.
Student Support services As well as providing plenty of facilities and resources to support your learning, we also want to make sure that you look after your health and wellbeing. We offer a range of Student Support services, from counselling and online self-help, to student finance advice. Whether you have a personal or academic issue, our experienced and dedicated staff are there to listen and help you get the support you need.
“The MA has given me incredible access to a group of people outside of my school from different contexts who are engaging in new things or exploring new ways of teaching. This has led to conversations that I might not have been able to have with my colleagues or people who aren’t going through the same experience.” Sam Stones Teacher MA Education
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Leeds Trinity University Horsforth Leeds, LS18 5HD 0113 283 7150 hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk Information correct at time of publication, September 2022. Please visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/postgraduate to review our latest course information before you make your application. The information in this booklet is available in alternative formats. Please call 0113 283 7150 or email hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk
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