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University of Wolverhampton
Walsall Campus
School of Education
Gorway Road
Walsall
WS1 3BD
contact: Lorraine Thomas
Director, Postgraduate and Professional Development Studies
lorraine.thomas@wlv.ac.uk

University Web Site

Master’s Level CPD event on 20th June 2008

Info click here

Informaton documents on master's level modules running next year at the University of Wolverhampton

Postgraduate and
Professional Development
Studies (PPDS)
Student Newsletter Spring08
NQT flyer
Programme Time Table
Fees

 
MA Education

Introducing master’s level study within the Training School for your own staff and partner school staff is an excellent way to meet many of the key performance indicators (Significant staff involvement in mentoring and coaching (30%), A significant outreach programme (30 – 50% of Training School budget), Support for accredited training for staff (25%) and Engagement in classroom based research (20%)). Programmes start in September/ January entry+ of the academic year and modules may be undertaken as individual, professional development experiences or may be aggregated towards a master’s level award. Modules are delivered at the Walsall campus or can be delivered at a venue of your choice for groups of 15+.

A range of routes are available: MA Education leading to the awards of Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Learning in Education, Postgraduate Diploma in Education and MA Education, MA Education (Learning and Teaching) leading to the awards of Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Learning in Education (Learning and Teaching), Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Learning and Teaching) and MA Education (Learning and Teaching), MA (Leadership and Management) leading to the awards of Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Learning in Education (Leadership and Management in Education), Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Leadership and Management in Education) and MA Education (Leadership and Management in Education) and MA Education (Mentoring and Coaching) leading to the awards of Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Mentoring and Coaching in Education), Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Mentoring and Coaching in Education) and MA Education (Mentoring and Coaching in Education).

It may also be possible to utilise your prior experience towards your award. Teachers who successfully complete LftM, LPSH or NPQH programmes may present their work as a reflective piece of writing for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). If you would like to discuss APL, please contact Dr. Liz Newcombe: liz.newcombe@wlv.ac.uk. In addition, the University of Wolverhampton is in partnership with the General Teaching Council (GTC) and offers teachers the opportunity to gain Teacher Learning Academy (TLA) professional recognition alongside master’s level accreditation. For further information regarding TLA professional recognition, please discuss with the PPDS Director.

Why should I consider a Master’s Degree?

Master’s level modules offer excellent, cost-effective, in-depth and sustained CPD, which can have a major impact on individuals and institutions.

The PGCE is now at master’s level and most trainees are entering the profession with 60 master’s level credits (ie one-third of an MA). The GTP is often at master’s level and trainees oftern enter the profession with 30 master’s level credits.

December 2007: The Children’s Plan announced the move to a master’s level profession

March 2008: The Secretary of State for Education announced government plans for all teachers in the first five years of teaching to undertake master’s level qualifications and for this to be gradually rolled out to all teachers.

Cost
Modules range from £100 and there is a reduced rate for partner schools working with trainee teachers from the University of Wolverhampton. Four modules are undertaken and a final dissertation to complete the full award of MA. On average part-time students take two and a half years to complete an MA, but the maximum amount of time to complete is four years.

What next?
Request an application pack from Jane Fryer: j.fryer@wlv.ac.uk and return at your earliest convenience to:
Admissions Officer
University of Wolverhampton
MX207
Camp Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 1AD

We look forward to welcoming you to the programme.
Lorraine Thomas,
Director, Postgraduate and Professional Development Studies
lorraine.thomas@wlv.ac.uk

Case Study - Melissa Mitchell
Teacher of English and KS3 Co-ordinator
Holyhead Secondary School, Birmingham.

Holyhead School is a Training School, leading the way in classroom-based research and many teachers have benefited from Training School funding to gain masters level qualifications through a partnership with the University of Wolverhampton.

Course: MA Education

Previous qualifications: BA Joint Honours English and Physical Education.
PGCE English
Melissa
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THE MA EDUCATION?
During my NQT year there were specific objectives that I had to complete in order to meet the core standards at the end of the induction period. It was suggested that this work could actually be accredited towards an MA. I have always enjoyed learning and decided that this was a good opportunity to develop professionally at an early stage in my career. Also, teaching was very new to me and I did not know how I wanted to develop in the future, so enrolling onto the MA Course enabled me to explore new avenues.

WHAT MODULES HAVE YOU COMPLETED?
So far I have completed four modules and I am now in the process of completing the final Dissertation. After I completed the first module in my NQT year, I then stopped for a year to really concentrate on my teaching. In my third year of teaching I had started to work as a mentor for trainee teachers, but I was also still learning and developing as a teacher myself. It was at this point that I decided to continue my MA and I completed two modules focusing on mentoring trainee teachers. The first mentoring module enabled me to look at the different approaches to mentoring and helped me to explore the type of mentor I would like to be. The second mentoring module allowed me to use my trainee teacher as my protégé and helped me to analyse and reflect how I would as a mentor develop my trainee. In my fourth year of teaching, I completed my next module which was the Research Methods module. I decided that I now wanted to concentrate on my subject area and how I could improve my teaching of a specific area of the curriculum rather than mentoring someone else. Within the Research Methods module I explored the use of the internet for revision of GCSE English. This now leaves me in my fifth year of teaching and I am now in the process of completing my Dissertation.

There are many different MA Routes that you can take, and they are flexible so that they address your needs. For my Dissertation I have been given the freedom to choose an area of study that I am passionate about and something which will help me improve my own teaching practice. I am currently researching how to implement effective collaborative discussion into English lessons to help student learning. Student talk is currently a hot topic of debate and this is having a real impact on my lesson planning.

WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU GAINED DURING THE MA?
Many people often ask me why I am studying for an MA. I did not have a gap year and I have not stopped studying since I have left school. The modules have been enjoyable and they have helped me develop both my professional and subject knowledge. It has been incredibly hard work and at times I have asked myself why I am putting myself through this while working full time in a demanding profession. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives; I have learnt so much during this experience and it has helped my own teaching and mentoring of trainee teachers. I hope to move on to the Excellent Teacher Scheme and this experience and qualification now leaves me in a good position to do so.