Course Content
The course is 3 years part-time. There is no full-time option.
YEAR ONE
Students who have completed a PGCE with 60 credits at Level 7 are likely to be exempt from the first year of study. Those students who do not have this award will study three modules in the first year:
- Pedagogy and Practice (20 credits)
- Collaboration and Professional Practice (20 credits)
- Evidence-Informed Practice (20 credits)
YEAR TWO
In year two, MA Education (Wales) students will take the core Advanced Research Enquiry Skills module, alongside any 2 optional modules. All the modules are 20 credits.
MA Education (Wales) optional modules:
- Leadership and Management of ALN
- Inclusive Classroom Practice
- Leading and Managing Education Professionals
- Leading Organisational Change
- Curriculum Design and Realisation
- Exploring Pedagogies
- Emotional and Mental Wellbeing
- Equity and Diversity
- Additional Learning Needs, Excellence in Practice
- Leading within and across Educational Systems
- Curriculum Leadership and Innovation
- Responding to the Effects of Poverty and Disadvantage in Education
In year two, students studying the specialist pathways (Additional Learning Needs / Leadership / Curriculum / Equity in Education) will take the core Advanced Research Enquiry Skills module, alongside choosing 2 optional modules from a choice of 3. All the modules are 20 credits.
Specialist Pathway optional modules:
Additional Learning Needs
- Inclusive Classroom Practice
- Leadership and Management of ALN
- ALN: Excellence in Practice
Leadership
- Leading and Managing Education Professionals
- Leading Organisational Change
- Leading within and across Education Systems
Curriculum
- Exploring Pedagogies
- Curriculum Design and Realisation
- Curriculum Leadership and Innovation
Equity in Education
- Emotional and Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Equity and Diversity
- Responding to the Effects of Poverty and Disadvantage in Education
YEAR THREE
The third and final year will focus on the core Dissertation module (60 credits).
Learning & Teaching
Teaching
There will be 200 hours of study per 20 credit module, of which 22 will be contact hours. Learning will be a blend of online and face-to-face. Activities will be a combination of lectures, seminars, group activities and individual activities.
Students will join their peers on the same course at the six other universities for some synchronous online sessions to develop a national learning community.
Assessment
Assessments are all coursework assignments and will be submitted at the end of each module. There will be one assessment per module.
Employability & Careers
Designed for qualified teachers at all career stages.
Entry Requirements & How to Apply
Entry Requirements
Candidates must hold Qualified Teacher Status and be currently employed in the compulsory education sector in Wales. Please check Fees & Funding Information section.
Please check our
Compulsory Supporting Documents page for further information on compulsory documents you will need to provide when applying for this course. These include:
- Evidence of QTS
- Reference from Head Teacher
- Supplementary Application Form
- Recognition of Prior Learning Form
- Proof of Residency in Wales Form
How to Apply
Please note: All applications for this course need to be for the National MA Education (Wales).
If you wish to study one of the specialist pathways (Additional Learning Needs, Leadership, Curriculum or Equity in Education), you can specify your choice when completing the Supplementary Application Form document required for the course.
Applications for this course should be made direct to the university via our self-service facility. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.
Due to the complexity of the application and funding application process for the National MA Education (Wales), we will endeavour to communicate whether your application has been successful as soon as possible, but at this point are not able to provide a detailed timeframe for response. If you have any questions about the status of your application at any time, do please contact us at directapplications@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
Fees & Funding Information
Eligibility Criteria for Funded Places
All candidates must meet the academic entry requirements of the programme. To be eligible for Welsh Government funding Candidates must meet the funding criteria.
Please note: No other Masters in Education qualifications offered by HEIs are eligible for this funding.
Funding Application Deadlines
Due to the complexity of the application and funding application process for the National MA Education (Wales), we will endeavour to communicate whether your application has been successful as soon as possible, but at this point are not able to provide a detailed timeframe for response. If you have any questions about the status of your application at any time, do please contact us at
directapplications@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
Funding for this programme has limited places per HEI and will be allocated by the Funding Award Panel. Funding allocations will be made on a priority basis, so please ensure that you apply as soon as possible to have the greatest chance of being successful.
Admissions FAQs
Who is this programme for?
The National MA Education (Wales) is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders. The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it. The National MA Education (Wales), which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their professional knowledge, engage with research, and to improve their professional practice.
Does the course require a specific degree classification at UG level?
The course does not require a specific degree classification at UG level. Entry requirements are as stated above.
What are the application deadlines?
