There is a general pathway and a leadership pathway – the latter requires you to focus on modules and a dissertation related to educational leadership and management.

Course participants come from across educational phases (early years to HE) and between educational sectors (schools, museums, colleges and universities, and educational consultancies).  This diversity helps to create a dynamic and supportive learning environment in which you learn considerably from each other as well as from the course leaders. 

The courses encourage you to take a practical and informed approach to the 'plan, do, review' cycle, and helps you to become more critically reflective to develop approaches rooted in evidence.

You will complete taught modules, to suit your interests and complement your career progression. There are also specific modules designed to support early career and leadership progression. In each module, appropriate professional learning is based on exploring the links between practice, theory and research. 

Modules can be taken in any combination and order, allowing you to create a tailor-made course to suit your professional needs and interests.

The modules develop innovative approaches to meeting the demands of your work, whether just starting out in your career or taking significant responsibilities for educational excellence and actively supporting other professionals.

The knowledge and skills you develop through taught material will be consolidated and extended through completion of a dissertation.

 Course tutors are active researchers and all teach and supervise across a range of courses.  This provides them with a wide knowledge base and a genuine concern for the challenges of educational contexts, both in the UK and abroad. 

The close relationship between the teaching and contemporary research activities based at Newcastle University has been identified as evidence of exemplary practice.

The MEd in Practitioner Enquiry is led by Pam Woolner, and the Leadership pathway by Rene Kolgbauer.

The course draws on the expertise developed in the North Leadership Centre and the Research Centre for Learning and Teaching which are based in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences.

Delivery

Most students complete these part time courses over three years, although some enter with PGCE (or other) Masters level credits and can complete more quickly.  It is recommended that you complete 60 credits per year.

Modules are selected according to your professional development interests. They are taught in a number of ways to accommodate part-time study. For example some are taught on Saturdays, some during half-term holidays, and some are scheduled for afternoons and evenings.

Teaching is fairly intense, and the learning from the modules extends into practical and reflective engagement with the workplace.

Assessed work requires you to use both reflective and enquiry-based techniques in your own professional context to construct a portfolio.

The final year is the dissertation, which is supported by supervision. It provides an opportunity for you to conduct bespoke research related to your professional and academic interests. 

Module changes

Module changes

Modules change annually to take account of:

• changing staff expertise
• developments in the discipline
• the requirements of external bodies and partners
• student feedback.

Most module information for 2020 entry will be available from the end of May 2020.

Find out more about our tuition fees, including how to pay them and available discounts.

EU students starting at Newcastle in 2019 will pay the UK (Home) tuition fee for the full duration of their course.

Funding opportunities

If you have lower English Language scores, you may be accepted onto a pre-sessional English course. 

Start dates

There are two intakes for this course each year:

• September
• January

There is no application closing date for this course.

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Deposit

If you live outside the UK/EU you must:

• pay a deposit of £1,500
• or submit an official letter of sponsorship

The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study at Newcastle University. The deposit is non-refundable, but is deducted from your tuition fees when you register.