MA Education (Leadership and Management)
Bath, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 17,485 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
* international full time | UK full time: £9,450 | UK part time: £4,725
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
About: MA Education (Leadership and Management) at Bath Spa University explores challenges and opportunities as leaders gain autonomy to impact learners. It's for those becoming or working as mid-level and senior managers in schools and organizations. Drawing on research, the course offers a critical, cultural view of leadership as a social construct and ethical practice in education.
Career Outcomes: You'll graduate with practical, theoretical knowledge to apply for middle, senior or leadership roles in schools and institutions. Many students gain promotion within 12 months. Graduates may work as heads, principals or consultants; course supports progression to PhD study and academia.
In a globally connected and rapidly changing world, education offers each individual the best chance of navigating an unknown future. In this course you’ll explore the opportunities and challenges that educational leaders face as they are given greater autonomy to have a positive impact on pupils and learners.
This Master's in educational leadership is designed for those who are interested in becoming or are presently working as mid-level and senior managers and leaders in schools or other educational organisations, in a variety of global contexts.
Drawing on internationally-based research, the MA Educational Leadership (online) offers a critical and cultural understanding of leadership as a socially constructed and ethical practice.
This course includes or offers the following modules. Please check the program document for more information on which modules are core, required, or optional.
- Education and Society
- Research Methods in the Social Sciences
- Dissertation
- Leadership in Practice
- Leading, Mentoring, and Coaching
- Research and Professional - Part 1
- Research and Professional - Part 2
What you'll learn
Overview
MA Educational Leadership (online) is designed to develop your understanding of leadership theory and practice.
We’ll help you develop and improve your expertise as an educational leader through practice-based inquiry, in which you'll relate theory and research to your working environment. You’ll gain a critical understanding of the practices that characterize effective leadership and learn how to bring about change and improvement.
Taught sessions will provide an understanding of how leadership impacts the climate and culture of a school or educational setting.
Course structure
Trimester one
In the first trimester, you’ll gain a broad understanding of the context in which educational leaders operate.
You'll examine the place of education in contemporary societies and explore how educational reform is constructed and implemented to deliver social and economic change. You'll also examine the way that leadership is played out within educational settings, focusing on what leaders do to engage followers to bring about change within an ethical framework.
Trimester two
You’ll learn how to undertake research within educational settings. A range of different methodologies will be explored and we’ll support you to write a proposal for your research project.
You will also study another leadership module related to coaching and mentoring. In this module, you will develop your coaching and mentoring skills and reflect on the contribution they can make to the practice of leadership.
Trimester three
In your final trimester, you’ll write a dissertation on an aspect of educational leadership that particularly interests you. You’ll be supported by a tutor and benefit from one-to-one tutorials. You’ll also be able to attend optional research seminars.
How will I be assessed?
There are no written exams on this course; each module is assessed through coursework. This typically involves an essay for a 30-credit module.
In some modules, you may be assessed by presentations or online activities.
The 60-credit dissertation focuses on an area agreed upon with a specialist tutor, who will offer guidance on structure and academic writing.
You’ll graduate with practical and theoretical knowledge, well-placed to apply for middle, senior or leadership roles in schools or other educational institutions. Many students on our educational leadership awards gain promotion within 12 months of completing the course.
The grounding in academic work provides a foundation for further research at PhD level which can lead to employment in Higher Education.
How will I be taught?
Online
Course length
One year full-time or 2 year part-time