MA International Education (Higher Education) / Course details
Year of entry: 2025
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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 Education International (Higher 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 within the area of higher education.
You will work with an international, diverse cohort of staff and students.
The course offers a unique combination of international education, policy, social justices, and practice-based perspectives, and is taught be outstanding, world-leading scholars who focus on the realities of professional practice using 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 and teaching staff come from all over the world, and our qualifications are recognised across the globe.
Unique specialist pathways, with tailored modules and expert dissertation supervision:
- MA International Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
- MA International Education (Higher Education)
- MA International Education (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
- MA International Education (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)
- MA International Education (Globalisation and International Development)
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.
Teaching and learning
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.
Coursework and assessment
You will study four course units in each semester, four of which are core to all students, one is core to this pathway, and three of which are optional.
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;
- Higher Education in International Contexts;
- 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 |
| Higher Education in International Contexts | EDUC70552 | 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 |
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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.