Applications will be reviewed throughout the year. However, we would highly recommend you apply no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of the course, which is approximately 1st September each year. This is so we have time to process your application and send it to the panel. The funding application deadlines are TBC.
What is Recognition of Prior Learning?
Recognition of Prior Learning signifies the process recognising learning achieved by an individual before entry to the MA. For the purpose of this programme, the term covers the following: a) Credit Transfer - Where the credits or qualification have been awarded by a UK higher education institution as part of a formal qualification; b) Recognition of Prior experiential Learning (RPeL) – where learning gained through experience is assessed and recognised.
Please find more information about the process here.
What documents do I need to send to you?
Please check our
Compulsory Supporting Documents page.
Do I need a GCSE in Welsh Language?
You do not need a GCSE in Welsh language to apply for this programme.
How can I register on a Virtual Open Day?
Please check our website for up-to-date recruitment events. The Programme Director Dr Rhiannon Packer will be offering virtual sessions, if you would like to register your interest, please email Rhiannon Packer at
RAJPacker@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
Do I need to provide a programme specific enhanced criminal disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)?
As a practicing teacher you will already have undergone checks via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and therefore will not need to complete this process again.
I am a teacher in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland - can I still apply for the programme?
No, we only welcome applications from teachers in Wales who meet the entry requirements.
I am a teacher from the EU/Overseas - can I still apply for the programme?
Unfortunately, this programme is not available to teachers from the EU/Overseas.
I completed the GTP, am I eligible to apply for the National MA Education (Wales)?
Yes, teachers who qualified via the GTP route are eligible to apply for the National MA Education (Wales). You will need to map your learning and/or experience against the Learning Outcomes in the Recognition of Prior Learning section of the Supplementary form. Guidance on how to complete this is available in the Recognition of Prior Learning policy.
Funding FAQs
Am I eligible for funding?
Please see funding criteria above in Fees & Funding Information Section on this course page.
The funding eligibility criteria states that I must be in year 3 to 6 of practice at the start of the course, what does this mean?
The funding criteria states you must be in at least 3rd years of teaching practice when the course is due to start. This means you must be on 3rd year of teaching following successful completion of your NQT induction when the course is due to start (not when you apply).
Do I need to be registered with the EWC?
Yes, to be eligible for funding you must be registered with the EWC in the category of school teacher. This must be maintained for the duration of the course.
Following completion of my NQT induction, I spent a period of time working overseas / took a career break, does this count?
Time spent employed as a teacher outside of the UK or time taken as a career break will not be counted as years of practice
Am I required to have a teaching contract for a minimum period of time, e.g. an academic term / year? What happens if my contract ends part way through the programme?
Eligibility will be conferred at the beginning of the programme. At that point you will need to hold a contract of at least one term.
I am employed as a teacher in a number of schools and my contracts total more than 0.4FTE. Am I eligible for funding?
Yes, as long as your contracts total 0.4FTE or higher, you are eligible to apply for funding
I am a part time and/or supply teacher, can I apply for funding?
Yes, as long as your contracts total 0.4FTE or higher, you are eligible to apply for funding
Do I need to commit to working in Wales after I have completed the MA Education?
In accepting this funding teachers are required to continue to work in Wales, within the maintained education system for a minimum of 2 years after completing the programme.
Is there a residency requirement before the course starts?
In order to be eligible for funding you must be resident in Wales for 3 years prior to start of course and remain so for the duration of the programme.
I would like to self-fund; how much are the fees?
There are no self-funded places available for this course.
I have previously undertaken masters level study, am I eligible for funding for this programme?
If you have previously studied a subject specific masters programme, then you are still eligible to apply for funding (subject to meeting all other criteria). Please note that if you have previously undertaken a funded MEd then you will not be eligible to apply for funding for the National MA
My application for funding was unsuccessful, how can I appeal against the decision?
Applicants who are not satisfied with the decision of the National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel should contact the Chair of the Panel in the first instance.
Who decides on funding allocation?
Upon receipt of your application, the Admissions team at your chosen institution will ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria. The National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel will then assess all eligible applications to determine the outcome and award funding to those who are successful. The Panel consists of representatives from each Partner University and reports to the National Management Board (which has membership from the Welsh Government), to ensure clear accountability and oversight.
How many funded places are available?
There are 500 funded places across the National MA Education (Wales) partnership
Am I eligible for a student loan?
Yes, but only if you are applying for entry into the first year of study. If you are applying for entry into the second year of study, the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is compulsory for this course, therefore you will not meet the student loan criteria of undertaking at least 180 credits and subsequently will not be eligible for a student loan.
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