MA Education (Wales)

The course is three years part-time. There is no full-time option.

Students can enter year 2 of the programme if they can evidence completion of 60 level 7 credits as part of their PGCE qualification, OR successfully apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL) equivalent to 60 credits. See the MA Education (Wales) RPL Application Form for details including time limits. Students will be supported to complete this process.

Year 1 (60 credits total over the year)

Core modules for all students unless they apply for RPL enabling them to start the programme in year 2.

• Collaborative and Professional Practice (20 credit module)
• Evidence Informed Practice (20 credit module)
• Pedagogy and Practice (20 credit module)

Year 2 (60 credits total over the year)

• 2 x 20 credit modules from the optional modules available in each term. Students cannot complete two modules within the same term. Students who choose to follow a specific pathway award (see below) must select their two optional modules from within that pathway

AND

• Advanced Research and Enquiry Skills (compulsory 20 credit module). This module is taught in twilight sessions across the academic year.

Term 1 optional modules (October to January, 20-credit modules) 

• Emotional Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing (Equity Pathway)
• Exploring Pedagogies (Curriculum Pathway)
• Inclusive Classroom Practice (ALN Pathway)
• Leading and Managing Education Professionals (Leadership Pathway)

Term 2 modules (January to April, 20-credit modules)

• Curriculum Design and Realisation (Curriculum Pathway)
• Equity and Diversity (Equity Pathway)
• Leadership and Management of ALN (ALN Pathway)
• Leading Organisational Change (Leadership Pathway)

Term 3 modules (April to July, 20-credit modules)

• Additional Learning Needs — Excellence in Practice (ALN Pathway)
• Leading Within and Across Education Systems (Leadership Pathway)
• Curriculum Leadership and Innovation (Curriculum Pathway)
• Responding to poverty and disadvantage in education (Equity Pathway)

Year 3

• Dissertation (60 credits)

Assessments are all coursework assignments and will be submitted at the end of each module. There will be one assessment per module.

• Anna Brychan
• Junnine Thomas-Walters
• Dr Ceri Phelps
• Dr Paul B. Hutchings
• Nanna Ryder
• Caroline Lewis
• Alison Suzanne Evans
• Julia Holloway
• Dr Jane Waters

Eligibility Criteria – for funded places  (Please note that not all these criteria apply to teachers who apply for an ITE partnership school funded place.) Please contact a.brychan@uwtsd.ac.uk directly for information on this route if you are an APLP lead or partner school applicant

All candidates must meet the university’s academic entry requirements. To be eligible you must be:-

• Resident in Wales
• Educated to degree level or equivalent;
• Holder of qualified teacher status (QTS) and registered with the EWC as a school teacher) which must be maintained throughout the course of the programme).
• Employed by a maintained school in Wales as a teacher
• Employed on a minimum of 0.4 FTE contracts, this can include supply teachers who are on long term contracts either with a Local Authority, school or an agency.
• In year 3 to year 6 of practice from the completion of induction, at the start of the course.
• Accepted /Enrolled on this specific MA Education offered by the 7 partnership HEIs.
• Candidates should have where possible the support of their Headteacher
• If you have already achieved a subject-specific Masters, you are still eligible to apply for the funding towards this programme
• No other Masters in Education qualifications offered by the university are eligible for this funding

Eligibility for self-funded places

Candidates who do not quality for Welsh Government funding (i.e NOT in years 3-6 of teaching practice) must hold a PGCE, normally achieved within the last 5 years. Such candidates will therefore be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning and enter year two of the programme. The programme fee for these students is £9,750.

Specific conditions of funding — all years

All prospective candidates for support must be acknowledged and agree to the following condition of funding:

• In accepting this grant offer teachers are required to continue to work in Wales, within the maintained education system for a minimum of 2 years after completing the programme.
• Candidates in receipt of this funding must not make an application for further post graduate finance support through the SLC.

 Specific conditions of funding — ALN / Leadership - all years

All prospective candidates for support must acknowledge and agree to the following conditions of funding.

In accepting this grant offer, practitioners are required to work as a teacher or a lecturer, within one of the following settings for a minimum of two years after completing the programme.

• A maintained school/PRU in Wales
• A further education institution in the FE sector in Wales
• A registered independent school
• A specialist college

Candidates in receipt of this funding must not make an application for further post graduate finance support through the Student Loans Company.

