Program Overview

---

Leadership in Professional Contexts

Overview

Recognise your talents and become a dynamic leader in your field. Join an online MSc in Leadership designed to inspire ambitious leaders for our public and third sectors.

Qualifications

• MSc
• PgDip
• PgCert

Key Info - MSc

Learning Mode

Online

Study Level

Postgraduate SCQF Level 11

Credits

180

Typical Duration

32 months

Start Month

September or January

Indicative Cost

£8,340

Key Info - PgDip

Learning Mode

Online

Study Level

Postgraduate SCQF Level 11

Credits

120

Typical Duration

18 months

Start Month

September or January

Indicative Cost

£5,480

Key Info - PgCert

Learning Mode

Online

Study Level

Postgraduate SCQF Level 11

Credits

60

Typical Duration

9 months

Start Month

September or January

Indicative Cost

£2,700

What You'll Study

You can choose to study for a:

• Masters (180 credits)
• Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
• Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits)

Master of Science - 180 credits

You'll work through four 30-credit courses and a 60-credit work-based project to gain your MSc.

Duration

It normally takes 32 months to complete the MSc. You can take a maximum of 30 credits per term.

Courses

• Exploring Leadership (30 credits)
• Leading Change (30 credits)
• Leading Effective Improvement (30 credits)
• Research Methods for Professional Learning (30 credits)

Project

• Work-based Project (60 credits)

Postgraduate Diploma - 120 credits

You'll work through four 30-credit courses to gain your PgDip.

Duration

It takes a minimum of 18 months to complete the PgDip. You can take a maximum of 30 credits per term.

Courses

• Exploring Leadership (30 credits)
• Leading Change (30 credits)
• Leading Effective Improvement (30 credits)
• Research Methods for Professional Learning (30 credits)

Postgraduate Certificate - 60 credits

You'll work through two 30-credit courses to gain your PgCert.

Duration

It takes a minimum of 9 months to complete the PgCert. You can take a maximum of 30 credits per term.

Courses

• Exploring Leadership (30 credits)
• Leading Change (30 credits)

How You'll Study

Online Learning

MSc Leadership in Professional Contexts is delivered flexibly, 100% online.

Your Teaching

Your teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you'll need in your studies.

Work-based Learning

You'll blend theory with practice, undertaking projects within your own workplace, ensuring your learning is always relevant to you and your employer.

Co-coaching

This is a popular element of the MSc, pairing together participants from very different work environments.

Your Tutors

You'll learn from academics and researchers within our School of Education, guest lecturers and senior leaders from a diverse range of organisations.

Assessments

This degree is assessed entirely online.

Study Hours

Hours for Taught Courses

If you plan to study part-time, we recommend you take no more than one 30-credit course per term.

• 30 credits: Around 300 hours of study and assessment time to complete.
• You'll study 15 – 20 hours per week per term, plus more at assessment times.

Hours for 60-credit Project

A 60-credit project is around 600 hours of study time.

You'll complete your work-based project part-time, over the course of a year to 18 months.

Study Experience

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you're never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Support

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren't alone in your studies. You'll have contact with your tutors via MyAberdeen and email. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

• Careers and Employability Service – including one-to-one advice sessions
• Disability support
• IT support
• Library support
• Student Support Service – help with finances, stress, wellbeing and non-academic issues
• Student Learning Service – study support, with advice sessions available via phone or Skype
• Aberdeen University Students' Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
• Toolkit – clever apps and free training that can make your study life easier

Where This Will Take You

Careers

Whatever your background, and whatever your career goals, this MSc will prepare you to lead more successfully now and in the future.

You'll graduate with the knowledge and skills to lead improvement in professional settings such as:

• education and children's services
• social services
• fire and rescue services
• nursing and health care
• caring agencies
• the police and security services, and
• other public or third sector settings.

Your qualification will be recognised by employers and institutions throughout the UK and internationally.

Fees and Funding

Master of Science

180 credits

£8,340

This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over three years, starting in September 2025.

Postgraduate Diploma

120 credits

£5,480

This indicative cost is based on 120 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.

Postgraduate Certificate

60 credits

£2,700

This indicative cost is based on 30 credits of study per term, starting in September 2025.

Entry Requirements

MSc, PgDip, PgCert

You can apply for this degree if you:

• have an undergraduate degree
• or can provide evidence that you can work at postgraduate level.

This degree involves some work-based learning, so you must also:

• be able to undertake studies in your workplace or other appropriate agency.

International Students

We welcome students from all over the world.

See the minimum entry requirements above. If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check equivalent qualifications from your country.

English Language Requirements

Teaching is delivered in English.

If English is not your first language, use our English requirements checklist to see if you need to provide evidence of your English language skills when you apply.

English Language Tests and Scores

If you do need to provide English language test scores, these are the tests and minimum scores we accept.

These are our Postgraduate Higher requirements.

• IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, or IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)
  • 6.5 overall
  • 5.5 for listening and speaking
  • 6.0 for reading and writing
• TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
  • 90 overall
  • 17 for listening
  • 21 for reading
  • 20 for speaking
  • 21 for writing
  • TOEFL DI code is 0818
• Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency
  • 176 overall
  • 162 for listening and speaking
  • 169 for reading and writing
• LanguageCert Academic / LanguageCert Academic SELT
  • 70 overall
  • 60 for listening and speaking
  • 65 for reading and writing
• Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online
  • 7.0 overall
  • 5.0 for listening and speaking
  • 6.0 for reading and writing
• PTE Academic (online test not accepted)
  • 62 overall
  • 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing
• Skills for English: SELT
  • B2 pass with merit
• Duolingo – tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward
  • 120 overall
  • 95 for listening and speaking
  • 105 for reading and writing
• University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)
  • Pass
  • Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date
• Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities
  • Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1)
  • B2 in all four skills
  • Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

How to Apply

You apply through our online Applicant Portal. It allows you to upload relevant qualifications and documents.

There is no application fee for our online degrees.

What You Need to Apply for This Degree

• Degree transcript
• Personal statement
• Degree certificate
• References x2

References

You will need two reference letters. One should be from your university discussing your academic ability. If you have been out of education for a long time, you can use your current or most recent employers or other professional individuals.

When to Apply

You can apply to start in either September or January.

Apply as early as you can. This is so we have time to review your application and get a decision to you. We also want to ensure you have time to enrol before teaching starts.

September 2025 Intake

For our September 2025 intake, the application deadline is 8 September 2025.

You will need to accept your offer and provide any outstanding documents to meet the conditions of your offer by 15 September 2025.

Teaching starts on 22 September 2025.

January 2026 Intake

Teaching starts on 26 January 2026.

Application deadlines will be announced in due course.

IT Requirements

You will need access to:

• A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) with an up-to-date operating system
• Reliable internet access
• Speakers or headphones
• Software

We'll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we'll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.