MA Educational Leadership in Practice
Gain valuable understanding of leadership skills that are transferable to a variety of educational settings and roles.
Educational Leadership in Practice
Master of Art in Educational Leadership in Practice
Be the positive change your educational organisation needs with our master’s degree.
Education is constantly under pressure to conform to external requirements, especially with standardisation and teaching to the test sweeping the globe, steering policies and pressurising educational leaders.
This programme will build your intellectual and practical confidence in all interactions; with teachers, parents, students, managers, board members and policymakers, to engage at a higher level and influence change.
Learn on the job
Take a critical and theoretical approach with practice-based learning that enables you create change in the workplace from day one.
Build a global network
Network with peers and experts during conferences held twice a year at our prestigious Manchester Centre.
Practise new skills
Learn from world-leading academics in educational policy and educational leadership including Dr Paul Armstrong and Dr Bee Hughes.
Face-to-face international programme conferences
Attend two major 3-day programme conferences during the year in Hong Kong and Singapore. You will undertake practical activities based on your units in small multinational groups and learn from industry peers, experts and academics.
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INTAKE
September 2025 |
APPLICATION DEADLINE
1st August 2025 (Friday) |
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DURATION
Master’s - 24 month, part-time. |
WORKLOAD
Approx 20 hours per week |
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Academic entry qualification overview A good honours degree (minimum 2:1) or the overseas equivalent. An initial qualification in teaching, or at least one year’s professional experience in a public or private educational organisation, are desirable but not essential requirements. Please provide one satisfactory professional or academic references and a copy of your CV detailing your full work experience. You will also need to provide a personal statement (approx. 500 words) detailing why you’re interested in studying on the course. |
COST
£17,000. Please contact us for various discount schemes & scholarships available. |
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LEARNING MODE
A mix of online content with face-to-face conferences twice a year |
Develop your intellectual and practical confidence in all aspects of educational management
MA Educational Leadership Programme Details
Who is this Master of Art in Educational Leadership programme for?
If you’re a teacher or an educator looking to move into a leadership role within an education organisation, this programme is for you. It will give you vital knowledge and skills to take your career to the next level, empowering you to lead with confidence and make a real impact.
Study topics for the master’s programme
Our Educational Leadership in Practice (MA) is the only global blended programme that is taught from a critical approach and not a functionalist one. This practice-orientated learning will enable you to be the change your organisation needs.
You can expect to study units covering topics such as:
Models of educational leadership
- Explore conceptualising educational leadership practice as adjectival models
- Examine what this means in diverse international contexts
- Examine and evaluate a range of key models
Engaging with research in educational leadership
- What is educational leadership?
- What topics can be researched in education?
- Why should research in education be taken seriously?
Leading educational change
- Examining what is meant by ‘change’
- Counter-productive and productive motivators for and mechanisms for change
- Critical perspective on leading change
Education policy and leadership
- What is policy and how is it ‘done’?
- Policy architecture
- Welfarism, social democracy and neoliberalism as policy architecture
Educational Leadership as a Social Practice
- Educational leadership practice in a Globalising education system
- Getting and doing the job
- Using research evidence
Optional Unit/Accreditation of Previous Learning
- Digital Media and Information Literacy
- Leadership of International Schools
Research Skills and application of research to professional practice
- Select and formulate a dissertation question/topic
- Study design and methodology
- Ethical, safety, social responsibility issues
Project-based enquiry
This takes the form of a report on literature or project-based enquiry. In this independent project, you will investigate some elements of your educational leadership practice.
How it will benefit your career?
- Gain a deep understanding of theories, research, intellectual debates, and best practice from across the globe.
- Reflect on how these could apply to your own practice.
- Develop higher-order thinking skills to inspire you as a leader of education.
- Apply educational leadership skills and find solutions to real-world problems from local and global education organisations.
Global Experts
Your Course Director
Face-To-Face Conferences
Attend two major 3-days course conferences during the year in Hong Kong and Singapore. You will undertake practical activities based on your units in small multinational groups and learn from industry peers, experts and academics.
Assessment
There are no examinations. Assessments comprise of individual coursework.
Teacher - Students Ratio
Teacher - Students Ratio - 1:35 students
