About this course
Become a clear, confident and comprehensive educational leader with our Masters in Education Management and Leadership pathway. Learn about professional development with strategies to overcome challenges faced by leaders in education all over the world.
This educational leadership course is for teachers and those working in administrative positions in education who are looking for the leadership and research skills to make a positive change. Learn about professional development with strategies to overcome challenges faced by leaders in education all over the world. You’ll learn how to identify opportunities for improvement within an educational institution, making decisions based on research and with a focus on outcomes.
Leaders in education are expected to introduce continuous change within their organisation, you’ll understand how this impacts an academic institution or school and the people within it. To give you versatility in the profession, we look at a variety of learning environments within the public and private sector, as well as how educational leadership theories can be used by both teachers and leaders in schools, and educational practitioners outside of schools. During this MSc educational leadership course, you’ll learn how to:
- examine different teaching and learning methods
- conduct reliable education research and reflect upon emerging research
- apply your learning of leadership theories to your practice
- assess contemporary issues in the area of educational leadership
- examine core management practices to educational institutions
You’ll learn about policies and research on a national and international level. During the course, you'll collate and evaluate the research you’ve found in order to communicate outcomes in a clear and convincing way.
We offer 3 pathways on our MSc Education degree.
Your other MSc Education pathway options are:
- Education - you'll learn teaching & learning methods, and how to conduct & analyse educational research.
- Education (Practice and Innovation) - study different teaching and learning methods and learn how to conduct and analyse educational research in the fields of innovation and inclusive practice.
Flexible study
If you prefer, you can apply to study this course as:
- a part-time master's - study the same course content over 2 or more years
Your modules and fees may vary if you choose a different study option.
Course lead
Andri Christodoulou has teaching experience in different contexts with various age groups, and she is currently involved in the Primary PGCE programme tutoring students and teaching Science.
She received her BA in Primary Education from the University of Cyprus in 2005 and an MA in Science Education from King's College London in 2006. In 2007 she was awarded a 1+3 ESRC scholarship to undertake doctoral studies at King’s College London, as part of an ESRC funded professional development programme.
She has a keen interest in:
- initial science teacher training
- teacher professional development
- students' understanding of the epistemology of science
- argumentation and epistemic practices
Andri is a member of the Maths and Science Research Centre (MaSE), the European Science Education Research Association, and the National Association of Research in Science Teaching.
“The MSc in education provides many diverse pathways which are perfect for any individual looking to gain or enhance their understanding about educational issues that really matter to them.”
Course location
This course is based at Highfield.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the programme specification
The programme specification sets out the learning outcomes of this course and details how the course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
You’ll need a 2:1 degree, and will need to supply evidence that you have appropriate experience in education.
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need an overall score of 6.5 and the following scores for reading, writing, listening and speaking:
IELTS score requirements
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
During this course, you'll study the following:
- 3 compulsory modules
- 2 pathway modules
- An optional module
The first semester sets out the theories of leadership to help you to sustain school improvement.You'll also learn about learning theories and how and when to use key research methods to develop good research practices.
In your second semester, you'll learn about managing education institutions and choose between learning about education and policy from a global perspective and learning about the social context of education and lifelong learning. You'll also prepare for, and write, your dissertation, which should focus on an area of educational leadership and management.
You can also attend a non-assessed enrichment programme, including study skills workshops, attendance at our professional themes lectures and research seminars.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
For entry in Academic Year 2021-22
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules in year 1:
You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:
Learning and assessment
Learning
Through group work you'll collaborate with other students to discuss research articles, produce a group report or presentation.
You'll also work on research and case-studies analysing research designs, taking part in decision making and problem-solving activities within the topics of each module you study.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed by a combination of the following methods:
- written assignments
- academic posters
- research project reports
- dissertation
Explore course modules for full details of learning and assessment.
Dissertation
The dissertation builds on work undertaken across other modules and gives you an opportunity to take on a piece of independent research in a chosen topic. Normally, your dissertation will be individually supervised. The length of the dissertation will be between 15,000 and 17,000 words.
Academic Support
We can support your learning needs throughout your studies through an induction programme and individual support in study skills. You will also get a personal tutor to support your academic development.
Careers
Students who have completed the MSc in educational leadership and management have gone on to become educational practitioners, educational officers or senior academic leaders within their institutions both in the UK and internationally.
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £19,850.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:
Funding your postgraduate studies
A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
- Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
- Search for the course you want to apply for.
- Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
- Submit your application.
Application deadlines
UK students
Applications must be received no later than 4 weeks before the start of the course. You must supply all supporting documentation at least 2 weeks before starting your course.
International students
We recommend you apply at least 6 weeks before the start of the course to ensure you're able to meet our requirements and apply for a visa in time.
We cannot guarantee students who do not meet these deadlines will be able to begin their course.
Application assessment fee
We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for any postgraduate taught course that starts in or after September 2021.
This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.
If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you're applying for a Master of Research (MRes) degree, you will not need to pay the fee. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.
Supporting information
When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.
You’ll need to include information about:
- your knowledge of the subject area
- why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
- how you intend to use your qualification
You'll also need to send 2 academic references.
Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.
Learn more about how to apply with our postgraduate application guide.
What happens after you apply
You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.
We'll assess your application on the strength of your:
- academic achievements
- relevant professional experience
- personal statement
- academic references
We'll get back to you within 6 weeks with a decision about your application.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
