Master of Arts in Education (Early Childhood), Birmingham City University, UK

Awarded by 

Course Overview

The Master of Arts in Education will give students a foundation for a career in many different educational settings, both public and private.  This programme provides a comprehensive international overview of teaching, learning and educational systems –

Students will develop important transferable skills in scholarly studies, research skills and practice. These will prove useful when students find themselves working as part of a team, or having to handle lots of data.

The master’s programme within this framework aims to prepare students to become a creative, confident, technologically-competent and forward-looking individual who has developed the skills of research, reflection and critical evaluation and is aware of the local, national and global themes, issues, policies, ideology and philosophy that effect professional practice within the chosen field.

The development of autonomous professionals is central and participants should be in a position to analyse, synthesise and evaluate information from diverse sources in order to inform their professional development. They should also be able to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in their discipline and be able to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, propose new hypotheses. These programmes provide a safe space where students can engage in critical academic enquiry and risk taking.

In addition to this, students will develop the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility, decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations, the ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of incomplete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of a range of key thinkers and theorists in the field of education and their application in a range of educational settings
• Be a confident, critical academic reader and writer at level 7
• Be able to theorise contemporary educational issues in order to think and apply alternatives in your future practice in different settings
• Be a reflexive, critical, evaluative and innovative thinker in the field of education who is capable of independent enquiry and who takes responsibility for learning and professional practice
• Be confident in your knowledge of a range of educational research methodologies and methods
• Conceive, develop and investigate research questions within education using appropriate methods and adhering to ethical standards
• Be able to make significant contribution in discussions about contemporary educational debate, collaborate in presentations and workshops and communicate clearly and effectively about educational issues in a variety of modes
• Recognise the role of educators and education as a tool for social justice and change in local and global society
• Make a positive contribution to learning, teaching, education and organisational development within your role in education
• Have developed specialist knowledge within a key area of education (Special educational needs, International education, early childhood)
• Be able to critically analyse international approaches to practice and contemporary educational issues (International Education)

Entry Requirements

• Applicants should have a degree or equivalent qualification – (i.e. Professional experience that equates to degree level, or diploma (including a three year diploma (Dazhuan)) plus applicants should clearly demonstrate an interest in their chosen field with a minimum of two years’ experience or equivalent.)
• We particularly welcome applications with a first degree not from a teaching or education background to make a diverse learning community.

Language Requirement:

• IELTS 6 overall, with no less than 5.5 in any component. Candidates with a lower overall score of 5.5 with no less than 5.0 in any component will also be considered