Master in Higher Education Policy: Theory and Praxis (Ma-Hep) - Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance
Online
Master degree
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 4,000
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
The Inter-University Inter-Departmental Master awards a Diploma of Postgraduate Studies (MSc) in Higher Education Policy: Theory and Practice (MaHep).
The Master has two specializations:
- Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance
- Teacher Education
The duration of the MaHep is two academic semesters or 60 ECTS. The maximum duration is four (4) semesters.
Attendance of all educational activities is compulsory and is a prerequisite for student evaluation.
MaHep is implemented at a distance. The place of the examinations is Patras and the University of Patras.
The Programme of Studies includes three Modules in the first semester, each corresponding to 9 ECTS or a total of 27 ECTS and a seminar of scientific reflection (Colloquium) corresponding to 3 ECTS. The second semester concerns the thesis dissertation.
Aims and objective
Subject matter
The subject matter of the master's programme is higher education. More specifically, higher education as a social institution and as a field for the development and application of policies on a national, European and global level and higher education policy as an independent scientific branch of education policy and the sciences of education. The choice of higher education as the subject matter of the Master should be considered as self-evident given the significance attached to it today globally for social, economic, technological and cultural development and progress. In any case, this is the reason why today higher education is to be found at the centre of interest as much from a political as from a scientific point of view. On a European level especially the creation of the European Higher Education Area as the consummation of the Bologna Process shapes a new international framework for the operation and development of higher education and creates increased demands and ambitions for the future.
The first postgraduate programme with this subject matter in Greece
Within precisely this context the initiative for the creation of a postgraduate programme in Greece which would focus on higher education was developed. It is the first postgraduate programme with this subject matter in Greece. While postgraduate programmes which refer to various elements and expressions of education policy and the education sciences generally do exist, none specialise in higher education policy. From this point of view, the present initiative aims to carve out a pioneering programme in Greece.
Target Group
The main target groups addressed by this postgraduate programme are:
- Professionals in the field (administrative and/or scientific executives working in higher education institutions or institutions related to higher education, such as e.g. HQA, ESYP, EOPPEP, IKY and the Ministry of Education) who are interested in acquiring theoretical foundations in higher education policy issues and in general to improve their skills and knowledge regarding current trends, developments and perspectives in the field of higher education in Greece, Europe and internationally. In particular, the specialization aims to train specialists in strategic planning and quality assurance in higher education
- Νew graduates of various disciplines who are interested in specializing in the specific subject (higher education policy) to either pursue a scientific career by continuing for doctoral studies with research/academic perspectives or to acquire relevant employment prospects as professionals in the field, given that there is an increasing need for specialized executives in new structures and new bodies within and outside higher education institutions (e.g. governmental policy bodies, quality assurance and strategic plan bodies, etc.).
Semester 1
- Module 1: European and Greek Framework for Higher Education (9 ECTS)
- Module 2: Strategic Planning (9 ECTS)
- Module 3: Quality Assurance (9 ECTS)
- Colloquium (3 ECTS)
Semester 2
Dissertation (30 ECTS)(25 ECTS + 5 ECTS research methodology).
Graduate students will be able to:
- Discuss analytical, critical and comparative issues concerning the EHEA and the Greek higher education system (GHES) both in terms of their constitution and their development
- Argue on various individual aspects of both the EHEA and the GHES, distinguishing convergences and divergences
- Formulate rational arguments on the relationship between the EHEA and the labour market
- Discuss critically the historical development of the GHES
- Discuss and argue on strategic planning, its principles and models
- Relate and explain the role of strategic planning in the EHEA
- Compare and critically approach Greece’s position in the EHAE on strategic planning
- Be able to use and explain the SMART tool
- Negotiate and argue on quality assurance, its forms and types
- Relate and explain the role of quality assurance in the EHEA
- Compare and critically approach Greece’s position in the EHEA on quality assurance
- Be able to use and explain the SWOT analysis tool
- Recall and quote research methods and techniques
- Identify, select and indicate research methods and techniques
- Handle and apply research methods and techniques
- Contrast, explain and argue on research methods and techniques
- Be able to understand the rationale behind quantitative and qualitative research methods
- Be able to explain why their chosen research methodology is appropriate
- Be able to distinguish why and when both types of research are used.