Process to access funding

The grant will be established between the Welsh Government and the participating HEIs. Individuals will not apply to the Welsh Government or the Student Loans Company for support.

Designed for qualified teachers at all career stages.

As President of the ARC Education Collaboratory - a global group of 7 education Ministers and professional leaders committed to high quality and education, of which Wales is a founding member - I want to commend Welsh Government and its partners for committing to a fully-funded National Masters degree for early career teachers. ARC and other global organizations like the OECD, have made it clear that high performing and equitable systems have strong commitments to public education, an inspiring and consistent national educational vision, and a highly qualified teaching force.

High quality, committed, and collaborating teachers with motivating career paths ahead of them are the beating heart of the world's best educational systems. From Finland to Singapore, from Canada to South Korea, from the very best world's education systems, it is clear that high quality and equity are not possible without a highly valued, capable, and rigorously developed teaching force who become the pride of their nation and its future.

This commitment to a fully funded National Masters degree for teachers is one more great step forward for the Welsh education system, its teachers, and all its young people on its path to greatness. 

Professor Andy Hargreaves
President of the ARC Education Collaboratory
Ottawa, Canada 

This new Masters programme is a huge investment not only in education but also in the future of Wales. The collaborative manner in which the new programme was developed and led, also speaks volumes about the unity of purpose in Welsh education. Wales has given other education systems a masterclass example of how the education profession could and should be supported, to address the demands of a rapidly changing education landscape.

Professor Pak Tee Ng is a Singaporean educator who is deeply involved in the development of school leaders in his country. He has wonderful memories of his interaction with Welsh educators when he spoke in Swansea in 2019. 

Professor Pak Tee Ng

The launch of a fully, funded National Masters' program for early career teachers in Wales is an extremely important and welcome development. Within a school, the most important factor for supporting a students' learning is the quality of teaching. International evidence is clear that education systems that invest in the teaching profession tend to be higher performing. The National Masters' offers needed professional learning for teachers at a key stage in their career, which will benefit future teaching and learning for all Welsh school students. 

Professor Carol Campbell

Professor Carol Campbell is a leading global expert in professional learning, based at OISE Canada. 

Funding FAQs:

The funding eligibility criteria states that I must be in year 3 to 6 of practice at the start of the course, what does this mean?

This means you must be in years 3-6 of teaching following successful completion of your NQT induction when the course is due to start (not when you apply)

Do I need to be registered with the EWC?

Yes, to be eligible for funding you must be registered with the EWC in the category of school teacher. This must be maintained for the duration of the course.

Why is the funding only available for teachers in years 3-6 of practice?

The funding for this programme is offered by the Welsh Government as part of the Early Career Teacher Package.

Following completion of my NQT induction, I spent a period of time working overseas / took a career break, does this count?

Time spent employed as a teacher outside of the UK or time taken as a career break will not be counted as years of practice.

Am I required to have a teaching contract for a minimum period of time, e.g. an academic term / year? What happens if my contract ends part way through the programme?

Eligibility will be conferred at the beginning of the programme. At that point you will need to hold a contract of at least one term.

I am employed as a teacher in a number of schools and my contracts total more than 0.4FTE. Am I eligible for funding?

Yes, as long as your contracts total 0.4FTE or higher, you are eligible to apply for funding.

I am a part time and/or supply teacher, can I apply for funding?

Yes, as long as your contracts total 0.4FTE or higher, you are eligible to apply for funding.

Do I need to commit to working in Wales after I have completed the MA Education?

In accepting this funding teachers are required to continue to work in Wales, within the maintained education system for a minimum of 2 years after completing the programme.

Is there a residency requirement before the course starts?

In order to be eligible for funding you must be resident in Wales for 3 years prior to start of course and remain so for the duration of the programme.

I would like to self-fund; how much are the fees?

£6,500

I have previously undertaken masters level study, am I eligible for funding for this programme?

If you have previously studied a subject specific masters programme, then you are still eligible to apply for funding (subject to meeting all other criteria). Please note that if you have previously undertaken a funded MEd then you will not be eligible to apply for funding for the National MA.

My application for funding was unsuccessful, what are my options?

If your application for funding is not successful, you may still be able to take up a place on the course as a self-funded student.

My application for funding was unsuccessful, how can I appeal against the decision?

Applicants who are not satisfied with the decision of the National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel should contact the Chair of the Panel in the first instance.

Who decides on funding allocation?

