Program Overview

Education with Specialisms - MEd

Overview

The Master of Education degree is a professional development course for teachers and other adult educators, who wish to update their knowledge and qualifications. The award has been developed in conjunction with the teaching community and is designed to ensure you will have the opportunity to explore contemporary issues in education which impact upon your own professional practice.

About this course

This course is designed for those currently working in a teaching or training environment. You will enter at the Postgraduate Diploma level and undertake modules worth 120 credits for your Postgraduate Diploma award and a further 60 credits for your MEd award.

Structure

• Year 1: Postgraduate Certificate (exit award only)
  • 2 modules of 30 credits
  • Accumulated credits: 60
• Year 2: Postgraduate Diploma
  • 2 modules of 30 credits
  • Accumulated credits: 120
• Year 3: MEd
  • 1 module of 60 credits (Dissertation)
  • or
  • 2 modules of 30 credits to include the Research Project module
  • Accumulated credits: 180

Specialisms

Four specialisms are available:

• Education Management Specialism
  • EDU927 Building Teams and Managing Resources (fully online: Semester 1, Year 1, 2, or 3)
  • EDU867 Leadership for Learning (fully online: Semester 1 or 2, Year 1, 2, or 3)
  • EDU912 Strategic Development Planning (fully online: Semester 2, Year 1 or 3)
• International and Comparative Education Specialism
  • EDU732 International and Comparative Education (fully online: Semester 1, Year 1, 2, or 3)
• Inclusive and Special Education Specialism
  • EDU964 Inclusive and Special Education - Leading and Managing (fully online: Semester 2, Year 1 or 3)
• Information Communication and Technology Specialism
  • EDU922 Collaborative Learning Online (fully online: Semester 2, Year 1 or 3)

Compulsory modules

• Year 1 Semester 1: EDU957 The Reflective Professional (except for students studying for the Educational Leadership Specialism at Monaghan)
• Year 2 Semester 2: EDU958 Research Design and Initiation (preparing for personal research)
• Year 3 Semester 1 or 2: EDU969 Research Project (8000 word individual research, supported by a supervising tutor)
• Year 3 Semester 1 and 2: EDU899 Dissertation (18000 word individual research, supported by a supervising tutor)

Modules

Year one

• The Reflective Professional
  • Year: 1
  • Status: C
  • This module is designed for all students to help develop their abilities in critical reflection on their practice.
• Collaborative learning online
  • Status: O
  • Year: 1
  • This module is optional
  • This module embraces the use of on-line environments to promote collaborative learning.
• Collaborative Leadership: Building Teams and Nurturing Creativity
  • Status: O
  • Year: 1
  • This module is optional
  • Building Teams Increasingly, schools require teachers to operate as a team and communicate effectively.
• Inclusive and Special Education: Developing and Analysing Practice
  • Status: O
  • Year: 1
  • This module is optional
  • This module encourages participants to analyse, share and build upon their knowledge and experiences and to consider alternative strategies that will enhance the educational, social and emotional development of pupils with SEN within a changing educational environment.

Year two

• Research Design and Initiation
  • Year: 2
  • Status: C
  • The Research Design and Initiation module introduces students to the key ideas and issues that underpin educational research theory and practice.
• Research Project
  • Year: 2
  • Status: C
  • This module gives candidates the opportunity to carry out an independent piece of research that will be academically rigorous yet manageable within the circumstances of professional life.
• Leadership for learning
  • Status: O
  • Year: 2
  • This module is optional
  • The key theme of the module is that leadership at all levels of the school matters in enhancing student learning.
• Strategic Leadership: Differing Contexts, Local and Global
  • Status: O
  • Year: 2
  • This module is optional
  • This module analyses the concept of strategic planning in school improvement.
• Children's Learning and Assessment
  • Status: O
  • Year: 2
  • This module is optional
  • This module is designed to develop the student's knowledge and ability to apply current thinking about the nature of teaching and learning to enhance learning performance.

Year three

• International and Comparative Education
  • Status: O
  • Year: 3
  • This module is optional
  • This module embraces the use of wider reading and enquiry to reflect on educational systems and practices across the world before making informed, evaluative comparisons.
• Dissertation
  • Status: O
  • Year: 3
  • This module is optional
  • This module allows participants to produce a sustained piece of independent research.

Standard entry conditions

• Applicants must normally:
  • have gained a degree from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which is recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or
  • an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma or an approved alternative qualification, e.g. a professional qualification; and
• be currently working in a teaching or training environment.

English Language Requirements

• The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5.
• Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Exemptions and transferability

• The PGDip/MEd with Specialisms comprises six 30-credit point modules (180 credits in total).
• You may be able to enter the course at a higher stage or claim exemptions from particular modules.

Careers & opportunities

• In addition to improving your career portfolio, this course will allow you to develop higher level skills of argument and critical thinking as well as developing academic writing skills and research capability.
• Having a Masters level qualification should enhance potential career advancement, and is a useful preparation for Doctoral level study.

Fees and funding

• The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
• For modules commenced in the academic year 2025/26, the following fees apply:
  • Fees Credit Points| NI/ROI/GB Cost| International Cost*
  • 5 | £201.10| £494.70
  • 10 | £402.20| £989.40
  • 15 | £603.30| £1,484.10
  • 20 | £804.40| £1,978.80
  • 30 | £1,206.60| £2,968.20
  • 60 | £2,413.20| £5,936.40
  • 120 | £4,826.40| £11,872.80
  • 180 | £7,239.60| £17,809.20
  • 240| £9,652.80| £23,745.60

Scholarships, awards and prizes

• Biggar Awards are awarded annually to two MEd graduates.

Testimonials

• I began the M.Ed. course largely because I wanted to challenge myself: after many years’ teaching, I wanted to ensure that I was still learning.
• After working as a primary school teacher for seven years, in 2012, I decided to finally take the plunge and enrol as a student once again in the quest of a Masters in Education qualification.
• My experience with the University of Ulster has been very positive and rewarding.