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'll 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 theories in order to enable an informed analysis of educational systems and practices in different countries.
- Develop participants' capacity to engage in and use research to inform and develop both their practice and their understandings of differences in practice in contrasting systems.
- Raise participants' awareness of the influence of key concepts across international contexts, as well as the particularity of local contexts.
- Develop participants' professional knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to their prior and emerging professional interests.
- Enable participants to gain evaluative and analytical skills that will help them to engage critically with education policies and practices across and within national systems.
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 world-leading researchers who focus on the realities of professional practice through social sciences, including:
- Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (an expert on issues around international student experience);
- Dr Kirstin Kerr (an expert on education and poverty);
- Dr Miguel Lim (an expert on higher education policy and international education, quality and rankings);
- Dr Susie Miles (an expert on inclusive education in international contexts);
- Professor Julian Williams (an expert on mathematics teaching and critical pedagogy);
- Dr Sylvie Lomer (an expert on international student mobility);
- Dr Zeynep Onat-Stelma (an expert in TESOL);
- Dr Miriam Firth (an expert on employability);
- Dr Michael O'Donoghue (an expert in teaching and learning in higher education, and use of video);
- Dr Heather Cockayne (an expert in distance learning and international student experience);
- Dr Zhuo Min Huang (an expert in intercultural education and creative education);
- Dr Nahielly Palacios-Gonzalez (an expert in English Language teacher identities);
- Dr Alexander Baratta (an expert in English Language, and English teaching);
- Dr Ümit Yildiz (an expert in anti-racism, and social justice);
- Dr Rui HE (an expert in student experience, and students' mental wellbeing);
- Dr Helen Hanna (an expert in comparative education, and school-based education);
- Dr Chae-Young Kim (an expert in childhood education, poverty, and social justice);
- Dr Jess Gagnon (an expert in gender, and social justice);
- Dr Claire Forbes (an expert in young people's experiences, and educational trajectories).
This is in addition to a wider team of contributors to the programme with varied expertise in multiple aspects of international education.
Course units are delivered through lectures, tutorials, group-work, case-based approaches, and enquiry-based learning. We expect a high level of student participation in discussion and group work.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Improvement | EDUC70882 | 15 | Optional |
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.