MA Educational Leadership

If you’re considering a master’s at Manchester, there are a range of ways you can connect with us to find out more.

• Taught master's information sessions
• Taught master's guided campus visits
• Study fairs in the UK
• Education fairs overseas

For more information, see our page on meeting us .

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification,e.g.IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report. Applications without an English language qualification are placed on a waiting list and are assessed only when an acceptable English language qualification is provided;
• copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other thanEnglishplease provide official translations;
• your CV.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

The MA in Educational Leadership is the ideal course for those who are ready to shape the future of education. Whether you’re an experienced school-based practitioner looking to take the next step, an emerging leader seeking to drive change in your setting, or an aspiring policymaker with a vision for system-wide impact, this course is designed to support and challenge you.

You’ll learn from a world-class team of academics who are leading thinkers in the fields of leadership, management, and school improvement, alongside senior professionals such as headteachers, advisors, and policymakers who bring rich, real-world perspectives to your learning. This powerful combination of research-driven insight and practitioner expertise ensures you’re exposed to a wide range of educational contexts and leadership approaches.

Our creative and inclusive pedagogies are designed to spark critical thinking, reflective practice, and collaborative learning. You’ll be encouraged to engage deeply with contemporary challenges in education and to develop your own leadership philosophy grounded in evidence, ethics, and impact.

By the end of the course, you will be equipped with the skills, confidence, and strategic capabilities to lead with purpose - whether that’s within a school, across a multi-academy trust, in local government, or on the national or international stage. This is more than a degree; it’s a launchpad for ambitious, thoughtful, and effective leadership in education.

• Examine current theories for examining education policy and practice from a leadership perspective.
• Develop your understanding of the key contemporary leadership issues that influence teachers' performance.
• Enable colleagues to identify issues and develop appropriate school improvement strategies.
• Consider some of the issues of equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility that enable and constrain leadership practices.
• Develop a range of transferable employability skills which integrate current research and best practice.

• Education has been a discipline of study at Manchester since 1890.
• Our students come from all over the world, and our qualifications are recognised across the globe.
• Connect theory with practice through a master's shaped by academic excellence and the lived experience of senior educational professionals.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

• changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
• changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
• changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
• the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
• the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
• where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
• where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

• a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
• a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Assessment is by eight 3,000-word assignments, or the equivalent, and a dissertation of 15,000 words.

The course is taught by the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) which has its own Student Hub. Here you'll find all your teaching staff and support staff as well as a place to relax with fellow students.

MIE is based in the University's Ellen Wilkinson building, which is centrally located on the University's Oxford Road campus, close to the Main Library, Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and the Students' Union.

• teaching;
• lecturing;
• research;
• teacher education;
• educational administration;
• leadership;
• consultancy;
• publishing;
• testing;
• assessment.

View our careers and employability  page for more information.

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service  that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Careers support for international students

The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.

• Working in the UK after study  
• Working during study  
• Professional and alumni networks for international students   

Global networks

The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community  of any campus-based university in the UK. 

International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country and provide an opportunity to build professional and social networks.