Upon receipt of your application, the Admissions team at your chosen institution will ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria. The National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel will then assess all eligible applications to determine the outcome and award funding to those who are successful.  The Panel consists of representatives from each Partner University and reports to the National Management Board (which has membership from the Welsh Government), to ensure clear accountability and oversight.

How many funded places are available?

There are 500 funded places across the National MA Education (Wales) partnership.

Am I eligible for a student loan?

If you are awarded Welsh Government funding for the National MA Education (Wales) then you must not also apply for postgraduate finance support through the Student Loans Company (SLC). Students who are not in receipt of Welsh Government funding may apply to the SLC.

My application for funding was unsuccessful, what are my options?

If your application for funding is not successful, you may still be able to take up a place on the course as a self-funded student.

My application for funding was unsuccessful, how can I appeal against the decision?

Applicants who are not satisfied with the decision of the National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel should contact the Chair of the Panel in the first instance.

Who decides on funding allocation?

Upon receipt of your application, the Admissions team at your chosen institution will ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria. The National MA Education (Wales) Funding Award Panel will then assess all eligible applications to determine the outcome and award funding to those who are successful.  The Panel consists of representatives from each Partner University and reports to the National Management Board (which has membership from the Welsh Government), to ensure clear accountability and oversight.

How many funded places are available?

There are 500 funded places across the National MA Education (Wales) partnership.

Am I eligible for a student loan?

If you are awarded Welsh Government funding for the National MA Education (Wales) then you must not also apply for postgraduate finance support through the Student Loans Company (SLC). Students who are not in receipt of Welsh Government funding may apply to the SLC.

Who is this programme for?

The National MA Education (Wales) is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders. The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it. The National MA Education (Wales), which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their professional knowledge, engage with research, and to improve their professional practice.

What are the entry requirements?

Candidates must hold Qualified Teacher Status and be currently employed in the compulsory education sector in the UK.

Does the course require a specific degree classification at UG level?

The course does not require a specific degree classification at UG level. Entry requirements are as stated above.

What are the application deadlines?

Applications will be reviewed throughout the year however if you wish to be considered for funding, the deadlines are as follows:

• Admission deadline 1: 12 May 2023
• Admission deadline 2: 17 July 2023
• Admission deadline 3: 15 September 2023

What is Recognition of Prior Learning?

Recognition of Prior Learning signifies the process recognising learning achieved by an individual before entry to the MA. For the purpose of this programme, the term covers the following: a) Credit Transfer - Where the credits or qualification have been awarded by a UK higher education institution as part of a formal qualification; b) Recognition of Prior experiential Learning (RPeL) – where learning gained through experience is assessed and recognised.

Can I be exempted from part of the MA i.e. accepted with Recognition of Prior Learning?

It may be possible to admit you to the MA with advanced standing on the basis of M-Level modules studied elsewhere in the UK during the last five years. Please apply using the standard application form but ensure that you include your previous academic transcripts plus a copy of the course syllabus giving details of learning outcomes and credit weightings.

What documents do I need to send to you?

As well as completing the standard University application process, you will also be required to submit a supplementary application form available here.

A statement of support from your Headteacher or other senior colleague/manager.

If you are applying for Accreditation of Experiential Learning, you will need to submit a CV If you are applying for Credit Transfer, you will need to enclose your QTS Academic Transcript listing modules.

Do I need a GCSE in Welsh Language?

You do not need a GCSE in Welsh language to apply for this programme.

How can I register on a Virtual Open Day?

Please check the website of your chosen University for details of virtual open days. 

I have received a conditional offer, what does this mean?

A conditional offer means that you have been accepted onto the MA subject to you meeting the criteria specified in your formal offer of admission.

Do I need to provide a programme specific enhanced criminal disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)?

As a practicing teacher you will already have undergone checks via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and therefore will not need to complete this process again.

I am a teacher in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland - can I still apply for the programme?

Yes, we welcome applications from teachers across the UK.

I am a teacher from the EU/Overseas - can I still apply for the programme?

Unfortunately, this programme is not available to teachers from the EU/Overseas.

I completed the GTP, am I eligible to apply for the National MA Education (Wales)? 

Yes, teachers who qualified via the GTP route are eligible to apply for the National MA Education (Wales). You will need to map your learning and/or experience against the Learning Outcomes in the Recognition of Prior Learning section of the MA Education (Wales) Supplementary Application Form. Guidance on how to complete this is available in the Recognition of Prior Learning policy, available above.