MA Education (Wales) Leadership

What you will study

Students will have 60 PGCE credits (RPL or RPEL) or can opt for the year 1 replacement modules. 

YEAR 1

• Pedagogy and Practice (20 credits): This module will explore key pedagogical concepts, models and theories. It will offer contemporary pedagogical knowledge and will relate key learning theories to professional practice. You will be supported to reflect purposefully on your own pedagogic practices and the future teaching opportunities within your professional contexts.
• Collaborative and Professional Practice (20 credits): You will focus on the opportunities and purposes of collaborative engagement in professional practice. It will encourage students to critically reflect on their professional practice and to identify effective strategies that support well-being and safeguarding. This includes issues of inclusivity, equity and student wellbeing and how these can be maximised through collaborative forms of professional practice.
• Evidence-Informed Practice (20 credits): You will explore how evidence is presented and published and examine how different forms of evidence inform professional behaviours and practices. It will be key to understand the different ways in which evidence is generated and accessed within different educational settings and contexts. 

YEAR 2

Students will study two 20 credit modules.

• Advanced Research and Enquiry Skills (Core): You will be equipped with the advanced research knowledge and enquiry skills to complete a Master’s degree and to undertake a piece of independent research. The module will develop the skills of literature survey, research design, data analyses and data representation that will support personal research and enquiry work. 
• Leading and Managing Education Professionals (20 credits): This module focuses on the models, approaches and practices required to effectively lead and manage education professionals. You will consider theories of collaborative and distributed leadership in relation to leading and managing other professionals. It will also consider the relationship between local and national policy imperatives and the practice of leading and managing education professionals.
• Leading Organisational Change (20 credits): You will focus on the processes and practicalities of leading organisational change at the school and system level. It will explore key debates around theories of change and change management in relation to organizational improvement and prepare students to critically examine the contribution of leadership in times of organisational change and uncertainty. It will equip them with the leadership knowledge and understanding to effectively lead and implement change within their context.

YEAR 3

• Dissertation (60 credits)

* Students who have level 7 credits from their PGCE (in the last 5 years) can RPL, but anyone who does not have level 7 credits, they can opt to complete an RPEL document which maps their experience against the Year One module learning outcomes, or alternatively, they can start their studies in Year One.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or optional modules. Modules are designated as core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Entry requirements & applying

Entry requirements:

• Work in a Welsh maintained school 
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Registered with the EWC (which must be maintained throughout the course of the programme).
• Employed on a minimum of 0.4 FTE contract, this can include supply teachers who are on long term contracts either with a Local Authority, school or an agency.
• Candidates should have, where possible, the support of their Head teacher (or equivalent such as Principal, MD, CEO or Head of Service).

To be eligible for funding, you must:

Be an early career stage practitioner i.e., an individual in years 3-6 of practice as a teacher at the start of the programme, OR

• ITE partner school staff.
• Teaching Assistants who meet the academic entry requirements for the programme.
• School Improvement Partners/regional consortia staff/Estyn staff/LAstaff/Middle tier.
• ALNCO (including FE).
• Applicants on the fringe of years 3-6 criteria but at the discretion of the university and in exceptional circumstances.

[Please note that the requirement to be in years 3-6 of practice does not apply to either the ALN or Leadership Pathway].

Application forms:

In addition to the direct application form, applicants for this programme are required to complete the National MA Education Supplementary Application Form OR the Recognition of Prior Learning Application Form if claiming RPL with your application*. This completed form should be emailed to admissions@wrexham.ac.uk on completion. You can also view the National MA Education Funding Criteria for more information.

Due to the complexity of the application and funding application process for the National MA Education (Wales), we will endeavour to communicate whether your application has been successful as soon as possible, but at this point we are not able to provide a detailed timeframe for response. If you have any questions about the status of your application at any time, do please contact us at enquiries@wrexham.ac.uk.

*If you wish to claim RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) for this programme, please see the National MA Education National Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

More information can be found on the National MA Education Wales website.

If you have any queries, please contact the program leader, Dr Kelly Smith - Kelly.Smith@wrexham.ac.uk 

Teaching & Assessment

Assessments are all coursework-based and will be submitted at the end of each module. Wherever possible, assignments have been designed to complement the working contexts and schedules of full-time teachers.

Teaching and Learning

Wrexham University is committed to supporting our students to maximise their academic potential.

We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments. Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping deal with the practicalities of university work. Our Student Support section has more information on the help available.

In terms of particular needs, the university Inclusion team can provide appropriate guidance and support should any students require reasonable adjustments to be made because of a recognised prevailing disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference.

The course includes approx 200 hours of study per 20 credit module, of which 22 will be contact hours. Learning will be a blend of online and face-to-face teaching, through a series of lectures, seminars, group activities and individual projects.

Students on this course will join students on the same course at 6 other HEIs. There will be peer-to-peer support hosted on the WG Hwb, alongside all the regular USW support services and mechanisms.

Career prospects

This course is for educational professionals who have already embarked on their career.  

Completion of the National MA Education (Wales) offers the following pathways: 

• Additional Learning Needs  
• Leadership  
• Curriculum  
• Equity in Education  

The degree supports professionals working at all levels within educational contexts to develop their research knowledge, skills, and understanding. This will be so graduates can evaluate, analyse, and reflect on their current educational practice, informed by relevant international research and key theoretical ideas. 

This course has been designed to support the retention of all education professionals, especially teachers in Wales. It will also build the capacity for change in terms of the broader aspirations of the sector, during a time of national change in Education. The National programme has also been developed to increase system-wide leadership capacity across educational settings and specialisms. 

This degree programme equips students with the knowledge, skills and flexibility needed for the contemporary mental health and wellbeing sector.

Our Careers & Employability service is there to help you make decisions and plan the next steps towards a bright future. From finding work or further study to working out your interests, skills and aspirations, they can provide you with the expert information, advice and guidance you need.

Fees & funding

You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.

The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.

All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our postgraduate fees.