Master in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

If you want to deepen your understanding of educational research and increase your teaching competence with a scholarly approach, the Teaching and Learning in Higher Education master’s program is a good option. In the program, you will get a more scholarly approach to your teaching profession. This includes the ability to critically investigate and analyze teaching and strategically develop an organization. This competence leap will qualify you for more skilled professional assignments and expand your opportunities to participate in academic dialogue.

Studying at a 50 percent pace allows you to work alongside your studies. This program offers you a path to career development within higher education or adult education in related fields. The program is suitable for people who are already working in higher education or a related field or have at least 60 credits of coursework in educational or behavioral sciences.

To be eligible you need to have a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience, either from teaching in higher education or from working with competence or skills development in academia. You are also eligible if you have at least 60 credits of coursework in either educational or behavioral sciences.

Eligible Swedish applicants can also include professionals working with adult education in public sector organizations, such as the police, defense, customs, vocational schools, and komvux.

Flexibility for the needs of professionals

The program is developed to be suitable for its professional students. The study pace is half speed (50 percent). By utilizing a full range of digital tools, such as live streaming and webinars, students have the option to participate online, on campus, or both. This allows you to arrange your participation in lectures, seminars, and discussions depending on when and where you work.

The program (120 credits) includes advanced courses (at least 60 credits) as well as a master’s thesis (30 credits) in the pedagogy of higher education. The program also includes developmental projects based on your current professional role.

Courses within the program

Autumn 2024

Semester 2

15 credits of elective courses.

Semester 4

Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Thesis I, 15 credits (HP705E) alternatively 15 credits of elective courses.

Semester 6

Elective course, 5 credits.

Semester 7 + 8

• Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Independent project, 30 credits, alternatively
• Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Independent project II, 15 credits and 15 credits of elective courses.

The program is designed to provide students with the teaching skills necessary to meet future challenges in higher education. It is the first English-taught master’s program in Sweden with a focus on teaching for higher education. The program is part of an active research environment at Malmö University focusing on higher education.

The curriculum reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the pedagogy of higher education, and this focus shapes the courses and reading lists. The courses address themes such as student-centered teaching, the teaching of heterogeneous student groups, challenge-based learning, and the digitalization and internationalization of higher education.

The program provides you with in-depth knowledge of learning theories, teaching methods, and adult learning. This also includes the ability to critically analyze learning environments and engage in strategic organizational development efforts. You will learn about central concepts within the field of higher education and related research.

The program is also closely tied to practice and profession. As a student, you will use your own work experiences as a starting point to investigate and examine differences in teaching environments.

Networking and post-graduation opportunities

During the program, you will have opportunities to network with and explore employment opportunities with representatives from different professions and organizations within and outside of academia.

Employment opportunities open for graduates who wish to continue in academia primarily include advancing in their teaching careers or moving into managerial positions, such as Director of Studies, Head of Department, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, or Dean. However, a master’s degree in teaching and learning for higher education also opens up employment in other public and private organizations focused on adult pedagogical development.

A path to your PhD

The program also allows you to pursue doctoral studies in research fields related to learning and personal development in higher education, such as didactics, pedagogy, and pedagogical practice. The program is offered by the Malmö University Centre for Teaching and Learning at the Faculty of Learning and Society but is taught by researchers from several different departments and faculties. Examples of ongoing research areas within this field are challenge-based learning, learning environments, academic literacy, academic, and professional development, teacher and supervisor roles in higher education, and inclusive pedagogy.