Course description
¿MA International Education at The University of Manchester gives students opportunities to engage in various educational theories, ideas and concepts in an international context and put them into practice.
¿The courses are taught by world-leading researchers who are really patient and always willing to help students.¿
Jinxuan Song / MA International Education
MA International Education will provide you with the opportunity to engage in structured study of, and reflection upon, the application of educational theories, ideas and concepts to a range of international educational and community-based contexts.
The course has been designed for teachers and other education professionals working in a range of national and international settings and is ideal if you're looking to develop your career by securing new posts or promotion.
You will work with a truly international cohort of students.
The course offers a unique combination of policy and practice-based perspectives on education, and is taught by outstanding, world-leading researchers who focus on the realities of professional practice using the social sciences.
Aims
- Develop participants' critical understanding of educational concepts and theories in order to enable an informed analysis of educational practices in international contexts.
- Develop participants' capacity to engage in research and to inform and develop their understandings and practices of education in international contexts.
- Raise participants' awareness of the influence of global, national, and local contexts upon education.
- Develop participants' professional knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to their prior and emerging professional interests.
- Enable participants to gain analytical skills that will help them to engage critically with education policies and practices across and within international contexts.
Special features
- Education has been a discipline of study at Manchester since 1890.
- Our students come from all over the globe, and our qualifications are recognised across the globe.
Four unique specialist pathways, with tailored modules and expert dissertation supervision:
Additional course information
Optional units available include:
- International development and education;
- Intercultural Communication and Education;
- Key Issues in English Language and Education;
- Early Years Education;
- Education leadership;
- Examining Educational Policy;
- Digital, Media and Information Literacy;
- Language Learning and Technology;
- Multimedia Design and Development;
- Equality, diversity and inclusion in international education;
- Educating for Sustainability;
- Higher education in international contexts;
- Curriculum Internationalisation;
- Employability in Education;
- School Improvement;
- Approaches and Methods in TESOL;
- Approaches to Teaching and Learning;
- Professional Development for Teachers;
- Intercultural Engagement and Work and in Communities;
- Schools working with children, families and communities;
- Social Justice, Poverty and Place from the Global to the Local.
We have several units that offer practical approaches to teaching and several that include visits or placements in local community organisations or schools.
Some restrictions may apply to optional unit choices to allow as many students as possible to access some opportunities for external visits and teaching practice.
Teaching and learning
The course is taught by an international profile of world-leading researchers who focus on the broad field and professional practices of international education.
This includes:
- Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (an expert on HE internationalisation, and international student experience);
- Dr Zhuo Min Huang (an expert on intercultural education, student experience, and creative methods);
- Dr Jessica Gagnon (an expert on gender, inequality, social justice);
- Dr Ümit Yıldız (an expert in racism);
- Dr Kirstin Kerr (an expert on education and poverty);
- Dr Miguel Lim (an expert on higher education policy and internationalisation);
- Dr Susie Miles (known internationally for her specialist knowledge of inclusion and disability in developing country contexts);
- Dr Rui He (an expert on acculturation experience and students' mental wellbeing);
- Dr Sylvie Lomer (an expert on international student mobility);
- Dr Chae-Young Kim (an expert on childhood, poverty, inequality, and social justice);
- Dr Josef Ploner (an expert in international higher educational research);
- Dr Zeynep Onat-Stelma (an expert in TESOL);
- Dr Helen Hanna (an expert in migration, school-based education, and citizenship education);
- Dr Andrew Gunn (an expert in higher education, and social sciences);
- Prof Helen Gunter (known internationally for her work on policy and leadership);
- Prof Mel Ainscow (an international expert in inclusive education);
- Prof Mel West (a leading expert in school improvement and school effectiveness);
- Dr Steve Courtney (an expert on school restructuring, change and leadership).
Course units are delivered through lectures, tutorials, group-work, case-based approaches, and enquiry-based learning.
Comprehensive training is provided in the use of electronic resources.
We encourage both individual and co-operative learning and research and hope to foster an ethos of lifelong learning.
We aim to build on the expertise of our students, many of whom are experienced teachers, and who bring with them a wealth of knowledge and practical experience from a wide range of different countries.
Coursework and assessment
You will study four course units in each semester, four of which are core and four of which are optional. If you choose to study on a specialist pathway, you must choose the option associated with that pathway.
The form of assessment varies by course unit; however, most involve a 3,000-word written assessment, which may be in the form of an essay, a critical review of literature, or a research report. Formative and summative feedback is provided.
The dissertation is the report of an empirical or conceptual research project investigation of an aspect of international education, and is 15,000 words in length.
Course content for year 1
- Concepts and Practices in International Education;
- Theories of Teaching and Learning;
- Engaging with Education Research;
- Educational Research Methods and Design.
In addition to a wide range of optional units, and a research-based dissertation.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engaging with Education Research | EDUC60011 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Educational Research Methods and Design | EDUC60452 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Theories of Teaching and Learning | EDUC60491 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Concepts and Practices of International Education | EDUC71331 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Dissertation MA International Education | EDUC84000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Digital Media and Information Literacy | EDUC61712 | 15 | Optional |
| Blended Learning in a Digital Age | EDUC70032 | 15 | Optional |
| Digital Literacy in Language Teaching and Learning | EDUC70061 | 15 | Optional |
| Psychology of Language Learning | EDUC70091 | 15 | Optional |
| The Education of Language Teachers | EDUC70132 | 15 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 33 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
Facilities
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.