Educational Studies MSc

University of Glasgow

Education professionals and scholars of education require a foundational knowledge and understanding of education policy and its pervasive role in shaping, governing and directing education systems. This course will help you towards a general understanding of education as a broad academic field while at the same time introducing you to policy studies. Significant issues and areas of practice in education are governed by policy; today education policy is pervasive. By considering a selection of key policy areas or themes students will engage with areas of significance and activity within contemporary education systems. Policy scholars are aware that contemporary debates, disputes and competing ideologies and understandings of education across sectors and contexts take place in and around education policy making. Education policy represents forms of authoritative statement about the purposes of education, what education is or should be, how it should be organised and resourced along with significant questions such as access, social justice and social change. By the end of this course you will have developed an understanding of education policy and a range of key issues and areas that characterise contemporary education systems and reflect global trends. Policy exemplars studied within the course are typically drawn from across sectors (for example, compulsory education, higher education, vocational education) and in relation to issues such as the purposes of education, social justice, vocational education, access to education and the organisation and resourcing of education. This is a taught course, normally based on two lectures each week that draws on expertise from across the School of Education. The course is supported by a programme of online resources, selected readings and self assessment exercises.

An introduction to the fundamentals of research philosophy and practice for masters level students. The course included content delivery on different types of research methods as well as seminars where these are methods are discussed in more detail.

This is a core compulsory course for all Masters, postgraduate research and postgraduate taught Diploma students (except for those on some professional routes or postgraduate research students with equivalent previous preparation). It is designed to introduce students to the major theories informing contemporary research in the field of education.

The course is organised in a seminar format in which students present on an educational topic by advocating and defending a position. Others in the group provide peer feedback.